White’s Cross GAA were once again the first out of the traps this year holding the very first GAA Cúl Camp in the country this summer, running from June 24^th to 28^th, taking advantage of the relatively early date for summer holidays at Upper Glanmire National School. 

First and foremost a big thank you to the one hundred and thirteen 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 Kellogg’s for their sponsorship of these GAA Summer Camps across the country each summer – once again the kit was considered to be ‘very cúl’!  Thanks also to Cork’s GAA Development Officers Noel Crowley and Colm Crowley – both provided very welcome assistance in the running of the camp.

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.  Whilst the week proved very nice weather wise for the most part, torrential rain on the Friday morning could have put a real dampener on proceedings only that we were able to transfer ninety of the children to the sports hall and adjoining amenities.  The battle hardened eldest group were left to tough it out in the great outdoors – as it transpired the rains passed over after thirty minutes and they were basking in sunshine again before the day was over.  Indeed White’s Cross GAA camp has never had to cancel a day of activities in its twelve years in existence. 

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 number of years is nothing short of massive.  The outcomes are evident for all to see – the astro-turf surface recently laid at the hurling wall was a great addition to our camp this year.  Meanwhile the walkway constructed around the perimeter of our main playing field was used for our sponsored walk on the last day of camp. 

Thanks to our guest visitor to the Camp, Kellogg’s Cúl Camp Ambassador Eoin Cadogan.  Eoin actually arrived in the middle of the aforementioned downpours on the Friday morning, and waited very patiently as we implemented Plan B, by transporting ninety or so of the attendees from the GAA grounds to the sports hall.  Eoin in addressing the different groups spoke of the importance of diet even for young players and of the need to look out for ones team-mates both on and off the playing field.  In the follow up questions and answers sessions our attendees were particularly keen to get an insight from Eoin in terms of how to deal with having his brother playing on the same team as him – Alan Cadogan has proven hugely effective to date in his debut season with the county hurling squad.

Well done to the girls and boys of Upper Glanmire NS who did themselves and everyone associated with them, proud in their recent Sciath na Scol Finals.  Indeed it was a great achievement for both sides to come through their group stages and qualify for their respective finals, setting up this double bill at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.  The games were initially scheduled for Thursday, November 13^th but were postponed until the following Monday due to torrential rain on the eve of these deciders.

While the girls came up short in their final against a very strong Dunderrow NS side, the boys had a convincing victory over Rathduff NS. Captain Fionn Hickey and his vice-captain Conor Docherty have written themselves into the history books as being perhaps the last to hold aloft winning trophies in the iconic stadium that is Pairc Uí Chaoimh, as it is subject to its upcoming redevelopment. For Fionn, Conor and many of their team-mates this represents their fourth final win in 2014, having been involved with winning White’s Cross teams in under 12 (football) and under 13 (hurling and football) in recent months. Indeed their opponents Rathduff NS will be sick of the sight of these boys because most of them would have been involved with club side Grenagh who were our opponents in the Under 13 football final triumph!

White’s Cross GAA applauds the work being done at Upper Glanmire NS in the coaching of various sports, including GAA – mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí. In this regard we give special praise to Mr. Scanlon, Mr. O’Sullivan, Ms. Healy and Ms. O’Halloran who coached the teams to these finals. Indeed Mr. Scanlon plays his club football with White’s Cross and we also claim a piece of Mr. O Sullivan, as his father-in-law Noel Murphy was instrumental in helping White’s Cross to their first major scalp fifty years ago (November 1964) – an East Cork Junior A Hurling League win.

White’s Cross GAA also congratulate and thank Finbarr Kiely who assisted with the coaching of these two teams but who has also been coaching other class groups at Upper Glanmire National School.  For the past twelve years White’s Cross has been sponsoring a project that sees a qualified GAA coach spending a day each week at Upper Glanmire NS coaching GAA to the pupils from a variety of classes.  When Finbarr became involved as a coach to our Junior footballers back in 2004 this role at the school was also offered to him some time later and he has been completing it each year since.  In the intervening 10 years, along with coaching the boys and girls, Finbarr guided our Junior A Footballers to 4 Junior A divisional championships, 3 Junior A league titles and 8 Junior A Cup titles.  Míle buíochas Finbarr!

 
A final word to the cailíní – girls keep the heads up – this recent disappointment will make victory all the sweeter when it does come – and with the camogie to look forward to in the Spring this might not be that far off at all…