.
The Tralee Parnells Under 14 team with their Féile gear looking forward to the tournament this weekend.
THE Under 14 team from Tralee Parnells hit the road by bus this morning for the premier competition in Ireland for hurlers their age.
The Féile na nGael National tournaments are being held in Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford from today until Sunday and for Tralee Parnells, achieving a place is a fantastic milestone and a great breakthrough for such a young club.
Reviving an old club that represented Tralee almost a century ago, Tralee Parnells Hurling and Camogie Club was re-established in 2012 around a small but dedicated nucleus of players and their families and supporters.
In the past five years the club has gone from strength to strength, growing player numbers and competing at a growing number of age groups, to the point where Parnells now boast boys teams from under 6 to under 16.
Parnells also now have representation on the Kerry county Hurling and Camogie development panels, including boys under 17, boys and girls under 16, boys and girls under 14.
The latest Parnells success story began in April with an encouraging showing at the county Féile qualifiers against opposition from Kilmoyley, South Kerry and Abbeydorney.
The margin over South Kerry on this occasion was wafer thin, so it was with some trepidation that the team learned they would face the same opposition in the regional final, where the prize would be a first ever place at the National Féile na nGael tournaments.
The regional final, played on an excellent playing surface in ideal conditions at Abbeydorney, drew a strong contingent of Parnells supporters and families. In jubilant scenes, Parnells lifted the trophy and parents marked their calendars for the 16th of June.
On last Wednesday the final preparation was a coaching session with National Hurling manager Martin Fogarty. Martin was a selector/coach with Brian Cody and Kilkenny senior teams from 2005 to 2013, during which Kilkenny won six All Ireland Senior titles.
The players were presented with their Féile gear by Martin and he sent them off with a great description of the excellent experience awaiting them at National Féile. Best of luck lads!
