Sport

Sport in Kilglass N.S

Kilglass offers a huge array of sporting activities to all children. We seek to assist the children in our school to achieve their potential through the opportunities they receive to participate in activities drawn from the strands of the P.E. curriculum. We also seek to encourage children to lead active healthy lives by encouraging physical activity throughout the school.

Hurling & Camogie

Hurling and Camogie have the longest tradition in Kilglass with many wonderful success stories. The school participates every year in the Cumman na mBunscol competitions. The school’s most recent successes in these competitions were in 2018/19 when the girls won their 5 a side camogie final and in 2017/18 when the boys won their 9 a side hurling final having competed in the final for the third year running. Mr Glynn trains the boys and Ms Tully trains the girls in the senior room. We are also fortunate to have Brain Hanley train the younger children. A very proud day for our school was when we got to welcome back past pupils and Galway hurlers, Padraic and Cathal Mannion with the Liam McCarty Cup. This was a very memorial day for all the school community.

Gaelic Football & Handball

We also have a boys and girls football team in Kilglass and in recent years, handball has become a very popular sport in our school. The children participate in the Cumman na mBunscol competitions in both sports and always do our school very proud. Seamus Cooke takes classes first to third for football training while Mr Kane and Ms Mullins train the senior room. At the end of every school year, Ms Mullins organises a handball competition for the senior room. This is always so enjoyable for the entire school.

Soccer

Soccer is another hugely popular sport in Kilglass. The boys and girls in the senior room compete in the FAI 5 a side school’s tournament and the Colaiste an Chreagáin 7 a side tournament. Our school was crowned victorious in 2018/19 after a nail biting final which ended in penalties! Mr Kane organises a school competition for all the classes and the children play during lunch time. Again, this is always great fun for all the children.

Swimming & Gymnastics

Swimming and gymnastics are also part of the sporting calendar in Kilglass. First to Sixth class children go swimming every Monday during the first term in Coral Leisure, Ballinasloe. Gymnastics is taught by a specialist teacher during the final school term in our local community centre in Caltra. The school spends six Thursday mornings during the final term in the community centre playing lots of different team games, such as rounders, basketball, relays and soccer. The children always look forward to this time of year and it is a great day for everyone involved.

Sports Day

Finally, our sports day! This day is definitely one of the highlights of the year for all the children. The children participate in many different activities individually and in groups. They always participate in the traditional egg and spoon race, three-legged race, sack race and wheel borrow race. Bouncing castles and ice cream are also mandatory on the day! By the time home time comes, everyone goes home exhausted but most importantly, with lots of happy memories!

It is clear that sport plays an important part of our school days. Not only is sport hugely enjoyable for all the children but it teaches valuable lessons such as teamwork, commitment, winning and losing and helps the children to develop respect for oneself and one’s opponent. We hope it stays this way for many years to come!