TUS and Munster Post Primary Schools GAA sign new sponsorship deal

The Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) and Munster Post Primary Schools GAA has signed a sponsorship deal that will see the newly designated TU provide financial and skills support to the provincial post primary school hurling and football competitions until 2025.

There are approximately 130 schools across the six Munster counties participating in 30 competitions which will now be rebranded to include TUS, for example the TUS Dr Harty Cup and TUS Corn Uí Mhuirí.

14.01.22
The Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) and Munster Post Primary Schools GAA launched a sponsorship deal that will see the newly designated TU provide financial and skills support to the post primary school hurling and football competitions until 2025.
Pictured at the launch of the sponsorship where left to right, Adrian Flaherty, TUS, Liam O’Mahony, Chair National Post Primary Schools GAA, Prof. Vincent Cunnane, President TUS, Colm Hayes, Chair Munster Post Primary Schools GAA, Jimmy Browne, Vice President – Campus Services and Capital Development TUS and Eoin Ryan, Munster GAA Council, front row left to right, Luke Earls, Pierce Connery and Cathal Conroy, Kilmallock. Picture: Alan Place

For the next three and a half years, TUS will work in partnership with Munster PPS to provide further support to the post primary competitions both on and off the pitch. This will include financial investment, support in promoting the post primary school competitions, providing campus facilities for matches, and examining opportunities to provide coaches and strength and conditioning personnel to schools as part of an agreed development framework. Both organisations will also explore potential postgraduate research opportunities appropriate to the overall objectives of the Munster council.

Welcoming the agreement between TUS and Munster PPS GAA, President of TUS, Professor Vincent Cunnane said, “TUS has a strong track record of support and engagement with the Munster council, which has included among others the co-funding of development officers, and the use of facilities for games. With this new agreement TUS will deepen that relationship further and work with the Munster PPS committee to further develop the games at post primary school level.”

TUS Vice President Campus Services and Capital Development Jimmy Browne added, “Sport has been a strong part of our identity here at TUS, and sport, particularly in the past two years during the Covid pandemic, has been an important part of young people’s development. It has been an anchor and a means of connection both in terms of our communities and our schools. From TUS’s point of view that connection and ethos of support and inclusion is a key part of who we are, and these principals align perfectly with Munster PPS GAA. The development of young people and what sport provides them with in terms of skills right through life, is a great fit with our educational ethos too, and that remains the focus of our partnerships with the GAA.”

Munster PPS GAA Chairperson Colm Hayes said, “Munster Post-Primary Schools GAA is pleased to have secured a sponsorship deal with our new partners TUS, which will assist us in running our large programme of games and further help to promote Gaelic Games in our post-primary schools across the province. Great work is being done by teachers, coaching and games development personnel and coaches in post-primary schools across Munster and these competitions give schools the opportunity to introduce young exciting talent into their teams, giving our players a flavour of what is required at the top level. We look forward to working with TUS as partners over the next three and a half years.”

TUS Sports & Recreation Facilities Officer Adrian Flaherty added, “This agreement is about the embedding of a longer partnership that will see TUS supporting post primary schools. As well as providing financial sponsorship, we will supply students from our various sports programmes, including our strength and conditioning programme, to schools as part of the agreement. This will allow us to assist students and coaches as well as support the Munster council in its work. We will also provide facilities for games, as well as promoting the Munster PPS games at every opportunity.”

Provincial PPS Servicing Officer Eoin Ryan said, “We in Munster PPS GAA are delighted to be associated with TUS. Each year we run 30 competitions across three age grades in both hurling and football. Our competitions are based on inclusion and participation and with the support of TUS and through programmes such as the TY Future Leaders Programme, it is hoped that we will encourage future administrators, skills, strength and conditioning coaches, statisticians etc as well as finding the All Stars of tomorrow.”

*TUS

Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest (TUS) is Ireland’s first transregional university and third technological university. On October 1, 2021 Limerick Institute of Technology and Athlone Institute of Technology ceased to exist, and came together to form TUS. TUS comprises a student population of more than 14,000 and a staff complement of approximately 2,000 people working fulltime and part-time across an extensive footprint spanning six campuses in Athlone, Limerick (Moylish and Limerick School of Art and Design), Clonmel, Ennis and Thurles. It is a new university, driving development and investment across the Midlands and Midwest with a consolidation of expertise that will further strengthen its competitiveness.

Munster Post Primary School GAA.

The Munster Post Primary Schools committee also known as Comhairle Iarbhunscoileanna Na Mumhan coordinates GAA competitions for secondary schools in Munster. The vocational schools and college’s GAA competitions were amalgamated in 2013 to make the Post Primary Schools competitions. There is approximately 130 schools participating in 26 competitions. In both codes, hurling and football there is three different grades, 18½, 16½ and 15’s. In the 18½ & 15’s grades there are four divisions, A, B, C & D. In 2015 the committee piloted an ‘E’ grade to accompany the A, B, C & D divisions at 16½ level in an effort to make competitions more competitive for the smaller schools.