25 coaches took part in the first edition of the Course. The UEFA B Licence Graduation was one of the highlights of the FAI Festival of Football last month.
The latest edition of the Course will run to a similar format to the first edition, with a contact block in November 2019, February 2020, followed by club visits and one-to-one sessions before final evaluations, with course assignments ongoing throughout.
Speaking on the announcement of a new Female-Only UEFA B Licence, FAI Head of Women's Football Sue Ronan said the second edition will prove vital for female coaches in Ireland.
"Our first Female-Only UEFA B Licence was a huge success, with 25 women taking part on the course. The participants were a mix of former and current senior/underage international players; former and current Women’s National League players and others whose careers have mainly been in grassroots football.
"The huge knowledge of the game was obvious to see in all participants from the start of the course, while the mixture of backgrounds brought a fantastic dynamic to the group, allowing for great learnings to be had by all.
"The aim now is for these coaches to stay in the game, with the ultimate aim being to see our most talented female coaches progress up the pathway to coaching teams at the highest level of football in Ireland."
Niall O'Regan, FAI Coach Education Manager said the latest edition of the course will help increase opportunities for female coaches in the game
"We are delighted to announce the successful application of funding from UEFA which will be matched by the FAI to allow for the delivery of a second Female-Only UEFA B Licence.
"After the success of the first course it is great to have another opportunity to help grow the female coaching side of the game and to continue to grow the number of qualified female coaches at UEFA Licence Level.
"From the first group of graduates, Irene Hehir has moved into a rolewith the Republic of Ireland WU17s and Ann Regan was awarded the Noel O'Reilly Coach of the Year Award for 2019 for her work in the West of Ireland.
"I am already excited having seen some of the applicants, who have significant playing and coaching experience, and many who were unlucky not to be selected in the first course. There has been a significant emphasis in Coach Education on the growth of the number of UEFA Female Coaches in the FAI and this course will continue the opportunities for these coaches."
Applications close on August 31. For more information on the course, and to apply, please contact FAI Coach Education Manager Niall O'Regan at niall.oregan@fai.ie