Ciarraí Thiar AC, one of Ireland’s most westerly athletics clubs, has already featured across Athletics Ireland’s website and social media. This time, Athletics Ireland paid an in‑person visit as part of Seachtain na Gaeilge to see how the club is promoting and integrating the Irish language in athletics.
Club Chairman, Donald Grogan, shared the story of how the club was formed in 2024.
“Two years ago, there was a public meeting to try and gather as many people in the peninsula who were interested in athletics. We had around 40 people attend that meeting,” Grogan told Athletics Ireland.
Regional Development Officer for the South West, Olivia Scully Hahne, attended that initial meeting, along with Martin Fitzgerald from Kerry Athletics, to advise on what was required to establish a club.
Once the formalities were complete, the club turned its focus to its values.
For Grogan, incorporating Irish was non‑negotiable. Based in Daingean Uí Chúis, in the heart of Gaeltacht Chorca Dhuibhne, the language is central to everyday life.
“Irish is everywhere here. Our children are educated through Irish, and we use Irish at work.
“We’re not trying to force people… we just want to create a natural environment where people can comfortably use their language, use the cúpla focal they already have, and be open to learning phrases that might be more athletics‑specific,” Grogan added.
To support coaches, the club has created sheets of useful Irish phrases for training sessions. These are attached below—why not give a few a go at your next session and add some athletics cúpla focal?
Watch the full club visit to Ciarraí Thiar AC on Athletics Ireland Youtube channel from Monday, 30 March at 10am.
(Courtesy of Ciarraí Thiar AC)
