Chairman Stephen McCormack gave the following address at the recent AGM of Kiltale HC
Introduction Thank you all for attending our Annual General Meeting.
2024 was an exciting and eventful year for the club, particularly throughout the hurling season at both underage, Senior and Junior levels. We look forward to an even better 2025.
First and foremost, I want to extend my gratitude to all the mentors involved in our underage teams for yet another successful season. Special thanks to Johnny Donoghue and the Senior management team for securing the Senior League title, and to Ollie Ragan, Junior Manager, for winning the Division 4 League Championship. Both our Senior and Junior teams had strong seasons, reaching the quarterfinals and semi-finals respectively. Unfortunately, things didn’t go our way, but like any great team, we’ll pick ourselves up in 2025 and push forward, with the ultimate aim of reclaiming the Jubilee Cup, a title we are well familiar with winning in the past.
Underage Success
The Under-21 team had an incredible run in Division 1, with 20 players togging out for every game and training session when possible. Unfortunately, injuries impacted our semi-final, resulting in a loss to Trim, but the team truly enjoyed their time on the pitch and proved that Division 1 is where they belong.
The Minor team had an outstanding year, competing in three Division 2 finals, winning one, and narrowly losing the other two.
The Under-15 squad played in a highly competitive Division 1 League and Championship, beating Kilmessan in the Division 1 Shield Final. There’s certainly plenty of young talent to look forward to in the coming years.
U13s had great 2024 year,
With us being able to field 2 teams playing in Divisions 1,3 and 4 and getting good challenge matches outside the county. In a very strong Div 1 we were competitive having good wins against the likes of Ratoath and Navan o Mahony’s also then winning out the Div 3 and 4 league and championship.
Our most positive results were us growing our numbers in this age group.
A huge thank you to all mentors for their dedication to these teams. This is the age where GAA often sees a decline in numbers, but thanks to your efforts, we have kept our players engaged and thriving. To the parents, your commitment is also deeply appreciated.
All other underage groups continue to grow, enjoying Go Games and various activities throughout the hurling season.
Gormanstown Indoor Hurling Tournament 2025
Kiltale Hurling Club proudly participated in the Gormanstown Indoor Hurling Tournament, with over 90 young players (ages 7–11) showcasing their skills. The boys displayed exceptional ground striking, blocking, and teamwork. A standout achievement came from our U10 team, who were awarded the prestigious ‘Team of the Tournament’ title.
For the first time, Kiltale entered two U7 teams, demonstrating the club’s growing strength and the bright future ahead for our youngest players.
Special thanks to our dedicated mentors for their hard work in preparing the teams each week, as well as to the parents for their support in transporting the players to and from the tournament.
Looking Ahead to 2025
Best of luck to all players and management teams, from underage to Senior/Junior, for the upcoming season.
Club news, we are delighted to announce that McCormack Family Farms will be the new full-time sponsors of our Senior and Junior teams from 2025 onwards. We extend our deepest gratitude to Phil Rehill of Angle Edge Protection for their incredible 15 years of sponsorship. Your support has been invaluable, and we hope we have provided Angle Edge with the visibility it deserves. Thank you to the Rehill family for everything.
Club Developments & Community Involvement
· A warm welcome to Elaine Reilly, the new Chairperson of Kiltale Camogie Club. Elaine is one of our own, having played camogie for both Kiltale and Meath. I look forward to working closely with her to strengthen collaboration between our Hurling and Camogie teams, creating a bright future for all involved.
· Thank you to all sponsors—too many to mention individually—but we are incredibly fortunate for your continued support.
· A special thanks to our ground’s maintenance team—Seamus, Joe, Ger, Tom, and Aidan—for their dedication to keeping our pitches in top condition, along with our FÁS workers, Willie and David.
· Kiltale hosted numerous county games, All-Ireland finals, and various championship matches in 2024. A huge thank to Jake Dom Paddy Frank Martin and committee who assisted with gate collections, parking, and facility supervision. However, we need more
volunteers! If you can lend a hand a few times a year, please let me know, and I will add you to our WhatsApp group.
· PRO Damian, thank you for spreading the good word and keeping the club informed about games, activities, and news.
· Thanks to Tara Quinn for running the club shop and to all who assisted. We hope to open the shop more frequently, and any extra help would be greatly appreciated.
In Memoriam We extend our sincere condolences to the families of those who passed in 2024.
Nicola Quinn
Pat Husband
Micheal Garvey
Joe Clark
Willie & Damian Bennett
Jim Mc Nally
Eileen Travers and her Husband,
Matty Farrell
Ann Marion
May they all Rest in peace,
Fundraising & Astro Pitch Completion
After a year of planning, our new Astro pitch was completed in June—except for the lighting, which required additional funds. To avoid borrowing, the Hurling and Camogie clubs came together to organize a major fundraiser, aiming to raise €100,000. Thanks to a brilliant idea from mentor Paul Dunne—a draw to win of €500 week for 52 weeks in 2025—we exceeded expectations, selling €121,000 worth of tickets!
Congratulations to our lucky winner, Robbie Wall of Blanchardstown.
I must thank every family, player, mentor and local community involved in our great club for getting behind the ticket sales, also a big Thanks to Ann, Elaine, Denise, Orla, Damian and Jonathan for sitting two evenings week in a cold dressing room to collect all sold tickets for numerous weeks.
The Astro pitch will be a huge asset for all age groups year-round, and we plan to rent it out to other clubs to generate revenue. If you know of any clubs interested, please spread the word.
Upcoming Projects for 2025
1. Astro lighting – Project commenced last week and should be completed within 2–3 weeks.
2. Pitch 1 lighting upgrade – New LED lights will replace the old ones, expected to begin in May.
3. Pitch 2 maintenance – Sanding, aeration, and fertilization in April (Pitch 1 if funds allow). Kiltale Camogie is contributing €3,500—thank you!
4. New men’s toilets – Construction starting soon.
5. Club walkway refresh – Volunteers needed for a new layer of black dust.
6. Clubhouse window replacement – Thanks to a sponsorship deal with Doyle’s Windows, we’ll be upgrading all windows in Club house. Volunteers with building or widow experience will be needed for installation—please contact me or Paddy if you can help in away.
7. Green Club Initiative – Led by Regina (Rooney) Purcell, this project focuses on sustainability and biodiversity. Proposed ideas include:
o Leaving certain grass areas uncut until after flowering.
o Installing a water refill station for training and games.
o Providing a bike rack to encourage cycling to the club.
o Supporting Meath Camogie’s bottle recycling program.
o Implementing energy-saving measures.
o These are just a few ideas we will start with nut lots more to come,
Anyone interested in joining this initiative is encouraged to get involved.
Club Bar
The club bar is an essential part of our community, hosting events such as parties, quiz nights, and celebrations. Please consider booking it for any upcoming events. Thanks to Carmel and the team for their hard work.
For bookings
Contact Carmel 0863770763
Contact Stephen 0868303097
Acknowledgments & Final Words
A huge thanks to our Hurling Committee—Secretary Jonathon and Treasurer Orla—for their hard work. To the entire committee, your dedication is the backbone of this club, and we couldn’t function without you.
With over 40 meetings a year, we invest a great deal of personal time to ensure Kiltale Hurling & Camogie Clubs continue to grow and run as smoothly as possible. We always welcome new committee members—even if you can only help for major events or fundraisers, your ideas and support would be invaluable.
Thank you all for your continued support.
Stephen McCormack Club Chairman