Africa Day at Cuala

1. Sliotars 

• • Clubs are reminded that only  Fluorescent Yello/High-Vis sliotars from an official GAA Licensee should be used in any official game or training session. A list of approved SMART and Match Sliotar Licensees for 2025 is stored here
  • At its most recent meeting (25ú Aibreán), Ard Chomhairle took the decision to utilise SMART Sliotars in all Club Championship Semi-Finals and Finals in 2025 at all adult Junior, Intermediate and Senior Grades. (https://www.gaa.ie/my-gaa/getting-involved/sliotar)
  • Licensed SMART Sliotars are the same as Licensed Match Sliotars, except that they have a chip embedded in their core which can be read by the Foireann App (once the permission has been added to the user’s account) and is used for verification purposes – i.e., confirms that the sliotar meets the specifications as set out in Rule.
  • The rationale behind introducing the SMART Sliotar in the club game, as well as the inter-county game (where it has been successfully utilised since 2022) is based around the following: (i) to ensure that sliotars comply with standards and testing as set out by Central Council and perform on a consistent basis (ii) to help ensure that sliotar production and supply chain practices meet the standards as set out by the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry, and, (iii) to help eliminate sliotar counterfeiting and illegal use of the GAA logo
  • There are five Official GAA SMART Sliotar Licensees – Bourke, Cummins, O’Meara, O’Neills and Green Fields. No other brand is licensed to provide SMART Sliotars currently.
  • Counties will be asked to nominate a Smart Sliotar Coordinator to help facilitate this at the County Championship Semi-Final and Final stages. Counties can either provide the SMART Sliotars for each game, or clubs can provide their own and a mixture of both teams’ be used. Only SMART Sliotars that have been provided and successfully scanned in advance should be used. We will be asking match officials and their teams and/or county administrators to assist with the scanning process. To obtain the Smart Sliotar Scanning Function on your Foireann Account, email eoghan.tuohey@gaa.ie
  • Scanning Functionality: Once permission has been granted, the “Smart Sliotar Scanning” functionality will appear on the users’ Foireann profile, after clicking “More” when logged into the app. Once pressed, the phone can be held against the “Smart Sliotar” red logo on the sliotar for a number of seconds and will either show Tá (valid Smart Sliotar) or Níl (invalid sliotar – but should be attempted again to verify). If an unsuccessful scan or error message appears, the user should re-attempt the scan.

2. Updated Concussion Guidelines

• • The GAA’s Medical, Scientific and Welfare Committee has, in recent months, published an updated Guidance Document and Information Poster on Concussion. We encourage all Club Members to familiarise themselves with these updated resources here – https://learning.gaa.ie/concussion

3. Head High Challenges & Neck Restraints – Central Council Guideline

• • Following a lengthy consultation process, the GAA’s Medical, Scientific and Welfare Committee, and Standing Committee on Playing Rules, recommended to Central Council that the following actions constitute dangerous behaviour to an opponent and should be treated as a Category III Infraction:
  • To strike, or attempt to strike an opponent to the head or face
  • To interfere with, or apply any form of restraint to the neck or throat area of an opponent
  • The MSWC, in the context of best international guidance on concussion in sport (https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/57/11/695) believes the timing of this advice to be prudent.
  • All key stakeholders involved at all levels of the Association, including – players, match officials, coaches, medics and volunteers should pay particular attention to any – head on head, shoulder on head or elbow on head contact in any tackle attempt, along with any form of neck restraint or interference with the neck and throat area, and the above relevant rules should be enforced within this context.

Cuala was well-represented at the Dun Laoghaire St. Patrick’s Day parade this year with our Senior Men’s Footballers receiving the honour of acting as Grand Marshall’s for this year’s event, with their silverware on show (Pictured below, Cllr Lorraine Hall, Cuala Chairperson Aisling Fay, and Senior Men’s Football captain James Power). Following closely behind in the procession were our 2016 and 2017 Academy year groups who were decked in a sea of red and white, with of course a touch of green. It was a pleasure to participate with so many community groups in this wonderful local event. With thanks to Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.