New handball club established in Clonkill

A new handball club is operating in Clonkill, after new facilities for the sport were installed at the local hurling club’s Loughegar clubhouse.

Clonkill Handball Club is the brainchild of Clonkill hurling legend and former Westmeath star Eoin Price, who approached his club and the GAA’s handball authorities about the prospect of introducing the sport to the area.

Price, who is on the teaching staff at Holy Family National School (formerly Curraghmore NS), Mullingar, had approached GAA Handball about introducing the sport to the school, where a suitable concrete wall and tarmac was already in place.

Spending just €30 on drawing lines for a court, handball is now in operation at the Ardmore Road school.

“Not satisfied with this, Eoin approached his Hurling Club Chairman and explained how we would like to introduce Handball into the club,” said a statement on GAAHandball.ie.

Eoin’s pitch argued the benefits which handball brings to other GAA sports but hurling in particular, with its emphasis on quick reflexes and hand/eye co-ordination.

At the club’s subsequent AGM, Eoin’s proposals were discussed, and a one-wall court was subsequently installed at the clubhouse. And so, Clonkill Handball Club was born.

GAA Handball is inviting clubs in other communities across Westmeath to get in touch if they would like to bring handball to their parish. Enquiries can be directed to development.handball@gaa.ie.