President O’Flynn hails ‘pioneering initiative’

Camogie President Joan O’Flynn returns to her native Cork tomorrow to officially open the new county grounds in Blackrock.

The Castle Road development reflects an increasing emphasis on the provision of dedicated camogie grounds in the country.

O’Flynn, a member of the first Fr O’Neill’s team to win a Cork camogie title, believes such work “is a pioneering initiative in women’s sport.”

“The emergence of these new developments reflects the growing status and identity of camogie and of women as athletes.

“Increasing sporting facilities available to camogie is a strong message about increasing public support for the game. There are now more players and competitions in camogie than ever before and there is an ever-expanding base to the game. More than 40 new clubs were established in 2010/11 alone, under our national development plan ‘Our Game, Our Passion’.

“These developments create increasing pressures for facilities to train and play and their development is a pioneering initiative in women’s sport.”

O’Flynn launched a grants scheme at the 2010 Congress designed to support strategic developments. It was the first time the Camogie Association had taken on a capital funding initiative. “It was a direct response to the ambition of camogie county boards and clubs who have developed or are in the process of developing playing grounds” said the outgoing president.