​Caitlin makes history as St Paul’s first-ever Camog All Star

St Paul’s Year 14 pupil Caitlin Byrne made history recently, as she was chosen as one of the Ulster Schools’ Camogie Post Primary All Stars. 

​Caitlin – who plays for Mullaghbawn club – had to compete in trials to make the team, and she proved her immense skills by being selected.

Caitlin is coached in Camogie by Mr Bradley and Mrs O’Hare in St Paul’s High School, Bessbrook, and Fiachra Bradley was full of praise for her determination to succeed.

“She's very determined and very committed to all of her sports, particularly Camogie, which is huge for her,” he said.

“She's a very tall rangy player, and she is very good on the ball, and at taking scores. She can win the ball in the air, and she obviously showed very well in the trials to get down to the top 25 players in Ulster, which is very good going.

“She's a brilliant netball player as well, so she has that natural ability and it shows it both Camogie and in netball.

“Her parents would be very involved in the Camogie in Mullaghbawn, so it's a huge boost for them.”

For St Paul's it is a moment of history, as she is the first pupil from the school to be selected on the team.

Mr Fiachra Bradley believes that Caitlin is a true role model to the younger pupils in the school, and she is someone who they can look up to as a ‘trailblazer’.

“There’s no doubt about it, it’s a great achievement for the school,” he said.

“For herself it’s great, and for the school trying to grow the game, it is perfect timing. We have Year 11s and 12s coming through, and they are very aware of what she has achieved in being the first one to ever do it – she has definitely led the way.

“It shows a pathway forward for the younger girls of what can be done if they stick at it, because the drop-out rate in girls sports around the age of girls who are Year 11 / Year 12 is incredibly high. They can often times find it hard to stick at it.

“But Caitlin is a trailblazer, and we can now show what happens when you stick at it and put in the hard work. For her to go and mix it with the best, and be in the best, is no easy feat.

“If one person can do it, I’m sure that opens the possibilities to younger players holding the same aspirations.”

St Paul’s pulls together club players from all over south Armagh in their Camogie team, and despite not being a stronghold for the sport, Bradley can see the progress which is being made in Camogie across the area.

“There is a growing interest in the school in Camogie, and in the local area too,” he said.

“In my own club Craobh Rua, we are putting plans in place to start our own Camogie team.

“Then there is the likes of Killeavy, who have done an awful lot of work over the last 10 years or so in developing Camogie, and a lot of the players in the school are from Killeavy.

“It is definitely a growing attraction for the girls to play, and the more that we can make it attractive and make it a positive experience, the easier our jobs become to get the teams out on the pitch and keep them going.”