President’s Blog

President’s Blog May 2010

Glorious sunshine all last week.  Twenty primary schools visited in Co. Clare. County and club jerseys everywhere. Loads of artwork, songs, dance and music. Huge commitment by the teachers and local clubs.  What am I on about? FÚile of course!
The annual promotional visits to schools in the host county were a huge success. 75 schools visited in total. Local Camogie stars included Deirdre Murphy, Fiona Lafferty and Kate Lynch.
The O’Duffy Cup was on the circuit as well compliments of Cork players Mary O’Connor and Jenny Duffy. Our Ardsti·rth¾ir Sinead O’Connor, Caroline Murray Regional Development Officer , Catherine Neary Camogie representative on the National Feile Committee and Mary Hogan, Clare County Secretary all joined us as well.
Earlier in the month I also saw the positive impact of FÚile when I watched the Division 3 Dublin FÚile semi finals hosted for the first time by Cuala Camogie. The red and white South siders were also participating in FÚile for the first time. Great to see Iar Ard Stiu·th¾ir Sheila Wallace active on the sideline along with another Cuala stalwart Mßire NÝ ScolaÝ. 

New Mum and Me Coaching Programme
While down in the Mid-West, I also took the opportunity to see first hand some of the action from the new Mum and Me Programme. This was designed by Eddie O’Sullivan Limerick Institute of Technology GAA Office with support from Camogie Development Officer Deirdre Murphy and piloted in Eddie’s home club Blackrock in Limerick.

The Programme supports mothers to help out with underage coaching and introduces them to the basic skills of the game.  Mothers are taught the key coaching points of 7 basic skills of camogie and how to practice these with their daughter. Great innovation that I’m sure will certainly interest  clubs all over the country.

New Rule Book
I know the rule book may not be everybody’s bedtime reading but it is our Constitution and it guides and directs the Association. 

Congress is a gathering of county, Provincial, Overseas and educational bodies overseeing Camogie. We held a Special Congress on 22nd May to consider a new Constitution.

We used E-voting for the first time to vote on the Constitution. The experiment was a great success with nearly 98% of recommendations passed. Rules governing suspensions were referred to Ard Chomhairle after a 50:50 split. Some of the motions will come into effect on 22nd June (one month after Congress) while others will be effective from 2011. Some of the changes include:
ò Amending our name from Cumann Cam¾gaÝochta na nGael to Cumann Cam¾gaÝochta or the Camogie Association (from June 2010)
ò Agreeing to liaise and co-operate with other Gaelic Games bodies (from June 2010)
ò Adopting age bands for under age Camogie including that players must be over 15 for adult club Camogie and over 16 for inter county adult competition (from 2011)
ò Adopting child centred, small sided games that focus on skills development for all under 12 games activities (from 2011).

Proposals to introduce (in 2011) match bans as suspensions instead of time bans resulted in a  50:50 vote and Central Council will now consider this further.
It was a very successful day – 45 proposals considered and 43 passed with strong consensus. More details on the rules will be on the website shortly.

People enquire about how to amend the playing rules.  These are considered every three years with 2012 Annual Congress the next opportunity.

Talk to you before then!

Siobhßn NÝ Fhloinn
Joan O’Flynn
Uachtarßn
May 2010

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