June 2013

Clew Bay Half Marathon

Note here from our colleagues in Louisburgh GAA, who are on a major fund-raising drive for their pitch development at the minute. Hi All, Please pass on to anyone in your club who might be interested….the race is being run as a fundraiser for Louisburgh GAA pitch development. Many thanks. The third annual Clew Bay half marathon will take place on Saturday July 20th, 2013.  The race will start and finish in Louisburgh in Co. Mayo on the south coast of Clew Bay. The course will be run over a variety of landscapes ranging from north Connemara bogland to winding seaside roadways overlooking Clare Island and south Clew Bay. The course is challenging and exhilarating, it’s winding roads and ever changing scenery making it a very enjoyable run. This year’s event will be bigger and more exciting. The race itself will be chipped timed by Redtag timing. As per last year ample car parking will be provided as well as hot shower facilities after the race. All contestants will and very popular home made refreshments, hot or cold drinks after the race. There will be prizes for overall male and female winners as well as category prizes for male and female over 40 and over 50. Registration will cost €40 per person. All entrants will receive a top quality technical tee shirt and a finishers medal. The race is being organised as a fundraiser for a local Astroturf facility as well as other local charities. So if you want to combine the race with your visit to beautiful Louisburgh or use it as a training race for GaelForce West, we would love if you could join us. To register, log onto Website http://www.runireland.com or email clewbay2011@gmail.com Please pass this to all your friends.

Clew Bay Half Marathon Read More »

The French diary

WEEKEND UPDATES: We will do a number of Audioboos over the weekend, and update them in the first list below (or you can go direct to our Audioboo page which will be even more up to date). Text updates are below. Here’s Niall Murphy, vice-president of Rennes GAA, being interviewed by Michael D McAndrew on Mid West Radio: [audio:http://ballinrobegaaclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Rennesgaa.mp3] Picture and video updates are HERE. These are high-resolution pictures so you can download and print if you wish. Thanks to photographers Des May, Liam Horan, Jill Murphy (Ballinrobe) and Kevin Hughes (Rennes) – and if you have pix, please forward them to secretary.ballinrobe.mayo@gaa.ie and we will add them. 1. AUDIO: Liam Horan update Saturday morning 2. AUDIO: Tom Carney sets the scene Friday evening. 3. AUDIO: Saturday morning, Sean O’Connell (coach and parent) at Debut Day 4. AUDIO: Saturday morning, Alan Flannery (our chairman) at Debut Day 5. AUDIO: Saturday morning, Niall Murphy (Rennes vice-president) at Debut Day 6. AUDIO: Saturday evening, Niall Murphy after-match interview MONDAY, 9am: Time to pack, time to move on. The team are flying back today. We know they enjoyed their weekend in Ballinrobe, and we certainly enjoyed having them. They were impeccably behaved, friendly to everyone they encountered, and clearly proud of their club. We wish them well, and will join them in Rennes inside the next 12 months. SUNDAY 6pm: Another great day – team went on a sight-seeing trip in north Connemara, before making their way to McHale Park where they saw Mayo defeat Roscommon in the Connacht SFC semi-final. They were featured in the match programme announced over the public address. SUNDAY, 2.01am: Alan Flannery, chairman, has confirmed we are travelling to Rennes in March 2014. And if Alan says it, it happens. Even at 2.01am. SATURDAY, 23.259 (we are knocking the last little bit out of this day): Great night in O’Malley’s. Both clubs exchanged presentations. Kevin Hughes (Armagh/Ormaw) named as Top Tourist. Alan Flannery, Kevin McDonnell and Niall Murphy all spoke. Promises are made to travel to Rennes: Ballinrobe GAA club is adamant it will travel. Start saving the few quid now. Loads of photos: see link above. Jill Murphy has been appointed Official Trip Photographer. She is adamant she will not charge a fee. That’s the spirit we like! Allez le rouges, allez les Robe! This trip has been declared an extraordinary success. Ken Murphy has agreed to sponsor the trip. SATURDAY, 13.47pm: Great morning. The Rennes players were guests at our Debut Day for the U8s. Referees, linesmen, coaches, you name it: and we had a huge turnout of children. This is a very special day for the club as we send another generation of young footballers out in the club colours.  The Rennes group got to meet and chat at some length with Donal Vaughan, our Ballinrobe and Mayo footballer, who lines out tomorrow v Roscommon. After that it was down to the new Ballinrobe Market (which is a fantastic success on this beautiful day) and who dropped in but An Taoiseach Enda Kenny (he’s our Prime Minister) and he talked to the lads about the team. Enda played a lot of football in his time and his father Henry was on the Mayo team that won the county’s first All-Ireland senior title in 1936. The players got a lovely photo with him. Thanks to photographer John Daly who set the shot up lovely on the public art piece (the giant books) outside the library. Photos, videos and audio from the trip are being added HERE today, tomorrow and over the coming days. Next up is the game v Ballinrobe juniors at 6pm. Just got a call from Fergal O’Malley saying he is putting up a top prize for a raffle in aid of the club at the barbecue, so thanks very much to Fergal for that.   SATURDAY 9.30am: Donal McCormack (of Donal McCormack Design – Donal is also our club’s Community Officer, see below) has just been onto me to say he will kindly sponsor un Tourist Magnifique Award, to be picked tonight at the barbecue. I hasten to add that only members of Rennes GAA club can enter. we will devise a voting procedure as the day goes on. More anon.   SATURDAY 8.53am: So, Rennes GAA are officially in town. We can confirm, yes, they’re in town. Mucho gracias to Tom Carney who put them through an excellent training session in Flanagan Park last night, despite the torrential rain. Of course, Tom had an ulterior motive: to slow them down before tonight’s clash with our junior team. Later they repaired to the home of Ann-Marie and Ken Murphy for some food and refreshments. We sent a dedicated reconnaissance team to this gathering and we can confirm that they are in good form, and looking forward to their mission. But they were early to bed and today will be at our guest coaches, referees and motivators at our Debut Day for the U8s at 10.30am, followed by a trip to the town’s new market at the library. At 6pm, this evening they play our juniors. Afterwards, there will be a barbecue and video showing of this game, plus the 2013 O’Mara Cup final between Ballinrobe and the Neale. Do come out at some point today or this evening to meet our visitors, led by their vice-president, Niall Murphy, son of Ann-Marie and Ken, brother of Harry (a distinguished wearer of the club jersey who now plays for Fulham Irish in London – plus he’s home for the weekend too) and Jill. Niall played for Ballinrobe for many years before relocating to Rennes. Tomorrow, they will attend Mayo v Roscommon in McHale Park – watch out for the write-up on them in the match programme. Plus here’s the souvenir programme for the weekend, with thanks to our Community Officer Donal McCormack for producing this excellent keepsake of what is shaping up to be a memorable weekend. It’s a big weekend for the club on many fronts, so let’s all get out in our

The French diary Read More »

U10s & U12s – up Mayo!

Our U10s will train this Saturday morning at 9.30, as per normal. Members of the Rennes GAA team, our guests this weekend, will help out with the Academy. The club have also organised a bus to Mayo v Roscommon on Sunday for U12s and U10s. If you are interested in sending your son or daughter along, text Kevin at 087 284 8324 to book your place. Cost of bus is €5 and you’ll need to purchase a juvenile ticket €5 in Supervalu in advance. Any parents who wish to come on the bus are very welcome.

U10s & U12s – up Mayo! Read More »

Debut Day

UPDATE, SATURDAY 2pm: We had a great morning at Debut Day. We had a total of 52 young players and a huge turnout of older players and adults. It is tied in with the visit by Rennes GAA to Ballinrobe this weekend, so head on over HERE to read all about it, and to see the photos. Here’s the pre-match pep-talk by Donal Vaughan, Noel Connelly, Niall Murphy and Alan Flannery, with Liam Horan as master of ceremonies. Plus this VIDEO of the team being clapped onto the field by parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, friends, coaches, Rennes players and club supporters. They’re now fully inducted in the club colours: may it be a long and fruitful innings for each and every one of them. And we’d like to echo Des May’s sentiments in this video: well done!   In 2012, we inaugurated our Debut Day – when we mark the first year in which our U8s wear the club jersey. Last year it was against Carras on a beautiful Saturday morning – this Saturday (June 15), we are hoping for good weather for the 2013 Debut Day when our young players play Hollymount-Carramore, in Flanagan Park, Ballinrobe, at 11am. Players, family and friends are asked to be there at 10.30am for the ‘welcome to the club colours’ pep-talk by club chairman Alan Flannery, plus photos and the parade of the players onto the field before the game. This is a family day – we had three generations of some families there last year – and we hope to see similar numbers again this year. This is the start of what will hopefully be a rewarding and exciting journey in the club colours for all our young players. Bring your cameras to capture the memories. This year, we will have as special guests the members of the Rennes GAA team who are visiting Ballinrobe this weekend. More on Rennes trip HERE

Debut Day Read More »