All-Ireland success boosts reformed Annaghdown Community Games group

Great sense of pride

AN ALL-Ireland title could be the catalyst for driving the success of the newly established Cairn Community Games team in Annaghdown.

The Community Games see children from across the country taking part in competitions across sports, art, drama, music and problem solving.

After a couple years without a team in Annaghdown, a group of dedicated volunteers have taken on the mantle, providing local children with the opportunity to compete in football, hurling, soccer and music. They have already found success, taking home the U13 Music group national title courtesy of pupils from Scoil Naomh Breandán in Annaghdown.

Conor Melville, Seán Martyn, alongside siblings Aoife and Éanna O’Connell and Amy and Padraic O’Brien fought off the challenges of 12 other groups in Carlow earlier this month to be named All Ireland champions.

“We are so incredibly proud of the children. They put in a huge amount of practice in over the summer, coming into the school twice a week, and it paid off with this victory,” their tutor Una McGinity O’Brien told The Tuam Herald.

“The contest is open to any types of music and there was a great variety on show at the finals. We performed a superb mash up of two genres: Coldplay’s Fix You and the classic Irish reel Maud Miller.

“You are judged on a variety of factors, such as the group’s rhythm, interpretation and entertainment. All six children did great, bringing home a first All-Ireland Community Games title since we reformed.”

The idea to reform Annaghdown Community Games came earlier this year, when a new group of volunteers and parents took on the project. As a music teacher herself, Una was happy to look after the music end of things. Others helped with some of the sports.

The new group has already enjoyed success with the U12 Girls football team coming home with a national silver medal earlier this summer. Their U10 Boys football team also secured a silver at the Connacht Community Games.

While providing opportunities to compete against others, Una also believes the reformation of the group has helped create a larger sense of community in Annaghdown.

“There was such a big crowd to greet us when we came home, bonfires were lit from Corrandrum to Cloonboo,” recalled Una.

“The carpark of Regan’s Pub was packed with people, who were all treated to a surprise performance as the children sung Fix You while they were arm and arm together. It created a great sense of pride in the parish.

“I just hope that having seen what Community Games can do for the entire parish, more people come forward to help us, so we can expand the club and offer more activities for children such as chess or athletics. But to do this, we need people willing to drive it on.”

The winning U13 team music group included pupils from Fourth Class up to Sixth class, aged between nine and 12. They played the piano, banjo, flute, accordion and the fiddle. Most of them will be eligible to defend their title.

Since their victory, they have been performing for every class in the school, plus at an event in the Corrandulla Hall that celebrated all the successes of the Annaghdown Cairn Community Games group. Una is hopeful their recent victory will inspire younger pupils to take an interest.

“Seeing the older kids playing music, the fun that they are having, the buzz of being in competitions, hopefully that inspires the younger kids. They might catch the bug and get involved with music,” added Una.

“But there is something for everyone in the Community Games. It would be great for more children to experience that sense pride you get from representing your parish,” she concluded.