NI's Howe relishing 'surreal' experience at Celtic

What the report says

Casey Howe is settling into life at Celtic after joining the Scottish women’s side in June following her departure from Nottingham Forest. The 23-year-old Northern Ireland winger, who grew up in Maguiresbridge in County Fermanagh, has already made an early impact by scoring on her second appearance for the club in a 3-0 win over Montrose in the Scottish Women’s Premier League.

BBC Sport NI reports that Howe’s route to Celtic included spells with Linfield, Glentoran, Sligo Rovers and Athlone Town, as well as a treble-winning campaign with Glentoran and promotion with Wolves. She also made her Northern Ireland debut as a teenager and now has 14 international caps. Howe described the move to Celtic as a striking step in her career, saying the club’s training environment and attacking style are helping her develop as a player.

The article also highlights the support Howe received from her family, who spent years driving her to training across Northern Ireland so she could progress in the game. She said those sacrifices were central to her progress and reflected the challenges many girls from Fermanagh face because of limited local facilities.

Looking ahead, Howe said she wants to leave Northern Ireland’s shirt in a stronger position and hopes her progress can encourage younger girls to see football as a realistic path. In broader context, her story fits a familiar pattern in women’s football, where talent from smaller areas often depends on heavy travel and family backing to reach elite clubs.