Waterford GAA: New 'Club Twinning' Initiative

Trenchman

Hi folks. Be interested in getting peoples feedback on the below and find out if clubs have informal links with other clubs around the country in the hope we can formalise this idea a bit. Looking for five clubs to trial this.Thanks.

There is an exciting new pilot programme being launched in Waterford in the next few weeks and the GAA clubs of the county are being urged to get involved.

It’s known simply as ‘Cairde’ – the Irish for friends and it can be of huge benefit to any progressive GAA club that signs up for it.

What is Cairde?
The ‘Cairde’ initiative is a twinning programme with a difference. We’ve all heard of towns and villages from Ireland and abroad being twinned with each other and we have seen the huge benefits that such twinning programmes can have for an area. If only it could be done with clubs.

Well, now it can! The idea behind the initiative is that your GAA club invites another GAA club of your choosing from anywhere in the country to become twinned with your club. Upon acceptance of your offer, a permanent link is established between both clubs. So, for example, Clashmore/ Kinsalebeg GAA Club might invite Athenry GAA Club in Galway to be twinned with them, and upon Athenry agreeing to the invitation, the two clubs are then ‘twinned’ with each other.

What are the benefits to ‘Cairde’?
• A means of swapping ideas with regard to playing and coaching ie developing a dual club, juvenile structures, launching ladies football/camogie teams.
• Mutually beneficial coaching ie a club weaker at hurling might twin with a club with strong hurling structures to learn and develop their own teams.
• Team building trips for adults and juveniles.
• Clubs can showcase their facilities, local culture and tradition.
• The social aspect ie Social Initiative trips, weekends away for club members, hosting other clubs.
• Cheap and cost effective to run.
• Gathering information on fundraising, managing finances and improving your club structure.

What format does the programme take?
Getting involved is easy. Firstly, run the idea by your club committee and if they are in favour of it, contact the programme organisers. They will provide you with assistance in getting the project started. The next step is choosing the club you twin with. Find a club that would be a good fit with your own and one you feel you could learn from. If the club accepts your offer to be twinned, you can then go about deciding how your club can benefit most from the link.

The idea is being supported by the Waterford county board also by the GAA and it will reflect extremely well on any club that gets involved. The long-term aim is that if the initial part of it is successful that it would be rolled out to other counties next year. The idea won’t affect the day-to-day running of your club in any way and as the old saying goes your club will get out of it what you put into it. It will give participating clubs a great opportunity to learn how other clubs do things and it will give clubs a chance to showcase their strengths.

How does my club get involved?
The coordinator is Barry Dunne of Clashmore/Kinsalebeg GAA Club and he will answer any questions you may have. Feel free to ring Barry on 087-6953648 or by email on barrymdunne@gmail.com

flahavaj

I like the idea of clubs that are weak in opposite codes getting involved with each other, for example a Waterford club strong in hurling twinning with an Ulster club strong in football.

Best of luck with it.

nice_guy80

I've passed it onto someone in the county who would be interested.

especially twinning underage hurling clubs

Trenchman

Thanks guys. I hope it gets a bit of feedback. If your clubs are interested in getting involved, give me a bell/mail.