Gaelic Games

‘Lack of communication’ cited as one of the reasons for Kildare camogie row

Broad review of camogie within the county to be undertaken following talks between players, the county board, the Camogie Association and the GPA

At the launch of the 2023 Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Camogie Championship at Croke Park were (L-R back row) Cavan’s Hannah Fitzsimons, Mayo’s Ava Lambert, Westmeath’s Fiona Keating, Galway’s Ava Lynskey, Carlow’s Kate Nolan, Roscommon’s Shauna Fallon, Meath’s Ellen Burke, Armagh’s Michelle McGuigan, (front row) Cork’s Meabh Cahalane, Kilkenny’s Sinead O'Keefe, Camogie Association president Hilda Breslin, Tipperary’s Cáit Devane and Waterford’s Keeley Corbett-Barry. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

Paul Keane
Fri May 19 2023 - 18:03

Camogie Association president Hilda Breslin has acknowledged that a “lack of communication” was partly to blame for the row in Kildare which ended with the team being withdrawn from the championship.

It was confirmed this week that Kildare will not be fielding a team in the Glen Dimplex intermediate championship, which begins next weekend, following a bitter row between players and the local board.

A statement released by the players earlier this month claimed that the team had been “withdrawn from this season’s All-Ireland camogie championship” by the county board without the players’ knowledge.

[ Ciarán Murphy: I can’t believe the Camogie Association would stand over the withdrawal of Kildare ]

That move, which the players said “caused great stress . . . and indeed anger”, came after discussions between both parties over a squad charter apparently “not being adhered to” and a separate decision not to allow county players to play in the Kildare club leagues.

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The statement noted a “pattern of disrespect shown to us as players over the last number of seasons”.

In an attempt to break the impasse, Kildare camogie officials met members of the panel earlier this week, along with Camogie Association representatives and the GPA and later confirmed that the county wouldn’t participate in the championship and that a broad review of Kildare camogie would be undertaken.

“These things are difficult in the sense that sometimes they’re small things and they escalate and they build up,” said Breslin of the row.

“How it got to this late stage? Really it’s a lack of communication and that was acknowledged. They were very frank and open discussions we had this week with all of the parties.

“And all of the parties had their own viewpoints and issues, and their own concerns not just about the county team but also their concerns about the county, the clubs and the [lack of] support that’s out there for what is a relatively large county with 24 clubs. And yet the numbers were disappointing. So there was kind of a general concern.”

Kildare native Breslin said that the Camogie Association wasn’t aware of the players’ concerns before the hard-hitting statement was released.

“The championship is starting on Saturday week and Kildare are not in the championship,” said Breslin. “This is a situation none of us wants to be in. In an ideal world maybe we would have been [involved] earlier. It’s very difficult when there is a hard deadline a week away. So that doesn’t allow the space [to find a solution].”

It’s the second high-profile row between camogie players and officials in a matter of months following the All-Stars trip saga. Players rebelled when the Camogie Association announced plans for an All-Stars tour to Canada which would have taken place in the build up to the championship, which begins next weekend. That trip was eventually shelved with no fresh date for it to be held.

“The split season has changed everything,” said Breslin. “It’s changed how we structure our competitions and it’s changed the gaps in the competitions that maybe we previously had. So there’s no perfect place for it now which is the difficulty.”

Asked at the launch of the Camogie championship if she has felt under increasing pressure dealing with the rows, Breslin said she has no problems with being “answerable to your membership”.

“We had a brilliant league, we had an absolutely outstanding league and I really think we will have a brilliant championship,” she said.

“The game is opening up, I think the teams are progressing and I think the skill is progressing. If I could control everything, that would be absolutely wonderful but I can’t do that.”

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