On the Front Foot, Cricket Ireland’s female leadership course, has successfully wrapped up for another year – this time with 22 future female leaders enjoying a Graduation Day after the six-month programme came to a close.
Participants came together from the five Provincial Unions, along with three candidates from Cricket Scotland, to complete the course and receive their certificates.
Graduation Day featured talks from Elaine Nolan and Brian MacNeice from Cricket Ireland, Cricket Scotland’s Head of Growth and Social Impacts, Nicola Wilson. Past-participants Christina Coulter Reilly, Dr Rashi Mukhopadhayay, Sukhi Byrne and Madeline Lynch also added valuable insight by sharing their journeys since taking part in the programme.
The On the Front Foot programme involves two in-person days, and six online interactive elements, held across a six-month period. In the last iteration of the programme, guest speakers included Laura Morgan Walsh from Morgan Walsh consulting, Kathryn Rough (CEO NWCU), Jen Shilliday from R.I.O.T (Revival of our Town) House and Youth Centre.
Over the five years since the inception of the course, there have been 78 graduates from the five Provincial Unions along with three graduates from Cricket Scotland.
Speaking about On the Front Foot, one of the course mentors – Ali Nolan – said:
“On the Front Foot brings people together, first and foremost. They get to learn from each other; they learn what their personal values are; what their leadership capabilities are; what their capabilities might become. It teaches you about yourself and encourages you to be reflective.
“The graduates also become part of a really special network of women from around the country that is growing year on year. It’s important, as well, that women are not only being invited to the table, but that they are showing up at the table and banging down the door, wanting a seat at the table. There are lots of opportunities available but we as females still have to go and take them and make them our own.”
Following the successful completion of the course by three of their employees, Cricket Scotland hopes to run On the Front Foot this year with the support of Nicola Wilson.
Cricket Ireland is now accepting expressions of interest for the sixth iteration of On the Front Foot. The course is due to begin September 2026. Express your interest now via our Expression of Interest Form.
