Gormanston 2025 - Thank you

Thank you to all our participants in the 2025 tournament

Hi All,

I would like to extend a huge thank you all for your kind words and feedback on the 2025 tournament.

Personally, I would like to thank my co- organiser Maria Gallagher (St Maurs) on her dedication to this tournament. Without her tireless work this tournament wouldn’t happen.

Together we want to extend a huge thank you to our families and volunteers who have supported us in getting this tournament rolled out this year. Thanks to Sorina and the team at Gormanston park for all their hard work over the past five weeks. We would like to thank our clubs Skerries Harps and St Maurs for their continuing support.

A special shout out our team of referees who were absolutely brilliant over the five weeks. They are a credit to themselves, families and their clubs. Thank you to the referee co-ordinators from Skerries Harps, St Maurs and O’Dwyers for liaising with Maria to facilitate.

Subscription as in previous years was a short window and was oversubscribed by 50 plus teams which we had to whittle down. We apologise to the clubs/teams we could not accommodate or missed the cut off. Thank you to the teams with larger squads that rotated and made it possible for as many children as possible to experience the tournament.

This year's tournament had 24 clubs from Dublin and Meath. These formed 160 teams from u7-u11, with 80 matches per day, on average 2000 kids each day. We had 2806 kids over all the squads participating in the tournament this year. All clubs and teams in this group were a pleasure to deal with and you all made our job so much easier. We thank you all for your patience and understanding, accommodations made in order for us to get the tournament running smoothly.

We would like to thank sponsors especially the Dublin County Board who have always been hugely supportive.

All the kids had a great time over the five weeks. This is down in no small part to the enthusiasm and passion that you the mentors and parents brought to it.

We would like to thank Denis Forde as always. Denis was the man who started this tournament back 1999 and ran with it for nearly 25 years. Denis is still hugely involved with hurling and camogie in the Marino Institute Dublin and his contribution to the sport is immeasurable. Denis was up this year to see the tournament as always and was hugely buoyed to see the fruits of his labour, in the participation, skills and smiles from all the children. It was also heart warming to meet some of the people that soldiered with Denis in past years to make this tournament what it is today. Paddy Kelly (Kiltale) and Brian Kelly (St Pats Donabate).

The format of this tournament, speed of ball, skill sets used is hugely relevant and a key tool in the development of the children. It was evident in the progression of the kids with footwork and striking / blocking from week one to week five. The element of having clubs from both Meath and Dublin is great element in getting to play against teams that clubs would not get to play otherwise. It is also hugely beneficial to utilise this venue and get an indoor format when a lot of the pitches are unplayable, and the weather is inclement. It’s a great start to the year.

Yours in sport,

Niall and Maria

HurlingDC