In attendance at the launch of the 2024 Kellogg’s GAA Cúl Camps are Dublin ladies footballer Sinead Goldrick, and Former Leitrim hurler Zak Moradi, with pupils from St Laurence O'Tooles National School in Dublin 1, from left, Amelia Lilly Kelly, aged 10, Tawsif Ahamd, aged 13, Katie Conroy, aged 8, Makar Sviderski, aged 13, Max Learmouth, aged 8, and Maddie Moir, aged 10, at Croke Park in Dublin.
By John Harrington
2024 was a very significant year in the history of the GAA’s Cúl Camps as the number of children who have participated in them since their inception in 2006 passed the two million mark.
Sponsored by Kellogg’s since 2011, the Cúl camps are the GAA’s greatest programme in terms of participation numbers and a real staple of the Irish summer.
144,495 children aged between six and 13 took part in this year’s Kellogg’s Cúl Camps, bringing the total since 2006 to an incredible 2,031,513.
Those huge numbers are a testament to the enduring popularity of the camps where children are afforded the opportunity to participate in fun activities and practice the skills of Gaelic games with their friends.
Each participating child receives a jersey, zip top, and backpack, and the sight of the brightly coloured gear around the country is a sure sign that summer has come.
Organising the Kellogg’s Cúl Camps 10-week programme is a huge logistical feat that is made possible by the employment of over 7,000 coaches.
Inclusivity and diversity was once again very much the ethos of the 2024 Kellogg’s GAA Cúl Camps.
38 Inclusive Camps hosted over 1,000 children with a variety of additional needs.
600 free places for children at risk of early school leaving were provided through the School Completion Program in the Republic of Ireland and the Heads of Games in Northern Ireland, and places were also offered to children of migrant families across the country.
Handball was introduced as a Kellogg’s Cúl Camps offering this year. Across five counties over 12,000 children played the game for the very first time.
There was significant growth in the number of children outside of Ireland participating in Cúl Camps. Four camps in Britain catered for 500 participants while another 1,230 children took part in camps across 18 other regions worldwide.
The Kellogg’s Cúl Camps have evolved as well as grown on an annual basis, and in 2025 a new approach to the camps will be offered for 12 to 13-year-olds.
Ann Rose Eng, Senior Brand and Activation Manager for Kellogg's, said: “Kellogg’s is a proud sponsor of Kellogg GAA Cúl Camps and it is fantastic to see how it continues to grow and be such a key part of so many children’s summer break.
"To reach the milestone of 2 million participants since 2006 is incredible and we are delighted to continue to support this great initiative of encouraging children in all four corners of the country to get outdoors and have fun.”