There are footballers who talk about long roads to the top, and then there are those who have genuinely lived it — county roads included. Casey Howe grew up in Maguiresbridge, a small village in County Fermanagh, and for much of her formative years the pursuit of football meant her parents were behind the wheel heading to Ballinamallard, Cookstown or Belfast four or five days a week. Now 23, she is training at Celtic's state-of-the-art Barrowfield facility in the East End of Glasgow, and she is the first to acknowledge just how far that journey has come.

"Being just a young girl from Maguiresbridge, it is pretty surreal to do this," Howe told BBC Sport NI. It is the kind of thing that sounds like a well-worn line until you understand the geography and the graft behind it.

A goal on the second start to settle any nerves

Howe joined Celtic in June following her departure from Nottingham Forest, and she did not need long to make an impression. On just her second appearance for the club, she curled a left-footed effort in from distance in the 82nd minute to break the deadlock in what finished as a 3-0 win over Montrose in the Scottish Women's Premier League. It was the sort of goal that makes a stand sit up and take notice — and the sort that quietly tells a dressing room a new signing means business.

The path to Glasgow was longer than a simple Forest-to-Celtic transfer story might suggest. Howe came through spells with Linfield, Glentoran and Sligo Rovers before a prolific stint with Athlone Town in the League of Ireland Women's Premier Division caught the attention of clubs on the mainland. A treble-winning season with Glentoran, a Northern Ireland debut at 17, promotion with Wolves — each chapter added something. Fourteen senior caps for Northern Ireland later, she now finds herself at one of the biggest clubs in Scottish women's football.

Freedom in the final third

What has struck Howe most about life under Celtic head coach Grant Scott is the tactical freedom he encourages in the attacking third. For a forward who has spent parts of her career operating within rigid, almost mechanical systems, the contrast is stark and welcome.

"We're trying to play a nice attacking brand of football, and as an attacker myself, that's the way you want to play," she explained. "I think you're being backed to do that, and you're being allowed to do that. It definitely gives you confidence."

She draws a clear distinction between systems that restrict and those that liberate. "I've played under people in the past where it's almost robotic," Howe said. "To have the freedom to be allowed to run into different areas or make different movements, it just makes for an all-round performance because everyone's moving. It makes it difficult to play against."

A legacy to build beyond club football

For all the focus on what Celtic can offer her development, Howe's ambitions extend well beyond Parkhead. Her connection to the Northern Ireland shirt runs deep, and she is acutely aware of the barriers facing young players from less well-served parts of the country who are chasing the same dream she once had.

"Sometimes it's hard because being from Fermanagh you don't necessarily have the facilities on your doorstep," she said. "A lot of girls, even young girls now, will still have to travel up and down."

She credits her parents unreservedly for making it possible. "They were massive in enabling me to take these opportunities," Howe said. "If it wasn't for them sacrificing a lot of driving, a lot of miles, I wouldn't be here."

And those miles, she says, were never wasted. "Winning makes it all worth it." Her goal at the weekend was a small down payment on what she hopes will be a significant chapter — both for herself and, eventually, for Northern Ireland. "I want to leave the Northern Ireland shirt in a better place than when I came in," she said. "I always want that legacy to continue to build and grow." From Maguiresbridge to the SWPL. The road goes on.

Frequently asked

Who is Casey Howe and where is she from?
Casey Howe is a 23-year-old Northern Ireland international winger from Maguiresbridge in County Fermanagh. She joined Celtic in June 2025 after leaving Nottingham Forest.
Has Casey Howe scored for Celtic yet?
Yes — Howe scored on just her second appearance for Celtic, netting a left-footed curler in the 82nd minute of a 3-0 win over Montrose in the Scottish Women's Premier League.
How many caps does Casey Howe have for Northern Ireland?
Casey Howe has earned 14 caps for Northern Ireland, having made her debut for the senior side at the age of 17.