Carlow GAA chairperson Jim Bolger presenting Ireland player Shane Curran of Connacht with a commemorative plaque for their trip to Prague last year. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
By Cian O’Connell
There is always joy in sport for Shane Curran.
The Moycullen native has proven to be a capable performer in a range of codes, but wheelchair hurling remains a significant passion for Curran.
During the past decade he has played for Connacht and continues to thoroughly enjoy being involved. “From my point of view, I started when I was 12 or 13, so I'm there a good while, what I consider a good while anyhow,” he laughs.
“Almost from the start of it being set up in Connacht, really. Munster have been going way longer than ourselves, they'd be more advanced. Overall, the game has come a long way, but I do think there is a good bit more to do, for example publicity wise.”
So, Curran was an interested participant at the GAA Wheelchair Hurling Development Day earlier this month. Various stakeholders involved in the sport gathered at Croke Park. “Overall, I think it went well,” Curran says.
“Some points we knew would be changed and some things we weren't expecting to be changed.”
Adapting, though, is crucial, and Curran, who also features in other sports remains positive about utilising the different skills. “For anyone that has multiple sports going on, it can be very hard to get time to get everything done,” he adds.
“For me, the hurling is a good pastime for me. Usually in the middle of the week I'd have basketball training on a Wednesday night, on a Saturday I could have hurling or athletics on.
“I was in Limerick for two years for college, but I'm back in Galway now. I'm involved in other sports, but I'm driving myself now. That is a big thing. It was probably harder to get to training sessions when I was relying on somebody to bring me. Since I'm driving myself it has been a big help.”
It means that Curran embraces the busy schedule. Curran would simply love to have more matchday experiences. “Coming up to a match we'd train maybe two or three times in the month,” he says about Connacht GAA’s wheelchair hurling team.
“At the minute it would be around once a month. We've a big problem with numbers too, trying to get lads it can be hard enough. If we had a bigger team it would be a lot easier to train more often.
“Our usual training place is Claremorris. We have two from Galway, two or three from Sligo, another two or three from Mayo and Roscommon. We have a nice scatter, but we could do with a few more players.”
Curran is keen to promote the game further because opportunities exist.