Hurling grows in Queens NY
March 23, 2014The Caman is in full swing in Queens New York with those thoughts in mind. Shannon Gaels club has a number of dreams on its agenda including the Field of Dreams that is a huge reality for the just 10 year old club, who of the most forward thinking outside of Ireland. With its football program entrenched as part of the NY GAA they are now looking to bring the hurling and camogie side of the club to the same level. The club has had a junior Hurling side involved in the NY championship for the last four years but now the underage program is seeing fruits for its labor.
Pat Nee hailed from Galway originally, before he came across the pond in 1982. Along with Catherine Hamersley from Tipperary they are a driving force behind the growth that can be seen clearly at the underage level. Pat spoke of some of what the club is establishing today, to make tomorrow a brighter future for Shannon Gaels in the hurling department.
"We decided that we wanted to have the children learning the skills of the game during the winter and early spring months and needed a time slot to allow them to also play football with the club"
PS 144 in Forest Hills is being utilized for this training at the moment before they head outside to Frank Golden Park in the weeks ahead. The underage hurling league in New York is slated to begin in May with teams in all age groups set to compete for the Gaels.
"We are really looking forward to getting the children into competitive games, they are coming on in leaps and bounds" He added. With children as young as 6 years of age all the way to under 18's, each level is getting an opportunity to work on the various skills in hurling and camogie with the more than 12 coaches involved. The under 8's, 10's and 12's are practicing at 4.30 pm each Saturday. "Attendance has been excellent so far" stated Catherine Hamersley,
"We are delighted with the turnout but are looking for more children to join us. With hurling a close cousin to lacrosse, field and ice hockey the opportunity for American born players to adapt to it are tremendous. "A lot of the skills, the hand eye coordination are the same with the stick handling and speed of the games very similar" She added. With that thought in mind, Shannon Gaels are actively inviting all children in Queens and Long Island to come to training as well as Brooklyn and Manhattan and learn a sport that finds its roots deep in Irelands heritage and history.
The contacts for the club are on the Shannon Gaels website which is located at shannongaels.org. Pat Nee can be reached at (917) 279-7796 or [email protected] while Catherine Hamersley can be reached at (347) 907-1379 for further information
The natural graduation for the players as they come through the ranks will be to progress to the Shannon Gaels junior hurling side. "some of the older players already lined out for the juniors last season in tournaments, it was a great chance for them to see where there are from a competitive level" stated Nee.
The junior hurlers are looking for more players at the moment with their season on schedule for throw in during the middle of May. There are eight games set in that competition alongside a number of seven side tournaments which will allow for plenty of hurling. Sean Brennan, (347) 403 2318, Eugene Tunney (917) 723 8578, Mike Mc Kenna (917) 373 3886 can be reached for training and games schedule.
Shannon Gaels Chairman Sean Price is form Kenmare in Kerry, but with the huge success that the Kingdom is having in division 2 of the National League this year, it is becoming a bonafide duel sport county. Kenmare is one actually one of only two duel clubs in South Kerry. "We have too and want to promote underage hurling and camogie in the Shannon Gaels club" stated the Chairman, "It is a huge part of our culture and we are looking forward to the growth that it brings the club" he continued.
"Our Field of Dreams is a GAA facility embracing all facets, football, hurling, and Camogie, it brings another brilliant dimension in our story going forward" added the passionate Price. With the underage championships, the CYC being hosted in NY this season, and the juniors again battling for the adult championship. Shannon Gaels, NY will have a busy year ahead at all age groups.
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