Knockadoon Youth Week

The Knockadoon Youth Week, or ‘KYW’ as it is better known, is a residential summer camp that takes place in the Knockadoon Dominican Camp, Ballymacoda, Co.Cork.

The KYW is a week-long programme which takes place over the course of four consecutive separate weeks, with a different group of campers being hosted each week.

The purpose of the KYW is to provide a safe place where young people can come together to enjoy themselves and relax in the company of their peers. It offers young people a chance of a safe holiday away from their normal lives in which development as a human being and growth of their Catholic faith is the central mission of the week.

It is hoped that the young people who travel to Knockadoon will gain a renewed and healthy view of themselves and other people through the participation in games, sport, music, and dance.

The Catholic community that is established between all participants on camp emphasises the importance for co-operation, compromise and the significance of every individual, whoever they may be and wherever they may be from, along with the development of mutual respect, understanding and the Catholic spiritual tradition.

Young people who have spent time in the camp over the years have come away with many happy memories of the joy, fun, and friendship which they found on the camp. For so many people, from campers and leaders to members of staff, the KYW has been a life-changing experience.

The week itself is run exclusively by volunteer youth leaders, many of whom have been campers before and wish to give something back to the organisation.

On camp, the leaders organise activities and competitions, ensure the schedule runs smoothly, and supervise the campers for the entire week. Off camp, the leaders plan the programme, organise numerous fundraisers, and attend essential training courses to maintain a high level of safety for the campers.

With over 400 young people attending each year over the three weeks, the KYW has approximately 100-120 youth leaders aged between 17-29 years old who take responsibility for the programme.

All of our leaders are Garda vetted and have undertaken child protection training, with many of them undertaking additional courses such as First Aid, SAFEtalk Suicide Awareness training, Mentoring Programmes, and Lifeguard training.