White’s Cross GAA were the first out of the traps this year holding the very first Cúl Camp in the country this summer, running from June 24th to 28th, taking advantage of the relatively early date for summer holidays at Upper Glanmire National School. This year’s red, green and white kit went down a real treat with our group of boys and girls – as it represented both our club and county colours!
First and foremost a big thank you to the one hundred and fourteen boys and girls who attended this year’s camp. Thanks to the Coaches and their Assistants who worked diligently and enthusiastically all week to ensure all participants benefited from the activities. Thanks to John Meade, Richie Sherlock, Ruairí Murnane, Paul Harte, Marion Delaney, Martin Reid, Niall Twomey, Conal Smith, Sean Twomey, Kelly Falvey, Luke Cambridge, Ciarán Quain, Fearghal Reid, Adam Bransfield, Laura Cahill, Jack O Driscoll, Michelle Barry, Ronan Quain, Kate O Callaghan, Tony O Keeffe, Cillian Hall, Aaron Kent, Cormac O Flynn & Ross Murphy. Thanks to Teresa & Martha Quain, Dean Kennedy, Michelle Whooley, Catherine O Shea, Joan Twomey, Imelda O Connell & Mike O Flynn who were on hand to tackle different chores and made the job of the camp co-ordinator i bhfad níos éasca.
The camp was spread across two venues, with the younger children based at the Upper Glanmire Community Centre and the rest based at White’s Cross GAA grounds. Thanks very much to Upper Glanmire Community Association for the use of their facilities – their sports hall is a huge asset to our community. It was during the equivalent week last year that we had the torrential rain, that led to much flooding throughout Cork city and county, and at the time the hall allowed our camp to continue without a postponement. Indeed White’s Cross GAA camp has never had to cancel a day of activities in its eleven years in existence. This year the weather proved particularly kind to us, and the only reason we took the boys and the girls to the hall this time around was to take momentary shelter from the strong sunshine!
Thanks to White’s Cross GAA Adult and Juvenile Club members for all their assistance – the work being put in by these two committees in the past couple of years is nothing short of massive. The outcomes are evident for all to see – the hurling wall was a great addition to our camp this year, while the final stretch of the walkway was laid during day four of camp. Thanks to Mr Michéal Cremin, principal at Upper Glanmire National School, for his support and also his staff members Joe O Malley and Jane (in the office) for their help and cooperation. Thanks to Noel Crowley, Games Development Officers with the Cork County Board for all of his time and assistance.
Thanks to our guest visitors to the Camp, Kellogg’s Cúl Camp Ambassadors – Cork Senior Hurling captain Pa Cronin and Cork Senior Footballer Damien Cahalane. Both of these visitors held questions and answers sessions with each of the groups of participants, and obviously obliged with autographs! Pa told us in his q & a session that his bestfriend on the Cork team was his club mate Shane O Neill and that he currently wears Adidias Predator boots, and hurls with an O’ Connor hurley. Damien told those attending that he had played many sports growing up – amongst them rugby. In a follow-up question he informed us he actually only played two games of rugby but had notched up four tries, giving himself a very decent try per game ratio! Damien encouraged the boys and girls to play lots of different sports and said that he felt elements from each he had dabbled with now made him a more complete Gaelic player.
