CCAO Third Level Camogie announce UPMC as Ashbourne Cup Weekend Sponsor

UPMC Whitfield Hospital in Waterford has
been announced as the 2020 sponsor of the CCAO Third Level Camogie Ashbourne
Cup Weekend, which takes placein conjunction with the WIT Vikings GAA Club on 14th-
16th February 2020 at the WIT Arena.

The UPMC Ashbourne Cup Weekend will involve
fourteen Third Level college teams from across the country competing in the
Ashbourne, Purcell, Fr. Meaghair and O’ Maolagain Cup competitions. The highly
anticipated draw for the 115th year of the Ashbourne Cup took place at WIT
Arena on Monday night. A host of college captains and representatives were in
attendance to see two exciting groups drawn for this year’s renewal of the
competition. In Group A, last year’s champions University of Limerick were
drawn with last year’s Purcell Cup winners National University of Ireland
Maynooth and Dublin City University DochasÉireann.  In Group B, University College Cork will face
up against Waterford Institute of Technology and Mary Immaculate College,
Limerick.

UPMC’s sponsorship of the Ashbourne Cup
Weekend is part of the healthcare provider’s ongoing commitmentto building
healthier communities across Ireland, according to David Beirne, managing
director of UPMC inIrelandand senior vice president of UPMC International.

“UPMC is already the main sponsor of the
WIT Vikings GAA Club and this collaboration with the CCAO will further
strengthen our support for Gaelic players across the country. With WIT a
current member of the 20x20 Women in Sport campaign, I am especially delighted
that UPMC, the CCAO and WIT are working together to support women’s
participation in sport. We look forward to welcoming some of the country’s top
camogie players to Waterford next February for the UPMC Ashbourne Cup Weekend
and to being part of the inclusive movement to encourage and accelerate
progress for women’s sport in Ireland.”

Speaking on behalf of WIT Vikings GAA Club,
Development Officer and CCAO Treasurer Katie Redmond said:

“The Club and the WIT Arena are delighted to have the opportunity to host this year’s event. We are looking forward to welcoming all teams and spectators to our wonderful facilities here in the WIT Arena and to what I am sure will be an exciting weekend, showcasing some of camogie’s greats. Having worked closely with UPMC over the last year in our Club sponsorship, the partnering of the CCAO Third Level Camogie with UPMC Whitfield-  a world class healthcare provider - is a natural fit for the Ashbourne Cup Weekend in 2020.”

* Details of gradings and groups for the
other three championships can be viewed on the @3rdLevelCamogie Instagram,
Facebook and Twitter accounts.

About UPMC Whitfield

Located in Waterford, UPMC Whitfield Hospital has over 50 expert consultants working across a range of specialities including radiotherapy, cardiology, orthopaedics, sports medicine, concussion,  ophthalmology, oncology/haematology, radiology, ear, nose and throat, gynaecology, urology and general surgery. These are supported by a wider team of dedicated medical, nursing and administration staff to ensure the 70-bed hospital offers patients the right care, in the right way, at the right time – in a first-class facility that is close to home. UPMC’s services and facilities in Ireland also include the UPMC Hillman Cancer Centre, which has locations in Waterford and Cork, UPMC Carlow Outreach Centre and the UPMC Concussion Network, the country’s first nationwide network of healthcare providers for the diagnosis and treatment of concussion.

The UPMC Whitfield campus is operated by
UPMC, the international not-for-profit healthcare company that is transforming
the way healthcare is provided. Already trusted by millions of patients across
the world, the company operates 40 hospitals, as well as 600 doctors' offices
and outpatient sites, and is now delivering this global expertise to those
living in the South East of Ireland.

For more information, visit UPMCWhitfield.ie.

CCAO Third Level Camogie

The CCAO is the body responsible for the
organisation and control of all Higher Education Camogie fixtures. It's aims
are to further the aims of the Association in the Higher Education sector
through the development, administration and promotion of Camogie, to support
the advancement of the Irish language and culture and to encourage students to
experience and develop skills of leadership and administration with a view to
their future contribution to Camogie at Club and County level.

Third level camogie is not just about
winning. It is difficult to describe but it is unique and significantly
different than playing for club or county teams. It transcends club, county and
provincial boundaries allowing girls from all over the country to play
alongside one another affording them opportunities not possible within the
traditional structures. Third level camogie has a huge social aspect where
friendships are made through a common interest, camogie. It is not just about
winning, it is about discipline, about a healthy lifestyle and social
inclusion. Girls that play sport are more likely to excel in their studies and
to lead healthier lifestyles. This has not gone unnoticed by universities and
institutes throughout the country. The CCAO have firmly embraced this
philosophy as is evident by their continued commitment to promoting Camogie and
all one has to do is look the many girls competing and the many competitions
ran in league and championship each academic year.

WIT

Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) has
more than 8,000 students across five campuses in Waterford city, with education
delivered from higher certificate to doctoral level.

WIT has been hugely successful over the last 48 years, with close to 2,500 students graduating each year, and acts as a catalyst for positive change in the south-east and further afield.

Over the last 10 years, the Institute has
been granted in excess of €140 million in external research funding, leading
the field of research in the institute of technology sector, and similar to
some smaller universities.

Prospective CAO applicants have 70 CAO
courses to choose from across a range of disciplines including business,
engineering and architecture, sports and nursing, law, social sciences, arts
and psychology, the creative and performing arts, languages, tourism and
hospitality, science and computing.

WIT offers a wide range of high quality taught and research postgraduate programmes across its six academic schools Level 9 (Masters) and Level 10 (Doctorates). Many programmes are available in full time or part-time modes.

WIT Vikings GAA Club

2019-20 will see the WIT Vikings GAA Club
embark on its 38th year. Since its inception, the club has gone from strength
to strength and has been successful in various third level competitions. Some
of the highlights of the last year including securing a three year sponsorship
deal with UPMC, hosting the Fitzgibbon Cup in 2019 and the World GAA Games also
in July 2019.

In 1981 it consisted of one Hurling team playing in Division 3. Currently, it has 18 teams competing in 25 competitions each year which amounts to over 130 games across the five codes. The club operates off a ‘One Club Model’ which means we cater equally for male and females and for players of all abilities and levels. This is an important part of our ethos and helps to welcome and make all players part of the WIT family as it is known.  

Today our Hurling, Men’s Football, Ladies Football, Camogie and Handball teams all compete at a top-level in their respective competitions and have tasted great success down through the years. In addition, the club has always strived to provide as many games for as many students as possible, which has resulted in maximum participation among our students. This policy has been so successful that teams from WIT have won a total of 103 titles, including Division 1 Hurling titles, Fitzgibbon cup trophies, Fresher 1 and Fresher 2 All-Irelands, Ashbourne Cup, Purcell Cups, Division 1 Leagues and numerous Men’s and Ladies Football titles. In fact, since its foundation, the club has won at least one major title every year. Recent successes include winning the Fitzgibbon cup in 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2014, the Ashbourne cup in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 & 2013, the Giles cup in 2011 and 2018 and the Lynch Cup in 2017.

WIT Arena

The WIT Arena on WIT’s West Campus at
Carriganore, Waterford is a €20 million state-of-the-art facility which opened
to students, staff and the general public in September 2016.

As well as serving as a resource for the
Department of Sports and Exercise Science, the 2,000-person capacity WIT Arena
is used as a sports facility for students and a valued addition to the region
as a conference, entertainment and sporting venue.

A free shuttle bus links WIT’s main campus
on the Cork Road to the WIT Arena during academic weeks.