Archive for category: General

Some things just get the pulse racing and last nights speeches at the Dublin launch of the Leitrim Supporters Club 2009 certainly did that. Five speakers in total gave excellent presentations and the 80 minutes flew as speech after speech hammered home the basic 2 key points- Money and Belief. Both of these are points that can be addressed by all Leitrim Supporters worldwide and it is only with this support that we will move forward.

Michael Feeney acting as MC opened the proceedings and invited Eamonn Duignan to the stand to present the financial facts of Leitrim GAA. A very important message was delivered that Leitrim GAA relies heavily on our supporters club fund raising efforts to finance the day to day costs. An achievable target of €150,000 is required to balance the books for 2009, the plan is simple, supporters are asked to not only buy a ticket but to also sell one ticket and thus we will achieve our target. This is not a large task to ask of anyone but with a collective effort targets will be achieved.

Gerry McGovern, Chairman Leitrim GAA, gave a very rousing speech emphasising Eamonns message and also introduced the second key point of the night. Believe and we will do it. The message was clear – dont expect second best on or off the field, believe in our teams and we will deliver.

John Morrison spoke at length about the team setup, experiences to date and plans for the future. His words were simple and very well delivered as the captivated audience received the positive message of belief in ourselves and our teams.

With John leaving everyones pulse racing Mickey Moran had a very hard act to follow but he stood his corner and gave his perspective on the year ahead and plans for further down the line. He talked about his aspirations and inspirations and he too maintained the believe theme.

The honorary guest speaker of the night was Dermot Gallagher and he presented a message of inspiration for Leitrim teams and supporters. Dermot also delivered a delightful Leitrimised tailored dialogue between two travellers which was very well received. Dermot was presented with a large framed picture of 2 projects in which he was instrumental in delivering to Leitrim in his time in the civil service, the rejuvenation of the Shannon/Erne waterway and the New Stand in Páirc Seán.

Eamonn Duignan was also presented with an engraved crystal bowl to mark his tireless efforts in running the Supporters club in Dublin and for his time in monitoring the paperwork for the Get on the team fundraising campaign.

 

Summary:

1. Our financial situation must be carefully monitored and we need to raise €150,000 by means of the our supporters club. This CAN be achieved and with each Leitrim supporter performing the small task of buy 1 and sell 1 ticket then targets will be reached

2. Believe – in ourselves and our teams on the field and off of it. negative thoughts, words and actions will not deliver silverware. Belief – is the only way forward.

 

Please do your bit for Leitrim and try and deliver on the 2 key points !

 

 

23-Jan-09 by Brendan Doyle – PRO

Leitrim GAA are delighted to announce the following recipients of the 2008 awards for the Senior and Coiste na nÓg boards:

 

County Board Award Winners 2008

Jim Lynch – Hall of Fame
Gerry Mahon, Sean OHeslins

 

Referee of the year
Finbarr Keaney, Kiltubrid

 

Club Player of the year
Sean Mahon, Aughnasheelin

 

Club Grounds of the year
Aughavas

 

County Player of the year
Shane Foley, Kiltubrid

 

 

Coiste na nÓg Award Winners 2008

Young Player of the year
Micheal Mc Weeney, St. Marys

 

Minor Player of the year
Emmett Mahon,  Kiltubrid

 

Referee of the year
Seamus Mulhern, St. Marys

 

 

 

Handball Award Winners 2008

 

Juvenile Handballer of Year
Donal Wrynne, Fenagh

 

 

Ladies Handballer of Year
Joanne Logan, Drumshanbo

 

 

Junior Handballer of Year
James Hazlette, Drumkeeran.

 

 

Senior Handballer of Year
Martin Raftery, Drumshanbo

 

 

 

 

Ladies Award Winners 2008

 

Junior Club Player of Year
Enya McWeeney, St Marys

 

 

Intermediate Club Player of Year
Deirdre Ward, Mohill

 

 

Senior Club Player of Year
Grainne Tiernan, Cloone

 

 

 

Hurling Award Winners 2008

County Hurler of Year
Clement Cunniffe (St Marys)

 

Club Hurler of Year
Padraig McWeeney (St Marys)

 

Young Hurler of Year
Brian Feeney (Glencar/Manorhamilton)

 

 

 

 

Many congratulations to all of the the worthy award winners who will be honoured at the annual awards night on Saturday night (Jan 17th) at 8pm.

 

 

15-Jan-09 by Brendan Doyle – PRO

 

GAA @ 125 Bliain

Both RTE and TG4 are getting into the spirit of the 125 celebrations as tonights Late Late Show is dedicated to the GAA and the last 125 year.

On Sunday TG4 roll out a new 10 part television documentary series chronicling the social and cultural history of the Association.

RTE 1 – Late Late Show

The former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and The Saw Doctors will be joining Pat Kenny tonight for special edition of The Late Late Show.

tonights show, which will celebrate the 125th anniversary of the founding of the GAA, will also feature Sean Óg O hAilpín and the Artane Boys and Girls Band.

Other well-known faces and lovers of the games will be on hand for a show that promises to be rich in anecdote and song. Dara OBriain, Oliver Callan of Nob Nation, Brush Shields and Tommy Fleming will be in studio.
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Joining the party will be the most star-studded assembly ever of legends of the games including Kevin Heffernan, Jimmy Barry-Murphy, Babs Keating, Dermot Earley, Eddie Keher, Mick ODwyer, Henry Shefflin, Peter Canavan, Jamsie OConnor, Colm Cooper, Padraic Joyce and Sean Og O hAlpin.

You can watch this special show tonight at 9.30pm on RTÉ One

 

 

TG4 – Launch of a major new television history series

As a major contribution to the GAA’s 125th Birthday in 2009, TG4 today launched its major new 10 part television documentary series chronicling the social and cultural history of the Association.

The series, launched by GAA President, Nickey Brennan, at the GAA Museum in Croke Park Dublin, traces the consistent growth and sometimes turbulent story of the Association from the inaugural meeting in Hayes Hotel in Thurles to today’s vibrant and self-confident organization with hundreds of thousands of players and members in Ireland and overseas and proud owner of one of Europe’s best sports stadia.

Drawing extensively on newsreel, film and television archive and informed by insightful contributions from leading historians, journalists, players, administrators and commentators, this is the story of a uniquely Irish entity – a combination of cultural movement, sporting organization and mirror of Irish society for a century and a quarter that has survived and flourished through war, peace, emigration, insecurity, political violence and economic boom.

From the Beara peninsula in West Cork to Casement Park in Belfast, from the sandy playing field on the Aran Islands to the multi-cultural primary school teams of the new Dublin suburbs, the series offers a fresh perspective on the GAA through the ages, reflecting on what it meant not just to public leaders and opinion-formers but to the ordinary playing members and supporters and to its critics also. The series shows the enormous influence of the GAA over wider society and it’s often unthanked role in promoting pride of place, social cohesion and in providing a sporting outlet and facilities in communities, whether affluent or deprived.

Each programme takes a period of 20-25 years places the development of the GAA within the broader social and historical context of the time. Contributors include Dr Diarmaid Ferriter, Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh, Mickey Harte, Brendan Fullam, Mick O’Dwyer, Maurice Hayes, Professor Gearóid Ó Tuathaigh, Canon Tom Looney, Liam Griffin, Marcus de Búrca, Professor John A Murphy, An Taoiseach, Brian Cowen TD and top GAA officials Nickey Brennan, Uachtarán, Christy Cooney, Uachtarán tofa and Páraic Duffy, Ard-Stiúrthóir.

The series will air on TG4 on late Sunday afternoons from mid January (with a repeat showing of each programme on Friday nights).  It has been commissioned by TG4 from Nemeton, an independent production company based in Ring in the Waterford Gaeltacht, the channel’s primary provider of sports output. In addition to the TG4 funding, the series has also received support from the BCI Sound & Vision Fund and the European Media Fund and was one of the largest scale television documentary projects produced in Ireland in 2008.

 

 

09-Jan-09 by Brendan Doyle – PRO

Next Sundays Leitrim GAA County Board Convention promises to be a quiet affair if the lack of elections and nominations tabled for the end of year review in the Bush Hotel is anything to go by.

In the nominations for post on the Executive, there is only two elections on the cards, although neither may take place. Bord na nÓg Chairman Dan Gallogly and Games Promotion Officer Thomas Keenan are nominated for the position of Youth Officer but Keenan, as a GPO, may not be able to take on the job.

Allen Gaels Martin McGowan and Annaduffs Kevin Ludlow are nominated for the post of Coaching Officer although outgoing officer McGowan has indicated he will be standing down from the post due to his commitments with the County Senior Football team.

In terms of motions, it is also relatively quiet although the fall-out from the Appeals and Counter Appeals which held up this years Senior Championship is evident in a Sean OHeslins motion seeking that where an alleged infraction has taken place against a member or a unit, the member or unit shall be notified and may attend any hearing requested by the accused and also have the ability to give evidence or call witnesses.

OHeslins are also seeking that the All-Ireland Hurling and Football Finals be played two weeks earlier than currently fixed to free up time for club championships while OHeslins and Bornacoola are also seeking that no club games be fixed for the day of the All-Ireland Football Final.

In regard to the U-21 Championship, Aughnasheelin have called for a review of the timing of the Under 21 Championship, which they say, is being under valued by being played at the end of the year.

The following are some of the motions:

Congress

Motion 1 – That Central Council should arrange that the All Ireland Football and Hurling Finals be played 2 weeks before they are currently fixed to free up more time for Club Championships – Sean OHeslins

Motion 2 – That the following additions be made to Rial 147 TO 2008:

(i) In a case where an alleged infraction has taken place against a member or unit, that member or unit shall be notified of and may attend and may give evidence at any hearing requested by the accused.The unit shall be furnished with copy extracts of Official Records or Documents relevant to the case in the possession of the Director General, Provincial or County Secretary or the Council or Committee in Charge upon written application.

(ii) In a case where an alleged infraction has taken place against a member or unit, that member or unit may call witnesses to give evidence on its behalf and it is its own responsibility to secure the attendance of such witnesses – Sean OHeslins

Competition Motions

That no Adult Football fixtures be made by CCC Liatroma on the Saturday preceding and the day of the All Ireland Football Final – Sean OHeslins

Competitions Recommendations

Recommendation 1

The Committee-in-charge of fixtures (CCC) should identify a weekend at a time when no championship match is played and players duly can plan to take annual holidays if they so wish – Bornacoola

Recommendation 2

The Committee-in-charge of fixtures (CCC) shall not arrange any adult football fixtures for the day of the All-Ireland Football final – Bornacoola

Recommendation 3

That the incoming CCC take a serious look at the U21 Championship and timing of same. It is an important competition and is been under valued by placing it at the very end of the year – Aughnasheelin.

The following are the nominations:

President: Michael McGowan (Melvin Gaels)

Chairman: Gerry McGovern (Cloone).

Vice-Chairman: Peter Flynn (Aughnasheelin)

Secretary: Declan Bohan (Bornacoola).

Asst. Secretary: Collette Fox (Glencar/Manor).

Treasurer: John Mulvey (Ballinaglera).

Asst. Treasurer: John Keenan (Gortletteragh).

Development Officer: P.J. Meehan (Kiltubrid).

Coaching Officer: Martin McGowan (Allen Gaels), Kevin Ludlow (Annaduff).

Oifigeach Cultúra agus Teanga: Sean O Suilleabhain (Sean Ui Eislin)

Youth Officer: Dan Gallogly (Sean OHeslins), Tomas Keenan (Gortletteragh)

PRO: Brendan Doyle (Kiltubrid).

Connacht Council:(2) Seamus Prior (Aughnasheelin) & Joe Flynn (St. Marys).

Central Council: Jim Meehan (Dromahair)

Connacht AGM: (4) Gerry McGovern, Declan Bohan, John Mulvey, Michael McGowan, P.J. Meehan.

Congress: (3) Gerry McGovern, Declan Bohan, John Mulvey, Pat Feehily (Glencar/Manor), Brendan Doyle (Kiltubrid); Faoi 21(1) None.

 

 

 

 

 

This full report is available thanks to the Leitrim Observer
– its available in this weeks edition of the Observer and online here

 

 

04-Dec-08 by LeitrimObserver.ie

The Leitrim community in Dublin lost one of the proudest sons when Frank Quinn (Cloone) passed away on Thursday 6th November 2008.

Frank resided with his wife Bridie and family in Rathfarnham Dublin. Frank never forgot his Leitrim roots and passed on a great love of the county to his sons and daughters. In the Leitrim tradition, Franks remains reposed at his home on Friday night where a large circle of friends paid their respects. The Quinn family were especially welcoming to members of the Leitrim Peoples Association and the Leitrim GAA .

Pride of place alongside his remains were pictures of the teams on which he played, Cloone and the 1958 Leitrim team.

 

Frank played on the great Leitrim team of the fifties and was also honoured by been selected on the winning Connacht Railway Cup panel in 1957 with Packy McGarty, Noel Blessing & Columba Cryan. Over his Leitrim playing career Frank played at full back, centre field & full forward and his favourite position of right corner back. The no 2 Leitrim jersey & a jersey from his home club Cloone draped his coffin.

 

Frank also played in the famous 1958 Connacht Final against Galway when Leitrim lost on a score line of 2-10 to 1-11. Peadar O Brien of the Irish Press wrote in his match report ‘ Oh what a wonderful hour of football glory for 15 gallant Leitrim men . The Longford Leader match report by ‘Breffni stated ‘never have I seen a defeated side leave the field of play with so much glory as did this gallant Leitrim team which contributed to one of the most thrilling Connacht final ever witnessed.

Frank Quinn was one of the greats of Leitrim football. May he rest in peace.

 

 

12-Nov-08 by Eamonn Duignan

Some of Leitrims best-known footballers joined forces with leading youth organisation SpunOut.ie last week to encourage young people to speak about their problems.

Inter-county stars Emlyn Mulligan, Barry Prior and Colin Regan all feature on a new video produced by SpunOut.ie that can be watched online talking about mental health and well being.
The video, which has been released to coincide with World Mental Health Day on October 10, was made to encourage Leitrims young people, and in particular young men, to vocalize any problems that they may have.

Speaking at the launch of the video last Thursday in Carrick-on-Shannon, Leitrim stalwart Colin Regan outlined the importance of communication.  "If you bottle up your feelings, then your emotions and tough situations can seem overwhelming. Dont try to manÓge everything by yourself. Try and talk to someone. There are people willing to help you get through any situation. SpunOut.ie is a great resource to find this help."

Local SpunOut.ie representative Ian Howley (24), who himself went through depression and suicided attempts in his teens, explained why the organization sought the help of local GAA stars for their latest campaign.

"A partnership with the Leitrim GAA was specifically set up to target young men who find it hard to talk about their problems. There is this perception that if you are seen to have problems or worries, that you are weak. This is not the case. Everyone goes through tough times at some stage in their lives and today we are encouraging young people and especially young males to speak up. "

SpunOut.ie can be accessed via the internet and mobile phones, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The website provides 100s of factsheets on all aspects of youth health, lifestyle and citizenship including drugs, alcohol, sexual health, mental health, environment, work and education.

Click on the new YouTube facility on the right to play the SpunOut Video featuring the 3 lads.

 

 

09-Oct-08 by LeitrimPost.com