Analysis: GAA Cúl Camps have been the staple of Irish summers for thousands of children since the 1980s
It's that time of year when thousands of children flock to GAA grounds around the country and immerse themselves in Gaelic games for an entire week. From sporadically organised camps run by pioneering GAA clubs to anticipated annual events, Cúl Camps have become a national phenomenon.
The first GAA summer camps were held in the 1980s. A summer camp in Portarlington, Co. Laois in 1986 was advertised in the Leinster Times newspaper 'for 6 to 16year olds and a tiny tots camp for children under 6 years of age’. Run by qualified P.E. teachers, the highlight of the camp the following year was Kerry footballer Jack O'Shea ‘spending all day on Wednesday’ there. Steadily, more clubs embraced the idea and with each summer, more GAA camps sprouted around the country.
From GAA, former Donegal star Michael Murphy pays a visit to the Cúl Camp in his local GAA club in Glenswilly, Co Donegal
GAA summer camps are reflective of their time and have progressed along with the association itself, its rules and its coaching. While now there is a dedicated website with rules and guidelines for participants, for early GAA camps, a note in a newspaper advised that children don’t even require a helmet. In advance of a 1992 summer camp, participants were reminded that ‘helmets are not obligatory’ because ‘some of the older players find it impossible to play wearing a helmet’.
Like any sporting initiative that is reliant upon numbers of participants, sponsors are important in ensuring development and visibility in the public eye. In 1993, camps in the Carrigdhoun division of Cork were the first to bring sponsors on board for their camps in the shape of Bus Eireann and Lennox's Takeaway in Carrigaline according to the Southern Star.
Unfortunately, the support of a local chipper would not satisfy the huge growth in numbers attending GAA summer camps so up stepped VHI Healthcare in 2006 as the main sponsor for the newly named Cúl Camps. In 2011, Kellogg's became the main sponsor of Cúl Camps and in 2018, a new sponsorship deal was signed between the cereal giant and the GAA for an undisclosed seven-figure sum.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Liveline, a listener calls in about being asked to pay for a brand new Kellogg's GAA Cúl Camp kit when they've already got an identical and unused one from last year
Camps were organised on a national basis from 2006 onwards rather than on an adhoc basis by clubs and counties so their promotion and identity took on a more streamlined manner. Specially designed gear has ensured that Cúl Camps have a distinct visual character. Each participating child receives a jersey, zip top and backpack. Generally, the gear does not go on public sale and as such is a fashionable demonstration of being part of an exclusive collective of those participating in Cúl Camps. Embedded with logos and with a different design on an annual basis, Cúl Camps gear are uniforms that encourage the wearers to feel comfortable, confident and ready to play Gaelic games.
The camps are designed to be a pleasant experience which encourages children to achieve goals, creates a sense of community and friendship, improve well-being, and contributes to the participants' overall development, while taking a Gaelic games-based approach. In 2019, Wexford GAA developed the first specialised Cúl Camp for autistic children, which involved creating a more sensory friendly experience for attendees and their siblings, who also participated. This initiative has paved the way for more of its kind across the country and encompasses the spirit of community and inclusion of children with different abilities across the GAA.
From GAA, highlights from 2022 GAA Cúl Camps
The popularity of Cúl Camps was evident in 2020 when the website for bookings experienced 'a 2000% increase' compared the previous year. To contend with demand and limited numbers due to that year's pandemic protocols, TG4 broadcast a dedicated GAA Cúl Camps series which featured skills, drills, games, nutrition, and wellness segments from famous hurling, camogie, Gaelic football and Ladies football stars.
Since the 1980s, GAA Cúl Camps have been the staple of Irish summers for thousands of children. The week-long camps are an important form of organised GAA activity for children and their popularity has increased steadily. Providing a summer camp experience that coincides with the growth of the GAA itself is a consistent challenge not only because of an increasing market of summer activities for children but also because it must satisfy the expectations of participants and parents alike. Anyone for an adult version?
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
