She may not have been born here, but for Kelly Brady, “from the moment I landed in Ireland I knew I belonged here”.
New York born and raised, but with her mother’s family from Galway and her father’s from Monaghan, Ireland was never far removed from her life. Brady even played Gaelic football growing up, but in reality, she only really had eyes for football of the 11-a-side variety.
In 2019, she was called up to the Republic of Ireland under-19 squad, kicking off her senior international aspirations.
“Ever since I was little, ever since I came to Ireland and I loved it so much, I just felt so strongly that I’m Irish,” says Brady.
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“Yeah, I’m American,” she concedes, “but I’m Irish [too]. It was something I was so proud of when I was little ... it was just something I felt so strongly about.”
With her long red hair, she adds that “by the looks of me” her Irishness is rarely questioned, “but people hear me speak and then it’s like ‘oh, what? I thought you were Irish?’
“But I am Irish, I just don’t sound it I guess!”
Upon graduating from University of Mississippi, ‘Ole Miss’ being a sporting heavyweight in the US collegiate sporting scene, Brady took her chance to really try Ireland on for size.
“When I was younger I maybe always wanted to go and live in Ireland and experience. Travelling abroad in college and all that stuff. I didn’t have the opportunity to do that because I was playing soccer in university and I was always very jealous of everyone who would go over and be able to live in Ireland for like a year or a summer, while I only would ever got at most two weeks.”
The offer to play in Ireland came by way of Athlone Town ahead of the 2025 season in which they were looking to retain their Premier Division title.
“When I heard about Athlone Town through an agent and I was getting the opportunity to go play there it was like, no doubt in my mind, the best decision I could make at the time.
“They were doing so well, they had European soccer coming up so it was 100 per cent the decision I wanted to make. I wanted to go and I’m glad I went.”
Glad indeed, seeing as Brady went on to be Athlone’s breakout star as they did the double, winning both the Premier Division (for a second season on the trot) and the FAI Cup.
En route to those titles, Brady netted 26 goals for the club, including a hat-trick in their 3-2 win over Bohemians in the FAI Cup final in October.
“It’s never easy leaving home, especially being so far away,” she recalls of first arriving in Athlone, “but the girls made it so easy.
“I don’t think there was a better club to have landed into just by chance. I felt so welcomed by the staff and players, but even just the town.”
Living right in the centre of Athlone, working in a local cafe during her downtime, she enjoyed being part of the wider community in the town.
“I would be stopped by people, and everyone was so nice and supportive. Then when we were going on a run and won the [titles], everyone was there to support us.
“It was really unbelievable for my development as a person. Living that year away from home, I didn’t end up missing home, I feel like I grew in that sense.”
And she credits the club with playing a significant role in her development as a player.
“That was my first year out of college as a semi-professional player. Being paid to play a sport I’m good at, it did a lot for my confidence, especially when you’re part of a group with a bunch of great players, and the coaching staff is really great and formative.”
Her 2025 season naturally drew attention Brady’s way and the courters came a-calling.
“I went to Athlone with an open mind. With a profession like this, you don’t really have a set plan, but obviously, I had goals for myself. I wanted to play in England, these are some of the best teams in the world, the best players in the world, so that would have been definitely a goal of mine.
“I guess once I did have such a great year in Athlone, towards the end of the season everyone’s like ‘where are you going to be next season?’ or transfer windows are coming up and all this stuff and agents approach you, it was all craziness.”
That craziness ended in Brady signing an 18-month deal with Crystal Palace in January, seeing her swap Athlone for London.
“I didn’t think it would happen so quickly, but it just did,” she says.
Now installed at a WSL2 side, finding her feet at a new club for a second successive season, Brady’s next goal is a senior cap for Ireland. After getting her first international camp out of the way last season, having been called up to the squad ahead of the November friendly against Hungary, Brady is working on being ready to go should the call come in.
“I bounced a few questions off of [Republic of Ireland players] Abbie Larkin, Haley Nolan, Ruesha Littlejohn, who are here [at Crystal Palace] with me now. They’ve been nothing but supportive, just telling me to keep trying and my time will come.
“[I’m surrounded by] all these great players and I’m kind of like a sponge, I’m trying to take in everything I can learn, but also knowing that I have a chance to prove myself against these players.
“Maybe I don’t have any international caps under my belt yet, but that’s coming for me, and every day I’m just putting my best foot forward, challenging everyone in practice, and giving my best.”
