The story of the role of Gormanston in the evolution of hurling is one that is not easy to find in hurling books currently available. In the forthcoming “My Father, a Hurling Revolutionary”, this subject is explored and the subject’s important role in this development.

Even though the Gormanston courses were not officially coaching courses (but “training course” under the official nomenclature of the time), coaching is exactly what they were.

Diarmuid Healy of Kilkenny – a man who led neighbouring county Offaly to 2 All-Ireland crowns in the 1980s – is one who sang the praises of the Gormanston camps:

“‘The Gormanston model was way ahead of (the current weekend coaching initiatives). I often ask Croke Park to revisit those days. The just have, in my opinion, Mickey-Mouse ones, weekend ones only. They just touch on it, but that was an in-depth study of the game; you were immersed in it for a week and everything was done in a very thorough way. It was invaluable….

“Anything I learned about hurling came from there. It was all based on the Gormanston model of breaking down the skills, showing players how to perform that skill and getting them to practise and practise them…

In an interview on RTE back in early 2008, Diarmuid also pointed out that “‘hurling and football are two totally different games. The only thing in common is that they’re both run by the GAA. After that, they’re totally different… and we need to set up separate structures in the GAA for hurling and football. There’s no point in the same committee drawing up coaching regulations and coaching practices for both football and hurling.”

“My Father: A Hurling Revolutionary, the life and times of Ned Power” is out on paperback at the end of November 2009.  Click here for further information, pre-order and excerpt.