Former Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Emma Byrne is to be the first woman ever inducted into the FAI's Hall of Fame, with the association announcing that she is to receive the honour on Sunday night at the its annual awards.
Having started out at St Patrick’s Athletic, Byrne enjoyed a remarkable club career, most of it spent at Arsenal, where she won 11 league titles, a Champions League and contributed to a long list of cup successes.
She represented Ireland 134 times over the course of a senior international career that began in March 1996 and only ended with her retirement in 2017. From 2013 on, she also captained the team.
"Emma was a fantastic goalkeeper and ambassador for the women's game," says FAI chief executive John Delaney. "She deserves to have her name in the Hall of Fame, alongside some of the best players ever to represent Ireland."
Former players to have been similarly honoured in recent years include Damien Duff, Robbie Keane and Andy Townsend.
