GRASSROOTS
ST MICHAEL’S
ST Michaels GAA Executive are pleased to announce Declan Feeney as our new senior team manager.
Declan played inter county football with Cavan at all levels including at under 16, minor, under 21 and senior football.
He has won two intermediate championships with Killeshandra and helped the club obtain senior status for the first time in its history.
When Declan moved to Sligo he played with Calry St Joseph’s for a number of years and helped the club move to senior football for the first time in their history.
When Declan moved to St Michael’s he helped the club develop at underage and managed the under 12 team for 6 years which includes many of the present day junior team.
He has previously managed St Michael’s ladies team for 3 years whilst they got to a senior final and most recently have helped out with the under 8s.
Declan will be joined by selectors Alan Taaffe and Robert Taaffe Jnr. We wish Declan, Alan and Robert well over the coming season and will give them our fullest support.
28 Days to 50K Healthy Club Challenge Walk or Run 50km/80000steps in February 2021. Track your distance on the app of your choice and post a screenshot here in the comments of some sessions and on completion! Mobile apps you could use include Strava, Map My Walk, Google Fit, Samsung Health or use your fitness wearable such as Garmin or Fitbit. Setup a whatsapp group with your friends to track and compare progress. Please maintain social distancing and adhere to public health guidelines at all times.
The Club AGM will take place on Friday 19th February via Zoom/teams. Thomas Walsh will be sending links to all interested in attending. If you wish to join the meeting, please forward your details to Thomas on 086 1025285.
CASTLECONNOR
LOTTO
LAST weekend’s results are as follows... JACKPOT €11,300, numbers drawn 17, 24, 26, 35. No winner of jackpot. Consolation winners; Eddie Gallagher, Michael Cullin and Barry Judge. Next Jackpot is €11,400.
UNDERAGE Coaches & Helpers
WE are currently working on putting coaches and helpers in place for all our underage teams. We start at U6 and go up to U21. If there is anyone in the parish that would like to get involved, whether as a coach or just a helper, then please contact a member of the committee (email pro.castleconnor.sligo@gaa.ie). The club will provide all the training needed and no prior experience is required. So, if you are new to the parish or have been previously involved, we would love to hear from you and we encourage you to come along and get involved.
SKILLS Challenges
OUR U7, U9, U11 and U13 teams continue with their skills challenges weekly, we’ve got some great videos snippets on our Facebook and Twitter accounts of some of the kids in action. Our U11s and U13s top their tables where a prize to train in the new Dome at the Connacht Centre of Excellence is up for grabs. BEREAVEMENT
ALL in Castleconnor GAA were saddened to learn of the death of Mary Feeney, mother of Trevor Feeney, this week. Our thoughts are with Mary’s family and friends at this difficult time. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam.
ENNISCRONE/KILGLASS
AGM
OUR Annual General Meeting is scheduled to take place online over Zoom on Friday, February 26th at 8pm. DETAILS and nomination forms have been circulated in recent weeks. Please get in touch if you need any further information. 2021 season
FOLLOWING the GAA’s announcement last week, there will be no activity until Easter. While this is disappointing, we must remain conscious of the severity of the public health situation at present. AS we wait for a return to the playing fields, we’d encourage all our younger players to keep up their own individual skills practice at home. CLUBHOUSE
PROGRESS on the new clubhouse at Quigabar has been halted somewhat due to the restrictions currently in place. Work will resume when things ease off and government measures are scaled down - hopefully in the near future. COACHING
A number of our club coaches have engaged in very beneficial workshops (held online) with local Games Promotion Officer Stephen Henry in recent weeks. Thanks also to Ross Donovan for providing a coaching session for nursery kids all across the county on social media every Wednesday.
CLUB Shop
IF you are looking for any club gear ahead of the new season, find a vast array of items here: www.oneills.com/shop-byteam/gaa/ireland/enniscrone-kilglass. html
15PC of every purchase will go to the club.
COOLANEY/MULLINABREENA
OUR Community and GAA Club were saddened to learn of the recent death of Fr Joe Finan, who was a native of Lavagh. Coolaney/Mullinabreena Club would like to extend deepest sympathy to Fr. Jim Finan (Collooney), extended family and friends. May he rest in peace.
“Every Step Counts’ Challenge” continues and we are on our fifth lap of Ireland this week. Still time to get involved please see our Facebook page for the link to join in and help us get around Ireland. Well done to all and keep up the good work. Please continue to adhere to all Covid requirements and stay safe.
Our track is open every day for all to use within 5km. Please remember to adhere to all guidelines. A one-way system is in place. No group walking except within one’s family unit. Physical distancing is in place at all times. “Lights on our Track” at Nace O’Dowd Park continues from 7pm9pm every Tuesday & Thursday.
Sponsorship Appeal has got a great response so far, thank you very much to all.
If you would like to support the below please contact: Ollie Lee 087 7981827, Eugene Henry 087 2447098, Brendan Kivlehan 087 2845687, David Hosey 087 267088.
Our Club is striving to update facilities at Nace O’Dowd grounds by installing market chalets for the very successful Farmers market and track lights around the walkway. Both initiatives will have a real and meaningful affect on the lives of the people who live in our area. Project 1: Sponsor a Market Chalet for €500. Project 2: Sponsor a track Light Pole for €350. All support is greatly appreciated. Thank You.
CLOONACOOL
THE Cloonacool Community Park draw for February took place this evening. Numbers drawn were 1, 6, 20 and 23.
Unfortunately there was no jackpot winner. There were two match three winners; Will Armstrong and Tom & Brid Calvey. They share €200.
Next month’s jackpot will be €5,200. Aiden Kilcoyne was the winner of a €30 Supervalu shopping voucher a prize being very generously supplied each month by Surlis’s Supervalu Tubbercurry.
Thanks to all who entered the draw to support the community park. Tickets can still be purchased by contacting Martin McIntyre on (087) 412 5602.
ST FARNAN’S LADIES
THE club’s newly elected executive have certainly hit the ground running with their first fundraising event now up and running in less than a fortnight. Well over three hundred entries have been received for “Last Man Standing” which is based around the weekend results from the Premiership with a prize of €300 for the eventual winner. Not only has it generated funds for the club it has also generated a level of excitement in the area even among those who wouldn’t normally be keen followers of the Premiership.
Congratulations to former club player Elaine Kilgannon and her husband Ted on the birth of their baby girl during the week. The then Elaine Howley was one of the club’s most prolific forwards in our underage teams during the club’s formative years, playing a pivotal role it the winning of our first ever silverware at county level, which came at U-14 level in 2004.
Congratulations also to Kathleen Kane on being presented with a LGFA National Volunteer Hall of Fame award on Friday night last. Kathleen, who has given generously of her time to our own club among countless others on many occasions down through the years, received the award in recognition of her lifelong dedication to the promotion of Ladies Gaelic Football at all levels.
GEEVAGH
THE Club’s AGM took place on Thursday evening last over Zoom. Chairperson Louise Lavin opened her AGM address by saying the club began 2020 full of hope & optimism for the year ahead. However, the Taoiseach address to the nation on March 12th 2020 changed all that, the Covid pandemic changed the shape of all our lives from pre match/training to Covid health questionnaires and hand sanitisers to name just a few.
The club overcame the challenges presented by the pandemic and had a quite a successful year of football.
On the playing field we had some great wins over the shortened season of GAA football. These matches and wins gave us all something to enjoy and smile about.
Louise then went all the list all our teams and how they faired in 2020.
She continued by thanking all the players, managers, mentors, volunteers, sponsors and supporters for the endeavours in 2020.
Louise thanked Rosaleen who was stepping down as Assistant Treasurer, for all her years of voluntary service. She wished her health & happiness for the future.
Condolences to all those families in the area and beyond who have suffered bereavements over the past year.
Louise then concluded her address by hoping for a brighter & better sporting 2021.
Noreen, our Club Treasurer then read out her financial report for 2020.
All our outgoing club officers were returned to office, there are still vacancies at Assistant Chairperson & Assistant Treasurer.
The pitch floodlights in the Sports Field will be switched on every Monday, Wednesday & Friday nights from 6.30pm to 8pm for those who wish to avail of the facility while still adhering to Covid 19 regulations.
Anyone using the facilities are requested to run/walk in the direction of the new erected signage.
Sympathy is extended the the family, relatives & friends of the late Dymphna Gray, Annaghloy.
Following the GAA’s announcement during the past week, there will be no activity until Easter.
As we wait for a return to the playing fields we encourage all our younger players to keep practising their skills at home.
Congratulations to Dominic & Jane Kearns on the birth of their baby girl recently.
Please see a link to the GAA Club newsletter for January 2021. www.gaa. ie/api/pdfs/image/upload/ldwyv1xqw8czao6bys4e.pdf
Any items for inclusion in club notes or to be posted on our Facebook page can be forwarded by text, what’s app or messenger to 087 1305671.
SHAMROCK GAELS
WE are currently upgrading our website and it will be off-line for a while.
Well done to all who are participating in the Healthy Club committee’s walk/run challenge for the month of February. There are 156 people participating which is a great response. After week one the Gals and Pals are marginally ahead.
We are currently putting together the management teams for underage football for the coming season for both Girls and Boys.
We are particularly interested in getting new people involved and full training will be given through online coaching courses coming up over the next few weeks. Anyone interested in getting involved should contact Michelle McMorrow on 087 615 7455.
The annual National Club draw tickets are now in circulation. The tickets cost €10 each with a top prize of a car. 100% of proceeds go to the club and we would be grateful for your support. While the closing date for the draw has been extended, please return the tickets as soon as possible to Mary Quinn.
ST MARY’S
THE club would like to extend its sympathies to the Martyn family on the passing of Terry. Terry is mother of Fintan, Colm and Kevin, and grandmother of club players Johnny and David Martyn, as well as Colm, Laura and Kevin-James. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam dílis.
We have this week launched our new club website.
The website hosts a wealth of information about our club including the history of St. Mary’s, latest news and fixtures, details of the teams we field, a club shop through John Kent and much more. Check it out at www.stmarys.sligo.gaa.ie
TWO local sailors have been acknowledged for their achievements at the Irish Sailing Awards which took place recently.
Sarah Nicholson, of Sligo Yacht Club, won the Irish Sailing Senior Instructor of the Year, with Dave O’Connor’s Wild West Sailing based in Sligo winning Irish Sailing Training Centre of the Year.
The Irish Sailing Awards are the annual awards event celebrating the achievements of some inspirational people in the sailing community. This year, the awards presented the perfect opportunity to show that despite the Covid-19 pandemic, people were able to return to the water in a variety of different ways, and marked the end of a strange and difficult year with an optimistic eye on the future.
During covid restrictions last year, Sarah managed to get a training programme up and running in a resource-strapped environment and despite many setbacks.
Dave O’Connor impressed the judges by being innovative and quick to adept, managing to exceeded targets for Wild West Sailing and grow the business despite the pandemic.