By Tim Floyd, Co Secretary
Ger Ryan elected as Munster PRO
The 2014 Munster GAA Annual Convention took place on Friday January 24th at the Woodlands House Hotel Adare in County Limerick. Both Ed Donnelly (PRO) and Mike Fitzgerald (Treasurer) stepped down following their three year terms and were replaced by Ger Ryan (Tipperary – PRO) and Anthony Walsh (Waterford – Treasurer). Congratulations to Ger Ryan who has definitely earned this honour following his similar role as Tipperary GAA Pro over the past five years. Once again he steps into the shoes of Ed Donnelly who brought his own inimitable style to the post and indeed both these Tipperary men have brought the role of PRO to a new level in county and provincial GAA. Best of luck to both of them in the future and I’m sure they will not be lost to the Premier County.
Tipperary Post Primary Schools
Result: Sciath Mhic Gabhann Tipperary U/18 ½ Football “B” Semi Final
Coláiste Dun Iascaigh 2.13 Cashel C.S 2.05
Fixture: Sciath Mhic Gabhann Tipperary U-18½ Football “B” Final
Colaiste Dun Iascaigh v Presentation Ballingarry on Thursday the 30th of January at 1.30pm with extra time in Boherlahan
Munster Post Primary Schools (Tipp Fixtures)
Weds Jan 29th: Senior C Football Semi Final; Thurles CBS v St Augustines in Kilsheelan, Ref, Nathan Wall 2pm
15 C Hurling; Tramore CBS v Pres Ballingarry in Davin Pk, Carrick on Suir, 1.30pm
15 D Hurling; SMI Newcastlewest v Clonmel CC in Cappawhite 1.30pm
Thurs Jan 30th: 15 B Hurling; Clonmel CBS V Roscrea CC in Dr Morris Pk Thurles (TBC), 1.30pm
Fri Jan 31st: 16.5 C Football; Thurles CBS V Tramore CBS in Ned Hall Pk (Clonmel Og GAA) 1pm
15 B Hurling; Abbey CBS v St Francis Col Rochestown, (Venue TBC) 12:30pm
Sat Feb 1st: Senior B Hurling S/F’s; Cashel CC V Colaiste Iosaef Kilmallock in Lattin, 1.30pm, Ref Damien Fox
St Mary’s Newport V Roscrea CC in Toomevara, 1.30, Ref Sean Everard
Harty Cup Semi Final’s on Sat Feb 1st
St Francis Rochestown V Doon in Cahir, Ref Pat Casey 12:30pm
Ard Scoil Ris v Bandon in Mallow, Ref, Paul Foley 3:00pm
SH Waterford Crystal
The Tipperary v UL semi final was postponed last Sun due to the inclement weather. The field was examined Sunday morning at 9.30am and there was surface water on parts of MacDonagh Park. As the forecast was for more heavy rain right up to the game it was decided in the interest of all concerned to postpone the game in plenty of time to avoid unnecessary travelling. The game is now re-fixed for this Sun Feb 2nd in MacDonagh at 2pm (time to be TBC). The winner will go on to play Clare in the Waterford Crystal Final in Sixmilebridge on Fri night Feb 7th at 7.30pm. The weekend was not wasted for our seniors as they played Portumna in a challenge game on Sat in Dr Morris Park and recorded a 2-18 to 2-17 victory. Best wishes to Nial O’Meara who was hospitalized after the game but has since been released.
U21 Football
Our U21Footballers completed their Hastings Cup last Sat with a victory over Mayo, 2-10 to 2-8 to win the Shield Final at Keenan Park, Ardagh, County Longford.
Coaching and Games Development
Applications are invited for Jobbridge positions available with Tipperary Coaching and Games Development as advertised on Jobbridge website. These are currently being advertised on; www.jobbridge.ie and www.jobbridge.gaa.ie.
Scór na nÓg Tráth na gCeist 2014
The inaugural Tráth na gCeist of County Scór na nÓg was held in the newly refurbished Moyne Community Centre on Saturday night 18th January. This Table Quiz replaces the traditional Tráth na gCeist and gives an added dimension to the competition. Quizmaster on the night was Tony McCauliffe of Cork asking 10 rounds of 10 Questions. Teams from all 4 divisions participated on the night and very little separated the teams at the end. Seán Treacy’s club emerged victorious and these young boys will go on to represent Tipperary in the All Ireland Finals in Castlebar on Saturday March 1st.Comghairdeas le Brian Carey, Shane Stapleton, Patrick Carey and Conor Nolan. Go néirí libh sa Chraobh. Runners up on the night were Loughmore-Castleiney, followed closely by the J.K .Brackens club. A sincere thanks to all competitors, mentors and those involved in the successful running of the competition.
Munster Finals of Scór na nÓg 2014
Bhí na sluaite I láthair I Mala Co Chorcaí ar an Domhnach ag Craobh Na Mumhan I Scór na nÓg 2014. In ainneoin na drochaimsire crowds of Tipperary supporters attended the Munster Finals to cheer on all our competitors in 6 Competitions. Bhí an caighdeán thar barr-Standards were truly excellent and great credit is due to all our individual and group performers who were splendid on the day. Comhghairdeas le na rinceoirí ó Newcastle, le Katie Shanahan ó Borrisoleigh, Le Grúpa drámaíochta Borrisoleigh, Le Aoife Ní Fhogartaigh, le hamhránaithe Éire Óg, agus le rinceoirí Na Brackens a dhein éacht ar an lá. Borrisoleighs drama or léiriú stáitse “Briseann an dúchas trí shúile an chait” won Munster Honours and will now go forward to represent Tipperary and Munster at the All Ireland Finals in Castlebar on March 1st.Congratulations to all involved and well done to all the performers, mentors and supporters. Gabhaimid buíochas le na déagóirí uile a ghlac páirt sna comórtaisí uilig ó thus.
Loughmore/Castleiney top Annerville Awards
Loughmore Castleiney GAA Club won three Annerville Awards after a year in which they completed a historic county senior hurling and football championship double. Noel McGrath won the hurling award, while the football accolade went to his first cousin Liam McGrath. Meanwhile the Sean Lyons Sports Executive Award was won by the Loughmore hurling and football management team of Declan Laffan, Pat McGrath and Seamus Bohan. And Loughmore won another award, with Leaving Cert student Edel Nyland honoured for her achievements in hockey. The awards, sponsored by Bulmers, are presented each year by the Tipperary United Sports Panel to the leading amateur sports stars in Tipperary. The Sports Panel has selected stars in 17 sports, including the Special Achievement Award, Lifetime Achievement Award and the Knocknagow Award, which each year is presented to a Sportsperson of the Past. The choice this year was Tony Wall of Thurles Sarsfields, who won five All-Ireland Senior hurling medals and was captain of Tipperary’s All-Ireland winning team in 1958. Fergal Collins Ballina Handball Club received an award for his winning both 40×20 & 60×30 Intermediate doubles titles and also reaching the 60×30 singles final.
Gaeltacht Scholarships 2014
Coiste Chontae Thiobraid Árann is offering a limited number of Gaeltacht Scholarships to 2nd level students in the county. Seo thíos liosta de na rialacha;
• These Scholarships are limited to those students currently in 2nd, 5th and Transition Years.
• Applicants or their parents must have been registered members of their local GAA Club in 2013.
• A letter from the senior club secretary (GAA, Camogie, Peil na mBan, Handball) confirming and outlining the applicant’s involvement in the club. Applicants without club references will not be considered.
• Applicants will be called to interview where they must display an enthusiasm for the Irish language.
Closing date for applications is Fri February 7th 2014 but Please note:
Students who have already booked a place in a Gaeltacht College and the deposit paid cannot avail of this scheme
These scholarships are only available in 3 Colleges as follows:
1. Coláistí Chorca Dhuibhne, Baile an Fheirtéaraigh, Trá Lí, Co Chiarraí.
2. Coláiste Na Mumhan, Beal Athan Ghaorthaidh, Co. Chorcai
3 Coláiste na Rinne, Co. Phort Lairge
How to apply
1. Complete the attached application and return it to An Runaí, Coiste Chontae Thiobraid Árann, Lar Na Páirce, Durlas Éile Co. Tiobraid Árann before Fri Feb 7th 2014.
2. Please ensure the form is signed by your local GAA club secretary and your divisional board secretary as both units will be contributing towards the cost, if the scholarship is granted.
3. A reference letter from the senior club secretary (GAA, Camogie, Peil na mBan, Handball) confirming and outlining the applicant’s involvement in the club. Applicants without club references will not be considered.
4. You (or your parents) club membership/registration number must be entered in the appropriate section on the application form.
During Mid February suitable candidates will be called for interview and all applicants will receive a response by the end of Feb.
TIPPERARY SUPPORTERS CLUB MEMBERSHIP 2014 LAUNCH
The annual launch of the Tipperary Supporters Club Membership will take place in the Horse and Jockey Hotel on Tuesday 4th February at 8pm. Come along and hear Eamon O’Shea speak of his plans for the year and meet members of the senior panel. Minor Manager, Liam Cahill and Under 21 Manager, TJ Connolly will also speak about the season ahead. This is great chance to look forward to the 2014 season in good company. Tea, coffee and refreshments will be provided after the meeting and we would urge all Tipperary supporters to join us and show your interest and support in what is always an interesting and enjoyable event.
Membership of the Tipperary Supporters Club for 2014 is now available on http://www.tippsupportersclub.com/ and the member’s gift is a light soft feel 100% Polyester Neck Scarf, 1.2m x 15cm, specially produced in the traditional Blue & Gold Colours of Tipperary and featuring The Tipperary Supporters Club Official Logo. To see an image of this stylish scarf go to http://www.tippsupportersclub.com/ . In addition each Adult Membership Card will be accompanied by a Tipperary Supporters Car/Window Sticker. Adult Members will be entered in Ticket Draws for five pairs of stand tickets before each of Tipperary’s 2014 Munster and All-Ireland championship games. They will also be entered in a Draw for an All-Ireland Hurling Weekend stay at the Four Star Louis Fitzgerald Hotel, Dublin (match tickets included), if Tipperary reach the final. Also members can access a discount scheme and will get Championship and League team announcements by text as well as regular updates by email on team news and events. Adult Membership will cost €30 (unchanged since 2005).
Supporters can join on line on www.tippsupportersclub.com by credit card or debit/laser card. If you want to give membership as a present, a gift voucher is available on the website. Also on the website details are available of the direct debit facility; as the Club is run on a completely voluntary basis it would be a great help if members could join by direct debit. We will make contact with those members who have joined by direct debit in previous years. If joining by post please send a cheque or postal order payable to Tipperary Supporters Club to Jim Reidy,13 Castleknock Close, Dublin 15 (086-3580718, email: info@tippsupportersclub.com ).
Junior Membership is free on www.tippsupportersclub.com and existing Junior Members will be automatically renewed and do not need to make contact unless they wish to update their contact details. Go raibh míle maith agaibh.
Tipperary Association Dublin AGM
The Annual General meeting of the Tipperary Association Dublin will be held in the Palace Bar, Fleet Street, Dublin 2 on Tuesday 18 February 2014 at 8.00 pm. All current and potential new members are invited to attend. Any amendments to the rules or motions must be submitted to the Honorary Secretary 10 days before the AGM. Pat Ryan,Honorary Secretary,Tipperary Association Dublin, 11 Foxfield Grove, Raheny, Dublin 5. or by email to info@tippassociationdublin.ie
Nenagh Eire Og GAA Healthy Club Project
The Nenagh Éire Óg Healthy Club Project team hosted a very successful ‘Well Being and Mental Health’ seminar at the Abbey Court Hotel on Friday, January 24th.The event represented an opportunity for club members and the wider community to become informed on the many issues surrounding depression and mental health. Indeed, the event attracted over 150 members of the public to the Abbey Court Hotel for a warmly-received seminar. Speakers on the night included Cloyne’s Conor Cusack and Séamus Hennessy (Kilruane MacDonagh’s). In addition a number of organisations were present with information pertaining to the critical area of mental health. Master of ceremonies for the night was juvenile club chairman Michael Geaney who is the team leader for the Nenagh Éire Óg Healthy Club Project. Michael is joined on the Healthy Club Project team by Nuala Connolly (team admin), Tom Moylan (children’s officer) and community representatives Clare Slattery and Greg Browne. Aside from a speech made by Michael Geaney, Clare Slattery, Greg Browne and Tom Moylan also spoke. Meanwhile the event featured keynote speeches from Conor Cusack and Séamus Hennessy. Conor Cusack, who featured for Cork in 2006 All-Ireland final, spoke passionately about his own mental health issues and stigma which often gets attached to people who suffer from mental illness. Conor revealed that for many years he had lived his life “trying to please others”, suffered from panic attacks and lapsed into depression before finally emerging from his difficulties to live a life “true to himself”. In an emotional address Conor Cusack explained how he once was “utterly convinced that my family and friends would be better off without me around”, but that he now lived “life not as a problem to be solved, but as a mystery to be lived”. Conor Cusack highlighted the fact that individuals in Ireland were exposed to “unhealthy levels of stress and anxiety” and he appealed to people to seek help. “There is no shame, no weakness and no softness in admitting that you have a problem with your mental health,” Conor Cusack explained. “You are not alone; you don’t have to carry that burden on your own,” he said. “It takes a community to raise a child,” Conor Cusack explained. “This problem won’t be solved at a national level. Things can only change at a local level. I can’t emphasise enough how important community is.” “It’s okay not to feel okay,” the Cloyne man concluded. Séamus Hennessy, a highly decorated Kilruane MacDonagh’s hurler, spoke passionately and highlighted the “impact one person can have on another person”. Séamus Hennessy insisted that the most important aspect to the seminar was “what happens next”. Séamus asked everyone in attendance to work to help other people. “It’s about people, community and taking action,” Séamus Hennessy said. In one anecdote Séamus revealed that he had recently encountered Fionnbar Walsh, the father of Kerry teenager Dónal Walsh – although Dónal Walsh died from cancer he had campaigned prior to his death in the area of mental health. “Dónal Walsh’s father told me that if you can’t have an impact among your own then what can you do?” Séamus Hennessy said as he emphasised a key theme: community. “My fundamental idea is that people help people. It’s about having an impact on one person in your community if you can,” Séamus Hennessy, who sadly lost his own mother to suicide, explained. “What sort of community exists if we don’t care for one another,” Séamus said. Séamus Hennessy paid tribute to Michael Geaney and Clare Slattery for the vision they showed to “create a stronger community”. Nenagh Éire Óg club chairman Jim Nagle brought proceedings to close when he encouraged everyone present to “reach out to one person and spread the message”. The Nenagh Éire Óg Healthy Club Project team would like to thank Proctor & Gamble and the North Tipperary Leader Partnership for their fantastic support. For more information on the Healthy Club Project check out www.nenagheireog.com
Premier Gold 2 in 1 Package…great value…last chance
Tipperary GAA supporters should check out the great value in the 2014 Premier Gold Plus Package at €200. This package gives the owner access to all adult club games, both divisional and county during 2014 plus all Allianz League matches in hurling or football. It also entitles the owner access to the opening Championship game in 2014 and the right to purchase thereafter. So whether it’s the local park, Semple Stadium or Croke Park, you can follow your teams all the way. For more details on the Premier Gold 2 in 1 Package, contact The GAA Merchandise Shop at Lár na Pairce, Thurles. 0504-22702
All-County Table Quiz:
Arrangements are being finalised this week for the 2014 All-County Table Quiz on Friday, February 21st. Once again, 80 general knowledge questions will be asked live on Tipp FM and every club will be expected to organize a venue and participate in the Quiz. The winners from each venue will go forward to a County Final to be held in The Dome on Friday March 15th. Clubs should immediately book their local heat venue for Fri Feb 21st.
Club Affiliations:
This is the final week for club secretaries to complete and return the 2014 Affiliation forms sent out to them before Christmas. By rule, a club cannot participate in any competitions until this form is returned to the Co Rúnaí before Jan 31st.
February Dates for your Diary
Fri Feb 4th: Tipperary Supporters Club Membership Launch in Horse & Jockey
Fri Feb 5th: Co Executive Meeting in Lar na Pairce
Fri Feb 7th: Feb Co Board Draw in Sarsfields Centre
Tues Feb 18th: Feb Co Board Meeting in Sarsfields Centre
Fri Feb 21st: All County Quiz Heats around County
Thurs Feb 27th: Child ProtectionInformation Hotel Night in Sarsfields Centre.
By Jonathan Cullen Tue 28th Jan
