Hi
If you have clicked this link, you are obviously interested in joining the largest Branch of the largest participation sport in Ireland, so read on....
Entry to FAI Schools competitions is open to any educational establishment where students there are studying any recognised Department of Education course.
In terms of structure, Leinster (Branch) is divided into three: Boys Post-Primary Section, Girls Post-Primary Section & Primary Section.
In the Boys Post-Primary Section, league & cup competitions are offered at four age groups – Senior (U-19), Junior (U-17), Minor (U-15) & First Year (First Year & U-14).
Qualifying dates are based on the year the competition ends, so U-15 in the academic year 2019-20 is open to all students born on or after 1/1/2005. This is a different format to other codes, so you need to be careful to ensure your students are underage - generally, the Senior age group covers all Fifth & Sixth Years, the Junior age group covers Third, TY & Fifth Years (& some young Sixth Years), the Minor age group covers Second & Third Year (& some young TY/Fifth Years) with the U-14 age group restricted to First Years only.
In terms of competitions, cups are organised on a knockout basis & depending on your student numbers (evidence will be needed) you will qualify for either ‘A’ cups (for larger schools) or ‘B’ cups (for schools with less than 250 boys or girls at Senior, Junior, Minor, less than 50 boys or girls at First Year). Provincial cup winners will go on to represent the region in the All-Ireland Cup competitions, organised by the FAI Schools Administrator, based in Abbotstown.
Leinster Shield competitions are offered to Preliminary/First Round losers in the 'A' Cups - entry is optional.
There is also a Leinster-only Transition Year Cup available in the Boys Section.
Leagues are Leinster-only & are regionalised. Depending on your location you could play in one of the following regions:
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Metropolitan (Dublin, parts of north Kildare, south Meath, north Wicklow)
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North East (Louth, Meath, parts of north Dublin, east Cavan)
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West Leinster (Westmeath, Longford, Offaly, east Roscommon)
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Carlow-Kilkenny (Carlow-Kilkenny, parts of south Kildare)
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Midlands (Kildare, Laois, parts of west Wicklow)
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Wicklow-Wexford (Wicklow-Wexford)
All regions offer at least two divisions (three divisions in Metropolitan & Wicklow-Wexford) with a series of group matches (3-4) followed by play-offs on a knockout basis to crown the regional champions. All eight division one & two winners go forward to represent the region in the Leinster Champions League competition.
Any queries regarding the Boys Section can be made to Boys Section Secretary, Declan McGrath – declan.mcgrath@faischools.ie
In the Girls Post-Primary Section, league & cup competitions are offered at four age groups – Senior (U-20), Junior (U-17), Minor (U-15) & First Year (First Year & U-14).
Qualifying dates are based on the year the competition ends, so U-15 in the academic year 2019-20 is open to all students born on or after 1/1/2005. This is a different format to other codes, so you need to be careful to ensure your students are underage - generally, the Senior age group covers all Fifth & Sixth Years, the Junior age group covers Third, TY & Fifth Years (& some young Sixth Years), the Minor age group covers Second & Third Year (& some young TY/Fifth Years) with the U-14 age group restricted to First Years only.
In terms of competitions, cups are organised on a knockout basis & depending on your student numbers (evidence will be needed) you will qualify for either ‘A’ cups (for larger schools) or ‘B’ cups (for schools with less than 250 boys or girls at Senior, Junior, Minor, less than 50 boys or girls at First Year). Provincial cup winners will go on to represent the region in the All-Ireland Cup competitions, organised by the FAI Schools Administrator, based in Abbotstown.
Leagues are Leinster-only & are regionalised. Depending on your location you could play in one of the following regions:
·
Region 1 Wexford
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Region 2 East Wicklow, South Dublin
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Region 3 Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois
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Region 4 Westmeath, Longford, Offaly
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Region 5 Dublin Central
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Region 6 South West Dublin, West Wicklow, Kildare
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Region 7 West Dublin
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Region 8 North East; Meath, Louth, North County Dublin
Within each Regional League the winner will progress to an 8 team Leinster Champions League Division One competition.
The second placed team will progress to an 8 team Leinster League Cup Division Two.
The third placed regional league team will progress to the Leinster League Shield.
Leagues of 8 teams or more, will be sub-grouped into Group A and B
Allocation to regional leagues will be at the discretion of the Girls Section Secretary.
At Champions League, League Cup and League Shield stages, an open draw will take place.
Any queries regarding the Girls Section can be made to Girls Section Secretary, Maura Gaffney – maura.gaffney@faischools.ie
In the Primary Section, competitions are organised on a county-by-county basis. Different counties run different competitions at different times of the academic year, depending on local circumstances. Currently, competitions are available in Dublin, Louth & Kildare. These counties offer 11-a-side competitions, generally at U-13 level (5th & 6th class).
Queries regarding Primary competitions can be made as follows:
Dublin: brian.mcardle@faischools.ie; shane.mcintyre@faischools.ie; sean.murray@faischools.ie; nick.killane@faischools.ie; aidan.duignan@faischools.ie
Kildare: john.molloy@faischools.ie
Louth: declan.mcgrath@faischools.ie (temporarily!)
If you are from another county, please address all queries to Leinster Branch Secretary Joe Carroll: joe.carroll@faischools.ie
Many Primary schools also participate in the Primary 5’s competitions, run directly by the FAI, through their regional development officers. Queries regarding the Primary 5’s can be sent to the FAI Schools Administrator, Diane Fay: diane.fay@fai.ie
Entry: Entry to Post-Primary competitions is co-ordinated by Boys Section Secretary, Declan McGrath, on behalf of the Leinster Branch.
For Post-Primary Level competitions, all schools in Leinster are sent registered letters in late August each year, containing details of the entry process, which is by way of an online entry form only. The contact details for each school are based on information provided in the current season (currently affiliated schools) or from research (e.g. Principal's names for newly established schools). If you wish for your name to be placed on the mailing list, please let me know asap: declan.mcgrath@faischools.ie
Fees:For Post-Primary Level competitions, affiliation (membership) fee is €100 per academic year. On top of this is a competition entry fee of €30 per competition. A maximum payment per school of €340 is applicable, so the more competitions you play, the more value you get!
Contact: If there is anything not covered by this, please let us know – any queries can be directed to declan.mcgrath@faischools.ie.
Thanks!
