Steely, stoical and stalwart members of Meath's hurling fraternity, the gaels of Kildalkey are proof positive that God loves a trier(s). Chairman of the club's juvenile committee, Pascal Carr, embodies the spirit within the club. If there's a better way to keep youngsters interested in playing a game than acquiring silverware on a regular basis, then Kildalkey stalwart Pascal Carr hasn't come across it. By dint of winning the Under 16 Division B hurling title in 2000 - courtesy of a victory over Killyon - the young hurling brigade in Kildalkey fairly posted notice of their intention to make an impact at minor level and beyond in the next few years. Climbing on board the winner's podium is just the ticket any year and the lads' achievement in 2000 was just the shot in the arm those at the coalface of Kildalkey's underage section needed to fire their enthusiasm for another while at least. It was a timely boost for the players too, of course. "You can't beat winning to keep the lads interested, to keep them together. You can train all you like and get to all the semi-finals and finals you like but winning cups and medals is what it's all about in keeping players enthusiastic and interested in sticking with the game." Interestingly, while admitting that the under 16 triumph was well-merited and stylishly secured, Pascal explains that he wasn't at all surprised by Kildalkey's winning campaign. "It's a good, talented squad and once they were beaten in last year's corresponding final by Dunboyne, I was fairly confident that they would come good this year and go that one step extra. "A fair number of last year's team were eligible to play again at under 16 level this year and last year's campaign stood them in good stead. They gained a good deal of experience in getting to last year's final and also I think the fact that they lost out in 1999 made them really determined to come good this year." As Chairman of the juvenile committee in Kildalkey, the club's insurance officer and a man who's a virtual ever-present at the club's grounds on match days and in the preparation of the ground beforehand, it is fair to say that Pascal Carr is one of the principal doers about Kildalkey. If action speaks louder than words, then gelignite wouldn't be a bad nickname for our man Carr. It is obvious though that Pascal's involvement in the club is a veritable labour of love but the delivery of silverware is a welcome bonus. "It can be hard enough to keep youngsters keen nowadays because there are so many distractions, so many other attractions. Young fellas have the option of playing a lot more sports these days." Getting the lads out on match days can sometimes take some sorting out, Pascal admits. "It would be a lot more convenient for everyone in the county if matches were played on a Saturday evening because in that way, players could go out and enjoy themselves on a Saturday night without having to be concerned whether or not they were fit enough to play to their best on the Sunday," he opines. Making sure that young hurlers are looked after and that games are organised properly and on a regular basis for them is imperative, Pascal suggests, if they are to be held onto. "The situation we had last summer where the county minors were supposed to be playing at Croke Park against Kerry before one of the semi-finals only for the game to be called off was a disaster really for the promotion of the game here in Meath. "That game in Croke Park provided a great opportunity for those young lads to get a run out on the biggest stage in the country but it ended up being a lost opportunity. "You're not going to promote the game of hurling among the young lads if that's the way thing's are going to be handled. The players themselves and those involved in hurling in the county deserve better support than that. "The fact that a football fixture got in the way of the minors' hurling game said a lot about the GAA's priorities in Meath. "Unfortunately, just like football in Kilkenny is the poor relation of the GAA there, hurling takes a back-seat here in Meath," Pascal maintains. Involved in one way or other with the GAA in Kildalkey/Ballivor for the past 30 years and more, Pascal says that while there was a conflict of interest among Meath's GAA fraternity in terms of the quality of its promotion of hurling and football - and the value it put on that same promotion - years ago, that conflict wasn't quite as conspicuous or common as it is nowadays. In this regard, the fifty-something Kildalkey native isn't quite sure how such difficulties can be sorted out to the mutual benefit of both codes in the Royal County. "Maybe it's time that the bull was taken by the horns and competitions were started on time and finished on time, regardless of what other fixtures are put in place. "Unfortunately, young fellas are inclined to have football as their number one game and it is unfair to have to put, let's say, a 15-year old in a position where he has to choose which game he is going to play on a particular day. "In fairness, it's an impossible for the county board to get it right all the time. Trying to balance the interests of both hurling and football isn't easy - there simply isn't enough days at the weekend to keep everyone happy with games. You would have to have a certain amount of sympathy for those involved in the administration side of things." Ironically, Pascal is a self-confessed ardent follower of Gaelic football. Indeed, he admits that football was his first love and he's still a keen fan. "It's still very frustrating though when you see just how much football dominates the scene over the hurling. "I spent a lot of nights as a club delegate attending county board meetings in Trim and just when you thought that a fixture had been set in concrete, you'd lift the local newspaper just a couple of days later and the fixture would be changed. It was very frustrating and really soul-destroying for everyone concerned. "It's not too bad for the locals when matches are on and then called off but for fellas who have to travel home from a distance, it can be a very big turn-off. It's not easy for them to motivate themselves to travel back home on the re-arranged date." Not that Pascal is all tied up attempting to confirm in his own mind that the glass is half-empty. Married to Raharney lady Ailish and father of current Kildalkey player Martin, Carr senior has junior league and championship medals to his credit from the late sixties, early seventies and he is optimistic that Kildalkey can add, sooner rather than later, to their division two league title win of some seven years ago. "We were fortunate enough to escape relegation this year but there's a grand panel of hurlers at the club right now and with some great talent coming through from underage ranks, I think we can more than hold our own at adult level in the coming years." Tweet

Most Read Stories