Cúchulainn Cup unites communities

The Foyle Cuchulainns were today crowned Ulster GAA’s Unite against Hate Cúchulainn Cup Champions at the Mid Ulster Sports Arena in Cookstown.

The Unite Against Hate Cúchulainn Cup is Ulster GAA’s flagship annual cross-community and cross-border competition. It offers young people from non-GAA backgrounds the opportunity to learn the skills of Gaelic Games in both hurling and Gaelic Football, and then to compete with teams from across Ulster.

The aim of the Cúchulainn Cup is to use sport to bring together young people from all sections of the community while also promoting Gaelic Games.

In this, the fourth year of the competition, six Cúchulainn Teams took part today, including: Armagh; Belfast; Cavan; Foyle; Enniskillen and Roe Valley. Over 150 players were involved representing twenty schools, and of course their Cúchulainn Team.  Cúchulainn teams have been coached collectively for six to eight weeks by Ulster GAA and county board coaches.

Speaking after presenting the Captain of the victorious Foyle Cúchulainn Team, Ulster GAA Treasurer and Chair of the Ulster GAA Community Development Committee Michael Hasson said, “We are delighted to see the Cúchulainn Cup grow and develop year on year.  This is the fourth annual competition and there is no doubt that the level of excitement and anticipation is as strong today as when we set out on this outreach project.

“I whole-heartedly congratulate Foyle Cúchulainns on winning the 2011 Unite against Hate Cúchulainn Cup.  It was great to see all the teams play both Gaelic football and hurling today.  These young men are relatively new to our games.  They have received expert coaching from Ulster GAA coaches and I hope that will help enthuse their interest in Gaelic Games and I encourage the young men to continue playing the Games by joining their local GAA clubs.

“Ulster GAA is very proud of this project.  Although our main business is sport, we do invest a lot of time and resources in our community development and outreach programmes.  Because we believe that Gaelic Games can be enjoyed and played by the entire community.

“Through the Cúchulainn Cup we bring together young adults who live side by side but have never had the opportunity to get to know each other or even talk to each other.  Now they go home today as lasting friends.  That is a tremendous achievement and we are delighted to play our part in this peace building.

“I commend all the schools who have participated in this year’s Cúchulainn Cup and I also warmly commend the young men and their families for supporting this project.”