A Letter Home from Delighted Siobhán and Sharon

Sharon Lynch's grandfather, Jim Barry - who celebrated his 90th birthday on the week before this pictured was taken. The late Jim was pictured at the funeral of Michael Doyle with Mick Galwey, Moss Keane and Cllr. Bobby O'Connell and Michael McElligott. ©Photograph: John Reidy 4-8-2002 — Sharon Lynch’s grandfather, Jim Barry – who celebrated his 90th birthday on the week before this pictured was taken. The late Jim was pictured at the funeral of Michael Doyle in Castleisland with Mick Galwey, Moss Keane, Cllr. Bobby O’Connell and Michael McElligott. ©Photograph: John Reidy 4-8-2002

She was over the moon to have been called into the irish Women’s Rugby squad ahead of the World Cup. Can you imagine Sharon Lynch’s feelings this evening now that she’s about to get her first international cap tomorrow in the back row beside Siobhán Fleming and Paula Fitzpatrick. The game will be shown live on TG4 from 11:50am.

I spoke to Sharon’s delighted mom Ellen Barry-Lynch earlier and she thought, at the time, that things were looking good for Sharon.

“If it happens I’ll be the happiest woman in the world to see my daughter taking to the field for Ireland,” said an emotional Ellen who is in France for the past two games and will be there at tomorrow’s game against, Kazakhstan.

“All I’m thinking about now is Jim Barry and what a proud man he’d be today to see his grand-daughter in the green shirt of Ireland. But I’ll dream on until the team is announced – and don’t the devil pick you to put anything in the Maine Valley until we know for sure,’ Ellen warned.

I got ‘A Letter Home’ type of email this morning from ‘the front’ from Sharon and Siobhán and it says everything you need to know about how important the support from here is to them. The following is the message from the two girls at the end of one of the most amazing weeks in their lives.

The just capped, Sharon Lynch (left) and the established, Siobhán Fleming will play side-by-side on the back row in tomorrow's game in the Women's Rugby World Cup against Kazakstan in France. — The just capped, Sharon Lynch (left) and the established, Siobhán Fleming sent a ‘Letter Home’ to their supporters here. They will play side-by-side on the back row in tomorrow’s game in the Women’s Rugby World Cup game against Kazakstan in France.

To everyone at home:

Words can’t describe how amazing the support has been here and at home for us. We have been blown away by the amount of people that made their way to Marcoussis (covered in green from head to toe!). The supporters have been the true legends so far.

Siobhan and I are having the experience of a lifetime and cannot put it into words how mindblowing the last week has been. BUT nothing has been accomplished yet. We have so much work to finish off here and anyone that knows us knows that we have been capable of beating big teams like NZ but just needed the chance to do it.

Next task is Kazakhstan on Saturday and we are looking forward to that challenge as well. It’ll be no walkover, these girls didn’t come over to make up numbers, therefore we have to be ready mentally and physically.

So I hope everyone can tune into TG4 and we hope we can continue to do you all proud.

Sharon & Siobhan, France WRWC 2014 xxx