DEVELOPING the next generation of Antrim hurlers and footballers has been the raison d'etre of the Gaelfast project and it has just been cranked up several notches with the launch of the Antrim Cup competitions.

On Wednesday at St Mary's University College, a packed hall attended the launch of an ambitious project that will be piloted for Year 8 and Year 10 school pupils throughout the county as they take part in a number of blitz days, leading to finals that will help prepare each school for the Ulster Colleges' competitions that will follow.

Whilst hurling and football will be catered for this year, the plan is to expand it to include camogie and ladies football from next year with the aim to improve the lot of not just Antrim colleges in provincial and national competition, but tap into a huge school population throughout the county to develop young talent who can go onto become the Saffrons' stars of the future.

Former county footballer and Antrim minor manager Paul McErlean was on MC duties, introducing St Mary's College principal, Professor Peter Finn; Antrim Director of Football and Head of PE at Rathmore Grammar, Gearoid Adams; Ulster Schools' treasurer, Sean McGourty; Antrim hurler, Neil McManus; Gaelfast's Games Development Manager (GDA), Alfie Hannaway; plus Antrim County Chairman, Ciaran McCavana who all addressed the crowd of coaches (including Antrim hurling manager Darren Gleeson), teachers and pupils present for the launch.

All praised the venture that is backed by the Saffron Business Forum - the county's fundraising arm - and stressed the importance of school sport that not just develops skills in any particular code, but also life skills, discipline, forges friendships and is a key to good physical and mental health.

"This is the start of a pilot project that will be rolled out throughout the four codes and we want to see it grow," said the Antrim Chairman.

"The collective family of Antrim GAA is in a good place and sometimes we forget that. We are very lucky to have the GAA and while we might sometimes complain as to the amount of time we put in, you always get more out in the GAA.

"It's our duty to pass that love of the GAA and all its benefits in not just sport, but in life, to the next generation, so we'd like to wish everyone the best and enjoy these competitions."

The idea for the Antrim Cup came through Gaelfast coaches with GDA Alfie Hannaway singling out Sean McKenna for special praise having helped revive the Belfast Cup competitions.

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The first games will take place next Wednesday (September 14) with the first of two 'super game' football blitz days and will see 22 schools take part, with a second day one week later.

Following on, schools will then be broken into their various tiers with a quarter-final/semi-final day on September 28 and the finals in cup and shield competitions completed on October 5/7.

After Christmas, it will be the turn of hurling with the first round set for Jan 18, moving through an identical pattern towards the finals on February 8.

In all, each school will get minimum seven games, with 45 played on each blitz day and over 400 in total between both codes and year groups, while there will also be a push to recruit 'young whistlers' to assist.

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At the culmination, there will be Allstar teams selected and in all, the hope is that the new Antrim Cup competitions will help drive the county forward with the development of young hurlers and footballers, while there are ambitions to expand the scheme next year.

There is method to the dates for each code selected with Ulster Colleges competitions to follow shortly after, while the early start in football is to tie in with the beginning of the new school term, helping the Year 8s especially forge a sense of identity with their new school and make friends through sport.

"When Gaelfast began, we did analysis and thought this was an opportunity to support our schools," explained Gaelfast's Games Development Manager (GDA).

"We didn't want to just straight into a programme when it began as he had to see if there was a need for it. Then the pandemic hit, so it's been on the back burner since.

"I came in as the GDM in January and when we sat down with staff, we decided it was the right time to go for it.

"We spoke to the schools, the principals, sponsors and Ulster Colleges to see if there was a gap within the calendar and there was.

"We started off with 12 schools registered and now we're up to 22 from all over Antrim and we actually have a waiting list because some signed up late. This will allow for schools with all abilities to take part in competitions as once they play the 'super games', they will be tiered and break into groups of 'super games' against teams of their own developmental level."

Members of the Saffron Business Forum with Antrim Chairman Ciaran McCavana
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Members of the Saffron Business Forum with Antrim Chairman Ciaran McCavana

One must go back to 1986 for the last time an Antrim School claimed the MacRory Cup when St Mary's CBGS reached the pinnacle of Ulster Colleges' football and whilst there have been Antrim-born players to have won the competitions with schools from outside of the county, the lack of success and indeed, participation in the competition is a major factor in the county's inability to consistently compete at the top level.

Similarly, whilst Antrim schools may have dominated hurling's Mageean Cup, failing to compete at Croke Cup (All-Ireland 'A') level hampers development for young players who are then exposed to players who are operating at a different level from minor onwards at inter-county level.

Therefore, the hope is the development of the Antrim Cup can help develop more talent within the county by expanding the playing pool and providing a gateway into development squads, whilst also preparing Antrim schools for Ulster competition.

"Due to the relationship with Ulster Colleges, our competitions will be times to dovetail into theirs," Hannaway confirmed.

"So, we'll have ours and then two or three weeks later they will go into the Ulster competitions, meaning our schools will have been out and played three blitzes before they go into Ulster.

"They will train with their schools that will be supported by our staff. Ideally, we'd love more coaches onboard but at this moment in time, we've eight coaches and two placement students, plus two GDM's (Games Development Managers) going out into the schools."

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Gaelfast's objective is not just the development of players, but coaches who are capable of delivering to a high level.

There has been a noticeable drop-off in schools over the years, especially in Belfast, but there are signs that is changing thanks to the work put in by teachers with a passion for the national games.

Of course, they have many demands in the classroom, so the role of Gaelfast is to assist and help encourage more to get involved, up-skilling and helping young people enjoy fully rounded education that improves physical and mental wellbeing, developing vital life skills of team-work, resilience, discipline and ambition.

"Our clubs are functioning to a high level and the academy squads the same," Hannaway continued.

"The pressure is on our teachers in the schools to help that, so we are going to go in and support them.

"A lot of the coaches within schools are all voluntary who do it for the love of the GAA, so it's great to be able to help and we provide coaching education for all of our teachers so they will be up-skilled and be able to provide better programmes and coaching within the school.

"It will help us (Antrim) take the next step, but there are so many steps to take. The schools is one step, but we also need our clubs functioning, academy squads functioning and everything in-between, so with Gaelfast we are able to do that."