Hurling and Camogie set for Ulster Championship action
The 2009 Ulster Hurling and Camogie Championships supported by Guinness and
Etihad Airways is getting under way this weekend.
On the Gael games podcast, Dominic McKinlay, the joint manager of the
Antrim hurling team says that the defending champions are just as keen as
ever to retain this provincial title even though the Saffrons will also
compete in the Leinster Championships.
Catherine O’Hara of the Ulster Camogie Association praised the Ulster
Council for its support in promoting women’s sport and giving them the
chance to be share the stage with the hurlers and footballers.
Ulster GAA president Tom Daly outlines some of the initiatives that are in
place to increase the profile of hurling and gives his view on fears that
Antrim’s participation in Leinster may be diluting the Ulster series.
May 12th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Ciarán Gourley and Peter Herron, teachers and football managers of St. Patrick’s Academy, Dungannon, launched Campa Chormaic 2009 in the BARD Centre, the Brantry, Co. Tyrone, on Wednesday 22 April.
The special guests guided teams from the Academy to win the Hogan Cup in 2008 and the MacRory Cup again in 2009. They both have a particular interest in the camp. Ciarán played alongside Cormac McAnallen on Tír Eoghain teams for seven years and he still plays for the county, while Peter is a teacher of Irish, the main language of the camp.
“It’s a great honour for me to be here today and associated with Campa Chormaic,” said Ciarán. “Cormac was a close friend of mine. This is a fitting event to keep the spirit of Cormac alive in the youth and in his own area. I have taken part in it as a coach in past years and I enjoyed it immensely. I look forward to doing so again.”
Campa Chormaic was founded in 2005 after the death of Tír Eoghain captain Cormac on 2 March 2004 from a heart condition. The main aim behind the camp is to stir the interest of the youth in the areas surrounding Cormac’s homeplace, in the Irish language and Gaelic games. The intention is to nurture in the children the same passion for Gaelic culture and local history that Cormac had. This is the fifth year of the camp and it is going from strength to strength.
“It is appropriate that we recognise the playing achievements of the Academy. Our endeavours complement their work to encourage the youth,” said Conall Ó Máirtín, chairman of the Campa Chormaic committee. “We thank Ciarán and Peter for that and for coming here today to give us their support.”
Conall Ó Máirtín announced at the event that this year would see an expansion of Campa Chormaic for the first time into other counties. This year Campa Chormaic will open in County Down as well as in Tyrone, Conall said at the event, “There is a great opportunity for us this year to expand Campa Chormaic to other parts of the country. It demonstrates the interest that exsists in the language and it gives us a great opportunity as we celebrate 125 years of the GAA to fulfill the aims of those who founded the association”.
Micheál Ó Máirtín, who is president of Campa Chormaic, added praise to those who had financially supported Campa Chormaic, “We are extremely grateful to Barrets Concrete, the Tyrone County Board and the Ulster Council who have supported Campa Chormaic and who are committed to the promotion of Gaelic Games and the Irish Language.
This year’s camp will begin on 27 July and will continue until 7 August. The first week (27-31 July) will cater for children between 10 and 12 years of age and the second week (3-7 August) will be for those in the 12-16 age bracket. Further information and application forms can be obtained on the website http://www.campachormaic.com