In more ways than one, Dublin's Hannah McGinnis is a very suitable candidate to become the new brand ambassador for the LGFA’s official sleep partner, DFI Beds.
A member of the Skerries Harps club, McGinnis played an integral role when Dublin won their seventh TG4 All-Ireland SFC crown with a final victory over Meath at Croke Park in August of last year. She has also amassed a brace of TG4 Leinster SFC titles since joining the Dublin senior panel in 2024 and is regarded as one of the brightest young stars in the game.
There is another reason why McGinnis is a strong choice for this ambassadorial position. Her mother Eileen is a sleep specialist and owing to this fact, she has always been aware of how crucial a role it can play in rest and recovery for budding athletes.
"My mum works with sleep apnoea patients. Goes to visit them, monitoring their sleep. Sleep has always been very important in our household. Getting a good night's sleep, a good sleep regime. I think it has always been ingrained in all of us from a young age that sleep is the basis of everything. If you don’t have a good night’s sleep, it sets you off wrong for the whole day," explained McGinnis.
"I think sleep can sometimes be overlooked. I think it’s one of the pillars of performance that is overlooked by players. I think if we can get that right, it’s a good foundation to build on all our other stuff on the pitch and in the gym.
"I think it’s always emphasised in football. I think if you’re not recovering right, you’re not setting yourself up for training the next day or the match the next day. You’re not putting your best foot forward. I think the best form of recovery you can get is a good night’s sleep. If you’re not getting that right, you’re throwing yourself off then for the next few days."
A love of Gaelic football has been instilled in McGinnis from a very young age. Originally from the Oak Leaf County, her father Terence represented Derry in the big ball game at Under-21 level and has also been heavily involved in management and coaching at a number of different grades in Skerries Harps.
Additionally, her mother – a native of Cavan – currently serves as vice-chairperson of the north county Dublin club and her older brother Killian is a member of the Dublin men’s senior panel, who collected an All-Ireland winners’ medal of his own as a squad member back in 2023.
As if that wasn’t enough, her younger sibling Finn served as captain of the Dublin minor footballers in 2025.
"Killian is with the seniors. He obviously made it to the All-Ireland final in ’23. That was an amazing experience as well, to get out and see him. Very busy household and we’re all football lovers. Mum and dad as well, and my little brother Finn. We’re all kind of mad into it," McGinnis acknowledged.
"My mum and dad are really heavily involved in the club. My dad would do a lot of coaching down the club. He did the senior men one year, he did the senior ladies last year and would have done me and my brother’s teams growing up.
"Then my mum is the vice-chairperson in the club. She’s very influential as well. Pushing to get resources and always looking out for what is best for the club. They love the game as well. I think they’re both into it as much as us."
Having established herself as a regular starter in 2025, McGinnis has continued to be a ubiquitous presence for Dublin in the current inter-county season – starting all five games the Sky Blues have played in Division 1 of the Lidl National Football League to date.
One win, one draw and three defeats thus far have left the defending All-Ireland champions at the foot of the top-tier table, but forthcoming encounters with Galway and Cork will present Dublin with a brace of opportunities to turn their fortunes around.
"I think in Armagh it really showed our character and that we’re building as a group. We came away with the draw and we’re probably disappointed not to come away with the win. I think the last two games are really important for us.
"Training has gone really well during the week. All the girls are working so hard. I think these last two rounds we can really come into ourselves after building a new squad. Working on tactics and set plays. I think we’re coming into it now and are more comfortable playing with each other."
Before facing an in-form Galway later this month in the NFL, McGinnis will have another significant item on her agenda. At Queen’s University in Belfast last year, she played a starring role at midfield when DCU Dóchas Éireann secured their third consecutive AIG O’Connor Cup title with a final win over UCC.
Courtesy of a hard-earned 1-11 to 2-06 triumph against University of Limerick on Wednesday night, DCU booked their spot in yet another O’Connor showpiece – this time to be held at DCU St Clare’s next Saturday at 4pm.
It will be an all-Metropolitan affair in the 2026 decider, following TU Dublin’s extra-time success at the expense of UCC and athletic therapy and training student McGinnis is already excited by the prospect of such an intriguing match-up.
"Two Dublin colleges in Dublin, it will be a great match. There will be a great atmosphere, there will definitely be a load of support down. Just because it’s two Dublin colleges going at it and I think there’s a little bit of local rivalry between us. It should be a really good match," McGinnis added.
