BOYLAN TALKS SPORT: Meath believe they can rise to a new pitch

As somebody that’s not intrinsically entrenched in the music scene, after the last few weeks, if I don’t hear the words “Coldplay” or “Oasis” for the next 12 months there will be no wet eyes here.

Between the majority of my work requiring social media to maintain its functionality and having half a family obsessing over Chris Martin et al, my only Hymn For The Weekend was that the crooners would all sod off.

Whether it was solely down to having drawing pins tapped into my eyebrows seeming more appealing than trying to get into or out of Croke Park or lingering anger over the big field being bereft of action when it should be heaving with life, something like Electric Picnic would seem far more appealing.

Yes, the fact the Wolfe Tones were in the lineup for the wild weekend in Stradbally would absolutely add to the attractiveness. However, at the most recent incarnation of the madness in the midlands, there was no need for extra lure for devotees of camogie in Meath.

Reason being that county camogie (and men’s football) sponsor, Mr Noel Moran of Bective Stud, has put his considerable clout behind efforts by Meath Camogie to have a home ground of their own. Now, I would be of the firm belief that all county teams should have Pairc Tailteann available to them for fixtures when required, but it very often doesn’t play out that way.

So, considering you’re dealing with somebody who got their big break in the business world from an idea constructed around his kitchen table, it should be no surprise that Noel (a) got behind the idea and (b) found a unique way of doing so.

Thus, when the hordes were meandering away from the Co Laois venue after three days of music, myrth and and Lord knows what else, the Meath camogie contingent were just getting to work. Undertaking the mammoth and hardly pleasant task of sifting through and gathering all the strewn plastic bottles and cans with the R-Turn label thereon.

The method to their madness being that, just as individuals and households can get reimbursed for engaging with the scheme, the Meath camogie crew are hoping to do likewise on a gargantuan scale as part of their “Your Plastic Is Our Pitch” initiative.

It is exactly what it says on the tin - pun entirely intended - the girls and those supporting them are hoping that the remuneration gathered via the scheme will go towards the procurement and development of their forever home.

Among those putting in the graft taking out the thrash, literally, were Meath captain Ellen Burke and her St Peter’s, Dunboyne and county teammate Maeve Clince. Maeve’s sister Sinead - who, along with mam Teresa and dad Kieran piled into a camper van and made the trip to put the collective shoulder to the wheel - tells me:

“Meath Camogie have recently launched 'Your Plastic is Our Pitch'an initiative to collect cans and bottles with the R-turn logo. The money collected from the R-turn scheme is being used to purchase a playing pitch for Meath Camogie.

"Our county representatives at Intermediate level, Ellen and Maeve along with nine other clubs representatives headed down to Electric Picnic at Stradbally to collect all cans/bottles people were willing to donate and left behind. This was a large-scale operation with every camogie club sending volunteers”.

Outlining the broader aims of the novel fundraising effort, Sinead continues.

“Bective Stud owner and Meath Camogie main sponsor Noel Moran plays a big role in facilitating the operation of this initiative, he is hands on himself, collecting cans and bottles for the scheme.

"This scheme is different from asking people for money, many people don’t want the hassle of standing at a R-turn machine and are happy to collect a bag and off load which we are very grateful for. The collection of these cans/ bottles is creating a steady flow of income towards purchasing a playing pitch”.

Not surprisingly with the Clince clan involved, the Dunboyne club are going the extra mile to answer the county’s call.

“Our own club is of course backing the initiative and have in fact have taken steps to push the boat out in aid of the cause by installing several R-Turn bins and collection points at each playing field, where an army of volunteers collect and clean these bins once a week”.

You’d have thought all of the above would be a mammoth enough workload for a relatively small group of people, but no, na calini camogiochta have a clear vision of their end goal and how they intend to achieve it.

In conclusion, Sinead tells me “the next step in this initiative is to link in with local schools and businesses and create a greener environment around us all while generating money from it for local sports.

"If each player in our club brings one plastic bottle from their house to our bins provided per training session this would be of huge assistance to this campaign”.

With a clear gameplan, the backing of somebody with the influence of Noel Moran and the GAA penchant for rallying to a common cause, hopefully they will be pitch perfect in no time.