U16 player Niall Flanagan just returned from a visit to Calcutta, India where he spent some time with the Hope Foundation through his school Rockwell College to help the children there with their educational needs. Niall would like to thank all those from the club who contributed to his fundraising efforts last Autumn that helped him to participate in what Niall himself describes as "an incredibly humbling, life changing experience."  The monies raised were very well spent on homing, educating and feeding the young children of the slums. Niall is pictured above at one of the dumps at where many of these children live. 

Below are just some of the photos of Niall with some very extraordinary young children from the slums of Calcutta that Niall visited with his TY colleagues

​Well done Niall and thanks to all who helped 

LUKE JOINS HIS  TOP CLUB
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​​There was great night tonight at Juvenile Registration with record numbers of boys and girls getting ready for a season of hurling & camogie at St. John's Park. Luke from Johnswell National School​  (Pictured) is one of dozens of happy new young Gaels who was fitted with a new hurl by our Master of Ash, Hugh Mahon. Luke, like everyone else who registered got a Training Ball, A club Calendar - and the girls also came away with brightly coloured boot laces 👍👍👍. There were homework passes too for those from St. Johns Senior and The Model School and the numbers present suggest there will no homework done in the parish for a week!!  

Training starts for some on Sunday and continues every Sunday at 11am for the boys...while the O'Loughlin Gaels Camogie Club girls return on Saturday 25th at 10.30am. 
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Best wishes to everyone involved and enjoy the season ahead...hon d'Loughs!

On Wednesday night a generous show of mentors and members from both the GAA & Camogie Club's attended the official Launch of the O'Loughlin Gaels GAA Young Player Pathway. Coordinator of the Project Paul Clear opened proceedings by welcoming all and thanking those involved in it's production.

The event was attended by Kilkenny GAA's Coaching and Games Development Officer, Brian Ryan, who congratulated the Club on continued efforts in mindfully guiding the young through their development as players and club members, noting that O'Loughlin Gaels GAA is held in high regard throughout the GAA community as a benchmark for developing players.

"The Pathway itself shall be viewed as a 'Route Map' which sets out the Key Characteristics and identifies the age appropriate content (Technical, Physical and Game Specific) that should be coached or practiced at a particular age and stage of the players career" the introduction states and a point that was clearly identified by Niall Bergin, the main collaborator of the project, when addressing the audience. He stressed that the Pathway be used by coaches to set development targets for the year and hence plan coaching sessions to achieve those targets through the skills challenges & the age specific physical focuses set out in the guide. 

Club Chairman Brian Murphy was delighted with the efforts put in by all involved in publishing the Pathway and used the opportunity to encourage anyone interested in our games to get involved in the club and add to it's continued growth. Juvenile Chairman Nigel Leydon was on hand also to thank Niall Bergin and Paul Cleere for their innovation in producing a document that will serve the club's high standards long in to the future. He thanked the members of the Juvenile Committees of the last three years for their contributions though to the guides completion

​The Document is available in Booklet Format for Club Mentors and local Schools. It is also available in full on the club's website at www.oloughlingaels.gaa.ie/young-player-pathway.html for all users - mentors, parents, teachers and players. Its available to download from there to pc/laptop, or indeed to have on smartphone or tablets. 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

Brendan Cleere (Jnr) & Brian Ryan, Kilkenny Co. Board

Thanks also to Graphic Designer Kieran Carroll Design for a wonderful publication 
Email:  Kcgraphicdesign@hotmail.com
Twitter: @KieranCarroll 
Print Shop www.etsy.com/ie/shop/KieranCarrollDesign

Photographs: The ever present Luke Leydon & John McElwaine

Printing: Perfecto Print sales@perfectoprint.ie   and www.perfectoprint.ie/