Football
Donegal legend Frank McGlynn will be the guest of honour for the underage football presentation night in the Abbey Centre on Saturday. It is essential that all players, parents and guardian be seated for 6.30pm to allow proceedings to commence promptly and on schedule. Awards and medals will be presented to the under 8, under 10, under 12, under 13, under 14 and under 16 teams.
The Bord na nÓg AGM will take place on Wednesday 29th November at 8.30pm.
Ladies
Underage ladies players are warmly invited to attend the underage football presentation night in the Abbey Centre on Saturday at 6.30pm where Frank McGlynn will be guest of honour. Presentations will be made to the under 8, under 10, under 12, under 13, under 14 and under 16 teams on the night.
The Ladies AGM takes place in Aras Aoidh Ruaidh this Thursday at 8pm.
Hurling
On Thursday last there was an under 16 Schools Blitz in Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh featuring Killybegs Secondary School, Abbey Vocational School and Coláiste Cholmcille. The local team, all bar one of whom were Aodh Ruadh players, won all their games comfortably.
On Monday a combined senior colleges team made up of players from Killybegs, Abby Vocational School and Coláiste Cholmcille played St Colm’s of Derry in the Ulster C semi-final. Goals proved the difference as the Derry lads ran out nine point winners. Aodh Ruadh players Ryan McDonald, Adam Rami, Adam Clarke, Pauric Keenaghan and Senan Rooney all featured strongly on this team.
Billy Finn Memorial Concert
A commemoration concert in honour of Billy Finn will take place in Dorrian’s Imperial Hotel on Saturday night, November 25th. Doors will open at 7.30pm with an 8pm sharp throw-in. The concert will be compered by Billy’s good friend Sean McGinley. The featured artists include the Ballyshannon Comhaltas group and Friends. Billy was one of the first members of the group and hardly ever missed a session. The Con Brio Trio will then introduce a lively set of traditional tunes and will be followed by Siobhan Calpin on vocals. Following on from her tremendous performance at the Allingham Arts Festival, Marie Askin will play a selection of tunes on keyboards. After the interval will be a selection of songs from Billy’s brother Johnnie. Johnnie has won a number of prestigious song competitions and is highly sought after as a performer. TG4’s 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award winner is the renowned fiddler Danny Meehan. Danny will play a number of sets featuring tunes from Donegal as well as some from the famous composer William McGonagle. Master uilleann piper Leonard Barry will play many tunes on his beautiful new concert pitch pipes. Leonard is best known from both his solo work as well as with the sensational new band, The New Road. The night will be topped off with a grand finale from all the performers and at least one surprise guest.
The promoters are delighted to have this occasion to celebrate Billy Finn as he was a great musical stalwart of the town and dedicated his working life to teaching. He gave long standing service to Aodh Ruadh as well as to many of the heritage projects throughout Ballyshannon and in drama circles. The entry for this great night of music is a very modest €8 and a portion of the proceeds will be donated in the Finn family name to the Donegal Branch of the Irish Wheelchair Association.
Five Kinds Of Silence
Ballyshannon Drama Society have qualified for the All-Ireland One Act Finals with their production of Five Kinds Of Silence by Shelagh Stephenson. The finals take place in An Grianán Theatre in Letterkenny from December 1st to 3rd. The Society have won their three festivals to date, Ballina, Mullagh and Kiltymagh with Rachel O’Connor winning best actress and Michael McMullan best actor in all three Festivals. Anne McHugh won best Director in Ballina and Kiltymagh and Audrey Davitt and Louise Larkin won the adjudicator’s award in Mullagh. Moya Ferguson and Terence complete an excellent cast. The final two festivals are in Tubbercurry on Friday 17th November and Manorhamilton on Sunday 19th November. The last performance before the finals is in the Abbey Centre on Sunday 26th November at 8.30pm. So don’t miss this award winning production.
Running track fund-raiser
To maintain momentum on gathering the funds to have the running track at Páirc Aoidh Ruaidh available early in 2018, a further fund-raiser will take place in Seán Óg’s on Friday December 1st. About 20 club members will sell entries for a race night and club members are asked to generate as much support as they can for this venture. Anyone interested in sponsoring one of the 12 races or in taking an advert for the night can make contact with Tom Daly on 087-2390410.
Inter-county Season Tickets
Season Ticket pricing for 2018 has been confirmed by Croke Park. Adult Club+ season tickets are price €200. Adult season tickets are €120. Juvenile season tickets are €30. As in the season just past, The Club+ season ticket allows the owner to attend club fixtures within the chosen county. The grades and codes of club fixtures covered by the Club+ element of the ticket are determined by the individual county. Once the season ticket is correctly maintained throughout the season, the Club+ version will also guarantee the ticket holder an All-Ireland Final ticket should their county qualify, regardless of their attendance percentage. Clubs will receive €100 for every Club+ season ticket purchased by club members. Renewals and sales are now live.
Diary dates
Two dates for your diaries. The club AGM will take place on Sunday 3rd December. The annual club dinner dance will take place on Saturday, 20th January 2018.
Abbey Centre Bingo
Last week’s €400 bingo jackpot was won by Dana Stack of Ballyshannon. The stand-up game prize of €160 was won by Mary Butler. The snowball survived another week so it rises to €750 on 50 numbers. We want to find ‘Cuddles’ a home for Christmas so he can be won now on a line or a house. The November Big Bingo is this Friday at the Abbey Centre at 9pm. Books cost €15 or get the book and a half special for €20. There’s a great €3,500 prize fund up for grabs including the €1,000 jackpot. Looking forward to seeing you there.
Aodh Ruadh Lotto
There was no winner of last week’s Aodh Ruadh Lotto jackpot of €5,500. The winning numbers drawn were 4, 6, 7, 11, 15 and 18. In the lucky dip €20 went to Kevin Burns, Cashel Crescent, Garrison; Manus, R&D Conlon, Wardtown; Peggy McCullough, Ballynahinch; Orla Bannon, Donegal Road; and Michelle Daly, Cluain Barron. Next draw is in McGinley’s Bar with a jackpot of €5,600 on Sunday at 8.30pm. Tickets are now available in the following outlets: Seán Óg’s, The Market House, Dicey Reilly’s, The Limit, Pat’s Bar, The Bridgend, Owen Roe’s, Fin McCool’s, The Lantern, McGinley’s, Pearse O’Neill’s, McCosker’s Centra and Kernan’s Spar and at the weekly and weekly bingo in the Abbey Centre. If not in, you can’t win!
The lotto team for McCosker’s Centra on Saturday is: SENIOR HURLERS.
You can receive the club notes by e-mail every Tuesday morning. To subscribe, enter your details on the website, www.aodhruadh.org, or e-mail your request to info@aodhruadh.org.
