Summer camp boost as inner-city GAA clubs seek to rebuild

southside Limerick GAA clubs summer camp boost as inner-city GAA clubs seek to rebuild

Southside Limerick GAA clubs partner to revive underage structures drawing more than 70 children to recent summer camp

By Éanna Mackey

Two southside Limerick GAA clubs have teamed up in a bid to revive their underage structures with a packed summer camp drawing over 70 children from the local area, many playing Gaelic games for the first time.

Old Christians and Ballinacurra Gaels, with support from the Limerick County Board, the Education and Training Board, and the Southill Hub, have delivered a free summer camp in Rathbane and Ballinacurra this week. It is hoped that the camp will help to reinvigorate underage participation and strengthen the future of both clubs.

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James Ryan, former Limerick star and current Games Development coordinator, has been central to the broader project aimed at regenerating Gaelic games in the south inner city. The area is one of six earmarked by the Munster council for urban regeneration, with a new officer set to oversee the project appointed earlier this week.

Ryan said, “Today’s initiative came from the two clubs to run a camp. What we are basically trying to do is increase participation in the area.

“It’s a free camp supported by local groups in the area. It’s been a massive success; we’ve had about 70 kids up here, many playing hurling and football for the first time.”

This is one of several recent initiatives led by the Rathbane-based clubs, originally sparked by Old Christians through a campaign focused on engaging in local schools.

“About 12 months ago, we identified that we only had a handful of kids coming in the gate,” said Phil Madden, club treasurer and lifelong member.

He added, “We decided in the springtime that we would approach the 5 DEIS schools in the area and run a blitz up here during the summertime. The principals and staff bought into it, and we had 350 children up here.”

Like many inner-city clubs, Old Christians have faced a sharp decline in recent years, with their underage academy nearly disappearing, despite Limerick’s unprecedented success at the senior level. The current efforts are part of a wider push to reignite interest and bring young players back through the gates.

“The greatest challenge is getting kids in the gate, getting them off the screens, getting them interested in Gaelic football and hurling, and seeing where we can take it from there. I always found, if we can get them in the gate and get them a bit of interest, that’s half the battle. If they don’t come back, we’ve done what we can do.”

“Because we are such an underprivileged regeneration area, a lot of the kids around here cannot afford stuff; they don’t have the opportunity to get out and about and away from the screens. Opportunities like this give them the chance to open their eyes; if only a fraction stay, then it’s a job well done.”

The clubs involved are two of four making up part of Southside Gaels, along with Claughaun and St. Patrick’s, a recent strategy aimed at delivering a pathway for youngsters on the city’s southside to play hurling at a high level that sees the clubs amalgamate at the underage level. Something Ballinacurra chairman Shane Curtin is fully supportive of as well as the broader regeneration project.

“Getting kids in the gate is a major challenge, and it’s not something that one club can overcome. It needs a unified approach where kids can experience it in their schools and know that it’s in their community,” he said.

“I’m delighted to see the regeneration project because it will put GAA front and centre when kids consider what sport it is that they want to play in the future. The GAA has a vital part in improving the social cohesion in our city and beyond. Lack of space and lack of understanding of GAA might be a barrier, but that should make our clubs resolute to work harder for the betterment of all our community in bringing the opportunity to be part of a club, and by extension be an active part of your local community, to all.”

James Ryan on the current structures between the two clubs and the broader pooling of resources under the Southside Gaels banner, as well as next steps to keep the momentum going. “Ballinacurra and Christians join together from U6 to U10. St. Patrick’s and Claughaun have their own club teams, and then Southside Gaels come from U13 to U21.”

“It’s largely made up of St Patrick’s and Claughaun at the moment because of the challenges that old Christians and Ballinacurra have had in trying to get young players through.”

“You look around this field alone, you have soccer and rugby clubs, so there’s a lot of competition. Gaa in the city centre has fallen out of favour for a long time, and other things took its place over the years. With Limerick’s success in both hurling and football at the moment, we’re just trying to get kids into Gaelic games from the city centre.”

“It’s all about promotion and consistency. We’d love to get more volunteers and parents up; it would be brilliant, but at the moment we’re just taking it step by step, so it’s just about building on that. We had a great day with the local primary schools a few months back. The next step then is to get a bit of club training regularly over the summer and then get back into coaching in the primary schools.”

Catherine Slattery, deputy mayor, was also in attendance and noted, “Old Christians is a fantastic club, and it’s brilliant to see all the children down here playing hurling and football. It’s a brilliant facility, and it’s right slap bang in the middle of Rathbane.

“I think sport is very important for children; not only does it get them out mixing with friends and getting fresh air and mental health, but it also gives them a sense of belonging, so my message to parents is to get down here to the club with your children. They will really enjoy it, and it’s a great facility.”

The project was part-funded by Limerick City and County Council through the Economic and Social Intervention Fund, with particular emphasis on supplying healthy food and drink for players.