The Dubs are flying high again in this year’s GAA football championship but one man missing out on what could well be another path of glory is Ciarán Kilkenny (21).
His fate was sealed where this year’s championship was concerned when he tore the cruciate ligament in his left knee during a Dublin/Kildare league game last March. It was operated on successfully, then it was rehab,but football remains out for now. So what’s a man to?
Ciarán Kilkenny went to Africa.
Earlier this year he had been appointed as special ambassador for Edmund Rice Development which supports the work of Christian Brothers and followers of Edmund Rice throughout the developing world. Altogether, it supports over 40 education, health, human rights and advocacy programmes in Africa, Latin America, India and the Pacific rim.
Which is how Ciarán Kilkenny ended up in Zambia last week. He visited Mazabuka and Kabwe there and met the children and young people in schools and youth projects run by Edmund Rice missionaries and local communities.
You might saw it was an exercise in research because in September he will speak at a special ‘Big Match Dinner’ in Croke Park over the weekend of the All-Ireland final. There, on Friday September 19th, he will tell dinner guests about what he saw in Africa last week
Being an avid gaeilgeoir he described his visit to Africa as “ceann de na ócháidí is fearr i mo shaol” (one of the best occasions in my life).
Other guests joining him at the 'Big Match' dinner on September 19th in Croke Park will include Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh and expert panel Colm Cooper, Colm O'Rourke, Barney Rock, and Ciarán Whelan.
Further details at www.edmundricedevelopment.org.
Tel: 01 8196782.
