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Replying To Doylerwex: "People relocating has absolutely had an impact on the harriers.
The Carley's are a maudlintown family for example.
Shells, barntown and Martin's have all benefited from migration and expansion.
White rock hill is incredibly densely populated and that's Martin's catchment.
It doesn't help that clonard don't have a gpo in coolcotts but won't let us in there either. It's the largest school in the town." Seems to be a common belief that Whiterock Hill is St. Martin's catchment area, but I once lived in one of the newer estates there for a few years myself (back when it actually was new!), and personal experience:
- I once had Faythe Harriers call to the door as part of a recruitment drive for underage players and adult volunteers.
- I used to sometimes get leaflets or newsletters or the like from Bride Street Church.
In addition, there's a very useful list of the townlands in each Catholic Parish available at:
https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/54312877/county-wexford-catholic-parishes-and-their-townlands
Was compiled by the County Council rather than GAA or the Catholic Church itself, but no reason to believe it's not accurate. And while it was done back in 2008, that doesn't matter either, as no townland has moved in the meantime (!) and parish boundaries haven't been redrawn either.
Anyway, it lists Whiterock North, Whiterock South, and Pembrokestown as all being in the Parish of Wexford. Not even a sniff of a mention of any of the three of them on the page listing the townlands in the Parish of Piercestown.
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 4036 - 15/09/2026 15:02:40
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Replying To Viking66: "Was a good win, Cathal Doyle was only 50% fit but had a game, scored 2-11 and only missed 2 shots at goals, 1 hit the post and 1 wide. All the lads battled well in fairness, Quigley and Kinsella were very good for Marshalstown.
Shels might win it out, they were the only team who played us off the Park, we were flattered only to lose by 11.
Conn Mernagh is an excellent prospect, was good for Good Counsel, has a good hand and a bit of height.
Sean O'Brien has played a little adult this year, but not much. Scored a goal a few weeks back. Cushinstown have a very good minor team this year and I think thats his priority.
Fethard have some very good young hurlers, they might surprise some people over the coming years." That should read at the posts, not goals
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20696 - 15/09/2026 15:16:10
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A big catchment area does not mean big numbers.
I wouldn't have thought the population of Oylegate or Monageer or Barntown is that much bigger now than 30 years ago.
Maybe its a combination of these clubs just upping their game compared to what they used to be? What matters way more is those in the club making the club a fun place to spend your evening and your effort. A club where everybody pushes in the one direction is paramount.
It does beg the question what can be done in our towns - where the biggest populations are - to make hurling more appealing. Does each town need a dedicated GPO? Whether or not there is an immigrant population is neither here nor there, an immigrant child can hurl too if he is thought right and wants to.
StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 2172 - 15/09/2026 16:51:13
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Replying To StoreysTash: "A big catchment area does not mean big numbers.
I wouldn't have thought the population of Oylegate or Monageer or Barntown is that much bigger now than 30 years ago.
Maybe its a combination of these clubs just upping their game compared to what they used to be? What matters way more is those in the club making the club a fun place to spend your evening and your effort. A club where everybody pushes in the one direction is paramount.
It does beg the question what can be done in our towns - where the biggest populations are - to make hurling more appealing. Does each town need a dedicated GPO? Whether or not there is an immigrant population is neither here nor there, an immigrant child can hurl too if he is thought right and wants to." Barntowns population has probably more than quadrupled in the last 25 years, more than Oylegates or Monageers, but you are spot on in what you are saying.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20696 - 15/09/2026 18:28:56
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Replying To Pikeman96: "Seems to be a common belief that Whiterock Hill is St. Martin's catchment area, but I once lived in one of the newer estates there for a few years myself (back when it actually was new!), and personal experience:
- I once had Faythe Harriers call to the door as part of a recruitment drive for underage players and adult volunteers.
- I used to sometimes get leaflets or newsletters or the like from Bride Street Church.
In addition, there's a very useful list of the townlands in each Catholic Parish available at:
https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/54312877/county-wexford-catholic-parishes-and-their-townlands
Was compiled by the County Council rather than GAA or the Catholic Church itself, but no reason to believe it's not accurate. And while it was done back in 2008, that doesn't matter either, as no townland has moved in the meantime (!) and parish boundaries haven't been redrawn either.
Anyway, it lists Whiterock North, Whiterock South, and Pembrokestown as all being in the Parish of Wexford. Not even a sniff of a mention of any of the three of them on the page listing the townlands in the Parish of Piercestown." That townland is Pembrokestown. That applies to everything beyond White rock heights.
Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4671 - 15/09/2026 22:49:08
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Replying To Formertownie: "Ur right lot of the clubs senior then still are now.
My point was their numbers have grown not their senior status .
Secondly rather the families making up the clubs and the involvement of same are different people move to an outside club they are more likely to get involved in the community and town clubs have and always will have a struggle to get that same community spirit as there would nt be that same daily interaction through schools and neighbourhoods or local hubs like the local shop , post offfice , church , less primary schools etc due to being spread out more and less interaction . .
They just dint cross paths as often." Clubs build their culture and i have seen plenty of town clubs that are successful at doing it. Perhaps rather than looking for excuses some of these clubs should look at themselves and admit to where they have gone wrong. I am not sure what its like now but for years the Harriers were know for only waiting to win and focused on the best. Club culture is not about winning but creating an environment where everyone belongs. Thats the biggest danger for clubs who are successful, as the Harriers once were, just focus on winning.
zinny (Wexford) - Posts: 2234 - 16/09/2026 03:58:41
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Just on the Rapps, they were unlucky in a way because there were a few teams in their group who were around their level and one of them had to come 6th so it's not as if they're miles off the pace, other group was stronger and there seems to be a bit of divide in Senior between maybe the top 4-6 clubs and the rest, then you have Intermediate where maybe the top one or two teams are not far off the bottom half of Senior
Rapps brought in a few decent younger players this year but the problem for them IMO is that outside of Oisín Pepper, they struggled to bring anyone through between their three-in-a-row Minor team (2011-2013) and the young lads this year, suppose it caught them eventually
Also have to say that they had a decent enough in the late 2010s but never really had them down as Senior contenders, took a massive step forward when Skippy took over and then took a massive step back when he got suspended
They need to get their house in order at underage level and in St Aidan's, that's the biggest primary school in Wexford, now maybe not everyone going there is Rapps catchment area and maybe a higher share of kids going there are not as receptive towards the GAA as say rural schools but even with that, they should still be doing a lot better than they are
ElGranSenor (Wexford) - Posts: 1524 - 16/09/2026 10:14:45
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Replying To Doylerwex: "That townland is Pembrokestown. That applies to everything beyond White rock heights." I won't claim to know the exact local geography or townland boundaries around Wexford town anywhere near as well as I do around my own place. But still the case that Pembrokestown, Whiterock North and Whiterock South are listed in that document as being Parish of Wexford rather than Parish of Piercestown. And still the case that it was the Harriers who called to my door, not St. Martin's.
Also, occurs to me that if that area really was St. Martin's catchment area, then anybody living next door to the St. Joseph's ground and playing football there would be playing illegally, as they should be with St. Martin's instead.
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 4036 - 16/09/2026 11:26:39
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Replying To ElGranSenor: "Just on the Rapps, they were unlucky in a way because there were a few teams in their group who were around their level and one of them had to come 6th so it's not as if they're miles off the pace, other group was stronger and there seems to be a bit of divide in Senior between maybe the top 4-6 clubs and the rest, then you have Intermediate where maybe the top one or two teams are not far off the bottom half of Senior
Rapps brought in a few decent younger players this year but the problem for them IMO is that outside of Oisín Pepper, they struggled to bring anyone through between their three-in-a-row Minor team (2011-2013) and the young lads this year, suppose it caught them eventually
Also have to say that they had a decent enough in the late 2010s but never really had them down as Senior contenders, took a massive step forward when Skippy took over and then took a massive step back when he got suspended
They need to get their house in order at underage level and in St Aidan's, that's the biggest primary school in Wexford, now maybe not everyone going there is Rapps catchment area and maybe a higher share of kids going there are not as receptive towards the GAA as say rural schools but even with that, they should still be doing a lot better than they are" With regard to St. Aidan's Primary School - I've heard that despite having close to 900 pupils, they're struggling to field a Rackard League team this year. That really would be concerning.
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 4036 - 16/09/2026 11:28:30
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Replying To Pikeman96: "With regard to St. Aidan's Primary School - I've heard that despite having close to 900 pupils, they're struggling to field a Rackard League team this year. That really would be concerning." I wonder why that is.
countyman2022 (Wexford) - Posts: 1092 - 16/09/2026 13:17:37
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Replying To zinny: "Clubs build their culture and i have seen plenty of town clubs that are successful at doing it. Perhaps rather than looking for excuses some of these clubs should look at themselves and admit to where they have gone wrong. I am not sure what its like now but for years the Harriers were know for only waiting to win and focused on the best. Club culture is not about winning but creating an environment where everyone belongs. Thats the biggest danger for clubs who are successful, as the Harriers once were, just focus on winning." Couple things on that as I ve said the spread, diversity, having to compete against 4 football teams for the social interaction of players and families . As well as competing against other sports.
the placement of the club and grounds .
As fir the off season how much interaction rossing paths would there be between players the club itself as well as the coaches on a daily basis .
I do believe the harriers try to keep going for prob 10 or 11 mths of the year especially the younger age groups .
They do try keep families engaged but unless u ever lived or were involved in town club u would not understand how difficult that actually is .
Urban town teams and clubs have to to go looking. Whilst people go looking for Rural clubs and teams ..
As regards winning first ahead of building a culture .
Winning attracts families and players and farmers attention. Townies traditionally don't really want to build culture so much as there are other avenues to socialise and mix .
Teams on outskirts of towns are now starting to have the same problems as the become more urban minded .
Formertownie (Wexford) - Posts: 700 - 16/09/2026 13:48:08
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Replying To countyman2022: "I wonder why that is." Honestly don't know. For what it's worth, Rapps/Starlights had two teams in the U12 Leagues this year in both hurling and football. Even allowing for how that's only 13-a-side and the mid-level players can cross from one team to another, you'd imagine that must mean they had at least somewhere around 24 or 25 players. And that while there's also the Gaelscoil in Enniscorthy that might take a few of them, that most of these boys would be going to St. Aidan's and would be keen to play there too.
Maybe it's an issue with staff in the school itself just not having sufficient interest in it. Maybe it's even partly how in a school of that size, something like Rackard League for about 20 boys would really be a minority interest niche kind of thing, rather than a big thing like in most rural schools. But seems strange all the same, if they really are struggling to field a team.
Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 4036 - 16/09/2026 14:21:36
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Replying To Pikeman96: "Seems to be a common belief that Whiterock Hill is St. Martin's catchment area, but I once lived in one of the newer estates there for a few years myself (back when it actually was new!), and personal experience:
- I once had Faythe Harriers call to the door as part of a recruitment drive for underage players and adult volunteers.
- I used to sometimes get leaflets or newsletters or the like from Bride Street Church.
In addition, there's a very useful list of the townlands in each Catholic Parish available at:
https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/54312877/county-wexford-catholic-parishes-and-their-townlands
Was compiled by the County Council rather than GAA or the Catholic Church itself, but no reason to believe it's not accurate. And while it was done back in 2008, that doesn't matter either, as no townland has moved in the meantime (!) and parish boundaries haven't been redrawn either.
Anyway, it lists Whiterock North, Whiterock South, and Pembrokestown as all being in the Parish of Wexford. Not even a sniff of a mention of any of the three of them on the page listing the townlands in the Parish of Piercestown." I would say that not any adult from Pembrokestown plays with the martins, or i go further and say no one from Pembrokestown plays adult gaa with any club
Lockerroomboy (Wexford) - Posts: 546 - 16/09/2026 14:44:28
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Replying To Lockerroomboy: "I would say that not any adult from Pembrokestown plays with the martins, or i go further and say no one from Pembrokestown plays adult gaa with any club" More likely the latter, although are many people actually from Pembrokestown? Im not an aul lad and even I remember when it was mainly fields ;-)
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20696 - 16/09/2026 17:21:23
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