70 clubs from 32 counties collect Hurling Refresher Packs

The GAA’s commitment to growing the game of hurling was very evident in Croke Park on Sunday before the AIB All-Ireland Senior Club finals.

70 clubs from all 32 counties were invited to headquarters by National Head of Hurling, William Maher, and Hurling Development Committee Chairperson, Terry Reilly, to be presented with Hurling Refresher Packs.

The clubs were carefully selected in consultation with Provincial and County Games Managers, adhering fully to the Nursery and Coaching Service Level Agreements (SLA).

The allocations are designed to strengthen nursery activity, coaching standards, and Go Games delivery across both developing and traditional Hurling areas.

Each Refresher pack contains 15 hurleys, 15 helmets (mixed sizes), and 60 sliotars (mix of First Touch and Smart Touch aligned to Go Games progression).

It’s hoped the Hurling Refresher Packs will help achieve the following Hurling development objectives.

• Protect and strengthen Hurling’s fragile base in developing counties by ensuring visibility, continuity, and coaching support where player numbers remain limited.
• Broaden Hurling’s footprint in developing counties with an emphasis on school/club alignment and entry-level participation.
• Reinforce nursery and coaching structures in counties where Hurling remains fragile but strategically important by ensuring sustainability through SLA delivery.
• Target urban inclusion in non-traditional Hurling areas while consolidating strong nursery programmes in clubs with sustainable underage.

Speaking at the presentation, National Head of Hurling, William Maher, reiterated the Association’s determination to grow the game of hurling.

“The idea behind these refresher packs was very much around how we can help volunteers on the ground in the promotion of our game,” said Maher.

“It's very, very strong in some areas, it's okay in the middle, and then it's weak in certain areas. How do we build that out? We're being strategic for the first time as an organisation to tackle the issues that are there.

“The information from our Hurling Roadshows and through our work with the Hurling Development Committee identified barriers to growing our game and one of them is the cost of equipment - hurleys, helmets, sliotars.

“This is a small recognition, a small token, to alleviate that concern for people on the ground and to allow our youth to play.

“The second piece we’re working on is the need for more games. So, if you're playing in a two or three-team county championship or even a six-team county championship, we need more teams and we need more meaningful games.

“We need to be innovative in our approach at providing that for volunteers on the ground so more players can play our great game.

“The third piece is coach education and it's something that we're planning on rolling out and equipping people on the ground with the proper tools to allow them to coach the game. Let's get strategic in how we coach and how we provide coaching for our youth.

“Hurling belongs to all of us so it's our duty to facilitate more hurling to be played and to get more children exposed to our national sport.

“We have a Hurling Development Committee working so hard behind the scenes to deliver that. Every week the committee members are on calls, putting structures in place, understanding issues.

“We're on the way, we're on the right path. We want to grow our great game and give as many children the opportunity to experience hitting a ball off a wall, hitting a ball in a game.

“That's what we're about, that's the business we're in, and we're working tirelessly to deliver that in all 32 counties.”

The clubs invited to Croke Park on Sunday were presented with their refresher packs by GAA President, Jarlath Burns, who emphasised his determination to promote and preserve hurling during his term in office and in doing so lay the foundations for a sustainable growth of the game in the long term.

“It's a great honour for me to be here today to talk to the people who are preserving and promoting our national game,” said Burns.

“When we went around the country with our Hurling Development Committee roadshows, Conor Watson from Down GAA said that it's all very well promoting the game in areas where it doesn't exist, but we also have to preserve the game in areas where it might be at risk or where there is a challenge in promoting hurling.

“When I became President I had four main priorities. One was the football development committee, the other was demographics, the third one was the preservation of our amateur status, and of course the main one was the promotion and preservation of our ancient, native game of hurling.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank Terry as chair of the Hurling Development Committee and thank William who is now our National Head of Hurling for the incredible work that they have done.

“There is no doubt that this is a challenge. Together with the Hurling Development Committee they have taken on this challenge and taken it on in a really new, dynamic, and energetic way and everyone here today is part of that.

“My club was one of the pilot clubs for the hurling starter packs and we were very proud of that last year to start hurling in our own club. We know it's a long, long road but at least we have made a start and this is a fantastic start.

“So, on behalf of Cumann Lúthchleas Gael I want to thank you all. I want to thank William and Terry for the idea of bringing you here on the biggest day of the year for our clubs to show you what can be achieved whenever you promote excellence.

“The refresher pack is a little token from us. We know that without the starter pack you would continue to preserve hurling in your area. But the starter pack certainly helps and it's a message from us in Croke Park to say we are with you, we are supporting you, and we are there to advise you.”