Visitors to Sonny’s All Star Camp
We’ve been very privileged to have had some very high profile visitors in the few years we’ve run the camp.
Isn’t the GAA such a great organisation to be part of when the biggest names in the game will come and spend time with the kids and sign a few hundred shirts!
Stephen Cluxton
We were very lucky that our very first visitor in 2017 is the man that has gone on to become the only man in history to captain a county to 6 All-Ireland titles in a row.
When introduced as the best goalkeeper in Ireland, he was quick to respond that “Eoin Murphy is the best goalkeeper in Ireland.”
Honours
- 8 All-Ireland Titles
- 16 Leinster Titles
- 6 All-Star Awards
- 2019 Footballer of the Year
Eoin Murphy
Glenmore Clubman Eoin delighted our camp goers in 2017 and 2018 when he turned up to sign shirts and ask about how the kids were doing.
He’d have returned for the hat-trick of appearances in 2019 but for the small matter of having to prepare for an All-Ireland Final! Then missed out in 2020 and 2021 as we had no visitors due to Covid, finally completed that hat-trick in 2022!
Is very patient and mischievous with the kids – they even got him to do the floss when it was all the rage!
Everyone in Glenmore are very proud of the best goalkeeper in Ireland.
Honours
- 4 All-Ireland Titles
- 7 Leinster Titles
- 3 All-Star Awards
Ger Aylward
Another All-Star from the parish, Ger came to the camp in 2017 with his arm in a sling!
Although he couldn’t sign any autographs Ger was a ray of light on a rainy day and was very generous with his time in posing for numerous photo’s.
Still wreaking havoc for opposition defences wearing the Glenmore jersey.
Honours
- 2 All-Ireland Titles
- 3 Leinster Titles
- 1 All-Star Award
Walter Walsh
What about the man who’s first senior appearance for Kilkenny was a man-of-the-match performance in an All-Ireland Final replay!
Big Wally came to visit us in 2018, being from local rivals Tullogher-Rosbercon he never got such a warm welcome at Glenmore GAA pitch!
He even ran a camp himself a few times! A gentle giant with the kids who probably see him as an actual giant.
Honours
- 3 All-Ireland Titles
- 6 Leinster Titles
- 1 All-Star Award
TJ Reid
What a day for our camp goers when the best hurler in the land came to visit them in 2018.
One of the sweetest strikers of a sliotar in the game TJ has added huge workrate to his arsenal of skills to become the ultimate team player.
I still don’t understand how this man only has 5 All-Stars to his name – what’s wrong with that selection panel?
TJ is a great role model for the kids and very down to earth with them.
Honours
- 7 All-Ireland Titles
- 11 Leinster Titles
- 5 Club All-Ireland Titles
- 5 All-Star Awards
- 2015 Hurler of the Year
Eoin Larkin
With the Kilkenny hurlers preparing for the All-Ireland Final whilst our camp was running in 2019 Eoin Larkin came to the rescue with an impromptu appearance.
A true legend of the game and a member of the famous Kilkenny 4 in a row winning team. A lot of observers say Kilkenny came close to hurling perfection in 2008 so it was some achievement for Larkin to be named hurler of the year that year.
Honours
- 8 All-Ireland Titles
- 10 Leinster Titles
- 2 All-Star Awards
- 2008 Hurler of the Year
Tadhg Furlong
We invited Tadhg Furlong to come to see the kids in 2019 but unfortunately the week of our camp clashed with a week he had a camp of his own – a training camp in preparation for the World Cup.
The Grand Slam winner was generous enough to send us a signed shirt instead which we used to sell raffle tickets to raise more funds for the Camogie Club as well as CMRF.
Dessie Hutchinson
To keep our Waterford camp goers happy we brought along Dessie Hutchinson in 2022. Dessie helped Ballygunner break Ballyhale hearts in the Club All-Ireland final and has been one of the most lethal forwards in the country since returning to his native land and sport from a stint in the Premier League with Brighton & Hove Albion.
Dessie had to withstand some Kilkenny / Waterford rivalry and banter from our more local revelers, but he was well up to the task and was very friendly, patient and good-humoured with the kids.
Alan Murphy
When Alan came to the camp in 2022 most of the kids knew him as Mr. Murphy as he’s been a sub teacher in most of their schools in the past year.
Instrumental in Glenmore’s Intermediate success in 2021 he has been getting more and more game time for Kilkenny in championship hurling scoring the last point of the 2022 All-Ireland final. Many good years still in front of him.
Brian Cody
We were truly honoured to have Brian Cody pay us a visit in 2022, not long after announcing his decision to bring to an end the most successful managerial reign in the history of the GAA. This man lives and breathes hurling and it must surely only be a matter of time before a statue of him is erected at Nowlan Park. It’s sometimes forgotten how good a player he was, twice an All Star, 3 time All-Ireland winner (once as captain), when asked by one of our kids “Who’s a better player you or TJ?”, his response was quite definite “Me, for sure”.
His real legacy, however will be as the manager of Kilkenny teams that amassed 18 Leinster Titles and 11 All-Ireland victories, including the 4 in a row team. What other manager has been awarded the man of the match award for an All-Ireland final?
Gleefully received with rapturous applause and cheers by our camp goers and volunteers Brian Cody was surely given the loudest welcome to Sonny’s All Star Camp. He imparted some words of wisdom, the strongest message being plenty of practice and answered / dodged some tricky questions from our kids before being presented with the customary T-Shirt but also a specially commissioned commemorative hurley to thank him for his 24 years as Kilkenny Boss. Thanks for all the memories…
Glenmore GAA Club
Sonny’s All Star Camp is hosted at Glenmore GAA Grounds.
Most of our volunteers come from Glenmore’s Hurling, Camogie and Handball Clubs with the funds raised going back into Glenmore GAA Club.
About CMRF
CMRF Crumlin together with donors and partners fund initiatives, research, equipment and projects.
Every sick child deserves every chance.
Find out more at www.cmrf.org
About Sonny
Sonny is the inspiration for the camp.
He would surely have spent a lot of his time at Glenmore GAA pitch had he not been cruelly deprived of this opportunity.