Underage Club of the Year - John Mitchel's

At the recent Ulster Club Awards ceremony in Belfast, local club John Mitchel GFC received the inaugural award for underage development. This prestigious award recognises the great work carried out by this local club with players aged 6-16. Mitchels was commended not only for the annual under-10 blitz – believed to be the biggest in Ireland – but for the efforts the club makes to ensure that many local youngsters are supported to be part of the great local tradition of Gaelic games.

While most Gaelic clubs make efforts to offer sound underage programmes, there was recognition that John Mitchel GFC has developed something special, and anyone who has been at Gerry Brown Park at lunchtime on a Saturday or Sunday can sense why. The sight of 100-150 local children, practising and developing their Gaelic skills, supported by able and enthusiastic mentors, reflects all that is good about Gaelic football. The club reports it takes a holistic approach in working with the children and young people, and so parties, outings and social events are a key part of the programme. Most recently, the under 8s had a day out in Belfast, visiting W5, while 85 children and young people travelled to the recent All-Ireland U21 Football Final in Mullingar.

Underage coordinator, Anthony Sloan, reports that ‘the focus is not just on sporting excellence, but on growing good men and women’. Young people are encouraged to play their part in supporting a range of activities within the club, including administration, writing match reports, and mentoring younger age groups.

John Mitchel GFC’s success in winning the award is perhaps more impressive given that the club has never had a permanent home, has no clubhouse and doesn’t even own the pitch it uses in Greenbank. The club chair, Cathal McCoy, is keen to highlight the issue. ‘What we need,’ he says ‘is for Newry & Mourne District Council to help us in our work to develop a permanent home. I would appeal to all the new councillors to help us build on the achievements we’ve already had in working with children and young people in the area, and give their full commitment to resolving this longstanding issue. While I think we have proved that a successful club is about more than buildings, money and land, it would also be nice to develop the sort of facilities expected in the 21^st century.’

Congratulations to all the children, young people, parents and mentors involved, on this great achievement for our area.