Aodh Ruadh AGM
A reminder that the Annual General Meeting of Aodh Ruadh CLG takes place on Sunday 3rd December in Aras Aoidh Ruaidh at 6pm. Anyone with an interest in Gaelic games and culture in Ballyshannon is warmly invited to attend as we look back over the year of activity just past and make preparations for another busy season ahead.
Underage Football Awards Night
Aodh Ruadh looked back over a year of underage football in the Abbey Centre on Saturday evening, with a little help from county legend Frank McGlynn. The theatre was packed to the rafters when Frank entered to a rousing reception. The first half of the evening saw a reflection on each team’s year. All players present received medals to recognise their exertions all year on behalf of Aodh Ruadh. There were also county medals for the girls under 13 team and the boys under 13 and under under 14 Southern Divisional double champions and the under 16 Southern Divisional and County B champions. After that compere Michael Daly put Frank through his paces as he gave an insight into what it takes to make the grade at the very top of the inter-county game, not to mention what it’s like to play with Wayne Rooney.
Following that we were in to the individual awards for each grade. The under 10 ladies were up first. Players’ player of the year was Orlaith Gallagher, most improved player of the year was Niamh McNulty. The under 12 Players’ player of the year was Annie Keon, most improved player of the year was Kelly Irwin. Under 13 Players’ player of the year was Grainne Maguire, most improved player of the year was Clodagh O’Connor. The under 14 Players’ player of the year was Grainne Maguire, most improved player of the year was Katie McMullin. Next up were the under 16 girls. Players’ player of the year was Caoimhe Keon, most improved player of the year was Shóna Slevin.
Then it was the turn of the boys teams, starting with the under 8s. Players’ player of the year was Daragh McCready, most improved player of the year was Markko Branley. Next up were the under 10 boys. Players’ player of the year was Dara McGloin, most improved player of the year was Alan Vaughan. They were followed by the under 12 boys. Joint players’ players of the year were Shane Delahunty and Robbie Murphy, most improved player of the year was Kenzie Lee Ayres. Then it was on to the under 14 boys. Players’ player of the year was Aaron Cullen, most improved player of the year was Damian Weber. The final awards of the evening went to the under 16 boys. Players’ player of the year was Shane Gillespie, most improved player of the year was David Doherty.
The evening was a great success and Michael Daly did a great job of keeping the evening ticking along nicely. Thanks are due to the Bord na nÓg and Ladies officers and managers who pulled the event together. Thanks to the Abbey Centre for making their wonderful facility available and to all who helped with the technical aspects of the evening.
Finally a very special thanks to all the players who lined out for Aodh Ruadh all year and turned up on the evening and behaved themselves so well, helping to make it an event to remember. Thanks also to the parents who lifted and laid all year, helped out with refreshments, did lotto shifts, bought gear and generally supported Aodh Ruadh any way they could. It is hugely appreciated and we look forward to going out and doing it all over again in 2018!
We have an absolutely huge gallery of images from the night up on aodhruadh.org.
Football
The Bord na nÓg AGM takes place this Wednesday at 8.30pm in Aras Aoidh Ruaidh. We will be reflecting on a packed 2017 and planning for 2018. Underage football has been making great strides in the club and it is great to be part of a project that is really going places. Fresh energy and ideas are always welcome though and anyone who has an interest in underage football in Ballyshannon is more than welcome to attend.
Ladies
The Ladies AGM took place in Aras Aoidh Ruaidh last Thursday. The following positions were filled Chairperson, Patricia Hill; Secretary, vacant; Treasurer, Siobhan O’Donnell; Senior manager, vacant; minor manager, vacant; under 16 manager, Barry Ward; under 14 management Paul Gillespie, Sylvester Maguire and John Hughes; under 12 manager, Karol Foley; under 10 manager, David Downey; under 8 manager, Eamonn O’Donnell. We wish all those appointed the very best for the coming season. Anyone interested in the vacant posts of secretary, senior manager and minor manager is invited to contact any committee member.
Hurling
The Aodh Ruadh Juvenile Hurling Committee will hold their AGM on Monday, 4th December at 8pm in Aras Aoidh Ruaidh. We will review 2017 and plan for 2018. We encourage parents to attend this meeting to see how much work is put into juvenile hurling by this small committee. Anybody interested in getting involved in juvenile hurling is asked to come along on the night, any help keeping our great game alive in the club would be much appreciated.
Race night for the running track
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 this Friday in Seán Óg’s. About 20 club members are selling 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.
Billy Finn Memorial Concert
There was great attendance present in Dorrian’s Imperial Hotel on Saturday night for the commemoration concert in honour of Billy Finn. Compered by Billy’s good friend, Sean McGinley, there was a splendid array of talent on show as his memory was celebrated with a terrific exhibition of music. A portion of the proceeds from the night were donated in the Finn family name to the Donegal Branch of the Irish Wheelchair Association. We have some pictures from the night up on aodhruadh.org.
Scór na nÓg
Despite stirring performances of Biddy The Darling and Tobin’s Favourite Fódhla and Daithi Sheerin were unlucky not progress to the Scór na nÓg county final. Both are still only under 12 so they have time on their side and county honours are not far away for the pair.
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.
Abbey Centre Bingo
For the second month running the Big Bingo jackpot of €800 went to Bundoran, this time being won by Bridie Corr. We also saw the snowball off, won in the grand amount of €750 and checked out on just 45 numbers! A new winter snowball returns this week. Katelyn O’Brien claimed the stand-up game, scooping a fine €150 pot. In all, a great night of prize giving, with €3,350 paid out! Bingo as usual this Friday at the Abbey Centre at 9pm, books cost just €10 with a €1,900 prize fund up for grabs.
Aodh Ruadh Lotto
There was no winner of last week’s Aodh Ruadh Lotto jackpot of €5,600. The winning numbers drawn were 2, 3, 5, 9, 13 and 16. In the lucky dip €20 went to Ronan Matthews; Pat and Monica Quinn, Saint Benildus Avenue; Teresa Herron, Bishop Street; Joe Gallagher, Rathmore; and Shaun McFadden, The Mall. Next draw is in The Bridgend Bar with a jackpot of €5,700 on Sunday at 8.30pm. Tickets are now available in the following outlets: Seán Óg’s, O’Donnell’s, 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: RESERVE FOOTBALLERS.
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.
