London based club is a home away from home

Date Published: {J}

IN the greater scheme of things, Tara Camogie Club in London may not register on many sporting enthusiasts radar, but for a number of Galway people, in particular, it has become a home away from home. A place to keep in touch with their roots. A place to retain, and nurture, that innate sense of ‘Irishness’.

Sheila Fernades (nee Dolly) is one such person. A native of Castlegar, Fernades is the daughter of former Abbeyknockmoy and Galway hurler, the late Ted Dolly, an uncompromising, teak-tough defender who won a Munster intermediate hurling medal with the Tribesmen in 1962.

Amazingly, growing up, Fernades’ interest in the camán was not as strong as it is today, but, then again, what do they say about absence making the heart grow fonder? “I left Galway at the end of ’86, but I didn’t play camogie or anything like that until I joined Tara in ’96,” she explains. “I didn’t know camogie was even played over here until that time.

“I had dabbled rather than played at home,” she laughs. “I suppose, I would have played up until U-14, and that was only because my dad was involved. I also have a brother who played, while my older sister also played a bit as well.

“It is great though for getting out of the house in the evening and my whole social life now revolves around camogie. I am married with kids, but it’s nice to get out and get a bit of fresh air and exercise. Also, all my friends now are involved in camogie. However, I just don’t think that enough people know that camogie is played in London.”

Consequently, Tara Camogie, which won the three-in-a-row of county senior championships earlier this year, their ninth in all, is engaging in a drive to promote their club both in London and back here in Ireland, in an effort to make the game more accessible to those Irish women who have to leave home to work in London.

“I often wonder what’s wrong; why don’t we get more girls playing with us?” ponders the Castlegar native. “There are loads of lads hurling over here and I always think there has also to be girls who travel over here in much the same numbers.

“You see new faces appearing every year with the lads, but with the women, you will always recognise the same girls on the other team. So, we need new faces. I don’t necessarily think that the girls aren’t here either – that they have all gone home or gone to Australia or whatever.”

In any event, Fernades, who is one of a number of Galway people involved in the club, believes Tara Camogie is more than just a club. “I should have retired years ago and if I was back home, there is no way I would be out playing camogie at my age,” says the mother of two.

“But it is great fun over here and nobody cares how good or bad you are. It’s just fun to go training. And with junior and senior teams, there is a slot for everybody. It’s great auld craic.”

However, if you think Fernades and company don’t take their camogie serious, then think again. This year, they completed the three-in-a-row of county senior championship titles, following an emphatic 1-13 to 0-3 victory in the decider over rivals Croydon in late July. She says the win rubberstamped their position as the top camogie club in London.

“There are four senior and seven junior teams in London. In senior, you have Croydon, Fr. Murphy’s and Brother Pearses and we have beaten each of those clubs in the final over the last three years, which is unusual. You usually have two teams who are strong at a particular time, with one of those dominating for a time and then another takes over.

“When I started back in ’96 – after I attended Tara’s 10th anniversary party – they had won loads of championships and they were very strong at the time. I remember winning an intermediate title in ’98, but then everyone went home [to Ireland] after that and others got married and it was just left to a few of us to keep it going.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.