Cuala 4 Zambia 2026

Alison Butler and Eoin Breathnach have written the article below about their trip to Zambia this summer.

In October 2025, we were given an amazing opportunity to travel to Zambia with 15 other members of Cuala GAA as part of the Nsobe School Project. We knew it would be a special experience, but we never expected it to have such a big impact on all of us.

The trip was about much more than the work we would do at the school. It was about meeting people, learning about a completely different culture and becoming part of a community. We spent months fundraising, from cake sales to bucket shaking, and everyone put in a huge effort. Our fundraising was specifically to kit out a science lab with the equipment needed for the school to offer science subjects.

In June 2026, we travelled to Zambia. After a long journey through Stockholm and Addis Ababa, we finally arrived at Nsobe. From the moment we arrived, we received an incredibly warm welcome from the camp staff and the local community.

We also had the chance to visit local villages, meet families and really dive into Zambian culture with both feet, with dancing and lots and lots of singing. We tried traditional food and learned about everyday life. It made us realise how much we can learn from people whose lives can be very different to our own.

A huge part of our time in Zambia was spent working at the school. We helped make bricks, paint and refurbish some of the existing facilities, and build teacher accommodation. We also ran PE classes and worked with the younger children on their English and Maths. The heat made the work challenging, but seeing the progress each day was very rewarding.

As the trip came to an end, we had a final celebration with the school. We performed music and danced together. Saying goodbye was difficult because of the friendships we had made with the students, staff and wider community.

Looking back, Zambia taught us that people can come from completely different backgrounds and still have so much in common. We came home with friendships, memories and a different way of looking at the world. Zambia will always have a very special place in our hearts, and we hope one day we can return to see our friends again.

We could not have made the trip or achieved what we did without the support of Cuala GAA, our families, friends and everyone who contributed to the fundraising. A special thank you also goes to the Cuala Coiste, including Aisling Fay and Deirdre Ní Fhloinn, who, together with Kevin Spain, helped make this experience possible. And a very special thank you to Fiona Tomlinson, Founder of the Nsobe School Project and Overall Legend, for everything she did for us and for the community. You allowed us to live our Cuala values in a very special way, and we will always be grateful for that.

To next year’s Cuala for Zambia group, we wish you the very best of luck. Throw yourselves into every part of the experience, enjoy the friendships you make and make the most of every day. It really is a life-changing experience, and we hope it means as much to you as it has to us.

Ní neart go cur le chéile.

Dermot Earley Youth Leadership Programme 2026/2027

Expressions of interest for Cuala’s Dermot Earley Youth Leadership Programme 2026/27 can be registered here (closes the 13th September).
The programme is open to Cuala members aged 15-18 years of age. Please click here for programme details. The programme will run on Friday nights from 7pm-9pm starting on the 9th October (local venue TBC). The programme is generally completed by students in TY.  A maximum of 30 participants, selected randomly (with a gender balance), will be offered a place in this year’s programme.
Parents and potential participants are invited to a brief information evening on Sunday the 6th September in Cuala at 6pm. 
 
For more details click on the registration form or if you have a specific question drop an email to kevin@coachkevin.ie

Minor Camogie 7s Tournament

Last Saturday, we were delighted to welcome the minor camogie teams from Ballyboden St Endas, Na Fianna, Setanta Ceatharlach, Slieve Felim Rapparees,  St Judes and St Vincents to the first Cuala Minor Sevens Camogie Tournament.  They fielded one team each, while Cuala Minors fielded two teams (Cuala Red and Cuala White). It was also great to welcome the Cuala U16s who fielded a team as Cuala Blue. Fair play to them! In total, 81 players lined out at sun-kissed Thomastown Park in this goals-only tournament.
As the Minor Camogie age grade is relatively new in Dublin, we thought it fitting to mobilise this new tournament on the weekend of the All-Ireland Camogie Final to celebrate the sporting and camogie talents of the Minor Cailíní.
Well done to Na Fianna on winning the Cup, narrowly pipping Slieve Felim Rapparees in extra time. Final score 4-3.  Well done also to the Cuala Reds who got to the Cup Semi-final, going down in a close match 6-3 to the ultimate winners.
Congratulations to the Cuala Whites who, after some tough matches in the group stages, won the Shield vs St Vincents in a match that also went to extra time! Final score 3-1. The true success of the day is that almost all matches were very close, with every team winning at least one match on the day.
Thomastown pitches and dressing-rooms looked splendid.  Buíochas mór leis na meantóirí agus leis na tuismitheoirí a chuir fáilte ‘Cuala Bán & Dearg’ roimh na foirne a thug cuairt orainn; tá na foirne eile ag súil le bheith ann arís an bhliain seo chugainn!!

The Dillon Quirke Foundation

Coinnigh an Dáta / Save the Date

The Dillon Quirke Foundation is coming to Cuala on Tuesday June 16th, 0900-1700.
A fantastic charity, they screen GAA players all over the country for SADs.
The screening will be offered initially to our Minor and U16 player groups.
Booking links will be sent via your section reps next week.

This is a Cuala Healthy Club initiative.

Leinster U18 LGFA Championship Final Winners

Congratulations to Kate Hanly and Erin Brennan Conte who won the Leinster U18 Championship Final with Dublin LGFA last weekend.

Women’s Section Awards Night

There was a great night last Friday with over 250 Players, Coaches, Friends and Family from the Women section gathering for the Annual Awards Night.

Jessie Kane in Football and Maria Buckley in Camogie won the Senior Player of the Year Awards, and there was plenty to celebrate with the Junior E and Senior B Championship Winning Teams celebrated on stage, recognition of Jess Tobin’s LGFA All Star Award, her, Martha Byrne and Rachel Hartnett’s All Ireland triumph, and a glowing tribute from JP Byrne to Donal Murphy who is stepping away from management of the Senior Camogie team.

Rob Hartnett and Angi Crispe kept things rolling through the presentations, and hats off to Dermot Malone, as ever, who puts in a massive amount of work to pull the night together.

Aside from the two Senior Awards for Jessie and Maria, there were individual awards from across the 12 teams fielded at Senior and Minor level for Ciara Dunee, Eva O’Grady, Nia Kennedy, Ella O’Donoghue, Tara Leahy, Sinead Nolan, Cara Sullivan, Sophie Nash, Chloe Delaney, Aislynn Moylan, Evanne Tobin, Anna Healy, Abbie Kenny, Arabella Lyster, Daisy Kirkwood, Aislynn Kelly Gallagher, Róise Reddin, Zoe Kearney and Maria McDonagh, and a special new Young Volunteer Award that was presented to Sophie Byrne.

With thanks to all involved in organising such a fantastic celebration of the Women’s section.

U16 Girls Transition to Minor

The 2009 Girls enjoyed a very special evening on Thursday, 20 November 2025, as they marked their transition from Juvenile to Minor with a graduation celebration attended by players and their parents/guardians.

It was an emotional and memorable night. This group shares a unique bond and player retention has always been a core value, something we are proud to say has been achieved, with 39 players moving forward to Minor. A number of well-deserved thank-yous were shared on the night, especially to the coaches, FLOs and parents who have supported the girls every step of the way. Each player received a skills recognition award along with a team photograph as a memento of their 09 journey.

Over the years, this group has achieved many wins. They signed off from the Juvenile section on a high, with both our A and B camogie teams winning their Shield finals and both football teams reaching the semi-final stage, narrowly losing out to strong opposition.

As they now progress into the Minor section, exciting times lie ahead for this talented group. Please join us in thanking an exceptional team of mentors, coaches and FLOs whose dedication has played a major role in this squad’s success.

Separately, congratulations to the U16 Red Camogie team (pictured below) who won their U16 Div 2 Shield Final last Saturday against St Kevins 6-02 to 1-05 in Meadowvale with a strong team display.  Big thanks to the 2010 for their support. The U16s celebrated this win in their last match before they transition to minor girls.

Minor Girls Camogie Shield Win

Congratulations to the Minor B Camogie team who won the Division 6 Championship Shield with a 4-4 to 1-2 win over Clontarf. A super performance by all players and a fantastic way to end the season for this Minor team.  Best of luck to all of the players as the 07 girls now move to adult and the 08s welcome the 09s to form the Minor 2026 teams.

Minor Camogie Division 2 Champions

Sometimes the rewards far outweigh the drawbacks of battling bank holiday Friday M50 traffic. Such was the case for Cuala supporters who made the trip to Abbotstown last Friday evening to witness the Minor A Camogie team make a spectacular second half comeback against Naomh Barróg to clinch the Division 2 Championship Cup by a single point.

Cuala played the first half into the wind against a formidable Naomh Barróg team who set the tone early with two points from frees and another from play. Abbie Kenny opened the scoring for Cuala with a well-taken free, but Naomh Barróg replied with a point and then a goal to leave Cuala trailing 1-04 to 0-01 midway through the half. Laoise Conaghan added two points from play to reduce the deficit, but was matched by two further points from Naomh Barróg. A solid Cuala defence and some superb goalkeeping by Emma Matthews can be credited with minimising the Barróg scoreline, but with strong winds hampering scoring opportunities Cuala left the pitch 6 points behind at half-time:  Naomh Barróg 1-06, Cuala 0-03.

In true Cuala spirit however, a determined team emerged to rewrite the script in the second half. An early goal from Laoise Conaghan’s long-range free brought Cuala to within 3 points of the opposition. Naomh Barróg responded with a free and a point from play, matched by a point from Abbie Kenny to leave Cuala trailing by 4 points. A superb point from Kate Hanley followed by another goal from Laoise Conaghan levelled the scoreline and sent the Cuala supporters wild. Victory was within reach. With only minutes left on the clock, Eabha McGrath scored what proved to be the winning point putting Cuala in the lead for the first time – a fitting finale for her last match as minor captain. With three minutes of added time, the Cuala defence withstood huge pressure as Naomh Barróg sought an equaliser. Cuala supporters gripped their seats as a free from Naomh Barróg hit the post and was duly cleared to deny Barróg an equalising opportunity. The final whistle blew shortly after, sparking jubilant celebrations for Cuala players and supporters: Cuala 2-06, Naomh Barróg 1-08.

Winning the Division 2 Championship brings the playing year to a successful close for this team, having also won the League in the spring. The 07 girls now begin the transition to adult, while the 08s will welcome the 09 players for the 2026 playing season. Congratulations and thanks to all the players, coaches, mentors and FLOs, and best of  luck to all the girls as they transition to their new teams for 2026.

A huge thank you also to all the red and white supporters who made that M50 trip…no doubt all are likely to agree that it was definitely worth it!

Minor and Senior BBQ and Camogie Blitz

The Minor and Senior women got together last Saturday for an inaugural BBQ and Camogie blitz at Hyde Road, giving the minors an opportunity to meet and socialise with senior players as they prepare to join the senior section themselves in the coming year or two. The rain held off as 6 teams of mixed minor and senior players took part in a 7-a-side ‘Leinster’ and ‘Munster’ Championship before the Blitz Final. Not to miss out on the fun, the mentors gamely participated in a Minor v Senior tug-of-war and wet sponge throwing competition!

A bbq, soft drinks, gelato and coffees kept everyone going for the afternoon, thanks for which goes to our generous sponsors: Bel Gelato, Homeground Coffee, Hicks of Dalkey, Lidl and Tesco.