Empowering Women through Archery: A Journey of Passion, Perseverance, and Pride.

Archer Margaret Donnelly gives us a sporting insight into the life of her Dunbrody club mate and WBHC 2025 Bronze medallist

Catherine Power

From: The Rower Co. Kilkenny

Club: Dunbrody Archers

Shooting style: Bowhunter Recurve

World Bowhunter Championships 2025 South Africa.

Discovering Archery: From Family Support to Personal Passion

At the heart of many sporting journeys lies a spark – perhaps its curiosity, a desire for something new or fun. For one archer, Catherine Power from The Rower in County Kilkenny, her story began when her young son, Kevin took up archery. As archery rules require a guardian to be present with a cub archer, Catherine accompanied Kevin to training and soon found herself drawn into the sport. What started as support within a few short months transformed into a passion of her own. Fourteen years later Catherine is still an avid archer and member of the club she initially joined, Dunbrody Archers in New Ross.

When Catherine was initially convinced to try archery she imagined herself mastering a timber bow but was advised to start with a recurve. She stresses that she was encouraged to learn and truly understand the fundamentals of archery.

Over time, Catherine has experimented with different bow styles including a compound bow, of which she states she is “not a fan”. Catherine’s bow of choice today is a Bowhunter Recurve, she did however master that timber bow, so in

addition she has her own longbow which she shoots occasionally.

Growing Through Competition and Challenges.

When asked about her first competition Catherine is unsure exactly about the location, somewhere in Cork she believes, however her memory is crystal clear on the details. Using a red bow borrowed for the day, she remembers how similar it was to accompanying Kevin on his shoots, except this time she was carrying a bow. Catherine still remembers the experience vividly, she struggled, hitting very little and breaking arrows on a particularly “challenging” black crow at 20-yards, and she recalls the crow in language which suggests she may still hold a grudge.  Catherine describes her first shoot as going very badly, a tale of lost and broken arrows but she was absolutely sure from that point the only way was up. Despite or maybe because of the challenge, the experience planted a seed for growth.

Beyond Borders: Competing Internationally…

Catherine’s archery journey has taken her all around Ireland and to international

venues in England, Scotland, Wales, France, Italy, and Austria. Something Catherine says is made more enjoyable by the opportunities afforded to share these

adventures with friends and family. Her first international competition was back in

2012 when she travelled to UKIFAC at Kings Forest Suffolk, This was a family affair

and whilst Catherine and Kevin participated, her husband Denis and son Shane enjoyed some sightseeing. Catherine says she really wanted Kevin to do well, and

having him there helped her a lot. As it happened, Kevin had an amazing competition and came in first.

Most notable of course is Catherine’s recent triumph at the World Bowhunter Competition 2025 in South Africa—a trip she prepared for meticulously, attending

as many competitions as she could, ensuring her equipment was in top shape and building her shoulder strength after an injury. The trip to South Africa was shared

with her son Kevin, a fact Catherine says made it even more special.

Passport (and bow!) in hand, with the trepidation and excitement of a long journey ahead Catherine was glad to share it with a close-knit group of like-minded passionate archers. Nearly sixteen hours of flight time after leaving Dublin plus a stop off in Dubai, Catherine arrived in Johannesburg. Upon disembarkation the African heat hit her first, followed immediately by the excitement and realisation they had finally arrived.

Her hotel was in Potchefstroom, a town about three times bigger than Waterford and the location of the largest University in South Africa. Each competition morning had an early start, breakfast at 5.20am, Catherine says “the buzz in the restaurant was unreal, the excitement and anticipation of the competition starting, half afraid that you’d forget something”. Whilst travelling around forty minutes by bus to the competition HQ each morning, Catherine would watch the local wildlife in the distance, antelope, giraffe and even monkeys swinging from branch to branch amongst the trees. Catherine recalls how lovely the opening ceremony was, the walk around the park and the entertainment provided by traditional dancers. Her feeling of pride to be there and carry the Irish flag amongst the twenty nations represented,

Shooting internationally means that men and women do not shoot together, so her all female groups shot together for the entirety of the competition. Catherine shot with women from Austria, Netherlands and South Africa and she states “it was no different than shooting here in Ireland, only it was all women!” she also notes that the ratio of men to women was around 2:1.

The South African competition was challenging, Catherine does not know how far she walked but the distances through diverse terrain were significant, encountering ostriches that roamed the course, Catherine says the 3D targets themselves blended well into their surroundings. Day one she felt was the most taxing, a difficult single arrow round, with waterlogged pegs that could hardly be seen and when the resulting mud made the going very slippy she saw many women either slip or fall into the muck. The last day of the competition brought the realisation that she might make the podium, Catherine knew she needed every arrow to score and on that final morning, waiting on the starting whistle she admits she felt nervous. She was so close, but there was so much that could go wrong, “It was an unmarked round I just needed every arrow to score a no blanks and maybe I could do it”. On her very last target she scored a first wound, and she was immediately congratulated by fellow Irish archer Lynn Ellingworth, although Catherine was still not sure she had done enough.

Triumphs and Emotions: Standing on the Podium…

The medal and closing ceremony was as exciting as the opening, National flags hung from the ceiling, five hundred people waited to hear the results. Catherine says “it was very exciting waiting to hear if my name was going to be called out, it was very emotional when it was”. Catherine had earned a bronze medal, both an emotional and unforgettable experience, her dedication and love for the sport go beyond trophies, but recognition is a beautiful reward. A simple celebration of culture, friendship and perseverance Catherine toasted her win with a few drinks in the bar. After the competition Catherine visited a lion sanctuary and was lucky enough to be permitted to bottle feed an eleven month old cub.

Catherine says maybe she has just been lucky on her journey, “Kevin was good, so we travelled all over Ireland. It’s easier to do with your friends and family”, maybe Catherine is being humble, as her’s is a story of giving it a go, persevering and being prepared to lose as well as win.

The Heart of Archery: More than Just Medals.

For Catherine, archery is about the love of the sport, the camaraderie, and the journey. She credits her son’s skill and enthusiasm for encouraging her to keep travelling and competing. Her story is also one of balance—juggling family life, her own business and caring for a menagerie of pets, all whilst making time to pursue her passion.

Catherine’s journey shows that sport can be a powerful avenue for women to build confidence and find joy. Archery in particular is an inclusive sport, it teaches focus and patience, and celebrates tenacity and resilience. Whether you are there to accompany a child, want to try something new, or you’re seeking a little challenge and adventure, there is a place in archery for every woman to thrive.

To those wondering if they can take that first step, look to Catherine’s example, start with the basics, lean on your support system, and embrace every challenge. The target is there—ready for you to aim, shoot, and succeed.

by Margaret Donnelly.