Camogie Report AGM 2005

We in the camogie club can look back on another year of continued growth and improvement. It was the first full year that Blackrock was represented in adult competition for a number of years. The junior team reached the championship final and the league semi-final. Lack of experience told in the end but hopefully we'll go one better next year. The numbers of girls playing camogie in Blackrock is increasing all the time, due in no small part to the commitment of the small number of coaches who turn up week after week to ensure the skills of camogie are passed on to the next generation.

Blackrock was graded A in all county board competitions this year. It proved to be a step too far too early. Hopefully next year we will be playing in our own grade.

Congratulations to Roisín deFaoite who played on Cork minor team that reached the Munster final but was defeated by Tipperary.

A number of Blackrock players also played on the Seandún U.16 and senior teams; Clíona Meaney, Doireann Ní Mhuirí, Orlaith O'Riordan, Grace Mulqueen & Róisín deFaoite on the senior team & Cáit Kelleher, Róisín deFaoite, Suzanne Meehan & Aoife Brohan on the U.16 team.

We were glad to be part of Féile na nGael in Cork this year. We hosted the Ballycastle team who won our division. The adults who travelled with them were very pleased to be in Blackrock as a number of them had played against Blackrock in the past.

We would like to thank the local schools who support camogie. They are a useful feeder for the club. At primary level thanks to Gaelscoil Mhachan & Scoil Ursula and congratulations to the Ursuline Secondary who have entered a camogie team in colleges' competition this year.

Cumann Camógaíochta na nGael has adopted a Code of Ethics for camogie in conjunction with the Irish Sports Council. Hopefully Blackrock will fully implement this code.

It is great to see the Hurling Hall in use as its availability during the winter months can only go a long way towards developing the hurling skills of all our players by giving them the opportunity to continue playing when the pitches are not available.

There was on several occasions during the playing season a serious shortage of dressing rooms in the club. Male and female changing areas could not be kept separate. This as you can imagine leads to a difficult supervision issue. In to-day's climate of child protection awareness this is not good enough and the issue needs to be addressed. But hopefully now the full use of the new dressing rooms in the hall this issue will be resolved and the separation of male and female dressing rooms can be implemented for the coming season

Once again the camogie club must thank the officials and members of Cumann Iománaíochta na Carraige Duibhe both senior and underage for all their support and help. We could not survive without them. Go raibh maith agaibh go léir.

The AGM of the camogie club will be held in the Hurling club on Monday 16th January at 8.00. A good turn out would be appreciated.

Mairéad Ní Mhaoileóin, Rúnaí Cumann Camógaíochta na Carraige Duibhe.