Shirley McCay
Hockey
BIOGRAPHY
Shirley McCay MBE represented Ireland in women’s field hockey at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, where Ireland finished 10th.
It was Ireland’s first ever appearance in women’s field hockey at the Olympics, having qualified by defeating Canada in a penalty shoot-out in November 2019. McCay was one of Ireland’s most experienced players in the squad, having made her senior international debut in January 2007. She retired from international hockey in September 2021 as Ireland’s most capped player in any sport — male or female — with 316 senior caps.
A defender, McCay was a member of the Ireland team that won the silver medal at the 2018 Women’s Hockey World Cup in London, the first time an Irish team reached a World Cup final. McCay also won two Irish Senior Cup titles with Ulster Elks in 2015 and 2016, and a league title with Pegasus in 2019. She was appointed MBE in the 2022 Birthday Honours for services to hockey and to the community in Northern Ireland. Following retirement, she took up a role in talent development with Ulster Hockey.
OTHER HOCKEY ATHLETES
HOCKEY NEWS
LA28 Qualification Dates in 2026
ROAD TO LA ALREADY UNDERWAY! 2026 marks the beginning of the qualification journey for many sports as they look ahead to the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028. Qualifying for the Games, which take place from 14–30 July 2028, is challenging across all disciplines. Most sports require either direct qualification through specific events, qualification via [...]
Turning Pain into Progress: Ireland Hockey Captain Sarah Hawkshaw Reflects on Olympic Setback and World Cup Qualification Success
It is easy, sometimes, to presume that every high performance athlete who is heartbroken not to make a global tournament will be super motivated once their next goal is writ large on a white board. Yet even someone as experienced and driven as Tokyo Olympian Sarah Hawkshaw struggled when the Irish women’s hockey team didn't [...]
In the News – 9 March 2026
Hockey The Irish Men’s and women’s hockey teams qualify for the FIH World Cup, after competing in the Qualifiers tournament in Santiago, Chile. The Ireland Men’s Hockey Team closed out their FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers with a win over France to take top spot in the tournament. Having trailed by a goal, Ireland fought [...]
Sport Events Coming up in July
We are at the start of a jam packed July, check here for information on the upcoming events? DATES EVENT (SPORT) 27 June – 6 July EQUESTRIAN Team Ireland – World Equestrian Festival CHIO Aachen – Aachen, Germany LINK 28-29 June ATHLETICS Team Ireland – European Athletics Team Championships Division 2 – Maribor, Slovenia LINK [...]
In The News – June 16th
Men’s Hockey | Ireland Edge Belgium in FIH Pro League Thriller Ireland secured a stunning 3–2 victory over world-ranked #2 Belgium in Antwerp - their first win of the 2024/25 FIH Pro League season. Louis Rowe opened the scoring; Lee Cole struck twice with penalty corners. Jaime Carr delivered a Player of the Match performance, [...]
Olympic Champion Rhys McClenaghan Inspires Students on Return to His Old School
Olympic Champion and Dare to Believe ambassador Rhys McClenaghan revisits his school Olympic Champion on the pommel horse (gymnastics), Rhys McClenaghan, returned to his former school this week, bringing with him not only his Olympic gold medal but also an inspiring message of resilience and perseverance. As an ambassador for the Dare to Believe Olympic [...]