 Valentine, born in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland circa 1878, was the youngest of six brothers and sisters.She played her first match of rugby union at the Portora Royal School, three years after her father William Valentine was named Assistant Headmaster.According to her memoirs, in the winter of 1887, she removed her hat and overcoat to play alongside her two brothers (William, aged 16, and John, aged 10 or 11) as their team was a man short.