Law student playing netball for Ireland appeals for funding

A law student who has been selected to play netball for Ireland in the Nations Cup next month is appealing for sponsorship to cover her travel and training costs.

Fran Duffy, a 20-year-old law student at Manchester Metropolitan University, told Irish Legal News that taking part in next month’s competition in Singapore is “a dream come true”.

Ms Duffy said: “Ireland has been a massive part of my family due to my Irish heritage on my father’s side of the family.

“Playing international netball is something I have always aspired to and being selected to take part in my first international competition which will take place 1st–12th September in Singapore is a dream come true.”

Netball is entirely self-funding and Ms Duffy has used her student loan and financial support from her family to support her ambitions.

However, she said the cost of travelling from the UK to Ireland, the cost of national kit and the cost of training and competition have caused her “financial stress”, especially as her twin brother also requires support in his studies and his rugby ambitions.

Ms Duffy told ILN: “In the short term I am looking for donations / sponsorship to enable me to fully enjoy the Ireland netball experience and concentrate fully on playing rather than the financial burdens.”

She added: “In the long term, I wish to have a successful Nations Cup representing Ireland. And then be selected to compete in the Europeans next year.

“To enable me to do this I will be looking to secure sponsorship for the next phase in my development. I will be completing my degree in summer 2017 and aiming for first class degree which will start the next step of my legal career taking the LPC although the door is never shut as I don’t want to rule out different legal career paths.”