As one year ends and another is just about to begin, it is time to look both back and forward. One of the highlights of the year ending must be the coming on board of the club's official sponsor, Tilestyle Limited of North Wall, Dublin 1. Managing Director Jim McNaughton has had a good look at how we've progressed over the last eight years or so since putting down permanent roots by building our clubhouse at Seán Moore Park. We fully share his view that the seeds are now well and truly sown for the club's eventual return to Senior status in football, hurling and camogie.

Last season was reasonably successful on the playing field with Junior footballers ending up third in League and reaching quarter final stage in the Championship, a game that for various reasons we were unable to put our best foot forward in. However, it is comforting to look back and see how much the panel has improved over the year. With full commitment from all concerned there is every reason to expect Intermediate status by the end of the present season. Also well done to the lads on winning this year's Inner City Tournament hosted by Joey's in Fairview Park.

Our hurlers also enjoyed the sweet smell of success by winning our own hurling tournament dedicated to the late May Hogan who sadly passed away during the year and fittingly enough May's son Michael scored a class goal in the final to put the game beyond O'Dwyer's reach just as they were making strong comeback. Both 'B' and 'D' teams made it to the top four playoff stages with 'D' team finishing eventual runners-up, thus being promoted to 'C' for the current season. The camogie section is showing good response to the great effort by all the crew and Conor Dodd, Elaine Maguire and John Egan in particular to restore it to full strength.

In Juvenile games pride of place must go to Peter Burnett's U-11 hurlers who won Division 1. John Egan's U-14 Team came very close to the double by winning their football league and finishing runners-up in hurling. Terry Hanlon's U-13's also won their football league dropping only two points in the process. Fair play to U-12 footballers who, after an indifferent League performance really got their act together to win the Shield Final by a point in an excellent sporting and exciting game with St. Anne's. Recently we had an excellent presentation night hosted by Dubs star Paul Clarke.
An exciting new development in Juvenile affairs at the Club is the establishment of a coaching scheme for 6 to 9 year olds every Saturday morning under the direction of Leinster Council coach Graham Cooke. We are delighted with the response to this scheme, with regular attendances of fifty or more, thus laying a sound foundation for teams of future years as they embark into competitive leagues. This scheme should also be of benefit to local schools as they go about forming their Junior teams.

At present most teams have reached the halfway stage or so in their various leagues. Bearing in mind that last year's success generally meant several teams were promoted it is not a total surprise that not everybody is having it too easy this time out. That said the U-13's, U-15's, U-16's and Minors are well in contention for League honours. Jack Nicholson's Junior 'B' hurling squad are motoring very nicely with 3 out of 4 including a particularly sweet one beating Ballyboden on their home patch.

The New Year has the potential to start dramatically for the club and indeed for the entire area as Haddington Road School Principal John Egan is in with a good shout of being the next Chairman of the Dublin County Board. The election takes place on January 10th and we wish John all the best.

We have now established a very sound base at Seán Moore Park to go forward from. The Juvenile section is going well, eager to provide our adult teams with every assistance in their quest to restore this club to its glory days of previous years. The Clubhouse is now well known throughout our catchment area of Ringsend, Irishtown, Sandymount, Donnybrook, Ballsbridge and South Inner City as a quality sports and social centre.
All teams are in good shape and showing the benefit of expert training from dedicated mentors and specialist coaching programmes. We are well aware of our shortcomings and realise everybody must put the Club first to move forward. The Club is always delighted to welcome new members and players to help us develop Gaelic games to their full potential in Dublin 4.

Clanna Gael U-12 Hurlers. Back (l to r): Gary Jenkins; Tony Carroll; David Neville; Cormac Finn; Carl Geoghegan; Stephen Brennan; John Murphy; Eugene Byrne; Wesley Cassidy; Coach Garreth Cassidy.