GRASSROOTS

GLENEALY

Glenealy Hurling Club is holding it’s AGM in the Clubhouse on Friday, January 6, at 7pm.

All members and intending members are requested to attend.

CARNEW EMMETS

Get well wishes to Patrick Doyle, Malton Park.

VALLEYMOUNT

Our lotto was held in Leo’s on Saturday, December 17, and there was no jackpot winner.

There were extra prizes for Christmas, and the €25 winners were, Jim Woods, Phyllis Byrne, Mag and Eileen Miley, Heidi Miley, Mick Nolan, Emily Brophy and Maisie and Adam c/o Patrick Nolan.

The next lotto draw will be held on Saturday, January 7, with a jackpot of €1,700. Congratulations to all our winners over the past year and thanks for your support.

The club’s AGM was held recently and there was only one change to the committee, Shay Geoghegan has stepped in as assistant treasurer relieving John Richardson of his duties, many thanks to both and to all committee members for staying on for another year.

Congratulations to Davy and Maeve on the birth of their son Eoin recently, and to Grainne Nolan, who won an All-Ireland College League medal recently with LIT.

We held our LipSync cheque presentation in Cullen’s on Saturday, December 17, which was very well supported, thanks to Liz and Jimmy for the food on the night. The LipSync committee and the contestants did the club proud.

We raised a grand total of €37,300 which will be put to good use in the club.

The committee did sterling work for the last six months and we congratulate them on their efforts, Anne Flynn, Bridget Cahill, Eimear Neary, Caroline Cahill, Theresa Reid, Mags Cullen and Janet Reid.

But none of it would have been possible without our willing and brave contestants who bared their souls, and a lot more in some cases, on stage for our entertainment, we are so proud of you.

We commend you all for your participation, thank you! To everyone else involved in the background, thank you. A big thanks to all the businesses that placed ads in the booklet, to businesses that donated prizes for the raffle, to all the people who supported the fundraising events over the last six months, to the booklet printers, to the venue owners who let us use their premises, to the judges on the night, Harry, John, Jenny and Richard, to StageServ for running the event, to Natasha, the dedicated dance coordinator, to Kenny Davy and finally to the people who attended on the night, your support was amazing.

The Hillbilly Run will hold ‘Raisin the Roof 2’ in Tulfarris on Friday, January 13, with all local bands and singers. Doors open at 8pm, admission €10, all proceeds to the Church Repair Fund.

Finally we would like to wish all our members and supporters a very Happy New Year.

COOLBOY

On behalf of the football committee, we wish to thank everyone for taking part in the Clash of the Clans match on St. Stephen’s Day in the community field, Christy O’Rourke who had the very tough task of refereeing on the day, all our supporters and footballers who attended the presentation night later that evening, M.C Des Willoughby and finally the Little Moon for their generosity on the night and the use of the premises. A great day and night was had by all and here’s to an equally if not more successful year for Coolboy GAA.

TINAHELY

Lotto results from December 27. Numbers drawn were 1, 15, 25 and 28. The bonus number was 20. There was no jackpot winner and the match three went to Caroline Phelan. Next lotto jackpot: €4,000. Happy New Year to all our players, members and supporters. Congratulations to Thomas Redmond and Donna Corbett who got married on New Year’s Eve. Best wishes to both of ye in your married lives.

ÉIRE ÓG GREYSTONES

Hopefully it is not too late to once again wish you all a happy and prosperous 2017 (Bliain Nua faoi shéan is faoi mhaise daoibh go léir) on behalf of Éire Óg.

Christmas is now well past but it is still difficult to exit the unreality that attends the season and to face into the reality of the challenges, not least of which are financial, that the club is destined to encounter in the new year. There is not a year in the history of the club in which finance has not been a problem for Éire Óg Greystones and keeping its head above water has been for much of the time a case of running faster and faster to stand still.

In 2017 the Lotto, which has been the mainstay of the day-to-day running of the club, is entering somewhat uncharted waters with a change to on-line sales only. Many factors have contributed to the necessity for this change.

The year-to-year decline in the sales of the Lotto tickets had reached the point in 2016 where the question arbh fiú an tairbhe and trioblóid (was the return worth the time and financial input required) had to be asked. Further, the co-ordination of the Lotto is a hugely demanding task and imposed significant restrictions on the freedom of the ever-reliable organisers, Veronica and Des O’Reilly. Go raibh mile maith agaibh beirt. A situation which certainly could not continue for too long more.

In his annual report, Rúnaí Daniel English acknowledged the club’s indebtedness to Veronica and Des, who were present at the AGB. A recognition unanimously endorsed by the meeting and which was greeted by a prolonged bout of applause. Also, thanks almost exclusively to the efforts of Daniel, on-line sales have shown a continuous week-toweek increase in income in 2016 which has raised hopes that a purely electronic system would be viable. The new arrangement is scheduled to commence operation in the very near future.

Thankfully, a financial floating collar that would help us ride-out our short-term difficulties is waiting to be grasped. It comes in the form of a country-wide GAA draw, which has really attractive prizes. These prizes are sponsored centrally so no costs accrue to the club, which implies that all the monies for the tickets sold on behalf of a club go directly into its coffers. Tickets, which are available from Mark Barry or Committee members, are at the attractive price of €10 each. A large sale of these ticéidí would be a wonderful start to the year and would calm the nerves of Cisteoir Daniel ‘Doc’ O’Connor.

Greystones has been chosen by the county Board as the venue for Cill Mantáin’s home game v Laois in the O’Byrne Cup (peil) on Wednesday 11th and for the Keogh Cup (iomáint) game v IT Tallaght on the 22nd. Éire Óg is well represented in both squads

so your support would be appreciated.

ANNACURRA

On Thursday night, December 29, we held our presentation night. It was the 25 year anniversary for our hurlers,who won the intermediate championship. Also our camoige girls finished of a great year after winning two cups and received there medals. Well done girls keep up the good work. Finally our football awards were presented and our senior footballer of the year went to Liam Moules.

Junior footballer of the year went to Shane O’Neill. Young footballer of the year went to James Keenan.

Club person of the year went to Gerry Doyle. Thanks for all the hard work Gerry, for your input with the lotto. Annacurra GAA would like to wish everyone a very happy new year.

RATHNEW

Our Senior team ended the year on a great note with a touch of silverware. On a cold night just before Christmas we travelled to Roundwood to watch our Senior captain Paul Merrigan accept the 1916 Comemmorative Cup.

Rathnew saw off Hollywood to claim the one-off cup on a score line of 4-16 to 8 points. Well done lads.

Once again we wish all of our sponsors, ticket sellers, players, mentors, committee and supporters near and far a happy and healthy New Year.

New Year, new you - A little reminder that there are excellent gym membership rates available for a fitness kickstart to 2017. Contact any committee member for details.

We held our annual club ‘get together’ last weekend in Shay Doyle’s and great craic was had by players, committee and supporters alike.

Finally, sending milestone birthday wishes to Sylvia Doyle, 21 again.

AGB

Wishing all our AGB members and their families, our sponsors and friends of AGB a very Happy New Year.

Strictly Come Dancing with Avonmore’s Musical Society will take place on January 14. AGB will be represented by our own dancer Agnes Pokrywka who is the administrator for our under-14 boys team. Wishing Agnes the best of luck in her preparation for the big night. Sponsor cards are also available if anyone would like to make a donation.

AGB will host a Dinner Dance on February 25 to celebrate the great achievements and wins of the ladies and men’s teams during 2016. Breakaway will provide the music on the night. Tickets are €25 and can be bought from Margot on 085 8624994, Jennifer on 0868833159, Sinead on 0871374812, or from the office in Pearse’s Park or Ray in Ray Menton’s Shop. This promises to be a night not to be missed.

Wicklow GAA Yearbook 2016 is now available for purchase, the books are €10, and are available from Ray in Ray Menton’s shop or Jimmy in Pearse’s Park.

Golfers, Save the Date - May 12. AGBs Golf Classic will be held in the Woodenbridge Golf Club. More details and information to follow shortly on what promises to be a fantastic day for all.

AGB club gear is available at great prices. Contact Kerry on 087 3287881 to order.

Please send club notes to arklowgaa@gmail.com You can contact the AGB PRO at above email, Facebook (‘Arklow Geraldines Ballymoney GAA Club’ or ‘AGB Ladies’) or Twitter.