Limerick's Valerie and Ciara make history on camogie team for Salesian Agricultural College
HISTORY was made when Limerick's Valerie Shanahan and Ciara Boyce became the first camogie players to represent Salesian Agricultural College in its 103 year history.
Valerie, from Killeedy, and Ciara, of Charleville, joined with ladies from Gurteen and Kildalton Colleges to play in a thrilling match. Valerie plays with Killeedy Camogie club, while Ciara lines out for Ballyagran Camogie Club.
Traditionally, the six agricultural colleges in Ireland compete against each other in hurling and Gaelic football. John Flannery, assistant principal of Salesian Agricultural College, said they have also held a seven-a-side competition in ladies football in recent years, which proved very successful and is growing in strength.
“At the start of the college year in September, Ciara asked me if there was any camogie competition. At the time there had never been a camogie competition between the colleges. I chatted with a colleague of mine in Teagasc Kildalton Agricultural College in Kilkenny. We explored the idea, mentioned it to our colleague in Gurteen college in Tipperary and a new chapter in agricultural colleges GAA began.
“And so on Wednesday, October 25, in Toomevara GAA club, a fantastic game of camogie took place between Teagasc Kildalton and a combination of players from Gurteen college and Salesian Agricultural College, Pallaskenry,” said Mr Flannery.
The camogie team also reflects the rise in women studying agricultural courses.
“Over the last number of years we have seen a steady increase in the number of ladies studying on our full-time courses in agriculture. In this year’s Level 5 Certificate in Agriculture class, 14% of the students are female. This compares with 10% in last year’s class and 9% in 2021,” said Mr Flannery, who adds that they are delighted to see this growing trend of more and more women attending agricultural colleges.
“There are so many opportunities for graduates of agriculture nowadays. Some of our students will farm commercially on their home family farm. Others will become farm managers or work in the wider agricultural industry and the option is there to progress on to further study in the technological universities,” said Mr Flannery.
The aim now for Pallaskenry Agricultural College is to field full ladies football and camogie teams in the next couple of years.
“Valerie and Ciara have literally got the ball rolling on this!” he said.