GAA apologises as 'supply chain issues' hit kids' Cúl Camp gear

Many children haven't received their training jersey, zip top and backpack in time for their camps.

Girls flying the Cork flag at the Kellogg's Cúl Camp at Blackrock National Hurling Club. Picture: Larry Cummins

GAA units have been forced to apologise for delays in children receiving Cúl Camp playing gear.

A change in manufacturer, who operate a different sizing guide to the previous company, has been cited as the reason why many kids have yet to be posted their training jersey, zip top and backpack or did not receive the kit in time for the start of their camps.

Parents in Kildare last month received an apology from the camps co-ordinator. The message read: “My apologies that you are still waiting for your Cúl Camp kits. Croke Park officials decided to use a new manufacturer this year, when the kits arrived their sizing was completely different then what was produced in previous years.

“The National Committee had to then reorder, which is why there is such a delay. All this is totally out of our control. I have been assured that the new batch of kits will be arrive at the latest a week before your Child’s Cúl Camp starts.” 

Galway club Dunmore MacHales acknowledged children were unlikely to receive their kit in time for the start of their camp last month. “There is a national issue with supply and while we had hoped that they would be delivered before the camp began, it now looks like that will not happen. We know how disappointed the children may be to start their camp without the gear…” 

The Cúl Camps team has also apologised for the delays, explaining there has been “a supply chain issue”. In one email, they explained they have a priority system in place.

“Kids attending this week will have a 100% priority, kids the following week will have a 90% priority, kids the following week will have 80% etc. Once the 100% priority list is cleared, they immediately move onto the 90% and so on.” 

The sizing issue was discovered when parents reported jerseys and tops were too small. For example, what was a 1A size for a five or six-year-old in previous years is a 3A size this year.

The GAA have since amended orders accordingly. Correspondence from the Cúl Camps team read: “Parents and guardians were advised to select the kit size their child would normally wear, with all orders then being reviewed internally to help ensure the most appropriate fit for participants this summer.

“As part of this review, kits were issued in sizes different to those originally selected in an effort to provide a more suitable fit based on the revised sizing guidance.” 

In April, the GAA were forced to suspend registrations on the Cúl Camp website after an IT issue led to families being overcharged and children offered places at sold-out camps.

Last year, the cost for attending the week-long Cúl Camp for children aged between six and 13 rose from €75 to €82.50.