‘Football was a trigger’
A former professional footballer from Cork has said she feels closer to the sport than ever after stepping away due to difficulties with addiction and mental health.
Former Republic of Ireland, Cork City and Glasgow Celtic player Clare Shine, 27, retired from professional football in 2022.
Her retirement came less than 3 weeks before Ireland secured its place in the Women’s World Cup finals, a campaign she had played a major role in.
Shine, who is an ambassador for this year’s Darkness Into Light fundraiser event for suicide prevention charity Pieta, is in now the process of completing a life coaching course and said she does not regret her decision to walk away from the sport she loves.
“It's been difficult at times, you know, not being involved, that team environment, and missing out on important games has been a challenge, but I needed to do it for me, I needed to look after my mental health,” said Shine, whose dream now is to help other young footballers with the pressures of professional sport.
She continued: “I'm doing a bit of media work, I'm able to be a fan, I'm able to go to games.
“Football isn't what it seems to a lot of people. When you're in that environment 24/7 it's really intense. There's a lot of changes in your routine, your structure, and for someone who struggle with their mental health, routine and structure is one of the main things, and I just found it really hard to find that balance.
“Something had to change. I tried to step away from football before and then come back but it was just a vicious cycle.
“As much as football saved my life and gave me some unbelievable experiences, I needed to step past that and have that awareness that football was a trigger to my mental health, in good ways and in bad ways.”
Shine, who says she is still adjusting to life outside football, heaped praise on her Irish teammates for their World Cup qualification after beating Scotland 0-1 in Hampden Park last October.
“I can remember when that final whistle went and the tears were flowing, I was like, 'Wow, this is insane, this is unbelievable achievement and history is made, not just for the girls, but for women's football in Ireland’,” said Shine.
Darkness Into Light takes place this Saturday at 23 different locations around Cork city and county. The even aims to raise essential funds and enables Pieta to continue providing free of charge suicide prevention, intervention and bereavement support to people of all ages across Ireland.
According to Pieta, suicide was the leading cause of death in men aged under 25 in Ireland in 2019.
Last year in Munster, Pieta delivered over 14,000 hours of free, one-to-one therapy, and helped almost 2,000 clients.
Stephanie Manahan, CEO, Pieta, said: “Over 80% of Pieta’s annual funds are raised every year from public donations and by people taking part and supporting events like Darkness Into Light. By signing up and taking part, every single person helps to support us continue to provide the services like the 24/7 crisis helpline which receives up to 2,000 calls and texts each week.”
For more information on this Saturday’s Darkness Into Light fundraiser, and to register to take part, visit darknessintolight.ie.