Camán na mBan
Date Posted: May 7, 2024
Camán na mBan
Sunday 12 May
BBC iPlayer and BBC Two Northern Ireland, 10pm
The Camogie Association celebrates its 120th anniversary this year and a new documentary explores the history, evolution and future of the sport.
Filmed across the 2023 All-Ireland Club Championship season, the documentary is narrated by Camogie All-Star Aoife Ní Chaiside who has won the All-Ireland Club Championship three times with Slaughtneil, Co Derry. It has been made by Strident Media for BBC Gaeilge and TG4 with support from Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund.
Camán na mBan offers an unflinching look at this skilful women’s sport, as it prepares for the most fundamental change in its existence – integration with the Gaelic Athletic Association by 2027 – and what this will mean for its members.
Shut out from playing within the GAA, early advocates of camogie adopted their own rules and created a sport for women, staunchly guarding their autonomy, and 30 years later when the question of men’s involvement in camogie arose, this fierce independence caused disagreements that almost tore the Association apart. Archive footage and interviews reveal how early founders carved out a space for women within the sporting and cultural revolution at the turn of the twentieth century.
The documentary considers the benefits of the One Club model, which encourages clubs to integrate their football, hurling, camogie and ladies’ football under one roof, and takes a broad look at the issues many clubs and players face today, around player rights and the foundation of the Gaelic Players’ Association. It also looks at the challenges that sometimes exist between the needs of grassroots members and decisions made at the top level of the organisation.
Camán na mBan airs Sunday 12 May at 10pm on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two Northern Ireland.
Camán na mBan
Dé Domhnaigh 12 Bealtaine
BBC iPlayer agus BBC Two Northern Ireland, 10pm
I mbliana agus an Cumann Camógaíochta ag ceiliúradh 120 bliain ar an fhód, fiosraíonn clár faisnéise nua stair, forbairt agus todhchaí an spóirt.
Rinneadh taifeadadh le linn séasúr Chraobh Chlub Camógaíochta Uile-Éireann i 2023, agus tá Aoife Ní Chaiside, a bhuaigh an comórtas céanna trí uair i ndiaidh a chéile lena club, Sleacht Néill i gContae Dhoire, mar thráchtaire ar an chlár. Léirigh Strident Media an clár do BBC Gaeilge agus TG4, le maoiniú ó Chiste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge de chuid Scáileáin Thuaisceart Éireann.
Tugann Camán na mBan léargas macánta ar an spórt sciliúil seo do mhná agus an Cumann ag ullmhú don athrú is mó ó bunaíodh é – comhtháthú leis an Chumann Lúthchleas Gael faoi 2027 – agus cad é a chiallaíonn sé sin dá bhaill.Nuair a coinníodh amach as na cluichí sa CLG iad, mhúnlaigh ceannródaithe an spóirt a rialacha féin agus chruthaigh siad spórt do mhná, ar chosain siad a bhféinriail féin. Tríocha bliain níos déanaí, ba é an neamhspleáchas céanna a chruthaigh scoilt chontúirteach sa Chumann. Cuireann cartlann físe agus agallaimh le staraithe síos ar bhunaitheoirí an spóirt a bhain amach spás do mhná i réabhlóid chultúrtha agus spórtúil chasadh an 20ú céid.
Scrúdaíonn an clár buntáistí an mhúnla ‘Aon Chlub Amháin’ a spreagann clubanna lena bhfoirne peile, iomána, camógaíochta agus peil na mban a thabhairt le chéile faoi aon díon amháin, agus tugann an clár dearcadh cuimsitheach ar na ceisteanna roimh imreoirí an lae inniu – ceartaí imreoirí agus bunú Chumann na nImreoirí Gaelacha ina measc. Fiosraíonn sé fosta na dúshláin a mhaireann in amanna idir na cinntí a dhéantar ag barr an Chumainn agus mianta na cosmhuintire.
Craolfar Camán na mBan Dé Domhnaigh 12ú Bealtaine ar 22:00 ar BBC iPlayer agus BBC Two Northern Ireland.
