Leinster Hockey & AerCap Deliver Successful Shannon Clinic
July 16, 2026
Leinster Hockey was delighted to visit the AerCap offices in Shannon recently to deliver a fun and engaging beginner hockey clinic for the children of AerCap employees, with over 30 young players taking part throughout the afternoon.
The clinic formed part of the ongoing partnership between Leinster Hockey and AerCap, who have proudly supported the Leinster Hockey Development Programme since 2019.
This followed a successful clinic held at AerCap's Dublin offices in 2024.
Led by current Leinster Women's U21 Head Coach Sarah Scott and Leinster U16 Girls Assistant Coach Diane Henderson, the coaching team also included former Irish international Naomi Carroll (200 caps), former Irish U21 international Roisin Begley, Munster coach Geraldine O'Carroll, and Munster U18 player Alannah Robertson.
Blessed with fantastic weather, the afternoon was packed with fun games and beginner-friendly hockey activities, allowing many children to experience the sport for the very first time. The inflatable hockey pitch proved a huge attraction throughout the session, while AerCap's much-loved mascot, Captain AER made a special appearance and proved a big hit with the participants.
After the session, every participant received a specially designed Leinster Hockey and AerCap t-shirt along with a goodie bag to mark the occasion. The event received extremely positive feedback from players, families and AerCap employees, highlighting the continued success of the partnership between both organisations.
Speaking following the clinic, Gillian Culhane, Head of Corporate Communications and Marketing at AerCap, said:
“We were delighted to welcome Leinster Hockey to our Shannon offices and provide the children and families of our employees with the opportunity to experience the sport in such a fun and engaging way. Seeing so many young participants getting active, developing new skills and enjoying themselves was fantastic.
Through our partnership with Leinster Hockey, AerCap supports the development of young players and helps grow participation in the sport through the Leinster Hockey Development Programme. The clinic was a wonderful example of that support in action. We look forward to continuing our partnership of the programme and creating more opportunities like this in the future.”
Leinster Hockey General Manager Denise McKenna added:
"Our partnership with AerCap is incredibly important to Leinster Hockey, and days like this are exactly what the partnership is all about. It was fantastic to introduce so many children to hockey in such a fun and welcoming environment, and the feedback from everyone involved has been overwhelmingly positive. We're already looking forward to building on this and delivering more opportunities together in the future."
Leinster Hockey and AerCap extended their partnership in 2025 and continue to work together to support the growth of hockey across the province. With the District Cup launching later this month and preparations continuing for the Interprovincial Tournament in August, it promises to be another exciting period for the Leinster Hockey Development Programme.
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