'Now it's our turn' - Community rallies for Catriona McGahan after life-changing accident

ON a sunlit Friday, July 4 last year, what should have been a joyful holiday in France turned into a moment that would change a life forever.

Catriona McGahan - a footballer known not only for her talent but for her heart - was involved in a devastating accident that left her with life-altering injuries. In the hours that followed, she was airlifted by French emergency services to a hospital in Marseille before being transferred home to Belfast, where teams at the Royal Victoria Hospital and Musgrave Park Hospital began the next chapter of her fight: survival, recovery, and rehabilitation.

Today, Catriona is home. But the road ahead is long.

The injuries she sustained mean that everyday life now comes with immense physical challenges. Her home requires significant adaptations. She faces extensive rehabilitation and therapy. The independence she once carried so effortlessly onto the football pitch must now be rebuilt step by determined step.

And determination is something Catriona has never lacked.

For years, she proudly wore the jerseys of clubs and counties across Ireland and beyond - from Oonagh Celts LGFC and Killeeshil GFC to Tyrone and Ulster, from University of Ulster to Parnells in London, and even Central Coast GAA in Australia. In 2024, she pulled on the green jersey for Ireland in the inaugural Compromise Rules Test against Australia - a moment that captured her relentless commitment and world-class spirit.

Wherever she played, Catriona gave everything.

She was the teammate who never stopped running. The opponent who played hard but fair. The friend who checked in. The player who lifted others when they faltered. Her football brought her around the world - but it was her warmth, kindness and fierce loyalty that made her unforgettable.

Those who know her say that if the roles were reversed, Catriona would already be organising the fundraiser herself. She would be first to volunteer, first to give, first to rally support.

Now, it is her turn to receive that support.

Her teammates and friends have come together under the banner of Gather4McGahan, determined to stand beside her and her family in this fight. Every pound raised will go directly toward her rehabilitation, recovery, and the home modifications needed to help her regain independence.

On Saturday, April 18, Galbally Community Centre will host a Wheelchair Football Tournament - a day designed not only to raise funds, but to raise awareness. Teams of five to seven people are invited to take part, with a suggested minimum donation of £200 per team. All equipment will be provided. To register a team, go to this link: https://forms.gle/ToJzas7t3f5uip36A

Participants will do more than play football. They will step - or rather roll - into a small glimpse of the daily challenges faced by wheelchair users. They will share laughs, tea by the bucketful, and live music later that evening. They will reconnect with friends and rivals alike. And most importantly, they will stand in solidarity with a woman who has given so much to the sport and to so many people.

For those unable to attend, donations can be made online through the official fundraising page: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/

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Every contribution, no matter the size, moves Catriona one step further along her recovery journey.

This is more than a fundraiser. It is a community answering a call. It is teammates becoming pillars. It is sport showing its true power - not just in competition, but in compassion.

Catriona gave her all on every pitch she stepped onto.

Now, her community is stepping up for her.