Squash Ireland president Rosie Barry was a speaker at this week’s Sport For Business Women in Sport Conference at Tallaght Stadium.
A selection on the AIG-supported 50 Women of Influence in Irish Sport list for 2025, Barry was part of the panel that discussed why fresh thinking and diverse leadership continue to reshape the Irish sporting landscape.
Joining Barry were Julie Nicholson, the chair of the Irish Association of Powerchair Football, and Bethany Carson, Women in Sport Lead at Sport Ireland, Rob Hartnett of Sport For Business chaired a conversation with these leaders whose impact on their sport includes participation, inclusion and national-level strategy.
Below is the article published on Sport For Business titled ‘Squash Ireland’s Rebuild – and Rise’
Rosie Barry spoke about Squash Ireland’s resurgence and the momentum generated by Olympic inclusion in 2028, but she emphasised that none of it is achievable without the full ecosystem aligned behind change.
“Influence isn’t about hierarchy. It’s about momentum, and momentum comes from people buying into the journey.”
Barry explained how stakeholder engagement has become a cornerstone of squash’s development – from clubs and coaches to volunteers, parents, facility partners and newly emerging communities of players. By broadening the circle, she said, the organisation has been able to modernise its approach, strengthen governance, and build genuine trust.
“We realised early on that if plans were going to work, they couldn’t happen to the sport – they had to happen with the sport. When stakeholders feel heard, they become invested, and when they become invested, they drive the change as much as we do.”
She spoke about this being especially important for women and girls, who often experience squash differently depending on club culture, tradition or environment. Engaging those voices directly has been central to designing programmes that feel authentic, not imposed.
With Olympic visibility now within reach, she affirmed that stakeholder alignment will be the engine that converts interest into sustainable participation.
