Founded in 2024 by head coach Daniela Kinsella, West Cork Volleyball Club is the first of its kind in Dunmanway. In just one year, the beginner-friendly club has grown rapidly and will now compete in the Volleyball Ireland National League, fielding two youth teams and a women’s team. With support from Volleyball Ireland and the West Cork Development Programme, the club held its first session in July 2024 at the Skibbereen playground. Daniela has recently launched a volleyball programme in primary and secondary schools across West Cork, with over 13 primary schools already signed up to take part. Daniela chats to Niamh Coughlan about the club’s progress and ambitions.
A Brazilian native, Daniela’s passion for volleyball began in childhood, playing on her school team as a teenager. “When I moved to Europe, life took me in a different direction, I got married, started a family, and volleyball became just a memory.”
Twenty years later, after her marriage ended, Daniela felt drawn back to the sport she loved. “In 2019, while living in County Waterford, I joined a club in Kilkenny and began playing again with their women’s team. It didn’t take long for that old passion to return. Then Covid arrived, and suddenly I found myself at home with my eight children.”
By 2022, Daniela and her family had settled in West Cork. The club began with a simple dream. She wanted to keep playing the sport she had rediscovered while giving her children the chance to grow as players. “A friend generously sponsored me to take a life coaching course, and during that time I realised what I truly wanted: to become a volleyball coach and bring the sport I love to West Cork. The nearest club was in Cork City, so I decided to create one right here in our community.”
With support from Volleyball Ireland and the West Cork Development Programme, the club held its first session in July of last year at the playground in Skibbereen “They provided us with a net and a few volleyballs and that was enough to get started. That summer, we played every week, whether at the playground or on the beach.”
Daniela’s vision for the club is to spread the love of volleyball across West Cork and create a vibrant, inclusive community where players of all ages and abilities can develop their skills, confidence, and teamwork. As founder and head coach, she hopes to establish more training centres throughout the region, giving even more children and teens the chance to discover and enjoy the sport.
“As a mom of many, I’ve learned that children and teens can’t be forced to do something they don’t truly want to do. We, as parents and coaches, can encourage and guide them but real growth only happens when ‘they’ choose to engage.”
For those new to the sport, volleyball is a team game played with six players on each side. Using their hands and arms, players hit the ball over a net, aiming to land it on the opponent’s court to score points.
“When we started last September, most of our players had never really played volleyball before. Now, just a year later, I see those same players helping me coach new ones. Watching them grow in confidence and passion, and seeing them pass that love for the game on to others is very rewarding.”
“In Ireland, volleyball isn’t as common in schools as sports like Gaelic games or athletics. So when a new player joins and tells me they’ve played before, I know that usually means they’ve only had a little exposure to the sport.”
Training players of all ages several times a week, Daniela always begins with a solid warm-up and stretching routine. “Sometimes our warm-up feels more like a workout and we might use some tools or light weights I keep in the hall, and other times it’s all about agility games. It really depends on what we need to focus on in that session. After warming up, we move on to the basics. Every training includes time for fundamentals, because even professional players keep practising them”. Daniela currently has a group of volunteers getting certified so they can also join the club’s coaching team.
Fourteen-year-old Bethan Hunt from Dunmanway first heard about the club through a friend. “I first got involved with volleyball when my friend saw that the club was starting and asked me to go with her. I’ve been part of the team for a year now.” Alongside volleyball, Bethan also plays rugby with the U16 Rebelletes.
Already active in league games and tournaments, the U16, U18 and adult teams are gaining valuable experience each week. Before a big match, Bethan says she likes to start her day “with a big breakfast and a good stretch to get ready to play.”
The court is a place for both learning and making mistakes. “Teamwork is so important in training. It’s great to have a team that always encourages and helps each other when we make mistakes. I think my favourite part is all the new friends I’ve made playing volleyball. A lot of people on the team are from different countries, and it’s great to learn new things from them.”
Bethan plays as a setter and says the sport has helped her grow both on and off the court. “I’ve definitely become more confident and talkative since I started playing volleyball. My favourite player is probably Harper Murray and she plays for Nebraska in America.”
Despite all the positives, being based in the countryside comes with its challenges. The biggest being transportation. “Our training hall can be far for some families, and with limited public transport, it’s not always easy for players, especially teens, to travel independently. Most of our players are from Skibbereen, but there’s no direct bus to Dunmanway, which makes it difficult for parents. We also have players from Clonakilty facing similar issues.”
Another challenge for the club is finding available sports halls. With West Cork’s unpredictable weather, access to more suitable indoor facilities would make a huge difference, and this isn’t just a local issue. Even clubs in the city struggle to secure enough hall time.
Despite the challenges, the club continues to grow and move forward. “This year, we’re proudly taking part in the Volleyball Ireland National League, entering two youth teams and a women’s team. I’m sure we’ll face new challenges along the way, but also new opportunities to grow and learn as a club.”
Volleyball Ireland has played a key role in growing the sport nationwide, with new clubs emerging across the country. This year’s National League will see over a thousand players taking part. Building on that momentum, Daniela has recently launched a volleyball programme in primary and secondary schools across West Cork, with over 13 primary schools already signed up to take part.
Clonakilty Community College is the first secondary school to start a girls’ volleyball team through Daniela’s programme. “Hopefully, this will inspire more schools to join in so that one day we’ll see volleyball thriving in every school across West Cork.”
“I see a future where we’ll be hosting school competitions and helping the love for the game spread even further,” Daniela says. As more children discover volleyball, I believe we’ll see new training centres opening and West Cork becoming a real reference point for Irish volleyball. As for our players, I’ll continue to encourage them to keep growing in the game!”
West Cork Volleyball Club welcomes everyone: kids, teens and adults. The club’s U16 and U18 teams train on Thursdays from 5–7pm and Saturdays from 2-4pm. The adult team trains on Tuesday nights from 8-10pm. For more information, visit westcorkvolleyballclub.com.