A Cúl Week at White’s Cross

White’s Cross GAA once again held a most successful Cúl Camp this summer for boys and girls between 5 and 13 years of age. One hundred and twenty six children attended the week long camp, guided by a team of 27 coaches and assistants – hopefully it has furthered their interest in the games of Gaelic Football and Hurling / Camogie. Running such a Camp is obviously no easy task, and to do so requires the support of many people. Cúl Camp Coordinator Conor Kelleher wishes to thank these people for their support and says it’s great to have such a continued spirit of community around this event now running 13 years:

“Foremost I thank the Coaches and their Assistants who worked diligently and enthusiastically all week to ensure all participants benefited from the week’s activities – many of these people have been involved with the Camp for a number of years now and their reliability and work ethic is an integral part of this camp’s success year after year. Thanks to Marion Delaney, Brendáin Murnane, Niall Twomey, Conal Smith, Michael Meade, Ciarán Quain, Sean Twomey, John Meade, Adam Bransfield, Kelly Falvey, Laura Cahill, Jennifer Hall, Cillian Hall, Aaron Kent, Cormac O Flynn, Cathal O Flynn, Ross Murphy, Derrick Royal, James Royal, Billy O Hara, Colin Sisk, Zak Hurley, Luke Murphy, Martha Quain, Sean Kelly & Alison McNamara. Thanks to Mike O Flynn, Joan Twomey, Michelle Whooley and Teresa Quain who were on hand to tackle different chores and made my job of camp co-ordinator i bhfad níos éasca.

Thanks very much to Upper Glanmire Community Association for the use of their facilities again this year – it was great to be able to rely on their outstanding sports hall on the rainy days. This year we only had to use it on the Tuesday and even then over half of the attendees remained based at White’s Cross grounds. Thanks also for the support of the Community Association through Crunch Fitness for our fundraising venture which had the eldest two groups take part in Crossbar Challenge on the Friday afternoon, something that had gained alot of attention on the social media in GAA circles in the preceding weeks due to the exploits of the Clare and Waterford senior hurling sides. Crunch Fitness (the superb new gym opened by Upper Glanmire Community Association) and White’s Cross GAA Club, donated 20 euro for each shot that hit the crossbar to charity. In line with the slogan on the sleeve of their Cúl Camp kits and a key theme for our camp ‘Give Respect, Get Respect’ the eldest cohort, having given the coaching team respect for the week (and many who had given it for the last five, six and seven years they have attended our camp) it was now time for them to get respect and thus they were allowed decide the nominated charity. After some consideration they decided to nominate the Irish Children’s Arthritis Network (iCan). This saw the grand total of 160 euro raised by the White’s Cross GAA Cúl Camp 2015 for iCan.

Thanks to White’s Cross GAA Adult and Juvenile Club members for all their assistance – the work being put in is clearly evident in the improvements to our Club Grounds over the past 4 years. This year the addition of the astro-turf training area was a huge bonus. Thanks in particular to Martin O Flynn, Sean C Burke and Pat O Callaghan for having the pitch and grounds in tip-top condition.

Thanks to Kellogg’s for their sponsorship of the Cúl Camps – now in their fourth year as sponsor to the nationally co-ordinated GAA Summer Camps, and it continues to prove very beneficial at the club unit level. This year’s half-zip top proved very popular. Thanks to Noel Crowley and Colm Crowley, Games Development Officers with the Cork County Board for their time and assistance. Thanks to Cork Senior Hurling corner forward Alan Cadogan for paying us a visit and also Kevin Hallissey (CIT and Eire Óg) who did a morning of coaching with two of the groups.

Finally a BIG thank you to the one hundred and twenty-six boys and girls who participated in the Camp; yet again they were an absolute pleasure to work with” – Conor Kelleher – White’s Cross GAA, Cúl Camp Coordinator.