O’Neill hails Sciath na Scol efforts

GAA President Liam O’Neill was on hand to recognise Sciath na Scol’s contribution to Cork GAA this week as the schools organisation was rewarded for more than 100 years of service with the Rebel Óg Monthly Award for June.

The primary schools organisation, which is in existence since 1903, was recognised for its huge contribution in developing Gaelic footballers, hurlers, ladies footballers and camogie players in the Rebel County.

Tony O’Farrell, chairman of Sciath na Scol, welcomed the award as “recognition of the efforts” of the organisation down through the years.

“It’s a great endorsement of the work of the teachers and the schools, we were founded in 1903 and we’re still going so it’s nice to have that work recognised to thank people for their efforts.”

O’Farrell said Sciath na Scol is stronger now as it ever was.

“The organisation has grown, because when it started first, it was Sciath na Scol Cathair Chorcaí, just the city, but it’s now developed countywide — we have boards in West Cork, North Cork, East Cork and Muskerry, so it’s a huge organisation.

“That’s a great credit to the older teachers and Christian Brothers — who are gone now, really — who ran it for a century. The disappearance of the brothers has meant a huge readjustment, and city schools have probably suffered as a result.

“It’s not that the teachers aren’t working hard there, but there are other sports and different interests in the city, while in the country it’s more a case that parish, club and school are all the one. You don’t get that to the same extent in the city schools.”

O’Farrell added, however, the schools in the city are now enjoying the benefits of coaches sent in from local clubs to help with teams.

“That identification between the club and the school isn’t the same in the city, where schools have players from maybe five or six clubs, but the work is still being done in those schools.

“A lot of coaching is still being done, and the clubs are beginning to get involved in the schools again to revive their own organisations — the likes of Glen Rovers and Na Piarsaigh are getting involved in their local schools, for instance.”

The big days out for Sciath na Scol are the finals, with festivals of hurling and football run every year in Páirc Uí Chaoimh and Páirc Uí Rinn.

“It was decided in the 80s rather than having finals all over the county, that it might be better to have a festival of finals in Páirc Uí Chaoimh,” said O’Farrell.

“It took us a while but the county board came on board and said we could use Páirc Uí Chaoimh and Páirc Uí Rinn.

“From nine finals in our first year, we now have 26 hurling and camogie finals, 30 football finals for girls and boys. The finals in North Cork go to Buttevant and in West Cork, they’re played in Dunmanway.

“All games are videotaped as well, with commentaries, so they all get a copy of that after their games as a memento of their big day.”

It’s a huge undertaking that goes far beyond those headline days, though.

“There’s about 5,000 kids involved all round every year, over 1,000 in the city alone. Then you have indoor hurling and football leagues and so on which are run through the winter for over 150 schools.

“In any school year, Sciath na Scol organises 2,325 games in 162 competitions. We also distribute subsidised playing equipment every year — hurleys, helmets, footballs and sliotars.

“It’s a huge undertaking which goes on all year round, really.”

Marc Sheehan of Rebel Óg said: “Today we honour the achievements of the Sciath na Scol committee for their outstanding work at underage level.”

Also present at the presentation were members of the board of Sciath na Scol, officers of the Cork County Board, Tony Leen, sports editor of media partners, the Irish Examiner.