Connemara is celebating double All Ireland victories in Olympic Handball after local secondary school Gairmscoil na Piarsach won the boys’ u-15 final and the girls’ u-17 titles.
In the boys’ decider the Rosmuc team played Ard Scoil Ris from Dublin and dominated throughout to emerge winners by 18-5. The girls took on the host team Ballinteer in their final and were always in control in a 13-7 victory.
It was a deserved reward for Gairmscoil na Piarsach which has been participating in the All Ireland secondary schools Olympic Handball competitions since 2006. In that time the school has won Connacht titles, but missed out in the All Ireland series on several occasions.
The game in the school has been spearheaded by teacher Bridie Kinneavey, who played at college level and more recently at club level with the Clifden based club Na Fianna Rua in 2007 and, with the recruitment of coach Bernard Lee, many talented players have emerged in the various age groups.
