AN IRISH student in America is on a mission to get home to County Meath in time for her football team’s county final this weekend.
Gillian Hawdon is a fourth year student in Athlone Institute of Technology, where she studies athletic rehabilitation therapy.
As part of her degree, she got the opportunity to do a semester in America and she is now based in Pennsylvania, where she is studying at Clarion University.
But as luck would have it, the timing was all wrong.
Her GAA team, Oldcastle Ladies GFC, is in the senior county final for the first time ever this weekend.
“We won the Intermediate Championship in 2011 and have been trying to get the senior title ever since,” Ms Hawdon told The Irish Post.
“We have never got as far as the final before. We got to the semi two years ago and that's the closest we've ever been!”
But despite having no money for the pricey fare home, Ms Hawdon is determined to get back in time to play her part in the monumental match.
@AerLingus Irish girl studying in Need to get home for my Club Senior Final but have no money.Can you help?✈️ pic.twitter.com/vcMog3ys9P
— Gillian Hawdon (@gillyhawdon) September 13, 2015
She has launched a social media campaign and hopes to get home in time for the match, which kicks off at 7.30pm this Saturday in Navan.
“I have been here since August 6 and it’s an amazing experience,” Ms Hawdon said.
“But this coming weekend is one that I really wish I could be back home.”
Kind-hearted Irish people have been coming out in droves to help in any way they can – and she is hoping that Aer Lingus will notice her campaign and get her home in time to tog out on Saturday.
Gillian has launched a social media campaign in a bid to get home on time.See More: Featured, GAA, Gillian Hawdon
