Club in running for top award

AN inspiring Sligo GAA Club has been put through its paces as part of the judging for the finals of the inaugural National Lottery Good Causes Awards which take place in Dublin on Saturday, November 3rd.

Coolaney/Mullinabreena, one of the oldest in the country, beat off stiff competition to be announced as National Finalists and West Regional Winners in the Sports Category of the Awards which honour the incredible work that is being done in communities all over Ireland thanks to National Lottery Good Causes funding.

The Awards which will be televised on Virgin Media One TV on Sunday November 11th at 9pm. There was great excitement when Virgin Media One visited the club in the last week to film for the Awards show.

The judging panel, chaired by broadcaster and businessman Bobby Kerr, spent two days in Athlone meeting 36 finalists from all over Ireland.

Bobby Kerr said the judging panel had an incredibly hard job deciding on the winners for the competition aimed at honouring the inspiring work and achievements of thousands of projects, clubs and individuals all over Ireland with the help of Good Causes funding.

“We were blown away by the 36 presentations. Each of the groups we met are doing amazing work in their communities and were all winners. The work that is being done all over Ireland with the help of Good Causes funding is outstanding.”

National Lottery CEO, Dermot Griffin, congratulated Coolaney/Mullinabreena. He said: “We were overwhelmed at the level of entries we received for our first National Lottery Good Causes Awards. Through these Awards we want to show how people, organisations, projects and sports clubs are doing extraordinary things in their communities.

“This is work that often goes unrecognised,” he added.

The National finals are taking place in Dublin on Saturday, November 3rd.