1st and 2nd Class Indoor Camogie/Hurling Blitz

Schools are being asked to register their interest for an indoor hurling/camogie blitz on Thursday, 23rd February. This will be for 1st and 2nd class boys and girls. Matches will be mixed i.e., boys and girls in teams but we will do our best to match up boys only and girls’ only schools appropriately. Schools can enter up to 3 squads of 7. Schools will then be allotted a time slot on the day. 8 teams will play from 10:00 until 11:30. Another 8 will play from 11.45 to 1:15. Places are limited to 16 teams so it will be on a first-come, first serve basis.

If there is enough interest a second day on Thursday the 2nd of March will be added, which will follow the same structure. The deadline to enrol for this blitz is Tuesday, 14th February. This is to give the Cumann na mBunscol Officers a chance to organise the fixtures.  Please email (ismiseemily@gmail.com) with your school’s name, the numbers of squads and whether they are boys, girls or mixed.  Young Whistlers are welcome.

INTO Skills Challenge – A Chance to Play in Croke Park

The annual Cumann na mBunscol Chill Mhantáin Skills competition will take place in regional venues on the week beginning March 13th.

North/East Skills Competition – Monday 13th March in Bray Emmets.

West Skills Competition – Tuesday 14th March in Blessington.

South Skills Competition – Wednesday 15th March in Ballinakill.

Football and Hurling Skills Test @11:00am

Girls Football and Camogie Skills Test @12:30pm

County Final in Ballinakill – Wednesday 22nd March

* Please note – any teachers in attendance will be required to assist in the marking of tests.

Schools are asked to fill out a Google form (see link below) to enrol players in the Skills Test competition.  This form must be filled by Thursday 9th March.  This helps the GDAs ensure the smooth running of events as it provides them with key details in terms of names, numbers, etc. in advance.

Form:

https://forms.gle/SG2bApMCSnH2W6Xy6

Please take particular notice of the age restriction regarding this event. Note that the age limit has changed and is now the same for all schools regardless of enrolment numbers. 

                     Participants must be born on or after January 1st 2011

Each school is permitted to send 2 representatives per code to compete in 

·        ​Gaelic Football (boys)

·        Gaelic Football (girls)

·        Hurling

·        Camogie

Each pupil will only be permitted to compete in one code.

If a child has represented Wicklow in Croke Park previously in any code they cannot take part at any level of the skills test again e.g. regional skills day, etc. 

The top 2 pupils in each code from each area will be invited to compete in the County Skill Tests scheduled for Wednesday March 22nd in Wicklow GAA Centre of Excellence, Ballinakill. 

The top performing pupils in the County Skills tests will have the opportunity to represent their school and county during the half-time of selected All Ireland Series games during the summer.

It is encouraged that each school host their own internal tests to aid selection of their representatives before forwarding them to the regional skill tests. Best of luck to all involved!

Rounders Coaching Course

A rounders coaching course will take place on Monday April 24th in Kilcoole Primary School (St Brigid’s Building) from 12 – 3 p.m. It will be run by retired teacher, Michael Dowling from Laois, who established rounders as a firm favourite on the Cumann na mBunscol calendar of events in Laois.  He has very kindly offered to provide this coaching course to teachers free of charge. This course will cover the basic rules of the game, how to set up the pitch and give valuable coaching tips. It should inform the teaching and learning of PE within your schools as well as providing an opportunity for like–minded teachers to get together in the hope of creating our own mini rounders blitzes between schools. It is envisaged that these would happen in the summer months of May/June and would be non-competitive in nature with the emphasis on having fun and embracing the core skills of the game.  If you are interested in participating in this rounders course please fill in the google form below. Places will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis (maximum 20 participants).

Form to register:

https://forms.gle/nySVPeWwAezPwQeh9

Upcoming Fixtures – North/East Wicklow

Boys’ Football Allianz Coughlan Cup Day 1

2nd March Bray Emmets​

Eleven-a-side and no age limit at 11.45 a.m.

Points only, goalkeeper. 3 points for a point, 1 point for a goal.

Girls’ Wicklow Times Shield Day 1

9th March at 11.45 a.m. in Bray – 9 a-side

Goalkeeper, points worth 3, goals worth 1 point

Boys’ Football Allianz Coughlan Cup Day 2​

23rd March at 11.45am in Bray Emmets

Eleven-a-side. This is a competitive competition. Full rulesapply.

Girls’ Wicklow Times Shield Day 2

30th March at 11.45 a.m. in Bray Emmets – 9 a-side.  This is a competitive competition. Full rules.

Upcoming Fixtures – South Wicklow

Term Two – Focus on participation-based games

1st and 2nd Class Boys Indoor Football 23rd February in Aughrim – 9 aside.

1st and 2nd Class Girls Indoor Football 2nd March in Aughrim – 9 aside.

3rd and 4th Class Girls Football 9th March at 10:30 a.m. in Ballinakill – 9-a-side.

3rd and 4th Class Boys Football 23rd March at 10:30 a.m. in Ballinakill – 9-a-side

Please send results, reports or photos to pro.cnmb.wicklow@gaa.ie, follow us on twitter @cnmbwicklow  Keep up-to-date with all Allianz Cumann namBunscol news in Wicklow on our website www.cnmbwicklow.ie