Nora Stapleton
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5 July 1983
| Born | Nora Stapleton 5 July 1983 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 69 kg (152 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | University College Dublin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Nora Stapleton is a former Ireland women's rugby union international. Stapleton represented Ireland at the 2010, 2014 and 2017 Women's Rugby World Cups. She was also a member of the Ireland teams that won the 2013 and 2015 Women's Six Nations Championships. Stapleton was a member of the first Ireland teams to defeat both England and New Zealand. Stapleton has also played two other football codes at a senior level. As a women's association football player, she played for UCD in FAI Women's Cup finals and UEFA Women's Cup campaigns. She has also played senior ladies' Gaelic football for Donegal.
Stapleton grew up in Fahan, near Buncrana, in Inishowen, County Donegal.[1][2][3][4] She was educated at St Mura's NS in Tooban and Crana College in Buncrana.[5][6] Between 2001 and 2004 Stapleton attended University College Dublin where she gained a BSc. She studied sports management, financial management, leisure management, theory of coaching, physiology and organisational management.[7][8]
Association football
Stapleton attended UCD on a soccer scholarship and played as a defender for the women's football team.[7][8][9] Together with Sylvia Gee, Mary Waldron and Caroline Thorpe, she was a prominent member of the UCD team that won three successive FAI Women's Cup finals between 2002 and 2004.[10][11][12] After winning the FAI Women's Cup, UCD qualified for the UEFA Women's Cup and Stapleton subsequently played in their 2003–04, 2004–05 and 2005–06 campaigns.[13] She also helped UCD complete a four-in-a-row of Dublin Women's Soccer League titles between 2003 and 2006.[14]
Ladies' Gaelic football
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| Sport | Ladies' Gaelic football | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Clubs
Stapleton played ladies' Gaelic football at club level for Naomh Padraig,[2] UCD[7] and Na Fianna.[1][15]
Inter-County
Stapleton played for Donegal at senior inter-county level. In June 2008 she was named Player of the Month after helping Donegal defeat Armagh, the reigning champions, in the first round of the Ulster Senior Ladies' Football Championship.[15][16][17] On 26 September 2010, Stapleton helped Donegal win the 2010 All-Ireland Intermediate Ladies' Football Championship. In the final Donegal played a Waterford team that included Stapleton's Ireland women's rugby union international teammate, Niamh Briggs.[3][8][18][19][20][21][22] Between 2007 and 2013 Stapleton also worked for Ballinteer St John's GAA/Dublin GAA as a Gaelic games promotional officer.[7][16]