Christmas Lights Come to Clanna Gael!

Official launch of the Club’s partnership with Dublin Port Co.

It has been a very good year for us here at Clanna Gael Fontenoy with progress on many fronts. Earlier this year saw Dublin Port Co. enter into a partnership agreement with the Club. Dublin Port Co. will offer invaluable support to our set up and in our efforts to improve our games for all our members. Our thanks to Enda Connellan, Jimmy Carolan, Charlie Murphy, Michael Sheery, Gerry Barry and Ann Moran for all their help throughout the year.

Our second Prunty pitch outside the Clubhouse was completed and matches have commenced on it. The Dublin Juvenile Camogie Championship finals were held here in October and the large crowd were truly aghast at the perfect conditions that the pitch provided.

None more so than Irish Times columnist Tom Humphries who in all his years covering sports events said that it was the best surface he had encountered. Some praise indeed! (I was waiting for him to make similar comments about the referee but it never came).

The first Prunty pitch, completed two years ago, came under severe wear and tear from many quarters as was well-documented in previous editions here. Joe Pat Prunty from Prunty Pitch Contractors takes great pride in his work and his company has gracefully decided to repair the damage done with no extra expense to the Club.

Anybody passing by will see that our Floodlight project is well under way and lights are expected to be turned on in the next couple of weeks. This project was undertaken by Brendan Hall from SLS Ltd, whose family hails from.

The floodlights will provide a fantastic service to our members and community alike. We will now be able to train and play matches all year round. Dublin Docklands Development Authority provided the project with 40% funding and the remaining 60% was met by the Club. If one can cares to remember what these playing areas were like just a few short years ago, its present condition represents a formidable achievement by all those involved.

The official opening of our newest pitch and our new clubhouse is pencilled in for late January with an intercounty match between the Dubs and opponents yet to be decided.

On the playing front, the Juvenile section had a remarkable year. Each team have gained promotion from their present leagues with the U9 footballers, U10 footballers, U15 hurlers, U16 footballers, U16 hurlers, and Minor (U18) footballers all winning their respective league campaigns.

This certainly is no mean achievement and can only auger well for the years ahead. In the last edition I wrote that the U16 hurlers had two very difficult assignments remaining if they were to capture league honours against O’Tooles and Ballinteer St John’s.

It was done in style as they ran out winners with over fifteen points to spare in both games. The smile is still on the Legend’s face. U15 hurlers travelled to St Monica’s in Edenmore in a winner-takes-all encounter. Trailing by 5 points with just a couple of minutes left, they fired home two late goals to win the day.

In June we ran a very successful ‘People in Need’ day with Gaelic and Soccer matches outside the clubhouse with haircutting, beard trimming, toenail sucking all held inside it. Almost €2000 was raised.

Juvenile Coach Eamon Clancy is a busy bee this year with all local schools having been visited a number of times during the year. Eamon has just started hurling for 7-11 year olds in the club hall each Wednesday night and anyone is welcome.

The Legend ‘reaches for the bottle’ during one of his many exploits throughout the year.

Saturday morning nursery sees coaching in football and hurling for the 4-8 year olds and parents can enjoy tea and coffee upstairs in our lovely lounge with panoramic views.

In August we opened the second Prunty Pitch with a Ladies’ Junior Football Tournament in aid of Tracy Staunton. It was a wonderful success and we thank Crawford’s Ford Centre for their kind sponsorship on the day.

Marian College is flying the flag of Gaelic Games with distinction. John McEvoy has truly been magnificent in his delivery of our games to the young lads. The same applies to Mick Maughan, Kevin Munnelly and Brian McDermott in Star of the Sea and Donnagh Cleary and Eddie Hassett in Lakelands.

And staying with Juvenile affairs, the club wishes every success to Ciaran Diviney who is due for an operation soon. Ciaran is a truly wonderful football and hurler and is a star for the future.

In September we ran our usual All-Ireland Forecast Competition. As there was no outright winner the €5000 prize was donated to The Children’s Hospital Crumlin and Temple Street hospitals.
November saw the annual club bash in the clubhouse. The hospitality shown by the club was unbelievable as Salt and Vinegar Crisps and Johnny Onion Rings were handed out like confetti.
This was the occasion when all the adult players of the year were rewarded with some lovely statuettes, those ones that the grandchildren will see in years to come. Charlie Murphy from Dublin Port Co presented all the lads and lassies with their trophies.

The only blip on the night was the boos that echoed round the clubhouse when the Legend was not included in the list. The highlight, I suppose, were the ‘Three Degrees’, alias Albert Hannon, Ronan Smith and Des Markey who went on and on and on until everyone fell asleep.

Beer mats were thrown, money flung and shoes hurled at them, but all to no avail. Alas, the Guards had to be called to remove them from the stage. The following were the recipients on the night:

Inter Football: Ian Kavanagh
Inter Hurling: Bee Duffy
Junior Football: Declan Campbell
Junior Hurling: David Early
Ladies Football: Louise Kane
Adult Camogie: Nikki Doran
Minor Football: Philip Power
Minor Hurling: Shane Hilliard
Club person of the year: Jean Joyce

The Juvenile presentation night will take place on Sunday 12th December from 4-7 p.m. This will include a Disco downstairs for the 8-12 year olds. All parents please attend.

In October the U15s travelled to Glasgow courtesy of the Dublin Docklands Authority on a Drug awareness programme. They were hosted by the local GAA club, Tir Conaill Harps and a great time was had by all.

Christmas raffle tickets are now on sale and they are the talk of the town. The prizes are out of this world and for a measly €10.00 you can shoot for the stars. Tickets available from usual outlets or behind the bar.

Below is a list of events that are occurring over the Christmas period.
16th December: Christmas Draw. Music by GAEL FORCE
26th December: Music by Strike Two– Upstairs
26th December: Disco with Paul Murray– Downstairs (All Ticket)
31st December: Music with High Society– Upstairs
31st December: Disco with Paul Murray– Downstairs (All Ticket)

Tickets for St Stephen’s Night and New Year’s disco will go on sale from the 12th December.
Finally a big thank you to all who made 2004 a very worthwhile year here at the club and we wish all our members, our neighbours and friends, our sponsors and all in the Community a very enjoyable Christmas and a sporting New Year. Have a good one!

Photo above: Louise Kane receives her ‘Footballer of the Year’ award from Charlie Murphy, Dublin Port Co., with Big brother Pat in background.