Northern Ireland rugby communities gathered to commemorate Rosie Stewart through an annual memorial match held in her hometown. Stewart, who represented Ireland in international rugby between 1999 and 2000, was instrumental in establishing Ulster Women’s Rugby as a founding member. She passed away following a breast cancer diagnosis in 2003 at age 33.
The Rosie Stewart Memorial Bowl took place on a Saturday afternoon in September, featuring teams from Cooke and Enniskillen competing in the host city. The event drew participation from Stewart’s family members, including her sister Colette Risely and husband Adrian, as well as former teammates and current players. According to Risely, promoting health awareness represented a cause that would have held significant meaning for Stewart during her lifetime.
Concurrent with the sporting competition, organizers facilitated a women’s health discussion session featuring presentations from Western Trust representative Jacinta McCool and fitness coach Claire O’Hagan. The educational component addressed breast and cervical cancer awareness, early detection benefits, female athletic conditioning, and the menstrual cycle’s effects on sports performance. McCool emphasized that early detection of breast or cervical cancer correlates with improved treatment outcomes.
Current players, including City of Derry’s Kelly Gormley, reflected on Stewart’s pioneering contributions to women’s rugby development in the region. Gormley noted that several squad members have personal connections to breast cancer and appreciated the platform for raising awareness among younger athletes. She characterized Stewart as instrumental in initiating systemic change that enabled women’s rugby expansion, noting the sport’s substantial growth trajectory in Northern Ireland stemmed from Stewart’s foundational efforts years prior.
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