Kilkenny hurlers could now end up benefitting from Steelers and Penguins expertise

The UPMC partnership with Kilkenny GAA will go way beyond the naming rights of UPMC Nowlan Park and could involve Gaelic players benefitting from the expertise of giants of sport in the US.   

UPMC, an international not for profit healthcare provider and insurer, have partnerships with the Pittsburgh Steelers America football and the Pittsburgh Penguins ice hockey teams in America.

It is possible down the road that the Kilkenny hurlers could benefit from expertise in the area of strength and conditioning form either or both outfits it was suggested at the official launch of the UPMC/Kilkenny GAA partnership today.

“Everything is possible,” suggested David Beirne, Managing Director of UPMC in Ireland and senior Vice-President with the company when speaking at the launch in UPMC Nowlan Park. “With something like this, as the partnership develops, if people come with ideas we will look at them.

“Everything is on the table. It is a partnership. We are a global company. We are very open to working as partners,” he added.

UPMC have worked with the Steelers for years in developing their player welfare. That knowledge comes to Kilkenny now, Mr Beirne insisted.

The company was very strong on community relationships in Pittsburgh. They understood the GAA and the community relationships here. 

“It didn’t take an awful lot to sell the idea,” he said of the 10-year partnership with Kilkenny GAA.

Kilkenny County Board chairman, Jimmy Walsh, welcomed the partnership saying it was "an ideal fit" for the county.

During the press conference, Mr Beirne, a former Dicksboro club member who played hurling with Kilkenny at senior, intermediate and junior level, was presented with a medal he won in an inter-firms championship 22 years ago while working with Avonmore Creameries.

Apparently he had to rush off on the day of the final and Avonmore team officials never got round to getting the medal to him, until yesterday. An official with that team, 72-year-old Paddy Butler from Freshford, attended the press conference and presented the medal from the 1997 championship to Mr Beirne.

“That was a lovely touch,” Mr Beirne said afterwards. “I never even knew I didn’t get the medal. Imagine? I thank Mr Butler for going to the trouble of getting the medal to me.”

For more on Kilkenny People sport read here.