For the love of the Skull and Crossbones - carrying on the UCC tradition

Third-level GAA clubs differ from others in that those running the committees and teams are almost all young people. We spoke to two members of UCC – Dan Mulholland from Rower-Inistioge in Kilkenny (Irish and PE) and Niall Flanagan of Beagh, Galway (PE and English) about their experiences on the managerial and admin side

How big a help is college GAA club membership from a social/community aspect?

Niall: “I suppose it was a big change in that you were away from home, whereas when I was in Galway I knew the likes of Turloughmore, Gort, Ardrahan – I know a lot of the lads in there but when I came down here I knew no-one. The GAA has helped me to make serious friends.”

Dan: “You might be studying for a few hours in the library but you’ll have training to look forward to that evening and that’s when you know you’ll have your break.

“We understand as well if lads are telling us that they have something college-related on and will be late for a match – get the college work done first, you won’t be thrown off the team for doing an exam!”

Niall: “You are here to get an education but it’s to have that pastime and you can connect with people from other places.”

You’re both part of the management of the Fresher B hurling team – is it strange to be over a side where the players aren’t much younger than you?

Niall: “I’m involved with the Clare development squads so I had the experience of that but it’s still different. Usually, when you take over a team there’ll be someone who has been there for years but for us it’s four young lads under the age of 22.”

Dan: “I think it’s good for the players too that we are a bit younger because they’re not as intimidated or afraid to say their piece. If they need a hand with something, that mightn’t even be sport-related, they can come to us and ask for advice.”

Are the commitment levels lower for a B team than they would be for an A team?

Dan: “We are fairly lucky, to be fair. The commerce ball was on recently, the same night as a match, and we had three lads going to it and they all togged out and ended up going to the ball a bit later than they wanted to.

“They are all committed and the fact that we aren’t nine or ten years older than them, there’s a camaraderie – they wouldn’t want to be letting us down. We know what’s going on in their heads as well and tell them that if they need to off at half-time they can.

“It’s all about balancing it up. We’re lucky that way with the people over all the UCC teams and the GAA development officer John Grainger, he’s wicked sound about the whole thing.”

Niall: “I feel that a lot of the lads have bought into our training regime.

“There are lads who could play on the A team but maybe they missed a trial or it’s just a matter of personal opinion from the selectors. Everyone is giving their hardest – it’s not just a case of show up and puck around.”

While you obviously want to be successful, is it fair to say that, in a college team, it’s as much about enjoyment?

Dan: “Lads are coming down here and they want to hurl because it’s a huge GAA club. I was playing for them in the county championship against Muskerry in the summer and it was a big honour to wear the jersey.

“I leaped at the opportunity when I was asked if I was interested in playing. As much hurling as I can get, I’ll take it and it’s the same with most of the lads in the college.

“Our role at mentors is to foster that interest but then, at the same time, telling them not to let it wreck their heads and to live their lives too.”

Niall: “It was a case of do it because you love it. You’d rather see the lads coming off, whether they’ve won or lost, happy, unfazed and not stressed.

“Just happy they got out and got to play the game – if they won it, it’s a bonus and if they didn’t, it’s a learning experience.”

What have been the other benefits that you’ve seen?

Dan: “Some of the lads might come from smaller clubs and at home they’re expected to score ten points a game but that pressure is off when they play with the college because they’re playing with other lads of a high level.

“It lets them express themselves even more.”

Niall: “Something that’s amazing is the figures involved, like Tom Kenny or Seán Óg Ó hAilpín. Coming down, he probably wouldn’t have been my biggest idol but it was great to see him there and being so committed to it.

“It wasn’t just Cork lads, either – he was driving everyone on. If you wore that UCC jersey, you were being driven on, being told to do the best you possibly can. It was just so nice to see that.”