In the short twelve months that Loch Mór Dál gCais has existed it has grown the sport of hurling along the county Antrim shoreline of Lough Neagh in Glenavy, Lisburn, Antrim & Crumlin.

The club started at a general meeting In the Crumlin Gael Scoil Gleann Darach in a small classroom trying to recruit volunteers most of whom had little or no experience of GAA committees, the only thing most brought to the table was a desire to create a strong hurling club with its own identity.

The club fielded at under 6/8/10/12/14/16 hurling & also u8&12 Camogie in its first year, it has held a 3 day hurling summer academy attended by 97 children, organised a school blitz for local primary schools first of its kind. The club have put a hurl in the hand of nearly every child interested in the area, & sent them home to practice.

With the season near at a close the fixture for the north Antrim under 14 championship came out, they were to play a quarter final versus Sean Stinsons, a team who had humiliated them in march in feile, coming of the pitch after with victory secured the team & club started to come of age.
Next up a semi final versus Rasharkin & the talent on show from likes of Lorcan Rooney, Conor McAreavey & Anthony Gallagher was not only a joy to watch but too much for Rasharkin to handle & the team found themselves in a final in their first year. The final up next was a not just a show of strength on the pitch but the colossal support at pitch side and in Glenavy village leaving was massive, it helped a very talented u14 side over the line to its first championship and the first championship for this club in Year 1.

The u12s and 16s although not enjoying the same level of glory hurling every game without failing to field taking scalps of traditional clubs here and there and doing the green white and maroon jersey pride, playing ever game with the fighting spirit that seems to follow this club around, they seem to see no boundaries when it comes to just how far they can go on and off the field.

The club can look at 2015 with great anticipation, they are looking to get Camogie teams into leagues & field a senior hurling side, this is a club on the up, it has great numbers, great support & what seems to be a great plan.

Antrim hurling and South West Antrim GAA can only serve to benefit from having such a young enthusiastic club at their disposal, whether it be the hard working people behind the scenes creating a social sporting awareness of hurling or be it the lads and their coaches on match day.

One thing is certain for a club with no home venue, no club rooms and purely working inside the community be it businesses or other organisations are well got and appreciated in the Crumlin Glenavy area. The community has seen their passion and back it in all so many ways, its through this connection the club will flourish and going by year one will grow from strength to strength.

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