Bishopstown GAA announces formal link with Setanta College experts

Partnership with Setanta will afford Cork city GAA club new opportunities in terms of coach education, facility provision and player development

A look at the development plans for the new Setanta Wellness facility in Bishopstown GAA

THREE under-age football titles this year and confirmation of a formal tie-up with Setanta College will further enhance the sense that Bishopstown GAA club is on the rise again.

A new state-of-the-art health and fitness facility will open in January as one element of a wider partnership between Setanta College and Bishopstown. The partnership will also include the creation and delivery of an athletic development pathway for the club, overseen and implemented by coaches from Setanta Performance, the athletic development consultancy division of Setanta College.

After a fallow spell, membership is rising sharply over the last five years in Bishopstown GAA as they look to maximise the potential within the club through the development of players, coaches and facilities. This weekend, it will again host the finals of Rebel Og’s U16 hurling competitions on its new 4G main pitch. Last Saturday it added a Premier 2 football championship title to its Féile Football and U17 Premier 2 Championship successes in 2021.

Said club chairman Brian Cuthbert: "Like all clubs, we are continuously looking for a ‘best in class’ approach to developing our players and volunteer coaches. Our partnership with Setanta will afford us many new opportunities in terms of coach education, facility provision, player development, as well as wellness opportunities for our membership. We are thrilled to be chosen as the home of Setanta in Cork."

The Wellness facility, which will be similar to existing Setanta facilities in Thurles and Galway, will be located in Bishopstown GAA and will also be open to the public for bespoke fitness and wellness training.

A team of coaches from Setanta will work across all teams, both at juvenile and senior level. Des Ryan, Director of Coaching and Performance at Setanta College and previously Head of Sports Science at Arsenal’s Academy, will oversee the coaching team and programme. The implementation of the programme will be led by Bishopstown native Ian Jones, who will become Head of Athletic Development at the club on behalf of Setanta.

Having previously been involved in athletic development for Cork GAA, he then embarked on a highly successful career in the US where he has worked with two NFL teams and multiple NCAA D1 Colleges, including Penn State.

- To learn more about the Bishopstown GAA Club Development Plan, visit bishopstowngaa.com.