When you are only seventeen years of age, the world offers young people so much today and right now Galway born Fióna Hahnefeld is on cloud nine. Last year, she was an influential member of the Galway victorious Minor All-Ireland winning team and a year later she wins her first senior 'B' All-Ireland colleges medal last month. It was a very fortunate move for both Galway camogie and her local secondary school, Mercy, Woodford that both her German born parents, Pia and Andy decided to leave their native country and settle in the West of Ireland twenty years ago. According to Fióna, both parents love it here. "I have been given great support from both Mum and Dad, Mum had a big interest in athletics, but gradually got involved with our local camogie team, Davitts and our school as well," said Fiona. "I maintained a big interest in athletics until last year winning several All-Ireland titles, but then I decided to concentrate wholeheartedly on winning a senior 'B' All-Ireland with Mercy Woodford. "I was only about eight years of age when I heard of the Davitts club and I was very lucky as in my first year I was on the winning U10 Championship side. Since then I have added many underage titles, thanks to a lot of work done by coaches in the club." Not surprisingly, she has many club idols, with Galway player Lourda Kavanagh very high on her list while she also mentions Olivia Forde as having given her great coaching especially when she was on the Féile na nGael teams. While Davitts were fortunate to reach three Féile na nGael finals and one semi-final, alas they never tasted victory and that ranks as a big disappointment with young Fióna. She did however, captain the Galway U14 team to Connacht victory some years ago and winning that All-Ireland Minor medal last year in centenary year made up for the loss of Féile na nGael somewhat. Fióna has one brother, nineteen year old Fintan, who is in college in UCC but has also played hurling with the Galway club Tommy Larkins. Tall, bubbly Fióna gives it her all on the playing field as I saw recently myself, where she played a major part in securing the first senior 'B' title for the school. Victory came early for Fióna in her school when in 2001 she was part of the Mercy Woodford team that took the very first ever camogie title to the school winning the Colleges All-Ireland Junior 'B' title. The manner in which Fióna speaks of her teacher and coach is not surprising. "Donal always gives great encouragement, and pays great attention to detail, he will support you all the way and so it was nice that we were able to pay him back this year with a senior 'B' All-Ireland title," said the Galway girl. Bright lights ... While camogie is very important to this young teenager she has other interests in life and one of those is modelling! The stunningly beautiful girl is well able to combine both. However, this all came about by chance, it so happened that a photographer accidentally met with Fióna's parents and mentioned to them that perhaps their daughter could do well at modelling. From there it just took off. "I had never dreamt of anything in this line, but since taking it up in transition year I have really liked it, but this year I have decided to give it a break to concentrate fully on the forthcoming Leaving certificate, I am very anxious to get a good leaving cert and then see what possibilities are open to me," commented Fióna. She intends to resume the modelling after her exams, but one gets the impression that this is a young lady who knows what she is looking for in life. So, how does a transition year student in the West of Ireland combine travelling to Dublin for photo shoots? "The school have been very supportive to me and especially Donal Burks who is also my camogie coach, it is unfortunate that most fashion shoots tend to take place in Dublin, but with the support of both my parents and school I have been able to manage so far. "I linked up with Morgan The Agency and through them I have appeared in such magazines as 'U', Tatler, Social and Personnel as well as having worked with various designers." Television as we as know is where we all long to be seen some time in our lives and this has not escaped Fióna either as she has featured on such popular programmes as RTEs 'Off the Rails' and TV3's 'Ireland AM'. These photographs clearly illustrate the camogie players' good looks, but while she may have modelling as part of her chosen career, she is not turning her back on camogie either. "I hope to be able to play for as long as possible and maybe wear the maroon and white of Galway yet." One senses that this teenager will manage it all and with Galway intercounty camogie going so well this year who knows Fióna might well be in the Hogan Stand on September 18th cheering on Lourda Kavanagh. A forward on the camogie team she can look forward to a fine career in no matter what she chooses. Tweet

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