Tugaimid aire do pháistí a bhaineann cúig, sé nó seacht mbliana d’aois amach i rith na bliana. Caitheann an grúpa is óige – 5 bliana d’aois – an bhliain in ár halla ar Bhóthar de hIde i nDeliginis. Caitheann an dá ghrúpa eile an bhliain ar an bpáirc C.L.G. cois an Halla.

Déanaimid iarracht déileáil le gach páiste ar mian lena thuismitheoirí go mbeadh sé páirteach i gC.L.G. Glacaimid le buachaillí agus cailíní ar an mbonn céanna. Is í an aidhm atá againn ná tacú le forbairt iomlán an pháiste – idir fhisiciúil agus shóisialta.

Díríonn an grúpa is óige – 5 bliana d’aois – ar fhorbairt ghinearálta fhisiciúil. Dírítear níos mó ar na scileanna sonracha iomána agus peile sad á bhliain ina dhiaidh sin. Imríonn na buachaillí agus na cailíní go léir san Acadamh Peil agus Iomáint.

Cé go bhfaighimid an-tacaíocht ón gClub go ginearálta – go speisialtaó Oifigeach na gCluichí Willie Braine agus déagóirí a chabhraíonn le scileanna na gcluichí a mhúineadh – braithimid orainn féin – tuismitheoirí pháistí an Acadaimh – leis an Acadamh a reachtáil. Bímid ag súil go gcabhroidh gach tuismitheoir ar bhealach éigin. Ní seirbhís ‘tabhair-agus-fág’ muid. Ní raibh aon bhaint ag ár bhformhór mór le C.L.G. roimhe seo ach bímid ag foghlaim ónár mbotúin. Eagraíonn Cuala ceardlanna traenála dúinn chun muid a ullmhú chun na páistí a oiliúint.

Bíonn Lá Cláraithe againn ar an gcéad Shatharn i Meán Fómhair. Tosaíonn na seisiún an Satharn ina dhiaidh sin agus leanann don bhliain ar fad go dtí Meitheamh ach amháin do bhriseadh beag Nollag agus Cásca. Tosaíonn na seisiúin don trí ghrúpa ar 9.30 rn agus críochnaíonn ar 10.45. Tá fáilte romhat clárú i rith na bliana ach ní féidir linn áit a gheallúint do gach duine tharla éileamh mór a bheith ann (breis is 100 páiste i ngach grúpa), go speisialta don ghrúpa atá sa Halla. Cuir glaoch ar an duine liostálta thíos nó tar chughainn aon mhaidin Sathairn agus caith súil ar a bhfuil ag tarlú. Más maith leat a fheiceann tú labhair le duine againn tar éis an tseisiúin.

Is fiú roinnt de na himeachtaí a eagraímid i rith na bliana a lua. Ina measc tá Oíche Shóisialta do thuismitheoirí sa tSamhain, Cóisir Nollag do na páistí, Seó Faisin mar bhailiú airgid agus Mion-Chomórtas Uile-Éireann sa Mheitheamh do na páistí go léir ar ócáid an-taitneamhach é.

Labhraítear a lán Gaeilge san Acadamh agus is breá linn í a choisteáil.

Cuala Academy caters for the youngest children in the club, from 5-8 years. The Academy year runs from September to June to tie in with the school year. Children who have turned five or who will do so before the end of the calendar year are eligible to become members of our Academy. The Academy welcomes boys and girls equally and all children play both Hurling and Gaelic Football.

For those who do start at 5 years of age the first year is spent in our Sports’ Hall in Hyde Road, Dalkey. The next two years are spent on the G.A.A. pitch adjacent to the hall. The emphasis in the first year is on developing the children’s general physical abilities with emphasis on the ABCs (Agility, Balance, Co-ordination). The following years place more emphasis on the particular skills of Hurling and Gaelic Football to prepare the children to take part in the interclub leagues which start at Under 8. Our priority is always to cater for the physical and social development of our children in a safe environment.

The first Saturday in September is usually our Enrolment Day and the sessions start the following Saturday. All three years run their sessions from 9.30 – 10.45. While numbers are large – all three year groups have more than 100 members each - our aim is to cater for as many children as possible. You are welcome to register your child during the year. Contact the people listed here or drop up on a Saturday morning, have a look at what we do and if you are still interested have a word with one of us when the session is over. The youngest group which trains in the hall may not be able to cater for all applicants because of size limitations and safety considerations. All three year groups also operate a mid-week session to increase the children’s grasp of the skills of hurling and Gaelic Football.

While we get great support from the club in general – especially from our Games Promotion Officer Willie Braine and from teenage players who help with the training – we depend essentially on the parents of the Academy to run the Academy. All parents are expected to help out in some way on Saturday mornings or in some support role. We are not a drop-and-go’ service. Most of us parents have had no prior experience of G.A.A. but we get stuck in and we learn from our mistakes. The club also organises workshops to prepare us for training the children.

Some of the highlights in our year include our Social Evening for Parents, our Christmas Party for the children, our Fashion Show Fundraiser and our Mini-All-Ireland which takes place every June and is a great occasion for the children and for parents.