The Summertime is Coming & Our Juveniles are back in Castlelyons.

Well, it’s back to training in Páirc Ó ‘Laoighaire shortly for all our juveniles and by all the reports all evening slots are booked up in both pitches and our adult teams did not start at all yet.  Of course, the numbers on our pitches have almost doubled in recent years with the growth and success of our camogie teams. The set up will be non-contact training for underage teams in pods of 15 will be permitted from April 26^th next and underage teams means any registered team at U-18 level or below.  This is mighty for the juveniles as they have had a chance to get good gear, hurleys and grips in the last few months.  No doubt the trainers will have new sliotars and plenty hurling to get the eye in and not be bothered with bollards. With all pitches having wintered well due to being idle, some fertilizer, plenty cutting and the ball stop netting pocketing sliotars as our players shoot for the stars sure there’s no better sporting sight on a summer evening.

Attendance at Training.

In general, only players and coaches of the relevant team should attend any training session. One Parent or Guardian per child (or per family if more than one child is attending from a particular family) is permitted to attend in a safeguarding /supervisory capacity involving any team in the U-18 or below age group, should they consider it necessary. However strict social distancing and public health guidelines should be always adhered to. It is imperative that parents do not congregate in groups before or after sessions, outside of what is permitted in current Government regulations.  Any person wishing to attend underage training including coaches, parents and players shall be subject to the provisions of the Code of Behaviour (Underage). 

Sanitisation and Covidity at training.

The GAA have circulated the return to play regulations and the theme is Sanitisation and Covidity.  We are so aware of the pandemic and the devastating effects it has had on communities nationally and globally. The aim is to ensure prevention at all costs and keep us in a safe place.  This has led to significant restrictions on all sectors of society, including or own games. Resumption of our games can make a vital contribution to the physical, psychological, and emotional well-being of us all and the re-establishment of normality again.  To resume and continue with our training and hopefully games soon we must ensure general hygiene and honour regulations with the appointment of Covid Supervisors and ensure hand gel dispensers, toilets, pitchside activity and medical isolation rooms are all available. Ms Helen Hussey is looking after the pitch booking until the games start up and with more regularity, we can return to Bookapitch. We have our covid supervisors in place so best of luck to all and they can contact Helen on any issues as her mobile is on the WhatsApp groups.

Cork GAA Webinar to help players & parents get back to GAA activities.

The Cork GAA are reaching out to coaches, child/youth players and their parents to provide practical advice on supporting players return to their local GAA clubs. They have planned a highly informative webinar focusing on the importance of a return to sport and a fitter body will ensure a fitter mind. Keith Ricken, a GDA in C.I.T and an outstanding man with huge experience, will include practical tips on personal development.  Then Barry Corkery, who worked with the Cork Minor Football All Ireland winning team of 2019 and a mental health therapist by profession, will offer practical tips around having a positive mindset and having clear goals in life and sport. This short but highly informative webinar is ideal for all club coaches and parents and we would advise all to join it. The webinar will be held on Friday 23rd April, 8pm – 8.45pm and you can register on the Cork GAA website.

Our man Robbie Feeney staring in Australia.

Our man Robbie Feeney is in Sydney Australia through his work and has joined the famous Cormac McAnnallens club out there. A perusal of the Club’s social media shows Robbie brought the camán with him and is certainly hurling well these days. The Club held the Sydney Sevens recently.  This tournament involved 23 teams across four different codes and had a great day of games in the sweltering heat of the mid 20’s. The lads won the Cup beating the famed Michael Cusack’s in the final. Their team included a lot of Cork lads with Cathal Naughton from Newtownshandrum the captain, Jack Herlihy, Mick Bowles, and Jamie Dwyer. The Cup was presented by Bríd Stack who won eleven all Ireland medals with Cork in Ladies football and is now playing Australian Rules with the Greater Western Sydney Giants.  Cormac McAnnallens have a big complex in the Club and a lot of Irish hit the place for some refreshments and a few songs in the cool of the evening. Robbie tells me that the New South Wales GAA are on a promotion drive of the games in Sydney as they have started up a new Grassroots programme which is done on the day of league games for parents and children with a strong emphasis on the skills of both hurling and football so no doubt about it Gaelic games are really growing all over the world.

Robbie’s team were in full League action again last Sunday and were up against an in-form Sydney Shamrocks side. Shamrocks got off to the better start with an early goal and set the tempo throughout the half going in at half time 2-08 to 0-08. The Macs fought hard in the second half and recovered from 0-9 down and only to lose by a goal.  Final score Shamrocks 3-15 Macs 1-18.   However, our Castlelyons man had another great game and as the report says out there; Best on Ground: Rob Feeney.  Well done Robbie and hopefully you will be back home to Castlelyons soon.

Camogie has a long history even in Castlelyons.

When Michael Cusack and Maurice Davin founded the GAA they pledged to open its doors to men of all classes, but it never occurred to them that women might wish to play.  However, Cusack and Davin weren’t the only people not to invite ladies to play. The writings in "The GAA - a Peoples History" shows science fed some flawed views and a supported notion that women should not be involved in excessive sporting activities. However, a wider change in Irish society in the early 1900’s brought change to the female sporting world.  There was a leap over the sideline and onto the playing field.  An Cumann Cámogaíochta was formally founded in 1905.  After a slow start the game took off and there are now 537 clubs which include some in various parts of the world.  There are 58 Clubs in Cork, and just one county with no club.  Of course, there is a huge attendance at the All-Ireland Finals annually with the record set at over 33,000 to date.  At one time there was a hurling club in Currabeha known as John Mitchells associated with it was a camogie club called the Mitchell Maids.  I believe this was in the 1940’s and but I do not know the exact dates or when they went out of existence, but they had their training and matches in Dan Mulcahy’s field in Currabeha.  The game fell away but has seen a gradual revival in the last number of years. The game is now really established in Castlelyons with a huge membership and the adult team recently winning the county junior title.  Some of the girls are on divisional and county teams and the club is fielding two adult teams plus teams at all age levels.

The ladies football had an interesting introduction too. One reporter in the "Evening Press" commented that perfume took over from embrocation as the prevailing odour in the dressing room when Offaly hosted Kerry in Tullamore back in 1973. The reporter was a bit cynical and did not think much of the game or its future at the time. However, one year later in 1974 a small group of men and women gathered in Hayes Hotel in Thurles. This was ninety years after the GAA was founded in the same hotel and they founded the Ladies ‘Gaelic Football Association under modified rules.  That interesting book, The GAA - A Peoples History, highlights that man walked on the moon before woman played football in Croke Park. Unlike the growth of the camogie the ladies’ football grew rapidly and was recognised by the GAA in 1982. Television coverage has assisted the promotion of the game.  There are now over 1000 clubs in Ireland, and many others all over the world.  It is recognised as one of the fastest growing female sports in Europe.  However, although there were some talks of its introduction to Castlelyons a club has not been formed to date, but it may be just a matter of time.

The development of camogie and ladies’ football has enjoyed outstanding support from the GAA.  But it remains a singular fact that both games are run by organisations which are distinct from the GAA. There were tentative steps occasionally taken to move towards a merger of the various bodies but never gathered any great momentum. More recently there a One Club initiative that facilitates catering for the whole family, male and female in an integrated fashion. This system is working well on the ground in many clubs. Castlelyons are examining the feasibility of formally setting up this system.  Our Club development proposals are ambitious, and they will need an all-out effort to complete.  In fairness there are many members from the camogie club working hard in the development Steer Group already and everyone is needed mar deirtear ar scath a chéile a mhaireann na daoine.

Castlelyons GAA Weekly Lotto valuable again as Jackpot now €11,800. 

This draw was held Monday 19.4.21 and the numbers drawn were 2, 5, 6 and 21. There was no winner, and the Jackpot is now at €11,800. The Lucky Dip winners were as follows: - Nora McCarthy, Neil Spillane, Fiona O’Callaghan, Killian Smith, Aidan O’Mahony, Declan Whelan, John Joyce, Lex & Sean.  The next draw is Monday 26.4.21. Thanks so much for your support and please advise your friends that they can play our Lotto, ONLINE or purchase tickets from the usual outlets.

Cork hurlers take on Limerick in Munster with a strong Castlelyons interest.

Cork are drawn against 2020 All Ireland Champions Limerick in the semi final of the Munster SHC as Clare must face Waterford in a quarter final with the winners playing Tipperary in the other semi-final. Of course, proceedings open with the League on May 8^th/9^th as Cork play Waterford. They have five games in the League.  While winning the League is important, ask Kilkenny, but they have time to find the best fifteen and a few hardy boys to come in at the right time for that Limerick game.  Colm Spillane and Niall O’Leary of our own Club are now more senior men on the county panel, and we wish them the best. The County Secretary Kevin O’Donovan gave a frank appraisal in his annual report of 2020 saying “the penny has dropped” as to how far off the top table the Cork senior hurlers find themselves.  However, I don’t know all about that as he is a West Cork man and like the Kerry men, they can spin a good story down there too.  Cork have a lot of top hurlers and some excellent U20’s from last year and are always at the top table. The Roches from the Rovers are hardy lads, Shane Barrett, Blarney, Alan Connolly, Blackrock, Darragh Connery Piarsaigh and that man with a rocket shot Declan Dalton, Fr O’Neills are all top-class hurlers ready for road and may it rise with them. 

Votes of Sympathy.

Castlelyons GAA wish to extend sincere sympathy to the O’Riordan family, Kilawillin, Castlelyons in their recent bereavement. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a ainm dílis.

Club Main Sponsor: ZEUS Packaging Group

Notes by Kieran McGann, PRO Castlelyons GAA.