A group of talented young athletes from Kilkenny have been making waves on the international stage, returning home with an impressive haul of medals after representing Ireland in ice hockey tournaments across the United States and Canada.
Leading the way was Lily McPhearson, who captained the Irish Under-16 team to a silver medal in Kalamazoo, Michigan in early March.
Just a week later, further success followed in Canada, where Indie Cummins and Josh Robinson secured silver in the Under-13 category. Meanwhile, Calum Robinson, Aidan Sweeny and Ludy Raftice went one better, winning gold in the Under-15 category at the prestigious Sedmha Ice Hockey Tournament in Nova Scotia — the largest junior ice hockey tournament in North America.
The gold medal-winning side was guided by Kilkenny man Paul Cummins, head coach of Kilkenny Storm. Their triumph marked a historic moment, as it is the first time an Irish team has ever won gold at an ice hockey tournament in Canada.
What makes the achievement even more remarkable is the level of commitment required from the players and their families. With no suitable local ice hockey facilities, the group must undertake a seven-hour round trip to Northern Ireland each month to access proper training. This comes in stark contrast to many of the teams they competed against, who train on the ice multiple times a week.
Despite these obstacles, the Kilkenny players have excelled on the international stage.
