Dunshaughlin GAA & Royal Gaels LGFC Club News Welcome/Fáilte Dunshaughlin GAA/Royal Gaels Ladies Gaelic Football Association hope you will enjoy reading our latest newsletter. The club caters for juvenile boys and girls and for adult men and women while we have a very active Gaelic for Mothers and Others group. If you re new to the area and you and family members would like to get involved we d love to hear from you. We are located on the Drumree Road just beyond Dunshaughlin Community College. We provide coaching and games from Nursery (Under 6) to adult and our adult men and women s teams play in the Meath senior championships. If you have a son or a daughter who would like to sample Gaelic games, or if you wish to join the club as player, mentor, supporter or just to lend a hand in areas you are interested in you will be most welcome. You can contact Colum Bracken, Club Chairman at 087-854 8532, Jim Gilligan, Secretary at 086-829 1816, Ladies Secretary Mary O Regan at 087-277 5169 and Juvenile Secretaries Camilla O Connor at 086-253 6260 or Jim Mitchell at 086 300 6835. Our neighbours in Drumree GAA cater for hurling and camogie and you can contact their chairman Martin Ryan at 087 690 3650. You can also follow us on our website at www.dunshaughlingaa.com or Facebook www.facebook.com/dunshaughlingaa and www.facebook.com/royalgaelsdunshaughlin Club Officers For 2018 First Female County Board Secretary Chairperson: Vice Chairperson: Secretary: Treasurer: Mairéad Delaney P.R.O. Club Registrars: Players Rep: Insurance Officer: Safety Officer: IT Officer: Health Officer: Committee: Ladies Chair: Ladies Vice Chair: Ladies Secretary: Ladies PRO: Ladies Committee Juvenile Chair: Juvenile V Chair Juvenile Secretary Juvenile PRO Colum Bracken 087-854 8532 Eamonn Dunne Jim Gilligan 086-829 1816 Bernie Dunne and Conor Murphy. Cathal O Dwyer Mairéad Delaney and Teresa Ennis Niall Murphy and Andrew Smith Caroline Malone Cyril Creavin Neil O Dwyer Neil O Dwyer All officers elected plus Alan Duffy, Tom Finn, Frank Gallogly, Pat Gorman, Hugh McCarthy, Jim Mitchell, Camilla O Connor, Paddy O Dwyer, Neil O Dwyer, Mary O Regan, Gerry Reynolds, Jim Smith, Seamus Traynor, Paddy Ward. Gerry Reynolds Hugh McCarthy Mary O Regan 087-277 5169 Dave Reid Officers plus Alan Duffy, Pauline Gorman, Trudy McCarthy, Dave McEntee, Ger Reid, Tricia Usher. Seamus Traynor Jim Mitchell Jim Mitchell, Camilla O Connor. Ultan Blake. Congratulations to Mairéad Delaney on her appointment as the first female Secretary of Meath County Board. Mairéad was elected at Convention in December and such is her repuation for hard work and efficiency that she had no oppoition for the position. Mairéad has made a huge contribution to Dunshaughlin over many years acting as Secretary of St. Martins from 1997 to 2001 and of Dunshaughlin from 2006 to 2009. She takes up office one hundred years after women first got the vote! Best wishes to her in her demanding role. County Captain Niamh O Sullivan Our local super star Niamh O Sullivan captains the Meath Intermediate Ladies team for the second year in a row and after a narrow defeat in last year s All Ireland semi final Niamh will be going all out to take the title in 2018. Niamh Gallogly is also a regular on the team and both girls along with Orlagh McLaughlin won Leinster intermediate medals with Meath last year. We have another link to the team with our Vice Chairman, Eamonn Dunne of Farmhouse Foods, becoming the main sponsor of the Meath Intermediate Ladies team. Dunshaughlin GAA & Royal Gaels LGFC I Club News I March 2018 I 1
Team Mentors Juvenile Boys & Adult Men: Nursery: Seán O Donnell, Graham Dowd, Pádraig Herlihy, Eoin McGrath and Donnacha Lloyd. Under 8: Alan Quirke, Declan Bannon, Ronan O Dwyer, Mick McCarthy and Enda McNally. Under 10: Ian Forrestal, Brian Wall, Stephen Coyne, David Summerville and Noel McTigue. Under 12: Stephen Clare, Shane Byrne, Roy Sheridan, Des Keane and Ciaran O Connor. Under 14: Alan O Dwyer, Kieran O Riordan Royal Gaels: Under 8: Glen Buggy, Vinny Mulvey, Jackie Glennon, Hugo Lynch, Joe Mangan. Under 10: Two teams: Johnny O Connor, Liam Galligan, Damien McGrath. Under 12: Alan Duffy, Brian Hartigan, Susie Duffy, Derry McCool, Alison Murphy, Naoise Hartigan, Kenny McTigue, Simon Duignan. Under 14: Peter Brophy, Dave Reid, Dave Mc Entee, Ger Reid. Shane Byrne. Siobhán Brophy. Under 15: Kieran O Riordan, Ultan Blake, Paul Nestor Under 16: Seamus Traynor, Andy Byrne, Derry McCool Under 17 (Minor): Paul Murphy, Ronan Dalton, Damien Kennedy, Jim Mitchell Under 19: Paul Sheehy, Stephen Clare Senior: Anthony Moyles, Eamonn Moyles, Trevor Lynch, Paul Nestor Junior: Paul Sheehy, Hugh McCarthy, Kevin Kealy, TP Toolan, Martin Summerville. Under 16: Benny Byrne, Kevin Kealy, Colum Bracken, Ger Reid. Minor: Hugh McCarthy, Colum Bracken, Benny Byrne, Ger Reid. Div 1 League & Senior Championship: David Gibson, Alan Duffy, Teresa Ennis. Div 4 League & Junior C: Gerry Reynolds, Mary O Neill. Adult Men s Fixtures A League, Division 1 Donaghmore-Ashb (A) Na Fianna (H) Gaeil Colmcille (A) Wolfe Tones (H) Ratoath (A) Simonstown (H) Summerhill (A) Senior Championship Dunshaughlin v Simonstown. Others in the group: Dunboyne, Blackhall Gaels, Donaghmore-Ashb, Seneschalstown. B League, Division 2 The League includes Dunshaughlin, Moynalvey Castletown, Skryne O Mahonys, Nobber Seneschalstown, Trim Na Fianna, Blackhall Gaels Royal Gaels Fixtures St Patricks (A) Dunboyne (H) O Mahonys (A) Moynalvey (H) St. Colmcilles (A) Skryne (H) Junior Championship: Dunshaughlin v Dunboyne. O thers in the group Summerhill, Gaeil Colmcille, Skryne, Seneschalstown, O Mahonys, Wolfe Tones. B League, Division 5 The League includes Dunshaughlin, Carnaross O Mahonys, Drumbaragh Clonard, Donaghmore-Ashb Ballinabrackey, Gaeil Colmcille Kilbride, Ratoath For the first time Royal Gaels will field 3 Adult League teams. The Gaels first rounds are Div 1: v St Michaels in Dunshaughlin 10th March; Div 4: v Wolfe Tones in Dunshaughlin, 6th March and Div 6 v. Kilbride in Kilbride 10th March Our Under 16 team suffered a two-point loss to Gaeil Colmcille in Round 1, but hope to get back on track v Walterstown in Round 2. The Under 14 Div 6 team s first outing is v St Michaels while the Div 1 Under 14s & Div 1 Under 12 competitions begin on St Patrick s weekend with games v Dunboyne and Ratoath. A week later the Under 12 Div 6 team starts its campaign v Ratoath. DUNSHAUGHLIN UNDER 21s, 2017 2 I March 2018 I Dunshaughlin GAA & Royal Gaels LGFC I Club News
Membership 2018 Club membership fees are now due. You must be a member in order to play and the closing date for membership is 31st March. Membership fees are listed below and you can pay in person or online. For online payments see the club website at www.dunshaughlingaa.com or go directly to the membership section via the following link, http://dunshaughlingaa.com/ membership-2/ Please note that you must have paid your membership by 31st March to have a vote at the club s annual general meeting, take up a position in the club or be eligible for entry to any draws for All Ireland tickets etc. In line with new data protection rules which come into force in May we will ask all members to fill in a membership form with contact details and optional consents regarding contact from the club in connection with games, events, meetings, Lotto, fundraising etc. Category Cost Nursery, Children born in 2012 or 2013 50 Child Membership, Under 8 Under 10 80 Juvenile, Under 11 18 120 Student/Apprentice 130 Adult Player 175 Couple including a player 200 Family, Two non playing adults and one child, Under 18 200 Family, Two non playing adults and two children, Under 18 260 Family, Two non playing adults and three or more children, Under 18 300 Non playing Adult 75 Non playing Adult, Couple 100 Senior Citizen 50 Golf Society 30 Adult Playing & Golf Membership 200 Adult Non Playing & Golf Membership 100 Pictured at the presentation of a set of jerseys sponsored by Farmhouse Foods Dunshaughlin are, Máire O Shaughnessy, Colette Dunne, Niamh O Sullivan, Royal Gaels and Meath Captain, Eamonn Dunne, Farmhouse Foods and Vice Chairman, Dunshaughlin GAA, Kate Byrne and Niamh Gallogly, Royal Gaels. Dunshaughlin GAA & Royal Gaels LGFC I Club News I March 2018 I 3
Gaelic for Mothers and Others 2014 saw the emergence of the Gaelic for Mothers and Others (G4M&O) initiative in Dunshaughlin. On that first tentative night, we could not have anticipated the impact that it would have on the mothers and others involved. For some of us, it meant taking up a new team sport at the ripe old age of 40 and for others it was an opportunity to return to a game that they loved and excelled at. Every Wednesday night you will see (& hear) the 30+ members out training on the Astro - it is the one hour of the week that everyone gets out for their football therapy by hook or by crook! Each year we participate in the Leinster and National Blitzes and organise friendly games when we can. The team has gone from strength to strength and although we don t keep scores, in 2017 we were unbeaten!! Coach Mervyn Ennis (& George Ennis & John McKenna before him) has really invested in building our team, skills and fitness and makes time for the craic at the same time. Not only have we bonded on the pitch, we believe in letting the hair down after a tough day of games and can be found in The Arch Bar, reviewing the day s match reports. Special congratulations to Caroline who is taking some time off to move from an other to a mother. And to Catherine Clinton, keep up the recovery and we look forward to welcoming you back in time for Blitz season. If you are thinking of joining up or would like to get involved, feel free to get in touch with any of the girls or call Naoise on 087 2873769. Congratulations & Good Wishes Congratulations to Club Honorary President Patsy McLoughlin who celebrated his 90th birthday in January. Congratulations to Royal Gaels star Rachel Huijsdens who has been named as the Meath Chronicle/Axa Insurance Meath Young Sportsperson of the Year for 2017. Rachel, who is a regular with Royal Gaels, gained the prestigious award following her exploits with the Irish team in the Women s Under 18 European Championships in August when the side reached the final v Germany. Great achievement Rachel. Well done also to her Royal Gaels co-star Petra Reilly who was selected on the Leinster Schools squad for the Schools Interprovincials. She was also the winner of the Meath LGFA rising star award presented in November. Good wishes to Adam Kealy and Adam McDermott who are members of the Meath Under 20 panel in training for the Leinster Championship, commencing on 28th May 2018 v Wicklow. Well done to Mathew Costello who was a member of the Meath Under 17 team that captured the Leinster title in 2017. He scored 2-3 in the final v Dublin and is eligible for the grade again this year. Patsy McLoughlin, 90 Years Young. Petra Reilly, Meath Rising Star Award. Rachel Huijsdens, Basketball & Gaelic Star. Mathew & Paul Costello after Leinster Win. 4 I March 2018 I Dunshaughlin GAA & Royal Gaels LGFC I Club News
Money Matters Keeping the club solvent requires substantial sums of money as you can see below. Our biggest expense is repayments of the loans used to build our new clubhouse and develop the new pitch and the astro facility. This year repayments alone will cost about 48,000, that s not far off 1,000 each week. This is up from last year s 36,000. So in response to people who ask why are we always fundraising we hope that figure and the grapic and information below will explain it. We do try to have an element of fun and enjoyment in many of our fundraisers as you will see page 7. Income Membership 54,000 Lotto 20,000 Sponsors 13,000 Golf Classic 10,400 Central Council Grant 9,000 Lip Synch Event 6,200 Gates Receipts 5,000 Other Income 9,470 122,070 Expenditure Affiliation to County Board, Registration 20,500 Team Costs, Gear, Equipment 18,000 Physio/Medical 9,000 Pitch Maintenance 16,000 Clubhouse Maintenance 7,000 Admin, Heating & Light, Printing, Advertising 10,300 Medals, Presentations, Levies, Referees 6,400 Bank Repayments on Building & Pitch Loans 36,000 123,200 Dunshaughlin GAA Social Group in Athlone, August 2017 Last year the Dunshaughlin GAA Social group and friends had three outings, to Farmleigh House and the Botanic Gardens in Dublin in May, a Boat Trip on the Shannon at Athlone in August and a visit to the Titanic and a tour of Belfast in November. The first outing of 2018 is to Kilmainham Jail on 5th April with another destination yet to be decided. Almost sixty men and women travelled to Belfast and all are welcome to join us. For further information contact club secretary Jim Gilligan at 086-8291816 or Val Dowd at 01-8259752. Dunshaughlin GAA & Royal Gaels LGFC I Club News I March 2018 I 5
Féile Peile na nóg: Important Information for Parents and Players at Under 14 Level Youth Festival Of Football Féile Peile na nóg is an International Festival of Football for Under 14 boys and girls. This year Meath, Down and Louth will host it over the weekend of Friday 29th June to Sunday 1st July. Every county in Ireland will be represented along with teams from Britain and North America and Dunshaughlin will host a Boys and a Girls team for the weekend. Players from the visiting teams will stay with host families in Dunshaughlin. As a host Club, we will provide hospitality for our visiting clubs over the weekend food and refreshments between matches and some entertainment on the Saturday evening. In the coming weeks we will find out who our visiting clubs will be. We have put an organising committee in place to plan for the weekend and look forward to welcoming them to Dunshaughlin. Féile is a fabulous festival of sport and fun and one of the best weekends in the GAA calendar. It involves the whole Club and indeed, the whole community. Feile Information night, Tuesday 13th March @ 8pm in Studio beside the Community Centre 1967-77 Presentation Alan O Dwyer Féile Chairman 087 7624488 Caroline Malone Féile Secretary 086 0865126. The club celebrated the fortieth and fiftieth anniversaries of our Intermediate championship in 1977 and Junior success in 1967 at a function in the Black Bush Golf Club on 25th November last. Practically all the team members or their representatives were present for a night of memories and reminiscences and some tall tales. Presentations were made to players and selectors with Brendan Cummins, formerly of LMFM, acting as MC on the night. In 1967 Dunshaughlin, captained by David O Dwyer, won the Junior A title with an 0-8 to 0-5 victory over Athboy and easily won the title outright when overwhelming the B winners Skryne on a 5-3 to 0-4 scoreline. Ten years later many of the same players featured as Dunshaughlin won its first Intermediate title, beating Nobber 0-13 to 0-6. Keeper, Pat Jennings captained the team. The club produced a souvenir booklet to mark the occsion and special presentations to honour Noel Curran s and Jimmy Walsh s contributions to Meath s senior All Ireland success in 1967 were made to Michael Curran, Noel s brother and Josephine Walsh, Jimmy s widow. 6 I March 2018 I Dunshaughlin GAA & Royal Gaels LGFC I Club News
Putting the FUN into FUNdraisers The club will organise a number of special fundraisers during the year and we hope many of them will be fun, enjoyable occasions with opportunities to socialize and relax while generating funds for the club. SUPPORT YOUR LOTTO We appeal to all club members to support our Weekly Lotto It only costs you 2 per week and we depend on it for the day-to-day running of the club. You can buy a ticket from our sellers in the village or go online to www.dunshaughlingaa.com Golf Classic The club s annual Golf Classic is on 4 May 2018 at Black Bush Golf Club. Teams of four cost 240 and tee or green adverts are 100. Contact Jim Smith on 087-911 4574 for details. Dunshaughlin GAA Golf Society The club s first outing of 2018 is on 21st April at Donabate Golf Club. New members are always welcome and for more information contact Jim Smith at 087-911 4574 or Ronan Gogan at 086-874 9234. Full list of outings Date Venue Time 21st April Donabate Golf Club 13.20 4th May Black Bush- Golf Classic 13.30 19th May Balbriggan Golf Club 09.50 16th June Knightsbrook Golf Club 12.50 18th August Roganstown Golf Club 11.50 15th Sept Killeen Castle, Captain s Day 12.30 20th Oct Royal Tara Golf Club 09.20 DUNSHAUGHLIN, UNDER 15s, 2018 Games Development Officer The club is in the process of appointing a Games Development Officer who will work with the club and the three primary schools in the parish - St Seachnalls NS, Gaelscoil na Rithe and Culmullen NS. The person appointed is Pauric Burke from Dunsany. Thanks to Jim Mitchell for organising the appointment in conjunction with Jamie Queeney of Meath Games Development. Dunshaughlin GAA & Royal Gaels LGFC I Club News I March 2018 I 7
Juvenile Focus Under 10s Dunshaughlin under 10 boys began their season with a trip to Walterstown for their Round 1 Go Games and they will have a number of similar games during the season. The Go Games format ensures that every player gets plenty of game time and the emphasis is on fun. The team mentors are Ian Forrestal, Brian Wall, Stephen Coyne, David Summerville and Noel McTigue. Under 13/15 The club is currently taking part in the Leinster Under 13 and Under 15 Cross County Leagues, where they will have three games. The Under 15s opened with a 6-9 to 2-7 victory over Maynooth, with Cian Edwards in goal and clinical shooting up front by four-goal Ruairi Kinsella the major factors in the big win. The team welcomed two new recruits in Thomas Boyle and Jack Harrington. Under 17/Minor This year the Minor age group shifts to Under 17 and Dunshaughlin are currently involved in the Spring League, with Donaghmore-Ashbourne, Simonstown and Duleek-Bellewstown. The minor championship will take place in the autumn. Three members of the group featured on Meath teams last year, Luke Mitchell and Cathal McCormack on the Under 16 side that reached the Gerry Reilly Tournament final, where Monaghan were the victors, and Mathew Costello who won a Leinster Under 17 title, beating Dublin in the final. Luke was Meath s top scorer in the campaign with a total of 4-23 while Mathew Costello plundered the Dublin defence for 2-3 in the final. Both are members of this year s Meath minor panel which will open its Leinster championship campaign against Westmeath on 7 May. Juvenile Presentation Best Wishes, Congratulations & Thanks to Club players on Meath Teams in 2018 Meath Under 14: Abbie McHugh Meath Under 16: Aoibhinn Bracken, Meadhbh Byrne & Clara MacAnna Meath Minors: Ciara Galvin, Susie O Rourke, Molly McNamara & Petra Reilly Club Shop Our Club Shop is now up and running with food and drink on sale at home games. Our thanks to Bel O Connor and all those who helped get it going. Also to Camilla O Connor and Jack Hanley for painting all dressing room floors. Wedding Bells Congratulations to Ciara Dixon and Niall Murphy on their up coming wedding. Club Chairman Colum Bracken addresses the audience in the Pastoral Centre Congratulations to: Andrew Smith who has qualified as a referee and took charge of his first game in Skryne recently. Royal Gaels player and Meath keeper Orlagh McLaughlin presents Katelyn Doherty with her medal Team manager Derry McCool presents his son Cillian with his medal. Luke Mitchell in action for Meath. The Club sends Sincere Sympathy to Ollie, Liam, David and Olivia O Neill on the death of Maura, a co-founder and first Treasurer of Royal Gaels. The family of Thomas Slim Byrne, a regular with the club in the 1980s Trevor Doyle who played underage with St. Martins and continued his family s proud tradition of involvement in Drumree in football and hurling. 8 I March 2018 I Dunshaughlin GAA & Royal Gaels LGFC I Club News