Ursuline Secondary School

Hockey

Background:

The Ursuline Convent Thurles has a longstanding tradition of Hockey and have achieved great success in school competitions for many many years. The Ursuline is considered one of the strongest hockey schools in Munster and currently boasts 13 competitive hockey teams competing at the highest level in all age categories. Each year our teams compete in the Munster Schools (league and cup) competitions from September through to March/April. We are proud to say, we, at the Ursuline cater for a wide range of hockey abilities across 4 age categories. This year we have a Senior A, B, C, Junior A,B, C, Minor A,B,C and 1st year A,B,C,D teams entered in competition.

There are 4 dedicated coaches on the school staff who coach hockey on a daily basis, two of which are former Irish hockey Internationals and one is currently a selector for the Irish Senior women’s hockey team who recently competed in the Tokyo Olympics 2021 & the World Cup 2022. We are blessed to have 2 full sized hockey pitches on-site and training takes place every lunch time & after school.

Each student is afforded the opportunity to be a member of a hockey team as soon as they arrive in to first year. We have on average 80 first years signing up for hockey each year and all levels of ability from beginners to advanced are catered for. No experience is required prior to entering in first year. We feel that training together within a team environment is a valuable life long skill for all of our students and one that we support wholeheartedly. We encourage all students from 1st to 6th year to remain involved in our extra curricular sports programme.

Our most recent successes in hockey here at the Ursuline have been winning Munster Junior A cups in 2015, 2016 and in 2019 and we reached the final of the Munster Senior A cup in both 2013 and 2015. In 2017, we won the Munster Senior A schools cup after a 20 year gap beating Crescent College (Limerick) who, at that time were aiming for a 5th title in a row. That year the team went on to represent the school in the Kate Russell All Ireland tournament in Banbridge. A great achievement.

After a decade the Minor A Hockey team won the Munster Competition in February 2024. This meant the school had the honour of hosting the prestigious June Smith Tournament in April. This is the All Ireland equivalent of the Minor A Hockey competition. It was a great opportunity for Ms Fahey and her team of dedicated players to compete against the best school’s in that age category in the country.


School Hockey Main Achievements:

Munster Senior A cup winners in 97

Kate Russell All Ireland winners in 97

Munster Senior A Cup finalists 2013 & 2015

Munster Junior A League and Cup winners 2015, 2016

Munster Junior B Cup winners 2017

Munster Senior A cup winners in 2017; Qualified for Kate Russell All Ireland 2017

Junior A Cup Winners 2019

Minor A Cup Finalists 2020

Junior A Cup Finalists 2020

Senior A League Runners up 2022

Junior A League Runners up 2022

Junior A Cup Finalists 2022

Junior B League Winners 2022

Minor B League Runners up 2022

Minor C League Winners (UCT 1)

Minor C League Runners Up (UCT 2)

Senior A Archer Shield Winners 2023

Junior C League Winners 2023

Minor B League Runners up

Minor C Cup Winners 2023 (UCT 1)

Minor C Cup Winners 2023 (UCT 2)

Minor C League Winners 2023

1st Year B League Winners 2023

1st Year C League Winners 2023

Several players past & present gaining representative honours:

Interprovincial Teams represented by the Ursuline on a yearly basis

  • Munster u16
  • South East u16
  • Munster u18
  • South East u18
  • Irish u16
  • Irish u18

Current Interprovincial players

Ursuline has four U16 players on this season’s Munster U16 Interprovincial Squad. Katya Shorten, Emma McDonald, Sarah Spain and Gabrielle Morrissey.

Past Irish underage Internationals

Edel Nyland

Susie Osborne

Brona Dowling

Caoimhe Perdue (Current Irish Senior International)

Kate Ryan

The most important thing about hockey in the Ursuline is that students participate in a team sport and most of all have fun.

Jan 23
2025
Second Year Parent Teacher Meeting
Feb 03
2025
TY Work Experience
Feb 03
2025
School Closed : Bank Holiday
Feb 04
2025
Normal School Day for all students
Templemore Road,
Thurles,
Co-Tipperary
Eircode: E41ET35.
0504 22147
Location
© 2025 Ursuline Secondary School