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Finding Hope

It was only a few months out from the Olympic Games and Claire Boles found herself in the most difficult of places. Despite her invaluable experience at 7s, several selections passed her by in one of the most important playing years of her career.

Doubt is one of the great parasites of the mind, and it feasted on her in those weeks.  Boles had always been an all-action sort, leaving nothing to chance on the rugby field – and anywhere that led her to it. And yet, that no longer seemed to be enough. Sport, for all its meritocracy, can be cruelly subjective when the margins are as thin as a sliver of light.

And then, there was her father. In those moments of uncertainty, her mind turned to him. He was never one for speaking of grand philosophies, but there was inspiration in his quiet resolve. He was the type to make that same sliver of light seem greater because he had known the kind of hardship that sport could never match, and had found a way through.

When he was still a young man, David Boles was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. It’s an illness he still contends with 15 years later, complicated by the onset of Multiple Sclerosis. And yet despite the challenges he faces he remains her biggest supporter, his pitch side presence a reminder of resilience and strength. His ongoing battle is one that has deeply shaped Claire. Indeed, her capacity to push through known limits is not reserved for her sporting endeavours.

Beyond rugby, Boles holds a master’s degree in biopharmaceutical engineering from UCD while she is currently pursuing a PhD at SSPC, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Pharmaceuticals. Her research focuses on the technology that ensures a drug is fully dissolved and ready for absorption in the body. Recently, she also became an ambassador for Parkinson’s Ireland in anticipation of Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month.

Balancing elite sport with her other encompassing pursuits is no small feat, but she embraces the undertaking with the same relentless commitment to pushing boundaries in every aspect of her life. This mindset became especially prominent in the lead up to Paris 2024.

When Claire speaks about her Olympic experience, there is considerable weight behind her words. It was a life experience that felt hard-earned, not just because of the battles she had fought on the field, but because of the ones she has fought off it. 

“It almost didn’t happen,” Boles admits. “There was a lot of change last year. New players came in and I found myself squeezed out of contention for a while. I missed out on a few crucial SVNS series legs and then the Six Nations selection didn’t go my way either.”

Something had to change. Back in the HPC, Boles caught a glimpse of trainee IRFU Performance Psychologist Aaron McGrath down the corridor. Without a moment’s hesitation she called after him and asked to schedule a meeting.

“I’d never considered talking to a sports psychologist before,” Boles concedes. “The timing just felt right. I didn’t know what to expect but felt it was worth exploring. It turned out to be such an eye-opener.”  

Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Joe Hamby

Two months out from the Olympics, Boles decided to place her focus firmly on her Olympic ambitions. With the help of McGrath, her mental fitness became a key part of her training regime.

“I was incredibly focused,” Boles says. “I’ve described it like having a flower in my hand and doing everything in my power to protect it. No matter what was going on around me, I was able to block it out and focus on whatever I needed to do.”

An increasing power over her mind was much needed in the final weeks before selection. An injury to her sternum should have derailed her ambitions, instead it added greater focus to her efforts. She adopted a high risk, high reward strategy, drew on the mental fortitude she had been cultivating and produced performances that simply could not be ignored.

“I had to dig really deep but I think that sort of mentality has always been in me,” Boles says. “If there was even the slightest chance, I was all in. A glimmer of hope was all I needed.”

Then came the call. Claire Boles had made Team Ireland – albeit as a travelling reserve. “It was definitely bittersweet,” she concedes. “I couldn’t believe how much ground I’d made up, but on the other hand, being named as a travelling reserve made it feel like I was going… but not going.”

It was a role she knew well. Ever dependable, Boles had travelled to two Rugby World Cup 7s tournaments as a replacement – a testament to both her value and the frustrating reality: too important to be left out entirely, yet not always in the initial plans. But when the team was struck by the misfortune of losing Lucy Mulhall and Béibhinn Parsons to injury, it was Boles to whom management turned. And she was ready.

Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Thrust into the line of fire, Boles thrived. Coming off the bench against Great Britain, she made an immediate impact, capping a typically abrasive performance with a try. It was not the Olympic journey she had once envisioned, but it was her journey nonetheless.

“Even though we were out of medal contention by the time I got to play, the experience was still incredibly special. I felt so proud running out at the Stade de France. But honestly, what will stay with me most from Paris 2024 is the unwavering support of my teammates. I think they were genuinely thrilled to see me get my opportunity.

“Hearing players I’ve both competed alongside and looked up to for so long say that seeing me out there was one of their highlights of the Games – that was pretty amazing. Moments like that make all the struggles and sacrifices feel completely worth it.”

Over the years, Boles has earned the respect of her teammates because her application has never been called into question. Indeed, she believes her uncompromising style is bit of a nod to her father, borne out of an appreciation for her own physical capabilities and a recognition of the privilege she has in being able to push her body to its limits. It is a privilege her father no longer has, and she refuses to squander it.

“I went to an all-girls grammar school in Enniskillen,” Boles tells us. “So when I got a bruise here or there playing rugby for the school team, it never really bothered me. Growing up on a farm, I’d never shied away from the physical stuff there either.

“But not everyone is the same!” she notes. “Plenty of people hate running and plenty of others moan if something requires a little extra effort. I find it amazing how much people can lack in appreciation for their physical capabilities. The ability to get up and do the first thing that comes to mind is such a blessing. 

“The power of the body is amazing. It’s why I love what I do because I will probably never be much fitter in my life than I am now. I don’t take that for granted. It’s reinforced anytime I go home and see how Dad faces every step with a quiet determination.

“He never lets his reality define him, and that resilience inspires me. Sometimes I like to think that I carry a bit of hope for him in return.”

Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Ben Brady

As she speaks, it’s clear that Boles is moved by the thought of being a source of inspiration for her father. She is also a person of great faith and it offers a sense of stability through the challenges she faces.

“It’s always hard to leave home because I know that when I return, things will have changed again. But we don’t let it hold us back. Both my parents insisted I go to Dublin to follow my dreams, and when it came to the rugby Dad believed in me before anyone else.”  

“Hope will mean different things to different people,” she adds, “but I think it’s always important to have some in your life. It’s what has kept us going.”

That same belief system has underlined Boles’ rugby career. It hasn’t always gone her way but the hope has remained. It was there when she led the Wolfhounds to the Celtic Challenge Cup recently and it will be there again as she throws herself into the Six Nations, as she bids to keep building momentum in a Rugby World Cup year.

And then? Then, the noise may quieten. The books will call her back. Trips home will be more frequent. But for now, there is rugby, and she is exactly where she is meant to be.

With hope as unyielding as her playing style.

Claire is on the Parkinson’s Ireland panel for their Parkinson’s Disease online conference – Saturday 12^th April 2025 (available at parkinsons.ie)

World Parkinson’s Day is on Friday 11^th April 2025.