O’Meara leads the way in
London GAA
Colm O’Meara is flat-out combining roles as player and coach,
not that he’s complaining writes David thorpe
 THE lengthening evenings
bring only more work to Colm O’Meara. The Galway man is busily combining
his role as London hurling goalkeeper with managing the Exiles Camogie
team on its first ever National League campaign.
He admits: “I’d be out five nights a week at the moment between
the two teams, but its all right when you enjoy it, and it’s great
for a fella like me coming to London, to be able to get involved in so
much straight away.”
Colm arrived in London from East Galway last year and swiftly reconnected
with his GAA roots, joining Kilburn Gaels and quickly becoming part of
the county set-up. But drama wasn’t far behind for the genial Galwegian.
He says: “I wasn’t long here when I played in a challenge
match in Cork. Because I was never properly registered, I was caught for
playing an illegal game and banned for the year.” Forced to temporarily
hang up the hurl, Colm turned to his other passion — coaching.
“I had been a full-time GAA coach back home, coaching kids at primary
school level and working with local clubs in my area and when I couldn’t
play I decided to keep that side of it up over here.” O’Meara
became trainer to the London hurlers, working alongside manager Mick O’Dea
as the Exiles claimed the Rackard Cup.
“I had done bits and pieces of coaching in Ireland, but my involvement
with the hurlers kind of made my name as a coach, and I was approached
a few months ago in Ruislip to look after the Camogie team. I didn’t
know what to expect, but there is an unbelievable atmosphere in the camp
— at least as good as the hurlers last year.
The attendance at training wasn’t great in previous years but this
season it has been top-notch. The girls seem to appreciate the training
and think that it is developing them as players. A big advantage this
year is that with London entering a team in the National League the girls
have games to look forward to. That makes it a lot easier for them to
motivate themselves to go training on cold nights.”
Colm is also in his first full season between the posts for London. “I
was just an intermediate club player back home, so inter-county is a step
up for me. I am enjoying it though, I know most of the lads from training
them last year and there is great craic in the camp, and winning a few
matches is a major help.”
O’Meara believes more help should be provided towards funding the
Camogie team’s campaign this season. “The players are having
to be out holding race nights just to fund themselves. They are playing
Waterford in a few weeks time and a county like Waterford, with all their
commitments won’t leave their Camogie players short of a penny when
it comes to preparation. It’s hard enough for the girls to compete
as it is, without the additional burden of having to worry about money
as well.”
London won their first ever National Camogie league match when they defeated
Meath. “That was a great day but again for financial reasons the
girls had to play Carlow the next day — they lost that game but
I’d say if we’d had a break we would have won that game as
well. It’s something that the players have to constantly worry about.
They have been brilliant to even get into the league. All the fundraising
would be enough on its own for most people without having to train and
play the matches as well. They are a great bunch to be involved with.”
Colm seems to love the games at all levels, from coaching eight-year-olds
in Galway, to Croke Park on Rackard Cup day.
With his club Kilburn Gaels shortly to resume training, Colm will be training
six nights. But for a GAA all-rounder of the old school, every minute
he spends on the Gaelic fields of Britain is time well spent.
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