Mini - Sevens Report 2003

“Thank you for a lovely day on Sunday, the memory will live with us all forever”.

“ I couldn’t choose a favourite moment, it was all great”.

“She was thrilled with the new gear etc. but more importantly the way in which ye made them feel very special”.

“I can honestly say that it was the best day I ever had in my life”.

“ The whole day was extremely well organised. The Mini Seven’s is a fantastic concept to showcase the hurling & football skills of our juvenile players and great credit is due to yourself, the G.A.A., Cumann na mBunscol and all the schools & teachers involved”.

I felt so happy to be playing in Croke Park.”

“It was a great experience for me to play in Croke Park. The first of many I hope!”.

“ The part I most enjoyed was when I went out with the band…….”

“ We are quite happy to criticise great organisations when they get things wrong but it has to be said that when they get it right it is wonderful and this time it was great.  Well done G.A.A & I.N.T.O”.

The above quotes are taken from cards, letters & e-mails which I received from children and their parents after the children’s participation in the 2003 G.A.A./I.N.T.O Mini Sevens.  These quotes sum up very well what it means for families to be part of the great occasions in Croke Park.  The G.A.A as an organisation can be very proud of providing such a wonderful opportunity for our young boys & girls.

Once again this year 240 boys & girls got the opportunity to display their skills in Croke Park on the occasions of the All-Ireland Hurling & Football Semi-finals and finals.  All 32 counties were represented as usual and this factor remains the strength of the Mini-Sevens.  There are no strong or weak counties, all are represented.

The following tables show the number of schools that took part in each discipline throughout the 32 counties.  I would like to thank the host counties who organised the Regional festivals.  They were, as usual, well organised and very skilful players were selected in all disciplines.  

Everybody concerned was very appreciative of the attendance of Uachtarán C.L.G.  Mr. Seán Kelly in Clonliffe College on the mornings of the All-Ireland finals and of the considerable amount of time he spent with us, taking photographs and chatting with the participants.  We thank him for that and also for his encouraging words on those occasions. 

The I.N.T.O was represented on five of the six Sundays by it’s President, Mr. Seán Rowley.  Each Sunday, he emphasised the organisations commitment to the series and he was very appreciative of the work being done for Gaelic games by Primary school teachers throughout the country.  I would like to thank Seán for his support each Sunday.

A word of thanks also to Mr. John Carr, General Secretary of the I.N.T.O who deputised on the one Sunday when Seán was unable to attend.  John’s commitment to the concept of the Mini-Sevens is well known and we thank him for all his help and assistance over the years.  Thanks also to Catherine Byrne of the I.N.T.O for her help throughout the year and to all involved with the In-Touch magazine.

For the fourth year running we had young people refereeing the mini games and this has proven to be an outstanding success.  The referees have come through the “Young Whistlers” scheme organised by Cumann na mBunscol, Átha Cliath.  We hope that the experience of refereeing in Croke Park will encourage these young people to continue refereeing in to the future and that it will give them a positive image of the role of the referee in our games.  The

“Young Whistlers” are now very much an accepted part of Mini-Sevens days in Croke Park.

Arís I mbliana ritheadh comórtas ar TG4 agus b’e an duais ná an buaitheoir a bheith mar maor ‘sna Mini-Sevens ag Cluiche Cheannais Peile ns hÉireann.  B’é  Conchubhair Ó Murchú ( Gaelscoil Cnoc an Liatháin, Baile Átha Cliath ) a bhuaigh i mbliana agus bhí an-lá ar fad aige i bPáirc an Chrócaigh.

The year 2003 was a very historic one for Tyrone and for it’s captain, Peter Canavan. Apart from lifting the Sam Maguire cup in the final however, the semi-final against Kerry was also historic because not only did Peter himself play on that day but his daughter, Áine lined out in the Mini-Sevens, wearing the number 2 Tyrone jersey.  Certainly a great day for the Canavan household.

Dhein Máire Ní Graham sár-obair arís I mbliana, mar atá déanta aici le blianta fada anuas agus táimid thar a bheith buíoch di.

Ba mhaith liom buíochas a gabháil don fhoireann ar fad I bPáirc an Chrócaigh a chabhraíonn linn I gcónaí agus go háirithe iad siúd a thugann tacaíocht dúinn gach Domhnach.

Táimid thar a bheith buíoch do Liam Ó Maolmhichíl de bharr an méid suime atá aige sa scéim I gcónaí.

Bíonn an-cóibriú againn ón Artane Boys Band. Is breá leis na páistí siúl amach taobh thiar den banna cheoil cháiliúil sin.  Mar a dúirt buachaill amháin – b’é sin an rud ba mhó a thaitin leis ar an lá.

Tá buíochas ar leith ag dul dos na múinteoirí ó Chumann na mBunscol, Átha Cliath a bhíonn ann gach Domhnach ag feachaint chuige go mbíonn gach rud in oiriúint dos na páistí.

Tá buíochas freisin ag dul do oifigigh Chumann na mBunscol, Coiste Náisiúnta go mór mór Malachy McGeeney,Jim O’Reilly agus Jerry Grogan.  Bhí sár obair Jerry le feiscint arís i mbliana tríd an méid Poiblíocht a fuaireamar don scéim ‘sna nuachtáin, irisleabhair agus ‘sna cláracha gach Domhnach.

Míle buíochas mar sin, do gach éinne a raibh baint acu leis na Mini-Sevens na bliana seo agus táimid ag súil le 2004 nuair a bheidh an seans iontach seo ar fáil arís do pháistí na tíre.

Timmy  Maher

 Number of Schools which took part in the INTO/GAA Mini-Sevens 2003

Condae         Peil                 Peil Na Ban              Iomáint          Camógaíocht

Leitrim            20                    19                                15                    12

Galway           86                    61                                64                    46

Sligo               64                    64                                38                    38

Antrim             45                    30                                30                    45

Fermanagh    22                    21                                11                    8

Derry               21                    18                                10                    12

Louth               50                    48                                12                    6

Monaghan      28                    28                                3                      8

Cavan             54                    43                                10                    15

Donegal         90                    80                                6                      4

Wexford          46                    36                                47                    30

Carlow            22                    20                                16                    12

Westmeath    12                    10                                4                      4

Meath             53                    39                                14                    10

Kildare            32                    20                                12                    12

Laois              14                    10                                10                    8

Waterford       30                    27                                32                    18

Offaly              23                    11                                18                    11

Cork                43                    39                                33                    20

Kerry               130                 76                                20                    6

Limerick         15                    12                                18                    17

Armagh          58                    29                                20                    22

Longford         28                    18                                7                      5

Clare               16                    12                                28                    25

Roscommon     7                      4                                  4                      4

Mayo               143                 114                             4                      0

Tipperary        30                    20                                40                    20

Tyrone            34                    20                                8                      6

Down              24                    18                                16                    14

Kilkenny          27                    8                                  40                    24

Dublin             115                 45                                81                    40