The Republic of Ireland’s newest signing has said her love of Donegal and her Donegal grandfather convinced her it was the right thing to do.
Aston Villa defender Anna Patten will join the Irish senior women’s squad after receiving international clearance from FIFA.
The 24-year-old defender required a change of association from England as she had a number of underage caps, including at Under-21 level.
The Hertfordshire native has now been given the green light to be eligible for the Euro 2025 qualifiers against France (5 April) and England (9 April).
Patten’s Irish roots connect back to her grandfather, from Falcarragh in Donegal, and her grandmother from Lettermore in Galway.
Citing her grandparents as having the biggest influence on her career, Patten said: “I’m delighted to be in with the Ireland squad.
“I was super excited when Eileen Gleeson gave me the call and now to have the clearance come through is great.
“This is a really strong squad and I just want to bring what I can to it to help the team.
“My grandparents have always been my greatest supporters and they have really motivated me to work hard to succeed in my career, so I’m delighted to be able to represent Ireland through them.”
Patten linked up with the Ireland squad today as they began preparations for their opening qualifiers in Group A3.
