Republic of Ireland Women's captain Emma Byrne has announced her retirement from international football.
In a career that spanned over 21 years, the goalkeeper represented her county a record 134 times and made her debut at the age of 16 in March 1996.
Byrne has been playing in England since 2000 which has yielded 11 English league titles and a UEFA Women's Champions League with Arsenal ladies.
Byrne spoke to the FAI about her decision to step away from the international scene.
It can only be a positive thing to look back on how many caps I got and how long I got to play at the highest level whilst representing my country.
I have made some great friendships along the way, learned a lot from so many people, and I always loved being involved with the Ireland team. Unfortunately we never managed to qualify for a major tournament - we went close against Iceland in a play-off - but I'll treasure the memories and experiences of every time I played for Ireland.
It's a great achievement to step down having broken the all-time appearance record, but it's time to give other girls an opportunity to stake their claim in the team. I'll miss walking out to represent my country and all of the friends that I made, but I'm proud of my time with the team.
The 38-year-old was part of the women's squad in April of this year that hit out at the FAI over the treatment of the women's team.
They were forced to change into their tracksuits in the toilets of the airport before travelling to games and the players were given no compensation from the Association when they represented the team as many of them had to take time off work to represent their country.
It was an incredibly brave thing for Byrne and her team to do and stand up for the women's game.
Although she never qualified for a major tournament, Byrne should be remembered for her incredible service and impeccable career with Ireland.
No doubt, her's will be tough boots to fill.
Photo - Sportsfile: Cody Glenn
