Westmeath footballer reveals how sport helped her cope with brother’s tragic death

What an incredible woman.

Lauralee Walsh is one of the few women who can claim to have played in Croke Park for her county, and on the international rugby stage with her country. The Westmeath woman is a former county captain, and two years ago was a part of the Ireland's rugby Sevens team who started off on the long road to Olympic qualification. The legendary ladies footballer has also used her sport to help her through some enormously difficult personal circumstances, as she explains in a wonderful new video from the WGPA. The Glasson native's brother Michael, who was a year older than her, suffered from depression and he sadly took his own life on his 21st birthday in 2005. Walsh explains how the tragedy affected her deeply, and almost caused her world to come crashing down ,but thanks to the support of friends and family, as well as her sport, she came through it.

"Losing Mike is as probably as bad as life gets. I think I owe an awful lot to my team-mates and I owe an awful lot to football for pulling me through that time. "Michael's memory is probably what drives me on, I always feel like I have someone watching over me a little bit."

Walsh also played basketball at a high level and featured for the Ireland rugby Sevens side from 2012 to 2014, but due to work commitments, she had to decide to quit the panel two years ago. She is now back playing with the team she won an All-Ireland intermediate medal with in 2011, and is thankful for sport's help in settling her mind and her life.

"It’s an escapism, where you can express yourself freely and forget about life's worries."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=YISZUCyEML4&app=desktop You can contact the Samaritans on their 24-hour helpline on 116 123 (Republic of Ireland) or 08457 90 90 90 (from the UK)