Killavullen
RAFFERTY MONTESSORI
Last summer Mai Rafferty zipped up the last coat, handed out the last painting and praised her last ‘sweetheart’ as she closed her Montessori School after a lifetime of bringing preschool education to Killavullen Parish and it’s surroundings. It was the end of an era. A teacher takes a hand, opens a mind and touches a heart and this is certainly true of Mai. Celebrities are known widely by their first name and the same can be said about Mai.
For years and for miles, Rafferty Montessori School has been known as Mai’s. Mai brought preschool education to our locality at a time when children typically left home after they turned four and entered Primary School. Nowadays there is much talk about outdoor preschools and encouraging children to learn from being outside and playing, but Mai had the foresight and talent to see the value in this from the very beginning of her career.
Starting out in Clifford House and moving onto Commane, Mai combined the concepts of Maria Montessori and her love of nature, wildlife, fairies, magic, drama, storytelling, poetry and adventure to teach little children life skills which would prepare them for school life.
Her warmth and kindness to the children has always been part of her charm. Peter has always been a positive part of the education of the children too, and he enhanced learning by experience and exploration with his love of horticulture. Children gained a knowledge of their surroundings as well as the curricular areas. Mai has made a huge impact on the lives of little people in our community for 36 years and has had an amazing understanding of the individual abilities and talents of each child she has had.
There is an exciting opportunity for all adult past pupils and parents of the Rafferty Montessori School to show their appreciation to Mai and Peter Rafferty in Killavullen Community Hall on Saturday, March 30, at 8 p.m. Light refreshments will be served on the night and an exciting array of talent and entertainment is assured. Tickets are €15 each available from both Ballygowan and Killavullen schools and the following people: Rose O’Leary 087 4164087. Colette Fitzgibbon 086 1074913 Noel Fitzgibbon 086 2533735 Rose Callanan 085 1547544. Phil Sheehan 087 1360074. Number of tickets strictly limited.
CARD DRIVE
Results for Sunday, March 10, were as follows: First and second Pat McCarthy and Con O’Gorman second Mgt and Dan McSweeney. Best of last five Seán O’Neill and Mary Sheedy. Last game won by Timmy Buckley and James Magner. Raffle winners were Nuala Cronin, Dan McSweeeney and Con Lucey. Cards will be held this Sunday evening at 8 p.m. in Killavullen Community Centre.
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION
Best wishes are extended to the children of second class in Ballygowan NS and Killavullen NS who will receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time next week.
LOTTO
Community Council lotto winners for last week have been: Missy Walsh in Griffin’s Bar and in the Haven Bar the lucky winner was Kevin Regan. Thank you for your continuous support to this fund-raiser. It is appreciated.
YOUTH CONCERT
Rafferty School of Drama was proud to present it’s annual youth concert to a packed hall in Castletownroche last Friday, March 8, at 8 p.m. Children took to the stage to entertain the audience. Well done to Mai, and all who worked hard to produce this much anticipated annual event.
NANO NAGLE BIRTHPLACE
Nano Nagle Birthplace in Ballygriffin host a number of workshops, training events and courses on a regular basis. It is well worth checking out their website nanonaglebirthplace.ie/ to keep up to date with what they have to offer. Killavullen Farmer’s Market is hosted on a regular basis at the Nano Nagle Birthplace. The 2019 season is under way with locally produced fare and welcoming faces. If you’ve not been recently, it certainly is worth a visit. Keep up to date with future dates by following their Faceboook page.
CYCLE SPORTIVE
Killavullen National School parents’ association in conjunction with Blackwater Cycling Club are hosting a Cycle Sportive of three routes: 20km, 50km and 100km on Sunday, April 28, with funds raised being donated to Marymount Hospice and Killavullen National School. Early-bird registration is €20 for the first 100 entrants and €25 for all entries thereafter. There will be food stops en route and in Killavullen at the end of this much anticipated event.
TURBINE AWARE GROUP
Nagle View Turbine Aware group held an open meeting in Killavullen Community Centre recently to discuss the current plans to develop a 27 turbine wind farm in our parish and surrounding areas. Further information on this group and details of future meetings can be found on their website nvta.ie.
GAA NEWS
GREAT WIN FOR UNDER– Killavullen, scoring nine points in each half defeated St Dominic’s in the first round of the Avondhu B Grade under-21 championship in Grange on Saturday last, on a final score of 0-18 to 2-10
Glanworth were first to score but Killavullen had garnished three points from the deadly accurate boot of Michael Fresh, all from frees by the 11th minute. A feature of this opening period was the slick hand passing movement of Killavullen and their ability to hold onto possession. Pádraig Looney scored a lovely point in the 13th minute from play and then the same player raced in on goal from an angle after being released by his brother and sensibly fisted over the bar. Pádraig again scored in the 19th minute to open up a commanding lead 0-06 to 0-01. We wasted a number of scoring opportunities but the defensive spine of the team looked good, and our half back line of Patrick Angland, Paul O’Sullivan in the centre and Fionn Magner on the opposite wing were marauding forward and providing good overlaps.
The Glanworth/Shanballymore combination scored a point in the 20th minute bur Jack O’Connor cancelled out that score with a point from a free from an audacious angle. We gifted St Dominic’s a goal in the 25th minute, a goal that showed up some defensive frailties that had not been apparent, here to now. Glanworth were right back in the mix when they scored a free immediately after the goal to leave only a point between the teams. Michael Fresh got two more points from frees, before the interval to leave the half time score 0-09 to 1-03 in our favour.
On the resumption, and now playing with the advantage of playing down the hill towards the road, the Killavullen spectators would have expected us to kick on but St Dominic’s are nothing but dogged. Our opponents scored the first point of the second half, but Michael Fresh was unerring in his next free kick opportunity in the second minute of the half. St Dominic’s scored another point in the fifth minute and then sensationally, took the lead in the 10th minute from another attack that Killavullen should have cleared. Despite having the lion’s share of possession, and looking the more accomplished outfit as a team, we found ourselves in arrears. Michael Fresh stayed calm and equalised for us, but the game was in the melting pot now, and St Dominic’s sensed an unlikely victory. St Dominic’s scored again in the 13th minute to forge ahead again, but in a crowded St Dominic’s goal mouth, Liam Fox gathered a ball from the air and rifled it over the bar. Colm Looney then scored a nice point in the 17th minute to go ahead once more.
St Dominic’s equalised once more in the 20th minute of the half before going ahead once more in the 24th minute from a free. Pádraig Looney scored a booming point in the 27th minute to equalise, before our captain and centre back scored a real impressive team score in the 28th minute to put us in the lead again. It did not last long, as St Dominic’s equalised in the 28th minute. However, we were gathering a lot of possession in and around midfield, with Eddie Cotter strong in this department, and his high relieving clearance was gathered very well by Liam Fox and he worked the ball to Darragh O’Grady, who scored a peach of a point. Pádraig Looney scored another point to make it a two point lead for us, a dangerous lead in any game.
True to form, St Dominic’s tried right to the end and had a chance to snatch a victory but the dangerous shot just whizzed over the bar. The final score of this absorbing game came from another free from Michael Fresh to being his scoring tally to 0-08 and our final score to 0-18.
A good win but the concession of those two goals will need to be corrected if Killavullen are to advance past the next round, which will be the semi-final of this competition.
MINOR FOOTBALL TEAM QUALIFY FOR THE LEAGUE SEMI FINAL – Last Sunday morning, March 11, Killavullen minors travelled the short distance to Castletownroche to play our near neighbours Ballycastle Gaels in the final round of games in the Division 2 league.
We started at a blistering pace and found ourselves four points to no score ahead after 12 minutes with points form Michael Walsh, Colm Looney and Mark Nagle (2).
However, a strong five minutes resulted in Ballycastle scoring 1-2 to lead by the 20th minute. Killavullen had James O’Keeffe to thank as he made two vital saves to keep Ballycastle out and prevent further goals. These saves sparked a response from the Killavullen lads who scored five points between the 22nd and 30th minutes to lead at half time 0-9 to 1-3.
A number of players had played under-21 championship less than 24 hours previous and it began to take its toll during the second half. Many unforced errors crept into our game as tired bodies and minds struggled. However, the lads never gave in and dug deep to ensure we got the win. Killavullen outscored Ballycastle six points to four in the second half to win by five.
Final score Killavullen 0-15 Ballycastle Gaels 1-7. Killavullen now progress to the Cup semi-final of the Minor Division 2 league stage to be played on the weekend of March 24.
LOSING DIVISION 1 HURLING DEBUT – Killavullen were comprehensively beaten by Kilshannig in their inaugural game in division one hurling for 2019 in Glantane yesterday, in a game played out in dreadful conditions.
The wind was howling straight down the middle of the field, and favoured Kilshannig in the first half, and made playing against it very tough for a young Killavullen team, short of some experienced regulars. With that gale behind them, Kilshannig raced into an early lead and lead by 0-06 to no score before Killavullen opened their account from an Ian O’Gorman free. Our backs were hurling against the elements and did a manful job but Kilshannig tacked over some more points, and then got themselves a scrappy goal in the 18th minute when they forced a ball over the line.
In this period, the players on the field were grateful for the helmets they were wearing to protect their heads from the fierce hailstone storm that fell, which hurt when they hit you. The meagre spectators were grateful also for the stand building in Glantane, though not finished; it did offer some protection from the elements.
Michael Fresh got our second point in the 20th minute of the game, from play. Killavullen did well to repel the Kilshannig forwards and limit their scoring to just two further points, before the interval.
On the resumption, and after the hail stone storm had petered out, we got the opening score of the period courtesy of the hard working Ian O’Gorman. Kilshannig raised another white flag but then we got two points in a row from Jack O’Connor and Ian O’Gorman. Kilshannig scored two close in frees before Ian scored a retaliatory free for us after an earlier goal bound effort from the same player was saved by the Kilshannig rear guard. Kilshannig scored again from a free before we had the final score of the game from an Ian O’Gorman free to leave the final score at Kilshannig 1-15 to 0-07 scored by Killavullen.
PETER CASEY GUEST GDA FROM CLARE – Peter Casey, Clare GDA from Lisdoonvarna, and who now resides in Fanore travelled down to Killavullen last Saturday and he delivered a very informative session for our underunder-14, under-16 players and coaches. This is another step in Killavullen’s long term development plan.
Peter revealed that: ‘I love the training more so than the matches themselves at times. I love being on the field and I love coaching and I love seeing people improving and doing what they’ve being doing in training and putting it into a match situation. I try to concentrate more so on things that the players are doing more so than the score or the result.’.
Some nuggets from Peter included – There is a place for everyone in his vision of a team. The GAA in every parish needs as many people as possible putting their shoulder to the wheel.
Developing a game plan requires clear thinking. A style of play takes time to perfect. Instant success rarely happens.
A team is defined as a collection of people with complementary skills. A collection of people and each them doing vital jobs and everyone to take responsibility for their own individual role.
We can never tell which underplayers will develop into accomplished senior players. All the members of the present Clare panel travelled their own route to achieving their success. Some were always star players while others are only starting to shine now. Many players didn’t make under-age county teams at certain stages. They would all say that they used those setbacks as motivation to improve.
The more skills a player has, the more options that are available to him in tough situations. No skill should ever be regarded as being obsolete.
Our games are evolving at a faster rate than ever now. In 1995 it was felt that teams couldn’t get any fitter. In 2005 20 points would win most matches. 25 points wasn’t enough to win this year. In 10 years’ time, it is likely that players will be even faster, stronger and more skilful than the present generation.
Having a good first touch buys time for a player. Our players tend run around opponents rather than through them. If players are taking and giving hard hits, it saps energy. When players use their feet to avoid trouble they conserve energy for what is really important. It is sometimes easier to knock an opponent with a sidestep rather than a shoulder.
Striking on the front foot is the new striking on the run. A lot of players striking on the run in the past were striking on the back foot. Being on the back foot takes all the power out of the shot. This requires a player to run towards goal and get good alignment before striking. Players have a much higher success rate when they have good alignment.
Two options are better than one. Having players willing to sacrifice their own performance for the greater good of the team is the essence of team play.
We have marvellous games that children everywhere want to play. Once our coaching methods are good we’ll have lots of good players.
FORTHCOMING FIXTURES – under-16 Football League – Division 1 Grade – Killavullen V Mitchelstown in Mitchelstown on Saturday, March 16, at 2 p.m.
Under-12Football League – Purple Division – Killavullen V Clyda Rovers in Mourne Abbey on Saturday, March 16, at 3.30 p.m.
LOTTO – Congratulations to Tom O’Connor, who scooped the lotto of €2,000 last Tuesday night when the draw was held in the company of Hannah Griffin, in Griffins bar in Ballygowan. Tom had bought his lucky ticket from Hannah in the same premises, so it was a very popular win on the night. Numbers drawn were 2, seven, and 14. The lucky-dip winners were as follows: €50 Tom Barry, Monaminy – Seller Michael Linehan; €30 Colman Dalton – Seller – Mary Mellerick; €30 Sheila Barrett – Seller John Angland. The next draw will be in Manger’s Bar and will be for €1,000
MEMBERSHIP 2019 – The closing date for receipt of membership is March 31.
GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARY – Congratulations to our trustee of the club, Billy Magner and his wife Catherine, who celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on February 15 last. Always a great club man, Billy made sure that he would not forget that momentous day, year on year. It coincides with the founding of the club, on February 15, 1888.