U.12s Camogie Trip to Kilkenny sponsored with thanks to Bus Eireann

The U-12 Ballyboden St Endas camogie team enjoyed their first away matches to play country opposition when they made the trip to Dicksboro, Co. Kilkenny on Saturday the 6th of June, 2015.

It was an early start for the girls and mentors as well as some of the parents as everyone met up at the clubhouse at 8.20am. The bus, a luxury coach supplied by Bus Eireann, duly arrived and it was all on board for the trip to Noreside.

The journey went quickly thanks to an impronptu sing-song from the girls followed by a well organised quiz courtesy of the tour co-ordinators, Joan Feehan, Jean Gargan and Suzanne Nolan.

We arrived at Dicksboro GAA club on the outskirts of Kilkenny City where we were met by local club members who had assigned us our own dressing rooms in their very impressive grounds.  Ballyboden now count former Ballyboden St. Enda’s stalwart Maura Ni Reachtaire in their ranks.

Ballyboden had 2 teams of equal ability and the opposition was provided by Dicksboro, O Loughlin Gaels, Ballyraggett and St. Anne’s (Galmoy/Johnstown). Our girls played some fine competitive camogie, winning some, drawing some and losing some matches.  They played their hearts out!

We then retired to the clubhouse where a mountain of sandwiches, cakes, buns and ice creams awaited us. There was plenty of slagging especially as 2 of our mentors were sporting their Tipp colours!!

After photos were taken with the Liam McCarthy Cup(mentor Danny O’ Connell continues to dream!) which had been organised by Cathal Fitzgerald, we boarded the Bus Eireann coach and headed for Kilkenny Bowl where the girls had a great time bowling and using the other games. The mentors had a competitive game of bowling which went down to the wire!

Next it was onto Kilkenny Castle where our large contingent enjoyed a tour of the 820 year old building.  Cathal’s pre-tour briefing on the bus, complete with talk of ghosts, witches and burnings at the stake, was a real highlight.

More photos were taken in the regal surroundings before we boarded the bus for home. The girls enjoyed some well earned treats on the journey back to the Capital and were a tired bunch by the time we reached Pairc Ui Mhurchu at 7.30pm. The night finished with a post-tour selectors de-brief in the clubhouse. Rumour has it that this extended into the small hours.

On behalf of the mentors we would like to express our appreciation to the tour co-ordinators for organising the trip, Joan, Jean and Suzanne, to Cathal for organising the tournament and the Liam McCarthy Cup, to Dicksboro GAA club for making us feel very welcome and the other clubs for the competition, to Bus Eireann for the brilliant coach, for parents who came along to help and finally, to our camogie girls, all 26 of them, who were a pleasure to deal with and a credit to the club and their families.

We could not help but share one of the answers to the quiz questions – Name the 3 types of triangles and the Answer given was …wait for it – Small, Medium and Large – answered by some of our Mentors!