One of just two backs amongst Ireland’s forwards-heavy set of replacements, Gallagher has had a breakthrough season with Trailfinders Women in the PWR, picking up two player-of-the-match awards and scoring an excellent individual try from halfway against Leicester Tigers.
Born in London to Irish parents, she first played Tag rugby as an 11-year-old at St. Edmund’s Primary School before her love for the full contact version of the game blossomed with the local Enfield Tigers, the girls section of Enfield Ignatians RFC.
She showed her resilience in coming back from an MCL tear in her first match at county level for Middlesex, going on to captain their Under-18 side three years later. That same year, in 2023, she took her first step on IQ Rugby’s development pathway, as a successful trial earned her an Ireland U-20 call-up.
‘Gally’, as she is known, wore the green jersey with great pride during the 2024 and 2025 U-20 Six Nations Summer Series tournaments, making four appearances at full-back, and also featured for the Ireland Under-21s in their runaway victory over Italy at Dexcom Stadium last month.
Her eye-catching form this year with Trailfinders, whom she joined in 2024 after stints in the Wasps and Thames Valley Centres of Excellences and with the Saracens U-18s, led to her selection as one of nine uncapped players in Ireland’s 2026 Guinness Women’s Six Nations squad.
She is now poised to join fellow Ireland U-20 graduate Robyn O’Connor in breaking through at Test level, with Bemand explaining: “Niamh came in, we had a calibration camp in January. She had been part of part of the 20s group, the 21s. She played against Italy for the 21s, when we played them (in Galway).
“To be honest, she’s been training the house down. She has got a really rounded skillset, she can kick the ball a mile.
“I was saying to a couple of the media personnel over in France, she was goal-kicking from the halfway line. So we don’t see that very often in the women’s space.
“So, she’s got a great boot, she can kick a long way out of hand. She is really comfortable under the high ball and she’s got an unbelievable step.
“Having that positional depth at full-back, and that competition for places, hopefully will bring out the best in Stacey (Flood). So you’re kind of elevating your squad performance whilst growing the depth.”
Recognising the talent coming up from the national age-grade programmes, and also the Celtic Challenge, the Ireland head coach handed out first caps in recent weeks to Eilís Cahill, Katie Whelan, and young winger O’Connor, who has impressively held off Anna McGann to make three successive starts.
You look at the age profile of these fledgling senior internationals, including Gallagher, who are all between 20 and 24, and last week’s historic result for Ireland U-21s against England, and you can see why there are growing levels of excitement around the Green Wave and the squad’s potential.
Whereas before, there may have been a settled look to some of Ireland’s team selections, especially with the need for bankable experience against higher-ranked opponents, the fight for starting jerseys is even fiercer now when you consider the players being kept out of the starting XV or matchday 23.
Enya Breen, who has captained her country two times, is yet to play in the current campaign, while front rowers Niamh O’Dowd and Neve Jones, who both made three starts at the Rugby World Cup, have had to be content with impact roles, behind Ellena Perry and Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald.
With the injured Aoibheann Reilly and Edel McMahon, Molly Scufill McCabe, and a pregnant Amee-Leigh Costigan all unavailable, other players have capitalised to get a run in the team, most notably Emily Lane at scrum half, O’Connor on the left wing, and Nancy McGillivray with two starts at inside centre, ahead of Eve Higgins.
“We want to be a really hard group to get into, I don’t want to give away caps,” admitted Bemand. “When somebody gets the opportunity, it’s because they have earned it.
“There were a few (players) that had a chat with me after selection asking what they’ve got to do, and we’ve given them some performance pointers. But they’re right in the mix and they’re elevating the training standard.”
He added: “I do see that (mindset shift) and it is highlighted by the level of disappointment after the France game. We said we didn’t want to be plucky losers and we’re not operating in that space anymore.
“I like that little bit of expectation we place on ourselves. People say we appear confident and we should be. We have good players, and a group that can score tries.
“We hadn’t scored a maul try against a top four side (in the world), and over in France in the last round we got a maul try. We’re developing and showing we have the capability.”
Meanwhile, Gallagher said she was not expecting to be part of Ireland’s matchday plans given it is her first time in the senior set-up, but she wants to make the most of the opportunity in front of the home support at Ulster’s Affidea Stadium.
“Unbelievably proud. I think to have everyone back me, and be able to put on that green jersey, it means everything,” she told Irish Rugby TV following the team announcement.
“You don’t really expect it because it is my first campaign (with the senior squad). I didn’t expect it at all, I was just enjoying all the experiences of training around the internationals.
“Just the excitement took over (when the selection was confirmed). I didn’t really know what to feel. I think the hairs on my arms stood up, and yeah, it was brilliant.”
A Sports and Exercise Science student at Brunel University, she was delighted to let her family know that she will don the number 23 shirt for the Wales match. With plenty of close relatives in Ireland too, she is sure to be well supported on Saturday evening.
“They’re unbelievably proud. My mam and dad didn’t know what to say, they were lost for words. I don’t even think I saw their faces on the camera. The camera was going everywhere! They were delighted.
“I think them moving over to London before I was born, making sure that I always connected with my Irish heritage and culture was like a big part of growing up.
“Most of my family, my extended family, live over here, so we’re always flying back over. Everyone over here is delighted too.”
Gallagher mentioned Niamh Briggs, her head coach with the Ireland U-20s and U-21s for three seasons, as someone who has backed her wholeheartedly on her journey up to this point. She said it is ‘just unbelievable to have someone support me all the way through, and always be there for me’.
Having found her feet quickly in senior camp thanks to how welcoming and helpful her new coaches and team-mates have been, she added: “Learning from everyone, the coaches, players, it’s been great. They’re approachable, so being able to ask questions makes it so much easier for me to learn and just slot right in.”