Hurling in East Belfast

[john mcgill]

I was in a "Protestant" school in east Belfast today and I watched five 16 year olds pucking around.  They were very good.  Their Principal tod me that they belong to Belfast Cuchulainns and were playing in an inter continental tournament in Philadelphia this summer.  The team is made up of cross community schools in Belfast.  It was great to see and gives me hope for a decent future in the north.

[Rossfan]

Good news !

[Lecale2]

The times they are a changing. 

On the same theme, Ards Borough Council has voted to support the Down Feile Na nGael (being held in Portaferry) with a substantial grant. The motion to award the grant was moved by an SDLP councillor from Portaferry and seconded by the DUP. The DUP Mayor has been invited to attend.

[Last Man]

I am pretty sure that this initiative is the brain child of PJ O'Grady, principal of St.Pats, Bearnagheeha on the Antrim Rd. A good hurling man and one of the few principals who is actively promoting hurling in N.Belfast and further afield.

[scalder]

Wow, excellent news, exciting times!

[stpauls]

this is great to hear!! maybe the guys from Ashfield can get some of their mates to take up the sport, and make their way to Holywood to help us out!! 

[john mcgill]

I have to say that the lads that I saw were good.  One is a hockey player and must have the required coordination.  Ashfield is a lovely school and with super students.

[orangeman]

Fair play to them - a welcome move !

[Evil Genius]

An interesting and welcome development.

No doubt readers will also be familiar with the thread in the Football Section about the GAA "reaching out" to Unionists. Whilst many posters felt the GAA could/should be doing more, there is also a strand of opinion which believes that regardless of what the GAA does, Unionists will never be receptive.

How do these latter posters react to events at Ashfield/BM and reconcile it with their somewhat hardline stance? Remember, Cllr. Rodgers is a prominent Official Unionist, ever under pressure from the DUP in East Belfast to take a hard line on everything. Moreover, he is also a Director of Glentoran FC.

(Note: I am not seeking to wind anyone up here; nor do I require a response. Rather, I am just being rhetorical, to try and provoke thought, not controversy)

[orangeman]

An interesting and welcome development.

No doubt readers will also be familiar with the thread in the Football Section about the GAA "reaching out" to Unionists. Whilst many posters felt the GAA could/should be doing more, there is also a strand of opinion which believes that regardless of what the GAA does, Unionists will never be receptive.
How do these latter posters react to events at Ashfield/BM and reconcile it with their somewhat hardline stance? Remember, Cllr. Rodgers is a prominent Official Unionist, ever under pressure from the DUP in East Belfast to take a hard line on everything. Moreover, he is also a Director of Glentoran FC.

(Note: I am not seeking to wind anyone up here; nor do I require a response. Rather, I am just being rhetorical, to try and provoke thought, not controversy)

I was one of those and I called for schools to be doing more in teaching gaelic and hurling - so fair dues to them.

[Baile an tuaigh]

Thats great news. My village was a mixed comunity and everyone regardless always played Hurling together. However the Protestant kids never joined a team or club and usually when they were in there high teens sadly walked away. But that was quite a while ago 10-15 years ago.

Not related but a little connected. In Bushmills a few years ago a Unionist Politician fought hard to keep the name "Portcamanfold" in a housing estate. Some people didn't like the fact that Caman meant Hurling stick and wanted a name change. However he did win by majority vote and the name is still there. The fact that Caman was played years ago in the area with teams from Scotland is how the name came about.

[neilthemac]

i would say unionists would be more partial to hurling than bog football

seeing as it has a scottish connection and doesn't compete directly with soccer or rugby as a 'football' game

[Guillem2]

Have any of these lads playing at school been invited along to a club?

[thejuice]

Good to hear. Keep it up those involved

[scalder]

Hurling is part of all our heritage and lets hope these lads are the beginning of something. Surely proof that reaching out can and will work, maybe not with everyone but sure we have plenty 'nationalists' who hate the GAA too!