Children with no club affiliation being left out of Cumann na MBunScoil events

heavydawson · 10-10-2024 9:41am #1

A number of students in my sons primary school are being left out of CNMB activities in the school as the students are not members of any GAA club.
The school principal has said that because they are not members of a club, they're not allowed to partake in CNMB activities for the school. This is a decision/rule that the principal themselves has introduced (and which they have said is at their discretion).

This seems to me to be totally contrary to the stated aim of CNMB.
Surely the principal should be advocating for all children to be involved regardless of any existing participation in GAA outside the school?

The result of this is that only the group of the children who are affiliated with a club are heading to what's being called a "Fun Day" while those not affiliated with the club are being left behind in school. This is the second such CNMB event where this has happened.
The local GAA club were asked if they were aware of any such rules, and said they were not, and were "disgusted" when they heard of it.

Anyone seen anything like this before? It's actually got to the situation where one member of one family was allowed to play and another child in the same family were told they couldn't because the first child was a member of the local GAA club, and the other had decided they didn't want to play GAA this year (but they wanted to play in the CNMB event). The second child is now very upset they can't play.

There was no advance notice sent at the start of the school year to say:

That the event was taking place (notice of other sporting events was sent)
That GAA club affiliation would be required if the child wanted to play

It all seems very underhanded to me, and in my opinion is this "rule" is being put in place to give the school team the best chance of winning. I've reached out to my local provincial CNMB committee to get their take, but curious to know if anyone has ever seen this sort of thing before.

keeponhurling · 10-10-2024 10:16am

Well indeed. Isn't the whole point of it to reach out to kids who might not yet be club members?

Dr Karl · 10-10-2024 10:35am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058373644/children-with-no-club-affiliation-being-left-out-of-cumann-na-mbunscoil-events

Contact the board of management of the school and if you are still not happy then contact the Childern's Ombudsman

https://www.oco.ie/complaints/

If you are on X/Twitter highlight it there by tagging the sponsor which is Allianz and sports journalist like Des Cahill and Joe Molloy you could also include the education correspondences of various media outlets.

And/or go on a radio show like Lunchtime Live on Newstalk lunchtimelive@newstalk.com (a less chaotic version of Liveline).

You could also refer the principal to the Teaching Council if you want to cause him a bit of hassle

https://www.teachingcouncil.ie/

Tombo2001 · 10-10-2024 10:41am

This a school rule - you need to take it up with the principal.

I dont personally see this as being some huge injustice.

You say the principal would like to see the school team perform well, as if that is some sort of crime, you've used the word 'underhanded'.

There is a numbers issue here, which you havent addressed - CMB is for 6th class and to a lesser extent 5th class. If the school has 80 kids in 6th class, they cant give every single child a run out in a 15 person game. The most they can really accomodate in the group is 20 or 25. Any more than this, it would just makes a mess of the whole thing if you were are constantly subbing on and off players, in the name of 'inclusion'. If you ever volunteered to coach an underage team you would know this.

So they have to find a way of picking which 25; and for my money - if we are going to talk about whats fair and whats not fair, it would be far far more unfair to include a child who doesnt play the game over a child who does play the game.

Tombo2001 · 10-10-2024 10:42am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122703688#Comment_122703688

Jaysus - are you serious - you think go on Joe Duffy, and shame the school principal… over something like this?

At a time when schools cant get teachers, when they are constantly struggling for staff - -and this person volunteers their time to coach a gaa team after school….and you want to hammer them for it.

Christ on a bike. Outrage culture gone mad.

heavydawson · 10-10-2024 11:05am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122703700#Comment_122703700

The school is a very small country school, with each teacher responsible for more than one year. There's less than 60 children in the school total. The kids being excluded are in 4th class, and because they're excluded, they're letting children from some of the smaller classes (3rd) play.

So even though they barely have the numbers to field a team, they're finding ways to exclude children from the older classes.

I take your point on the bigger schools, but it's not applicable here.

On your point about the school wanting to do well, my understanding is that CNMB is there to promote the game and get kids playing regardless of club affiliation or ability. Of course it's not a crime to want the school to do well, but do you think it's right that the majority of the class gets to go play and there's a single child left in the school, because the the school wants to field the "best" team?

I used the word underhanded because it was not communicated anywhere ahead of time that club affiliation was a requirement. It would have been very easy to let parents know at the start of the school year (which they did for other events, but not this). That rule isn't written down anywhere (email/school policy) that parents can see it.

crusd · 10-10-2024 11:10am

Is it possible this is an insurance issue. Only members of GAA/ LGFA /Camogie association are covered for accidents occurring on GAA grounds so any kids not members would not be covered and therefore school would be liable. Maybe when getting insurance the principal unticked the participation in sporting activities off school grounds option.

heavydawson · 10-10-2024 11:10am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122703688#Comment_122703688

I'll see what CNMB have to say first. I've reached out to them to see how they feel about it. I also just wanted to see how people on here felt about too. These things are never cut and dry, and it's always interesting to get a few different takes on it.

allybhoy · 10-10-2024 11:13am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122703801#Comment_122703801

Sorry to ask the obvious, but if the child has an interest in GAA why are they not a member of their local GAA and playing regularly?

heavydawson · 10-10-2024 11:19am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122703823#Comment_122703823

It might be, however, the kids excluded from this CNMB event did play a school blitz in an away event a few weeks back, so I'm pretty sure (but not certain) insurance isn't the issue. In addition the same kids all took part in a schools cross-country event in an athletics club venue a few weeks ago also. No issues with anyone not being able to go then either.

Uncle Pierre · 10-10-2024 11:23am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122703700#Comment_122703700

Replying to Tombo2001, but addressed to @heavydawson - This is probably the best answer here, and it aligns with my own way of thinking on it.

There's no Cumann na mBunscoil rule that says players must be members of a GAA club. But a school does need a means of deciding who or how many they bring to Cumann na mBunscoil events.

If 40 boys put up their hands to say "I'd like to go to that", but the school only has one team entered, you can't bring all 40 when only 13 or 15 get to play at a time (it's 13-a-side here in Wexford. Am not sure about other counties).

So, the school needs a means to decide which of them to bring. Prioritising the ones who are interested enough to actually play football and/or hurling in the rest of the year, over the ones who very often are just looking for a few hours off school, doesn't seem unreasonable to me.

You may say I'm overly sceptical here, but to me, this would apply in particular to the example you mention, where one child in a family was allowed to play but another one wasn't. This second child wasn't interested enough to go play football/hurling all year long, but suddenly rediscovered an interest when there was a chance of a school trip? Ho hum.

If the school does have numbers to support two teams, such that nobody would have to miss out, you could ask them to consider entering two teams in future events. Obviously, that would require a doubling of the number of coaches/mentors/general looker-afters. Would you be willing to get involved yourself?

crusd · 10-10-2024 11:24am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122703868#Comment_122703868

The other question is is the principle involved in the local club? Therefore trying to drive up membership

MacDanger · 10-10-2024 11:31am

Have you asked the principal why they are doing this? Seems like the best starting point IMO

After that, it's up to the board of management and / or parents association to put pressure on the principal to change this decision

Uncle Pierre · 10-10-2024 11:36am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122703801#Comment_122703801

Hadn't seen this post before I started writing the one above. It changes things.

In a case like this, if the school has to go all the way down to Third Class and possibly even Second Class to gather sufficient numbers, I think it's the wrong call. The older children who are being left out should be prioritised over the younger ones, even if they're not members of a club.

Insurance is not a factor here. The general GAA insurance would be indemnified for all official Cumann na mBunscoil activity.

heavydawson · 10-10-2024 11:39am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122703835#Comment_122703835

No need to be sorry at all! It's a fair question. He was a member and I was helping with the coaching when he was younger and went to a few Cul Camps, but they weren't champing at the bit to keep playing with the club. He does take part in the school blitzes and generally doesn't want to miss out on anything the class is doing, which is more the bigger issue. He trains with the same kids in school, but he's not allowed to participate in the CNMB activities

lawred2 · 10-10-2024 11:46am

Urm.. why exactly are they unaffiliated? Surely if a parent is upset at their kids not playing with a school team then it stands to reason that they would also have been eager to see them playing with a club.

These days, kids can have upwards of over six years playing experience at club level by the time CNMB games happen in 5th class. Seems fairly reasonable to presume that kids still not involved with the GAA by 5th class are not involved for specific reasons.

heavydawson · 10-10-2024 11:48am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122703944#Comment_122703944

No problem at all. And thanks for coming back on the point. I understand there's a lot of different views on the subject, and particularly given the volunteer nature of coaching in the schools, the wrong tack is to be quick to demonize people IMHO.

I completely agree with yourself and @Tombo2001 for the big school case. It's tough, but fair.

I just feel for a small country school they're taking the wrong approach, and a handful of kids are being excluded for no good reason. Imagine being in 4th class and seeing kids in the class below you being picked to play ahead of you. I don't know how anyone could objectively not see that knocking a childs confidence.

heavydawson · 10-10-2024 11:50am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122703987#Comment_122703987

I answered this around the time you posted so you probably didn't see it:

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122703987/#Comment_122703987

heavydawson · 10-10-2024 11:51am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122703915#Comment_122703915

I haven't myself, but another parent has, and they were told it's entirely at their discretion, that they don't need to justify it, and they were given no reason why it was introduced.

heavydawson · 10-10-2024 11:53am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122703897#Comment_122703897

No they're not directly involved. They're from a different county. The coach who volunteers to help is involved with the local club at underage level, but the rule is coming from the school, not the coach

celt262 · 10-10-2024 12:01pm

The local school did near the opposite last year it was strictly 5th and 6th class and lads who didn't play with the club were dragged along to make up numbers even though they had no interest. (They were glad to get out of school for the few hours). They would have been much stronger if they brought the good lads from 4th class but the principal wasn't on for that.

heavydawson · 10-10-2024 12:02pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122703613#Comment_122703613

That was my understanding of it!

heavydawson · 10-10-2024 12:04pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122704050#Comment_122704050

That's the way it should work as I understand it.

Uncle Pierre · 10-10-2024 12:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122704050#Comment_122704050

Something similar happening in my own place this year, where the school's team is also confined to 5th and 6th Class.

There are enough club players there to field a team and have a few subs all right, but the teachers over the team have also been bringing eight or ten others, who don't play football at all (it's football at this time of year - hurling will be in the New Year), and have been giving them all a run in matches.

Of the three group games played, we lost two where we were well ahead with a selection that would approximate the club team, but where we were overturned when these other lads were brought on. The third game was against a particularly strong side where we would have been beaten anyway.

As a result of losing all three, we're now in Roinn 3 for the knock-out stages, instead of the Roinn 1 where we'd have been if we'd won those two matches, or the Roinn 2 where we'd have been if we'd won even one of them.

But there's always a bright side….at least we won't have to play that particularly strong team again!

keeponhurling · 10-10-2024 12:21pm

Does the school even have a way to check which kids are (paid-up) members of GAA clubs or not ?

heavydawson · 10-10-2024 12:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122704131#Comment_122704131

Not a system they can use that I'm aware of. I presume they just asked the kids in class (They definitely didn't ask the parents or send out a questionnaire of any sort). The coach would likely know off the top of his head which kids are turning up for training at the local club, but he wouldn't know if other kids were playing for a different club necessarily (or were registered, but not playing regularly)

HurlingBoy · 10-10-2024 2:12pm

I'd imagine the school principle is well aware of what children are playing with the local club and those that are not but his rule is ensure that the school has the best chance of doing well in the competition. If there was a child in 5th or 6th class that wasn't playing with a GAA club but was a very good player I'm sure the rule would be different. It's just a way of reducing the number of weaker players that would have to get a run. A good player from 4th class is going to be alot better than a weaker player from 6th class. Any well run club in a rural area will have done everything to get as many as possible kids playing with the local club so I'd imagine those that are not playing have no interest and are not being encouraged by the parents. I can see both sides of the argument hear. Kids when they get to 5th/6th class age want to win and understand winning and losing. When they get hammered because the coach has to give every child a run they get discouraged and do not enjoy the game so it a catch 22 situation for teachers and coaches. With social media now all schools achievements are being promoted to the hilt the principle has responsibility to give the school the best chance of winning.

Uncle Pierre · 10-10-2024 2:43pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122704614#Comment_122704614

It's a constant "whatever you do, you're wrong" situation when you first get to competitive matches around U12 or U13 level. I speak as one who's been involved several times with teams at those age levels.

Kids up to that age, and their parents, are used to Go Games where everybody gets to take part to at least some degree. But then you get to competitions, where there has to be at least some emphasis on winning matches as well, rather than emphasising the score doesn't matter. It's a difficult line to walk.

I think what's relevant in this particular case is that OP refers to how this is in relation to a "Fun Day", which I'm taking to mean just some sort of a blitz rather than the actual competition. Personally, in a school with such small numbers, I'd bring everyone to something like that all right, and let them all play at some stage.

For actual competition though, I'd probably take a different tack. I'd pick what I'd consider to be my strongest starting team. I'd still bring others who don't play regularly, but it would be the understanding that they might get a run depending on how the game is going, not that they definitely will.

Goldengirl · 10-10-2024 3:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122703987#Comment_122703987

Why should they have to be enrolled with a club outside of school to participate in what is essentially a school event ( or is meant to be ) .

We had a similarish situation when one of ours who was enrolled with one particular GAA club was excluded because he wasn't involved with the preferred GAA club of the teacher organizing teams for the school . It caused him and us a lot of upset but when we made representations our son was ' included ' but benched for the first few matches , until the teacher copped on .( Think the fact that our son was a good player and pressure from others who knew this changed his mind !)

It is meant to be inclusive school activity promoting GAA and team spirit , not enrolment in clubs .

There are many reasons why children can not enrol in a club but play successfully and happily with a school team . Sounds like the school just can't be bothered training up . This is laziness at the very least and a disappointingly poor attempt at promoting inclusion in our native sports on the part of the school and I agree with the op that it should be called out . It literally goes against what the programmer is about .

Talk to the principal and if no move then go to the board , if you feel very strongly about it .

I would be careful that your child is not upset by this though . Sometimes children accept unfairness and move on once they know their parents agree with them and support them .

The world can be an unfair place and this might be the first bit of adversity that they have come up against so how you show them you handle / or accept it is an important learning situation for them .

heavydawson · 10-10-2024 3:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122704752#Comment_122704752

Well that's the strange thing. From what I've heard today this seems to have been an under-11 competition, and so I'm starting to think it's actually a Go Games event rather than a CNMB event. Most of 5th and 6th class weren't playing (and there are lads in those classes who are club-affiliated). Not trying to lead ye down a garden path here, but again, parents of non-club-affiliated kids weren't told much (if anything) about the event. I heard there were another two kids in 3rd class who couldn't go because they're not attached to a club.

If that is the case, and it was a Go Games event, surely there'd be pretty much no excuse for excluding anyone?

I take your point on competition at the higher classes though. And I agree that even if they're not playing the full game, kids should be brought to feel part of it (even if just for support)

I'll try and find out some more about what the exact event was.

heavydawson · 10-10-2024 3:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122704614#Comment_122704614

Yeah I see the competitive angle, but it looks like it might have been a Go Games event, not a CNMB event, and under-11s only (see my previous post). I'd definitely take issue with the principal having a responsibility to give the school the best chance of winning. Most of the social media posts on most primary schools are about what the school is up to, and only one school can win! Isn't it enough for them to be posting about the boys taking part in competition/blitz X and wishing them the best of luck?

heavydawson · 10-10-2024 4:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122704929#Comment_122704929

So the school has trainers coming in during the week, and my son trains with the rest of the lads. He mightn't be the greatest player in the world, but he keeps putting himself out there, and he played in the blitz a few weeks ago as I mentioned.

My son isn't too bothered by it (or at least he doesn't let on that he is). He's a fairly level headed young fella (I might be biased!), but it's just one of those things where the grown-ups in the room are meant to be looking out for the kids, getting them engaged, and encouraging them, and then you come up against this arbitrary rule-that's-not-written-anywhere nonsense. Ironically it's the type of stuff you'd see on a playground from children of this age, not from the adults meant to be educating them.

He'll be fine but I think at the very least, the parents should be given an explanation for the only-club-affiliated kids rule. I've already told him I think it's a load of nonsense, so he knows I'm on his side, and he doesn't blame himself.

csirl · 10-10-2024 4:22pm

In most schools/sports, kids do not need to be a member of a local club to represent the school in any sport. Many kids only play for the school team in many sports - often these are the best athletes who are maybe doing a couple of other sports outside school and simply dont have the time to play club.

Even if a school is determined to send their strongest team, surely they will allow all their kids try out for the team regardless of outside affiliation? One of my kids, who doesnt play outside school, starts ahead of a local club player who plays the same position. Why? He was better in school training sessions.

Incidently, in my youth a long time ago, my school was big into GAA and banned school players from playing club GAA as it believed it negatively impacted on the school team - this was common in Christian Brothers schools in that era.

HurlingBoy · 10-10-2024 4:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122704752#Comment_122704752

Agree that it can be very difficult for coaches and that transition from Go Games to Competitive games is probably one of the worst ages to be a coach. On one hand you are caught with trying to give every child game time and keeping parents happy and the other hand trying to keep the strong kids interested. Even when scores aren't being kept in go games\blitzes kids at that age know the score. Unfortunately it is a competitive world we live in and all kids can't be equal.

HurlingBoy · 10-10-2024 5:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122704988#Comment_122704988

Believe me if the school wins the competition you'll hear about it on social media. If you see that that they took part they didn't win. It has become a huge advertising strategy for schools to maintain their numbers and get government funding etc. It's getting more like secondary schools where primary schools are known for rugby, GAA etc. CNMB are generally competitive games

GAAcailin · 10-10-2024 5:32pm

You would need the wisdom of Solomon to be 'fair' in this context.

I find it strange that this school would allow a second class child to play CNBS/Go Games, they could be 4 years younger than some of their teammates; in GAA /LGFA kids are only allowed to 'play up' by 2 years as their bodies are smaller and less developed and there is a risk of injury.

In our school any/all 6th class are allowed to play CNBS and where a few extra are required 5th class do trials and a few are selected. For GoGames any 5th can play (except if they have been selected for CNBS) and if a few extra are required names of 4th class kids are selected from a hat (from those that want to participate). The OP setup is odd as you could have a very good soccer/rugby player that doesn't do GAA and a poor GAA player - doesn't make sense. Over the years in our school I have seen many soccer (especially) players being able to turn their hand to Gaelic.

Hurling tends to be a bit different as kids don't tend to put them forward for selection unless they play, there is an element of 'peer pressure' especially with the hurling in our school as those who literally can't pick up a hurl would not want to represent the school etc.

Other schools in our area do trials and select the best from 4th/5th/6th - they would tend to do better than our school. There are divisions in the games and schools do get moved up and down from year to year.

Its one of these things that was supposed to be originally a bit of inclusive fun and has grown arms and legs…

heavydawson · 10-10-2024 5:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122705168#Comment_122705168

I could see where that's true for town schools and kids might have a choice of schools, but for a relatively small country school where all the kids are from the parish…. I wonder how much advertising they need. There's a natural catchment area I would have thought…

Goldengirl · 10-10-2024 6:55pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122705033#Comment_122705033

All you can do really I think.

I know that's hard on him and ye but as long as he knows you guys think he's great he'll survive .

When the tribalism and competitive nature of sport and some adults gets mixed up with school and education it is inevitable that the less sporty kids bear the burnt .

It should be made clear to all that it is for FUN and to promote engagement not the opposite .

Jeez they even run ads on the telly about it !😐

Uncle Pierre · 10-10-2024 9:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122704988#Comment_122704988

If this was a Go Games event rather than a Cumann na mBunscoil event, then that's a very significant difference.

Go Games are club activity, and in order to take part, you must be a registered member of that club.

Sounds like there might be blurred lines here between the two, which is probably understandable, considering they would involve largely the same group of children from the same school and during school term time.

heavydawson · 10-10-2024 10:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122706274#Comment_122706274

Yeah, I was doing some digging since I figured it's more than likely Go Games (even though the Principal keeps saying they're CNMB games despite everyone having to be under-11 and club-affiliated kids from 5th and 6th class not being allowed to play if they were too old)

So there's the main Primary schools page:

https://www.gaa.ie/my-gaa/getting-involved/primary-schools

This outlines the 3 stages of development in primary schools:

Nursery
Go Games (Up to and including 11 years old)
CNMB (5th and 6th classes, P6/P7). These competitive leagues are organised on a match or blitz basis.

The Go Games have their own page here:

https://www.gaa.ie/my-gaa/getting-involved/go-games

On that page, it says kids up to and including 12 are allowed, so small discrepancy between the schools page and the main Go Games page. On that page:

For too long the practice in sport has been to identify and cultivate talented players and elite teams at younger and younger ages. There is a tendency to nurture the perceived best and neglect the rest.
This has contributed to adult training and playing conditions being imposed on young players. Training and competition are geared for outcome and not for the process of development. For children’s games, coaches must reassess the balance between the need to win games and cups versus the need to develop players and recognise the importance of fair play; i.e., provide full participation within an environment where participants are encouraged to achieve their full potential.

While Go Games are primarily designed for the clubs, the schools can use the format, and I can't see anything that mandates children in the school to be a member of any club. I'm going to ask for clarity on this from the GAA.

I beginning to suspect this was actually a Go Games event sold as a CNMB event by the Principal so that selectivity could be applied (for CNMB competition reasons) in order to do better in the Go Games event. Just a hunch, nothing definite, but none of this is adding up.
It seems there are U11 and U13 games that aren't strictly tied to 5th/6th class, so happy to correct the above

beggars_bush · 10-10-2024 10:51pm

Any school event is covered by school insurance, not gaa

You don't need to be a member of any gaa club to play school CNMB sports.

CNMB sports in my experience are exclusionary and only cater for the few good players.

That competition is probably the INTO mini sevens competition, which is another joke of a competition

beggars_bush · 10-10-2024 10:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122705311#Comment_122705311

Not every family are gaa heads though. Increasingly in rural Ireland that is the case

beggars_bush · 10-10-2024 10:55pm

The bonkers thing is that in 2024, primary school sports are generally organized on a parish v parish basis.

Eg two small schools cannot join together to form a team unless they are from the same parish. Look it up - it's actually a rule

Uncle Pierre · 11-10-2024 12:22am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122706522#Comment_122706522

Have to admit the lines are somewhat blurred on this now for me too!

That Go Games page - https://www.gaa.ie/my-gaa/getting-involved/go-games - says 'Go Games may be organised by a Club or Primary School on an internal (i.e. single unit) or external (i.e. multiple unit) basis.'

Have to admit this is news to me, as I've never heard of schools around here organising Go Games between themselves. All school games are as part of the Cumann na mBunscoil competitions (incidentally, it's called the Rackard League here in Wexford, as it was founded by Nickey Rackard himself back in the 1950s and pre-dates the national Cumann na mBunscoil movement).

So, if this was a Go Games event being organised for schools rather than for clubs, we're back to a situation where a child wouldn't have to be a registered member of a club after all.

By the way, the discrepancy in ages is down to differences in rules across the different Associations. In the GAA, the Go Games model applies up to U11, and after that, matches can be run on a league basis, with scores & tables published etc. In the Camogie Association and the LGFA, the Go Games model applies up to U12. That general Go Games page on the GAA website tries to be a "catch-all", without making the distinction clear.

Uncle Pierre · 11-10-2024 12:25am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122706552#Comment_122706552

That's not actually true - or not across the board, anyway.

Here in Wexford, there are two instances in the Primary Schools competitions this year where two smaller schools, from different parishes and therefore serving different clubs, have joined together to field one team between them.

Might be true elsewhere if the Cumann na mBunscoil organisations in those counties have bye-laws on the matter, but there's no over-arching rule to prevent it happening anywhere.

heavydawson · 11-10-2024 5:59am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122706747#Comment_122706747

When you say all school games, does that include games between the underage groups from say u7 up to u11? And because they're run as CNMB games, are scores kept? Wins declared etc? ( Things that go games wouldn't allow for)

I'm after looking to see if my own county has a similar situation to the Rackard league, and they do have competitions at the U11 and U13 age groups for primary schools it seems. So even though the GAA are saying it's 5th and 6th only for CNMB, that doesn't really appear to be the case at all.

GAAcailin · 11-10-2024 7:33am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122706522#Comment_122706522

Quite simple to find out what your school is competing in; look up the cumann na mBunscoil website. All fixtures/results are posted here for both GoGames & CNmS

No rule in our school that kids have to be part of a GAA club to participate in GoGames; have seen some soccer / rugby players turning their hands to Gaelic and doing well and enjoying it.

Uncle Pierre · 11-10-2024 9:04am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122706867#Comment_122706867

What I mean is that there are no centrally-organised games between schools outside of the competitions themselves. The competitions generally involve children from 5th & 6th Class, and I suppose equate to U13 at club level.

i.e., no "official" Primary Schools Go Games programme for younger pupils. Suppose it's possible that some schools may organise them between themselves. But over the good few years that I've been involved with club teams around that age group, and been involved in the club/school link, our own school has never organised Go Games for U11s or younger, and has never been invited by another school to play against them that way either.

Uncle Pierre · 11-10-2024 9:07am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122706914#Comment_122706914

May not be so simple. Not every county has a well-maintained and up-to-date Cumann na mBunscoil website.

heavydawson · 11-10-2024 9:11am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122706914#Comment_122706914

Doesn't look like they're posted in the main CNMB site (that I could see), but each county has their own CNMB site, and there are fixtures on those. My own county doesn't seem to have any recent fixtures. The latest ones are from 2022.

Said I'd follow their (county CNMB Twitter account) to see if they posted any updates there, but lo and behold when I went to check it this morning, turns out I'd been blocked by whoever owns the account!
I didn't post anything to the account or reference them in any posts. I don't think I've disparaged the CNMB in any way here either. I have issues with the way the school are handling the matter, but that's not a fault of the CNMB.

Based on the latest information available for who's responsible for social media, it's the same PRO I reached out to to see what the CNMB thought of kids being excluded due to not being a club member. Never did hear back from him.

beggars_bush · 11-10-2024 11:42am

I stand by my earlier comment CNMB is all about winning and doesn't do enough to promote inclusion and participation.

Every school should be playing blitzes and not stand along cup games

Children with no club affiliation being left out of Cumann na MBunScoil events

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