Throughout the month of July, clubs across Monaghan where a hive of activity with children taking part in the Kellogg’s GAA Cul Camps in their local club. Just like last year, this year has a seen a national rise in the numbers attending the camps and this trend was no different in Monaghan with a big increase seen in nearly every camp in the county. In total just under 2,000 children took part in the camps. Up 500 from 2014. The biggest camps where in Monaghan Harps (152), Clontibret (152) and Scotstown (191).

 
In total, 18 camps took place over a 5 week period. This is a very busy time for Monaghan Coaching & Games and we must pay a special thanks to each of the host clubs in helping us promote the camps and help with the organisation and clean-up at each camp. It was evident a lot of work was put in by each and every host club in promoting the camps in their locality. We would just like to pay particular thanks to all the host club Coaching Officers who distributed application forms, put up posters and signs and attending meeting in relation to the Summer Camps. All your hard work doesn’t go unnoticed and we thank you for the excellent promotion of our games to the younger members of our community.

 
We were lucky enough to have a number of our county players namely Rory Beggan and Ryan McAnespie working at the Kellogg’s Cul Camps this year. Before the camps even began, Rory and Ryan where busy out promoting the camps in our local primary schools. We have no doubt this had a great impact in the massive numbers attending the camps and it was great opportunity for the children to get a meet their heroes. During the camps, Rory attended all 18 camps, where he either spent the day coaching the different groups, undertaking different challenges against the children, answering their questions and most importantly of all signing autographs and taking pictures! . This is an element of the camp which all the children love and we would just like to thank Rory and Ryan for coming along and working on the camps this year.

 
We would just like to thank all our coaches and assistant coaches. It was evident that they all brought something new and different to the camps which the children really like. The coaches play the most important role in ensuring all the children enjoy the camps and come away each day with a smile on their face. We would just like to thank the ladies which helped out every Monday morning at the registration on the camps namely Anita, Martina, Elish and Marion. Our coaching and games staff namely Colin Malone, Ann McKenna, Martin Corey and Aidan Kelly acted as the Camp Coordinators and we would just like to thank them for all the tireless work they do and the camps each and every year.

 
Finally last but my no means least I would just like to thank all the host clubs for providing the facilities for all our camps. We would also like to thank them for providing a facility to store all the gear. This saves our coordinators a lot of time each and every day loading and unloading the gear.

 
Unfortunately, while it was great to see a significant rise in the number of children attending the camps, nationally this led to a shortfall of kits and bags for the children. Extra kits and bags have been ordered and will hopefully arrive by the middle of August. For anyone who didn’t receive a kit, backpack or both your Camp Coordinator will be in contact with details on when and where you can collect them. We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused you. This has been a good learning experience for us in the Coaching Office for next year but hopefully it will help encourage parents to pre-register nice and early for the camps next year to avoid the disappointment of not receiving the kit and backpack during the camp. To guarantee each child receiving their kit and proper coloured backpack (county colours) you had to register before the 1st of July so for next year look out for this date on the website and application form. If you have any queries in relation to this please do not hesitate to contact Paul O’Connor (email: developmentmanager.monaghan@gaa.ie or phone 087 837 4827) or Patrick McCarron (gda.monaghan@gaa.ie or phone 087 216 3580).

 
We are already looking forward to you all attending the Camps next year! Hopefully we will see another increase and more clubs looking to host a camp.

 
Please see below for a selection of photos from all the camps this year.