Cúchulainns return from NY trip

Twenty young men from County Fermanagh have just returned home from a trip of a lifetime to Long Island, New York, where they competed in the GAA’s Continental Youth Championships.

The 15-year-old boys were selected from four schools in Enniskillen – Portora Royal, St Michael’s, St Joseph’s and Erne Integrated College – to participate in Ulster GAA’s flagship cross community programme ‘The Cúchulainn Initiative’.  The USA trip came after the team won Ulster GAA’s Cúchulainn Cup in June this year.

The week-long trip focused on competitive games with some of America’s best GAA teams including New York and North America Board.  The games were held at Einsenhower Park in Long Island.  The boys also had the opportunity to make lasting friendships with players from other teams and most importantly with their own team-mates who live within the Enniskillen area.

Speaking after returning home from New York, Ulster GAA President Aogán Ó Fearghail said, “This trip was an once-in-a-lifetime experience for these young men and I have no doubt the memories, the friendships, the games and the sightseeing will stay with these boys for the rest of their lives.

“The Cúchulainn Initiative is Ulster GAA’s flagship cross community project which aims to promote Gaelic Games to those from non-GAA backgrounds while at the same time using sport to break down barriers and to help build peace and reconciliation among a new generation.

“Enniskillen Cúchulainns are the third cross community team to bestowed with the honour of representing their county and their province at the Continental Youth Championships in America.  All twenty boys who took part in this programme are true ambassadors for their families and their schools.  They show that a new generation can rise above the prejudices of the past and they give all of us great hope for the future.

“I am delighted that some of the boys are hoping to join GAA clubs in Fermanagh, where they will be made feel very welcome.  We also hope to organize a number of games to keep the team together so that the boys and the schools can continue to benefit from this worthwhile programme.”

The travelling party include all twenty team players, Ulster GAA President Aogán Ó Fearghail and his wife Frances, Ulster GAA Provincial Secretary Danny Murphy, Ulster GAA staff Gary Mallon, Michelle McAleer and Sharon Haughey.  A teach from each school also travelled: Damian Dempster, (Portora Royal), Jimmy Jackson-Ware (St Joseph’s), Emily McMeel (St Michael’s), and Conor Doherty (Erne Integrated College).

As part of the trip the team enjoyed seeing the sights of New York including: high speed boat ride to Statue of Liberty, Times Square at night, trip to observatory deck of the Rockefeller Centre ‘Top of the Rock’, reception at the Irish Embassy, day at Jones Beach and shopping in Long Island.

The main focus of the trip was the competitive games played in the sun drenched Einsenhower Park, which was quite an experience for the Fermanagh boys.

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Follow the link below to view the TG4 coverage of the GAA’s Continental Youth Championships:
http://live.tg4.ie/main.aspx?level=sport&content=168676111361

The teachers and players from the various schools give their thoughts on the trip and the Cúchulainns programme: