Colleges crisis no surprise

IT should come as no surprise that hurling in three of Cork’s premier colleges — North Monastery CBS, St Finbarr’s Farranferris and Colaiste Chriost Ri — has hit rock-bottom and all three lost their opening games in the round robin series of the Irish Examiner sponsored Dr Harty Cup this week.

Five years ago an in-depth study into the state of Gaelic games in our primary and second level schools was issued by a special committee, set up by the then GAA president Joe McDonagh.

Representatives of Sciath na Scoil, who were consulted during this wide-ranging study, pointed out that they were especially concerned about the state of hurling and indeed went so far as to say: “Gaelic games at primary schools level are dying.”