GAA: Culmore planting the seeds of for the latest Oak

DERRY’S 41^st GAA club will take their first steps this coming Saturday (September 23) when city-based Culmore Cú Chulainns hold their official launch on county final weekend. The club have established a committee of nine people and has been 12 months in the planning.  Life will begin as a juvenile club (U6, U8, U10) with coaching for boys and girls at Thornhill College - starting the following week - Saturday, September 30 at 11am. A statement on the club’s Facebook page refers to the club’s official affiliation, on June 30 with both Derry and Ulster GAA, as a ‘momentous decision’ for the parish of Culmore. "The club's formation signals an exciting new era for Gaelic games in the city,” commented Chairman Dermot McErlean.  “It's been a long held dream of our committee to form a GAA Club in our parish of Culmore and we are delighted that the Derry County Board has backed our ambitious and imaginative vision for Culmore Cú Chulainns.” Brian Smith, Derry GAA Chairman, endorsed the backing of the county’s newest club: “Derry Co Board are fully supportive of this new club it provides more children the opportunity to play our games. “Our games create a stable environment for health and wellbeing and we will keep on encouraging  children to take up our games with our existing Clubs in the city.” McErlean pointed at the soaring population and new housing developments as one of the driving forces for the new club, who are lobbying for pitches at the Culmore Country Park. “Our parish is one of the fastest growing parishes and communities in the whole of the six counties, we have a population in around 5,000,” McErlean outlined.  “Unique to us is that 30 per cent of our population is under the age of 14 and the national average is 22 per cent. “Currently there is children from our parish playing their Gaelic Games for three different clubs throughout the city.  The new club will give them the opportunity to represent their own parish of Culmore. We fully intend to be at the forefront of this exciting new chapter in the history of our area,” McErlean continued. “We would like to thank the Derry County Board, the GAA Ulster Council and the GAA clubs in our city who have gave us their backing. We would also like to thank local councillors Tony Hassan, Sandra Duffy, Brian Tierney, the Greater Shantallow Area Partnership, Thornhill College and our parish priest Father Colum Clerkin for all their support and encouragement.” The launch of Culmore Cú Chulainns is in conjunction with Derry City and Strabane District Council's opening of Culmore Country Park Park on Saturday.  The club will have a stand and members will be available for any queries from 1pm to 5pm.