By David Hennessy
A football mad London- Irish girl is walking 100 kilometres this month to raise money for Ovarian Cancer Action.
13- year- old Ellie Murphy has undertaken the challenge for the third successive year along with the Arsenal Women’s Supporters Club.
Ellie is from Kingsbury and a big fan of Arsenal Ladies.
She has been featured in The Irish World before when Republic of Ireland captain Katie McCabe took Ellie’s Irish flag to celebrate Arsenal’s Continental League Cup triumph in 2023, also gifting the young fan her shirt.
It was also in 2023 that Arsenal and England Lionesses star lost her mother June to Ovarian cancer.
It was then that Ellie and her mother Niamh decided to do what they could raise needed funds for research and were joined by other members of the Arsenal Women’s supporters club.
That year Ellie raised £2,897 of the group’s £12,000 total for their 100k walk.
Last year Ellie raised £1,920 of the group’s £11,000+ total.
Ovarian cancer symptoms are often misdiagnosed as they are so similar to that of other illnesses such as IBD, meaning diagnosis is often late.
Ellie also walked 20km from Wembley to the Emirates last July to support Leah Williamson’s chosen charity- Willow foundation. She joined members of the Arsenal Women’s Supporters Club and as a group, they raised over £800.
Ellie was recently nominated for a Jack Petchy award by her school for not only her academic and sporting achievements but also her charity work.
Ellie also loves to plays football, turning out for Watford Ladies u13 wasps, Hendon Youth girls u14 and represents her school girls football team. She also plays GAA for Parnells under 14 and is currently trialling for the London girls under 13 team.
Ellie’s mother Niamh Murphy told The Irish World: “I’m very proud of Ellie.
“We are, not just for her sporting charity work but her school as well.
“Her school have recognised how committed she is to school work, she’s thriving at school.”
Football seems to be a family passion and one of Ellie’s since she was very young.
“My husband’s got a season ticket for the Arsenal men.
“She started going to football when she was about 4 in the Emirates.
“We don’t miss a game really: Very big Arsenal women fans.
“Katie McCabe would probably be one of her favourites.
“Katie McCabe used her flag to celebrate the Conti Cup final and Katie gave her her top.
“She’s lovely, Katie is. So nice.
“They know Ellie, the players nearly all know her now.”
Ellie’s mother Niamh is from Portlaoise and her father was born in Cricklewood to parents from Kerry and Limerick.
Although she is born here and loves to watch the Lionesses Ellie also supports the Girls in Green and would love to play for them one day.
“She loves the Lionesses but she’s more Irish than she is English.
“She actually asked me that last weekend, ‘Is any part of me English?’
“I said, ‘No, you’re 100% Irish’.
“We go over and back quite a bit for the Ireland women’s games as well. It’s hard to fit it all in but we do try and get over to the women’s games.”
On Ellie’s charity work, Niamh says: “I’m hoping she doesn’t lose that passion because it’s so nice to see kids doing stuff for charity.
“I’m a nurse as well so I know how much funding we need to support the research. It’s just lovely that she’s doing that as well.
“She’s delighted (about the donations.
“She just gets so much enjoyment out of actually doing the walks.
“Seeing the money coming in is obviously a massive bonus.
“She’s proud of herself.
“It’s so under supported and under recognised the symptoms, it’s one of those cancers that really doesn’t have much information out there so it’s spread a lot of awareness.”
To donate, go to Niamh Murphy is fundraising for Ovarian Cancer Action
