Reporter: Aimée Angie
Photographer: Isobelle Donnelan
GCS Future Leader and Journalist
Gort Community School held its annual ‘Primary School Blitz’ on Wednesday, 2nd of October, in association with the ‘Future Leaders’ programme, originally pioneered by Mr. Eoghan Hanley, a former teacher of the school.
In total, over three hundred pupils from sixteen local primary schools attended the day’s activities, with the dry and mild conditions proving favourable and much appreciated.
Before the young guests’ arrival, considerable work took place to ensure that the day ran successfully. Jobs ranged from preparing the dressing rooms and canteen to coaching and refereeing. All of the ninety-six Transition Year students did their part in making the day enjoyable for everyone.
A dozen TY students welcomed the enthusiastic primary students upon arrival. The TY Steering Committee, consisting of four pupils; TJ Prendergast, Orla Mullins, Matthew O’Connor and Abbie Callanan, were conscientious in their decision making as they successfully mixed girls and boys from various school into teams of eleven players. Thus, they succeeded in promoting new friendships and local integration between pupils from different communities.
The newly formed teams then took their positions to play on the expansive sports grounds of the school. Just after 10:30 am, six matches began, with teams availing of the spacious school facilities including the all-weather astro-turf pitch adjacent to the school’s main building. Each team’s manager was responsible for supervision of their young charges. This included using the canteen facilities, where all three hundred students were provided with lunch sponsored by Gort Community School.
The final matches took place after lunch. The pupils then met Galway Camogie player and captain, Sarah Dervan who won the O’Duffy Cup this year and All Star hurler Peter Duggan from Clare. Sarah Dervan noted that “the blitz was a fantastic programme” and that “you could make life-long friends out of camogie and hurling”. Peter Duggan commended the exemplary efforts of the Transition Year students and added how “you could bring these skills into any aspect of life”.
In conclusion, Principal Brian Crossan remarked how the event “is always such a positive day in Gort Community School and one we look forward to each year”. He described the day as “a major success”. He thanked all the pupils, teachers, special guests, the TY steering committee and volunteers who all participated in the hugely successful day. The day helped in the promotion of our national sports, hurling and camogie, for our up and coming players and perhaps future All – Stars.
