Quote from: johnnycool on February 22, 2023, 11:03:18 AMQuote from: DownFanatic on February 22, 2023, 10:44:35 AM
There is a huge population base for St Paul's to exploit. Demographically they've a big take but this probably isn't consolidated by the cultural makeup of the area. Newtownards has St Finian's P.S. and Loughries IPS with St Mary's P.S. nearby in Comber. There is St Malachy's P.S. in Bangor along with St Comgall's P.S. in the same town. Glencraig IPS and St Patrick's P.S. are in Holywood with St Anne's P.S. in Donaghadee. There are eight primary schools alone that they could be drawing from.
Have always believed that an urban taskforce for want of a better term should be created in Down. We have most of South and East Belfast plus that whole metropolitan area of North Down. Then large towns like Newcastle, Downpatrick and Banbridge along with the 'city' of Newry. We really should be maximising our potential in all of our urban areas.
Loughries Integrated PS??? I'd love to see the breakdown of that wee school! Heck they've only started allowing in GDO's into Kircubbin Integrated that last few years or so.
Comber would come into the catchment area of Darragh Cross I'd have thought even though it's 10 miles or so away, but you've Ballygowan, Saintfield and all in that area with pretty decent populations.
We used to get a few underage hurlers out of Bangor/Holywood/Ards area from going to school in Knock with some of our lads, but they never stuck at it.
You've places like Carrowdore, Ballyhalbert, Greyabbey, etc etc and they wouldn't even have youth soccer teams. Heck even Ballywalter had to cancel some underage soccer games one Saturday as it was first communion on in Kircubbin and a few weeks later also had to cancel games as the Down Feile was on in Portaferry.
More into farming, motorbikes and marching.
Was there never any sort of tradition of Ards hurlers playing football for St Paul's at a time? I do mind Kevin McGarry and Magic Johnston throwing their lot in with Loughinisland, Brendan McGourty with Darragh Cross, Danny Toner with Saul and a few of the Ennis men with Carryduff.