The Camogie Association celebrates its 120th anniversary this year and a new documentary, which aired on TG4 earlier this week, explored the history, evolution and future of the sport.
Camán na mBan offers an unflinching look at this skilful women’s sport, as it prepares for the most fundamental change in its existence – integration with the Gaelic Athletic Association by 2027 – and what this will mean for its members.
Filmed across the 2023 All-Ireland Club Championship season, the documentary is narrated by Camogie All-Star Aoife Ní Chaiside who has won the All-Ireland Club Championship three times with Slaughtneil, Co Derry. It has been made by Strident Media for TG4 BBC Gaeilge with support from NI Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund.
Archive footage and interviews reveal how early founders carved out a space for women within the sporting and cultural revolution at the turn of the twentieth century.
Shut out from playing within the GAA, early advocates of camogie adopted their own rules and created a sport for women, staunchly guarding their autonomy, and 30 years later when the question of men’s involvement in camogie arose, this fierce independence caused disagreements that almost tore the Association apart.
Camogie teams featured include the All-Ireland champions, Dicksboro, Kilkenny, Loughgiel Shamrocks, County Antrim, St Mary’s Clonmel and Queen’s University, Belfast.
We also hear from All-Star Camogie players past and present, two former presidents of the Camogie Association, Gaelic Games’ academics and former intercounty referee Úna Kearney from Ballymacnab, County Armagh.
The documentary considers the benefits of the One Club Model, which encourages clubs to integrate their football, hurling, camogie and ladies’ football under one roof, and takes a broad look at the issues many clubs and players face today, around player rights and the foundation of the Gaelic Players’ Association. It also looks at the challenges that sometimes exist between the needs of grassroots members and decisions made at the top level of the organisation.
The documentary is available to watch back on the TG4 Player – www.TG4.ie.
