The return of hurling and camogie in North Meath club
GAA Tradition goes back almost 100 years
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The coaching session at North Meath Hurling club was a great success with camogie proving very popular as coach Linda Leavy took the players through various drills.Image 2 of 7
Players enjoying the session with Meath Camogie Board coach Linda Leavy.Image 3 of 7
Some of the North Meath under-age hurlers at the coaching session.Image 4 of 7
Control of the sliotar is vital.Image 5 of 7
The Carlanstown camogie team from 1938 was (from left) back - Claire Collins, Rosie Ginnity, Peggy Collins, Kitty O’Brien, Brigid Gilsenan, Chris Collins, Dympna Fitzsimons, Molly Neary, Annie Tully; front - Maggie Meehan, Kathleen Larkin, Bridie O’Brien, Biddy Collins, Genevieve Curran. nik prattImage 6 of 7
Enjoying the coaching session.Image 7 of 7
North Meath Hurling Club players were also pleased to get back to training last week.The sound of cork on ash returned to the northern most reaches of Meath when North Meath Hurling Club resumed training after easing of restrictions WRITES NIK PRATT
Young hurlers from the age of five to 17 turned up at the Deerpark in Carlanstown after a year-long break.
The three-hour Sunday session started at 10am with training for all ages and helmets and hurleys available.
The highlight was the launch of camogie, a pilot initiative backed by Meath Camogie Board.
The North Meath club is looking to revive a game that once thrived in the area as far back as the 1930s.
A Moynalty team defeated Dunboyne in the 1936 junior camogie final at Pairc Tailteann and in 1937 a North Meath camogie team successfully overcame a South Meath selection in the Feis na Midhe.
Both teams were captained by Moynalty sisters Della and Molly Reilly.
There was also a camogie team in Carlanstown as far back as 1937, and a team from Horath reportedly some time earlier.
However, there has been no camogie in the area for decades.
The launch of the camogie initiative is also in line with new thinking as regards girls in sport and the idea to segregate teams from an earlier age.
Camogie will be on offer from the age of eight so that girls receive a greater opportunity than they might in mixed football or hurling teams.
"There is a thriving Ladies Gaelic Football Association in the north Meath area with huge work being put in by all clubs and this is doing wonders for participation in sport for girls of all ages” said Eoin O’Sullivan, one of the coaches at North Meath.
“If introducing camogie can be enjoyable for girls and help to encourage even more girls into sport, then that would be great also,” he added.
Meath Camogie coaches were on hand to teach some basic skills for the newcomers.
All training was non-contact in pods of 15 in full compliance with Covid protocols.
“The day was a great success with a great turnout,” added O’Sullivan.
“It was heartening to see so many children out enjoying themselves with a hurl.”
North Meath Hurling was formed in 2017 and is an amalgamation of Moynalty, St Michael's (Carlanstown and Kilbeg) and Kilmainhamwood.
It was originally conceived as an academy for young girls and boys up to the age of 10 to learn a new sport and then feed into larger clubs in the area.
However, the interest had been so great, that teams were developed at u-13, u-15 and u-17 grades for participation in the Tain tournament and plans are being developed to potentially play in the Cuchulainn league.
The club has received great support from the Meath Co Board while locally, Brogan’s Centra in Carlanstown has provided tremendous backing, as well as the respective GAA clubs for Moynalty, St Michael's and Kilmainhamwood.
Michelle Boyle, development officer for Meath Camogie, has been working diligently during the pandemic, helping new clubs to form and existing ones to resume activities.
North Meath Hurling joins 16 other clubs in Meath that have commenced training and, from June onwards, will be playing games across the county.
“With the support of Camogie development resources within Meath, Leinster and nationally, a range of coaching courses are run delivering Foundation and Level 1 programmes along with delivering the Motivate Nurture Aspire programme that aims to increase the number of women coaching in sport,” said Meath Camogie chairman Michael Butler.
“In addition there are courses run for training referees at Young Whistler and Adult level.
"At underage level in Meath Camogie we now have over 100 teams ranging from u-8 to u-16.
"Our focus is on providing a high standard of coaching and a sporting experience that encourages the players to stay with Camogie well in to their adult years.
“I encourage anyone with an interest in camogie, coaching young players or refereeing our games to reach out to developmentofficer.meath@camogie.ie to have a chat about the supports in place and opportunities to contribute to the sporting life, health and wellbeing of our players,” added Butler.