€4.6million for Hyde Park Community Sports Centre

Cuala GAA is delighted to have been informed that the Hyde Park Community Sports Centre Project has been granted €4.6m towards the construction cost through the Government’s Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). In addition to club fundraising to date and funds committed by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council the project budget is now fully funded.  

Completion of this project will help to address the sports infrastructure deficit in the area and provide enhanced indoor sports and social facilities for Cuala members and project partners Dalkey United and St. John of God’s Adult Services. 

We would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank our members, our neighbours, donors, the project Ambassadors and subcommittee for its hard work, local council representatives, Ossian Smyth TD (Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and at the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications), Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD (Minister for European Affairs & Defence), Cormac Devlin TD, Richard Boyd Barrett TD,  and the wider community for their vital support.  

We would also like to thank the partners in the project for their collaboration and positive approach; Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, Dalkey United, and St. John of God Adult Services (Dublin South East). We would specifically like to express our gratitude to the officials and management team in DLR Co. Co.  

We also wish to thank officials in the Dept. of Sports, the Minister of State for Sport, Thomas Byrne T.D., the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin T.D., and the government for providing vital funds for the upgrading of critical sports facilities across the country, including this project.  

 

Paul Barrett

Cuala Wins First Ever Dublin SFC Title!

For anyone who missed the news this weekend…Cuala claimed their first ever Dublin Senior Football Championship title! Congratulations to all the players and the management team, your dedication and hard work have paid off, what an achievement! Cuala is incredibly proud of you.

There is so much to share from an amazing weekend that we have drafted a special newsletter with some images, the match report, links to match analysis news articles, and details of the next match as Cuala goes on to compete in the Leinster Club SFC. Catch up here: Cuala Dearg agus Bán: Dublin SFC champions! (mailchi.mp)

We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped with the preparations and celebrations around the club over the last week:

  • Hilary O’Drisceoil, Linda Mahon and their volunteers who worked all week and tirelessly over the weekend to make sure everyone had their Cuala colours and were suitably fed on Sunday!
  • Paddy Murdock for organising the Cuala DART and all stewards on the day!
  • Cuala flag-raisers across the community – the sea of red and white across the area was a delight!
  • Cillian Cronin and the communications team who got the buzz going and made sure everyone knew all the plans for the week.
  • Des Cahill who MC’d for the homecoming.
  • Everyone who came to Parnell Park, followed from afar, or wished the team well, the support was incredible.
  • Our Cuala All Stars who cheered the team onto the pitch alongside All Stars from Kilmacud Crokes and Raheny!
  • Everyone within our local community who shared their support.
  • Of course, thanks to Kilmacud Crokes for a sporting contest and commiserations on the loss. We’ll meet again!
  • Anyone else who has not been mentioned! Be assured that everyone’s contribution and support was one large team effort and much appreciated!

Minor Ladies Football

Best of luck to our Minor A ladies football team who take on Kilmacud Crokes in the Div 1 Shield at 3pm on Sat 12th in Meadowvale, and the B team who meet ManOWar in the Div 8 Cup Final at 3pm on Sat 12th in Oberstown. All support welcome!

Cuala in Dublin Senior 1 Football Championship Final

Cuala progressed to their first Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1 Football Championship decider since 1988 when overcoming a Ballymun Kickhams by five points at Parnell Park on Saturday afternoon. Congratulations to the players and management team and best of luck in the final!

Read the full semi-final match report here.

Pictured: Conor Groarke celebrating with Cuala supporters after the match

Image credit: RTE One.

Minor Camogie in Div1 Championship Final

Congratulations to the Minor A camogie team who beat Kilmacud Crokes by a single point in a thrilling semi-final match to reach the Dublin Division 1 Championship Final taking place on Sunday 20th October.

Senior Camogie and 2017 Girls Blitz

Some of our Senior Camogie players joined the 2017 girls for their blitz last weekend. A great morning of fun was had by all with impressive camogie skills on show all round! The 2017s were inspired by the senior players and are looking forward to supporting them in their semi-final this weekend!

Dermot Earley Youth Leadership 2023/2024

Cuala members who participated in the Dermot Earley Youth Leadership Initiative 2023/2024 were recognised by Jarlath Burns in Croke Park this week. Next stop is the University of Galway in November for the 2024 graduates of the programme. Congratulations to all!

Humans of Camogie Series

To celebrate 120 years, The Camogie Association’s Humans of Camogie campaign asked clubs all over the country to tell them about the people contributing to camogie at their clubs. One of our nominees was Donal Murphy, who shared his story of his long involvement with, and love for, camogie at Cuala.

Donal Murphy, Senior Camogie Coach, Cuala 

Donal Murphy has been instrumental in developing Adult Camogie at Cuala over nearly two decades. His inherent love of the sport has no doubt been influenced by strong family connections, with sisters who played for Dublin, including Edel who was on the 1984 All Ireland winning team, and a brother who was a manager for the Dublin senior camogie squad. His daughter, Sinéad, also now currently plays for the Dublin Seniors.  

Having commenced coaching at Cuala in 2005, Donal was involved in re-establishing the Adult Camogie squad and section in the club in 2014/2015, subsequently helping the 1st team progress from Div 5 through to winning Intermediate Championship in 2018 and reaching Senior 2 Championship finals in 2020 and 2022. Further to achieving success on the pitch, Donal has been a champion of good coaching practice in the club, often also coaching juvenile players, and is a strong advocate for life balance for players – encouraging young players to continue to play camogie through teenage years, including through State exams, into college and even when living overseas.  

Donal has undoubtedly been an unwaveringly positive influence in the development of Cuala camogie and in instilling a love of the game in a generation of players.  

RIP Hugo (Hugh) McCann

Cuala members will be saddened to hear of the death of Hugo (Hugh) Mc Cann who was a long-time supporter of Cuala as well as Dalkey United. Condolences to his family and friends, his colleagues at Dalkey United, and his neighbours in St. Begnet’s Villas.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

Death Notice of Hugo (Hugh) McCann (Dalkey, Dublin) | rip.ie

(Hugo pictured celebrating Dublin and Mick Fitzsimons success in All Ireland 2012, when Hugo swapped his usual FAI Blazer for Cuala gear.)

Club AGM

Please note that our Club AGM will take place on Wednesday 20th November at 8pm in the Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire.

Cuala AGM – Cuala GAC – Official Website (cualagaa.ie)