On Friday last, February 11th. Just four years after its foundation, Sliabh Luachra Camogie Club members were told by Desmonds GAA Club that they would not be facilitated on its Limerick Road based club grounds.
The camogie club members feel quite aggrieved by this turn of events and feel that they are reeling from lock-down to lock-out.
However, a statement from Desmonds claims that its first priority must be its own affiliated club members and that pressure on playing surface and space is the reason it can’t facilitate the camogie club and its 70 strong membership.
Devastated by the News
“We were obviously devastated by this news just a week before our annual registration and two weeks before we were due to return to play.
“As a new club we have always been extremely grateful to Castleisland Desmonds GAA Club for the support and welcome we enjoyed there over the last four years,” according to a statement from the camogie club members.
“We are aware that Desmonds are catering for large numbers of players in the town area but the town belongs to all of us and we consider it our home and our loyalties to community and business are here.
Preferential Rights
“Surely no sport or club should have the right to determine that one set of children or players should have preferential rights and another should suffer the discrimination of being told that they cannot play on a particular field. All children should be given equal opportunity within their own areas,” the statement continues.
“Last year we played games and indeed trained on other pitches in the area and tried to understand when we were told the pitch was unsuitable for playing on or there was not enough space. We respected this.
Pitch Time Reduced
“Our pitch time was reduced to nearly zero at the end of the playing year and we were told it was too busy.
“We would like to note that on occasion it was noticed by us that the pitch was empty at the times we had asked for access to it.
“We paid €1000 to get a hurling net behind the road-side posts in the pitch and this was sponsored by parents and well wishers and local councilors.
“We were so proud to have it hanging in our girls’ town. Unfortunately, we had minimal use of the main pitch last year.
Best Developing Club
“We accepted the situation to ensure good relations and took what we were offered and other clubs kindly helped us.
“Girls in our club will be devastated when we tell them we cannot provide a pitch for them or indeed a base to run our club from and we fear this situation will ultimately ruin the club which so many work so hard to build up over the four years of our existence.
“Last year we were one of four clubs in the country to be presented with a ‘Best Developing Club’ award.
National Recognition
“The girls were recognised nationally for the work they have done in their chosen sport but obviously not by their own local GAA club.
Sliabh Luachra Camogie Club has 70 playing members and many walk to the Desmonds pitch to train as it is so central.
“Where are we now that we will lose these girls in sport. Many girls roll off from football in Desmonds to attend camogie later and this is very convenient for parents and players.
“The reason we initially chose to train in Desmonds was we have girls living in the town and the catchment areas around Castleisland so it was central for all hence the name Sliabh Luachra Camogie Club.
Shopping Locally
“Since the foundation of our club in February2018 years we have developed relationships with local businesses and encouraged our players to shop locally during these hard times.
“We also had many activities in the town supporting local business. This was the ethos of our club to thank the town for supporting our girls.
“We are utterly disappointed to be cast aside like this by a club in which many of these businesses are associated.
UNESCO Recognised Sport
“Desmonds pitch does have high demands and this no doubt impacts on facilities and we respect that but also have accepted what pitch time we were offered and we worked around it.
“We are also aware that Desmonds received a large grant just last week from the sports partnership fund.
“We would like to raise the question as to whether some of this grant was allocated on the strength of having girls playing a UNESCO recognised sport in our town or indeed having a strong female representation as part of its application.
“And it is also widely known that there is funding available from the GAA to support girls in sports.
Appeal to All Clubs
“Ultimately the reason for us highlighting this situation is to appeal to all the clubs in Castleisland to support us.
“If you have space to facilitate us we would appreciate the help right now; it’s all for our kids.
“We need a home and will respect the rules of any club that invites us in. We just want to play our sport. Our girls are our priority.
“Our girls love playing camogie. We are so proud of the achievements made in the last four years.
It would be a shame to lose all this now.
Three School Teams
“Before Christmas three school teams from Castleisland traveled to Mallow to participate in school camogie blitzes and that was more than any other town or even county provided.
“We do not believe Desmonds do not have enough space for us and we are absolutely baffled as to their change of heart.
“Ultimately 70 girls and their families are affected by this and the consequences for our club are huge.”
Desmonds Response from Secretary Denis O’Donovan
Castleisland Desmonds GAA Club Secretary, Denis O’Donovan has outlined the club’s position in the unfolding situation between two groups of people providing vital sporting outlets for their memberships and both doing what they feel is the right thing by those members.
Mr. O’Donovan explained that Castleisland Desmonds GAA Club is made up of three sections: the senior men’s club; Coiste na nÓg – Juvenile boys and the Ladies club which has Juvenile and senior teams.
Between all three sections the club must cater for 24 teams for training and competitive games on a weekly basis. This is an average of four teams, per night for six nights of the week.
No Formal Club Connection
“Sliabh Luachra Camogie Club is not affiliated to or has no formal or otherwise connection with Castleisland Desmonds GAA Club.
“Over the last four years our club facilitated the camogie club for training and games which took up valuable time on our pitches.
“They now have in the region of 70 members and we are not in a position for 2022 to offer them pitch time as we must accommodate and prioritise our club teams.
“We are now returning to pre Covid levels of club activity which will put huge demand on our pitches for the coming season. We have a responsibility to all our club teams to protect our playing pitches and protect against overuse.
“Our pitches are currently closed due to the bad weather and we are seeking other venues for our training. The playing surface of our pitches needs some work to ensure we have a high standard of playing surface into the future and one form of action is to control the activity on our pitches,” said Mr. O’Donovan.
Sliabh Luachra Area
“Sliabh Luachra Camogie Club is a club which draws its members from clubs within the Sliabh Luachra area.
Has the camogie club requested the use of pitches from other clubs in the area ?, are other clubs in the Sliabh Luachra area facilitating the camogie club as we have done for four years ?. How many members of the camogie club are from the Castleisland parish? he asks.
Correspondence Revealed
Mr. O’Donovan also revealed the correspondence issued to Sliabh Luachra Camogie Club last week – as follows:
‘Following a meeting of the club executive on Wednesday evening last the use of our pitches for the coming year was discussed. Having considered the high level of usage that is expected for the year ahead and given that all activity and competitions will return to pre covid levels, unfortunately our pitches will not be available to the camogie club for the coming season.
We wish the camogie club all the best for the season ahead.’
No Thanks
“Castleisland Desmonds GAA Club has been very good to the Sliabh Luachra Camogie Club over the last four year and we are very disappointed that they have taken to various media forms saying that they are ‘not welcome’ by our club.
“Furthermore we are also disappointed that in any of the statements that the camogie club has made its members have not thanked Castleisland Desmonds GAA Club for the help, support and welcome they received from the club over the last four years,” Mr. O’Donovan concluded.
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