To many sports observers, the game of camogie in Cavan has suffered from a lack of profile. New county board PRO Roisin Martin aims to alter that perception. By her own admission, Roisin Martin hasn't quite been an ever-present on Cavan's camogie landscape in recent years. Although she featured prominently in Ballinagh's all-conquering junior championship campaign last year (2006), she says she was more AWOL than MVP the previous couple of years. Her playing career hasn't been that chequered though. Certainly there are few more medal-laden 22 year olds currently plying their skills in Cavan camogie's millieu. Having taken on the unenviable job of Public Relations Officer of Cavan County Camogie Board, it's likely we'll be seeing just as much of Roisin's communication skills as her skills with a caman and sliotar over the coming year at least. In dabbling in the PRO business, Roisin is to the manor born however. She's likely to take to the post like the proverbial duck to water. A naturally good communicator, Roisin is, as they say in the vernacular, a good 'catch' for the power-brokers of camogie in this part of the world. Roisin is a broadcast journalist by profession; a camogie fan by choice. When those promoting the Gaelic game in Cavan head-hunted Roisin for the job, they chose well. Employed by local radio station, Shannonside/Northern Sound, Roisin and camogie promotional affairs make for ready-made bedfellows. Although not sporting any particularly colourful family camogie pedigree, Roisin made for a really easy recruit to the cause of camogie when she was of primary school age. In her own words, she "ate, slept and breathed camogie" in her time at Ballinagh National School which was, and still is, a Gaelic games nursery of the most productive kind. Home to erstwhile Cavan GAA County Board chairman George Cartwright (Principal) plus like-minded gaels, Ms. Kathleen McCabe and Brian Doyle, Ballinagh National School proved to be a fountain of talent. "There was a fantastic interest in the GAA in the school but Kathleen (McCabe) was especially enthusiastic when it came to the camogie," Roisin recalls. "She was an inspirational figure for all the girls who liked playing camogie but the whole ethos at the school was hugely encouraging towards Gaelic games in particular and sport overall. "We always did well at camogie in the school, winning several Cumann na mBunscoil nine-a-side titles; we were definitely one of the best camogie schools in Cavan back then." Roisin is a native of Cornafean and her home isn't much more than a few 65s away from chez Cartwright but it was the Saffrons who were destined to bag her talents. As Fate would have it, the school bus bringing the kids from her neck of the woods to Ballinagh National School passed just by her home so Roisin took the easiest and quickest route to her educational needs. "I suppose it was because I went to Ballinagh National School that I ended up playing with Ballinagh and not Cornafean," Roisin says as if thinkiing out loud. "I remember though leaving home and heading to the pitch in Cornafean for camogie training but when I got to the gates, I suddenly decided that I wanted to play for Ballinagh instead and that was that." Roisin chose to be a Saffron girl instead of a Red but there were no hard feelings with her closest neighbours who recognised that friendships at school can sway the most loyal parishioner. It was a landmark decision though for Roisin to throw in her lot with the town team who, when Roisin was of primary school age, would not have been considered as potent an outfit as Cornafean camogs. Aligning herself with Ballinagh proved to a very rewarding decision though for the keen and ambitious young Martin and in the years that followed silverware regularly followed her. Over the years, a school bag full of medals have been won by Roisin in the colours of Ballinagh with last year's junior championship souvenir just the latest in a long line of souvenirs to come her way. In 1996, for instance, Roisin bagged a county under 14 medal. In 1997, a minor championship medal came her way and a Novice B gong too. In 1998, the Novice League was won by Ballinagh with Roisin on board. In 1999, the minor championship was scooped by the club and in 2000, under 16 honours embellished her burgeoning camogie c.v. In truth, Roisin can't quite recall exactly every successful foray she has enjoyed on the Good Ship Ballinagh Camogie down the years but she says 2006's celebrated success stands up there with the best of them. "For the club and me personally, 2006 was a great year. Winning the junior championship was a great boost to everyone in the club and hopefully we can build on it in the coming year," Roisin opines. Ballinagh overcame Crosserlough last year in Ballyhaise to scoop the junior championship title. Having beaten them in the league, the Saffrons duly justified their favourite's tag. "I don't know how strong favourites we were," says Roisin. "It was a tight enough game and Crosserlough were a good team but I think we were that bit fitter on the day. "I really enjoyed playing last year. I seemed to appreciate playing more having not played in the two previous years," confirms Roisin, a livewire midfielder. "I didn't miss a game or training session in 2006 and being part of the effort to revitalise camogie in Ballinagh was just great. "After the club won the junior championship in 2003, I think things took a bit of a downturn but getting some players from Killygarry (by dint of it becoming defunct) gave us a great lift. "We had Barney Kinsella from Cavan town (a native of Armagh) in as trainer too and that worked very well and helped us be fitter than the rest of the teams. "Definitely 2006 was my most enjoyable year with the club and it was good to rebound from losing to Lacken in the league final, especially after beating them earlier on in the year." Roisin was a player on the novel Ballingarry (Ballinagh/Killgarry) amalgam which took part in the senior championship and gave raging hot favourites Castletara the fright of their lives before losing narrowly. "If memory serves me well, we came within a couple of points of upsetting them," Roisin explains. "Even well into the second half, we sensed we had the beating of them but Dolores (Duffy) having to go off injured was a real blow to us." Interestingly, Roisin reckons that the standard of camogie is on the up and up in Cavan right now because, ironically, of the dwlindling numbers of clubs participating in the championships and leagues. The ace Ballinagh player believes that camogie in Cavan right now is all about quality not quantity with the emergence of amalgamation teams upping the ante in a big way as weak clubs fold. "At the county board meeting that I was elected PRO, Vanessa Smith was elected Promotions Officer and hopefully she can help increase the number of players involved in camogie in the county. "I'm sure Vanessa and the everyone else on the county board will be trying to get more teams playing in the primary schools and get more underage teams in general up and running. "It's encouraging to see the likes of Redhills and Denn back competing but there's no doubt we need more new teams, especially at underage level, to enter the various competitions. Encouraged to become involved at county board level by Ballinagh clubmate Marian McInerney, Roisin says she's enjoying her PRO work so far and it's been "a real experience." A member of staff at Shannonside/Northern Sound radio since October 2006, Roisin is hoping that her journalistic experience and nous will help her spread the gospel of camogie over the course of 2007. Although camogie competitions won't be getting into their stride 'till possibly early March, Roisin has already been busy trying to keep camogie in the public eye. Along with the aforementioned Vanessa, the camogie's new PRO has helped set up a Bebo page on behalf of the county board which is geared towards underage camogie players in particular. "I think my main role as PRO though will be trying to make sure that we get plenty of match reports in the papers and that the results are mentioned on the radio so we can up the profile of the game." "If I'm not around or if I'm playing myself, hopefully Aine Smith (Assistant PRO) will be able to take notes and gather up whatever reports she can." Roisin feels that camogie in Cavan can have a bright future and raising the profile of the game in the short-term is important in making the future a good one for the game. "It's disappointing that the game isn't as strong as it was ten years ago at national school level for example," Roisin avers. Perhaps the emergence and blossoming of ladies football hasn't helped the cause of camogie in Cavan and indeed nationally? "I don't know about that because there were always distractions there and I can't see any reason why the two sports can't co-exist and thrive alongside one another," says the 'oftimes Cornafean club footballer. "Clubs who are working away at the camogie seem to get in trouble though when their players progress out of national school into secondary school and that's where a significant number of players drop out." Like many of her 'ilk, Roisin is keen to see the relationship between the Camogie Association and the GAA being formalised with the game of camogie coming officially under the umbrella of the GAA. The prospect of attending Kingspan/Breffni Park on a regular basis to watch camogie finals would be very interesting, she says, and a great attraction for players, mentors and parents alike. The successor to Maria Murphy in the post of PRO, Roisin - a Media Arts degree holder from DIT - says she personally isn't scared by the challenge that faces her as one of the public faces of the county board. "There's a buzz about the current county board under chairperson Madeline Argue and it's a committee that is prepared to work hard. "We've got to try and make camogie cool again and hopefully we'll make a start in that regard in 2007." Tweet

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