Castlelyons GAA Notes WE 16.12.19. 2019-12-30 17:20:00

Castlelyons receive sizable Grant for purchase of extra land.

by Kieran McGann PRO

Christmas has come early for Castlelyons with a sizable grant allocated to us in this year’s Munster GAA development Grant Scheme.  So, at a very pleasant function in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Monday evening we were presented with a cheque of €40000.00 by Mr Pierse Murphy, Treasurer Munster Council.  Ms Tracy Kennedy, Chairperson, Pat Horgan and Joe Blake of Cork County Board were also present as many clubs received grants on the evening.

Overall Cork benefited from both Central and Munster Council grants to the total sum of €252,011.33 in the 2019 grants.  The breakdown of grants saw Central Council contribute €141,801.90 and Munster Council granting €110,209.43. In total 45 clubs across county Cork have received grants towards re-developments within their clubs. Five more clubs have received grants for sanding of their pitches and a further two clubs will receive grants towards legal costs.

As our Club recently concluded the purchase of lands adjoining present club property were able to apply to Munster GAA for a purchase grant.  However, this involved a lot of back office work by our officers and detailed file preparation with great input from Declan Spillane, Juvenile Committee, John Coleman, Camogie Club, Jeremiah Healy, Healy Crowley Solicitors and overall coordination by our secretary Michael Barrett. 

We are most thankful for such willing and helpful Vendors who helped to expedite matters which in turn assisted in getting the grant in 2019.  So, this together with contributions from some outstanding benefactors has really helped the Club. There will be a big challenge in further development, but it is a tremendous start agus mar deirtear tosach maith leath na hoibre. 

Castlelyons GAA Safeguarding Policy 2019. 

Castlelyons GAA Child Safeguarding Statement is now up on our Website.  The policy draws positive attention to the procedures, policies and practices we have in place to safeguard children, as far as practicable, from risk when they are attending our games or other Association activities. It identifies that as a basic right we recognise that that all children have the right to be protected from harm. Thanks to Ms Lorna Murphy our Childrens Officer of 2019 for preparing this document.  Lorna has done her three years as Childrens Officer and has done an excellent job.  She will not be lost as she is remaining as assistant Childrens Officer to Mr Clare Reals who was elected this year.

At €20000.00 the Jackpot of the Club Lotto is a Christmas Cracker. 

Our weekly club lotto draw was held in the Peddlers on Monday 15th December and the numbers drawn were 1, 7, 13, and 17. There was no winner. There were eight Lucky Dip Prizes and the winners were as follows: - Noeline Broderick, Joe Cox, Diarmuid Moroney, Eamon Fitzgerald, Phil Shanahan, Noeline Broderick, Pauline Hyland and Sean Barry.

Next week’s draw will be held on Monday 23rd December at 9.30pm at Pedlars Rock. With the Jackpot is still €20,000 and could be yours for just €2 For Christmas.  We would ask all our patrons to support us and especially those in the Adult, Juvenile and Camogie Clubs.  The results of the Club Lotto are published on both the Avondhu and social media.  Thanks to all.

Castlelyons Juvenile GAA Annual Poc Fada on St Stephens Day

There is a mystique about a hurling Poc Fada.  It follows the mighty footprints of a legend - those of Setanta/Cú Chulainn who is reputed to have poc-ed a ball from Carn an Mhadaidh on Annaverna in the Cooley Mountains in County Louth all the way to Eamhann Mhaca. Indeed, his hound dog is said to be buried in Carn an Mhadaidh.

This is true mountain area, with landmarks like The Slip of the Giant, Mary's Bog, Crock of Gold and Cadger's Pad, not to mention a 200ft ravine which latter year sponsor Martin Donnelly is delighted to call "the biggest bunker in the world". This is because hapless hurlers often must dig the ball out of a swathe of heather at the bottom before hefting it over the top.  Finbarr O Neill and Ger Cunningham of Cork have both won it two years in a row with Brendan Cummins of Tipperary has won it about four times while the great Dave Fitzgerald of the Banner won it twice too.

Now on to Castlelyons and Poc Fada Lá ‘le Stiofain by the Juvenile Club.  We introduced this many years ago with the initial course over from Coole Lower Cross to Kenny’s Cross.  However, in later years it is held over a rectangular course on the outskirts of the village with the first Poc from the Main Street, up by the old Barracks, and on past a blend of beautiful old homes and newer including the lovely Berry Hill.  Back by the cemetery, before turning down for the village again at the old school.  The cemetery which dates back many centuries where so many members of our club are laid. As you pass or drop the sliotar just think of them please and may there be a kindness in your gaze when you look within. 

Registration for this year’s Castlelyons Juvenile Club Poc Fada Lá ‘Le Stiofain is in the Centre from 10.30am. Teams of 4 at €20 per team and a handicapped system applies. Refreshments and prize giving in the Pedlars afterwards.  So, whether you young or old see you on the course belting a long poc out the eye of the road for a great morning of fun and craic you there for a great mornings fun and proceeds are going towards the Parish Dinner.

East Cork Board Fundraising Draw.

Tickets are now on sale for the East Cork Board (Imokilly) fundraising draw.  First prize is two Premium Tickets in the centre of Páirc Uí Chaoimh for all GAA matches played there in 2020 with free entry to a premium Lottery for All Ireland tickets when Cork are involved. The second prize is €200 cash and third prize €100.  Tickets are €10 with €6 to your club and €4 to the East Cork Board.  So, an ideal way to make a few bob for your club while supporting the Board.  Remember there are four county senior medals going to Castlelyons this year though our own hurlers involvement with the three in a row champions so we would ask you to be generous in support.

The Sliotar going Tennis Style.

While the argument about the demise of club hurling continues due to non-availability of county players in the summertime continues the introduction of a yellow “smart sliotar” will be interesting for 2020.   We will in time have a digital yellow sliotar after some exhaustive research, development and trials over the last eight years. There is a strong case to be made for this type of a sliotar as professional tennis moved from white to yellow balls back in the 1970’s. The finished sliotar design aside from the yellow leather will have deep black ridges and then use red stitching all of which is designed to make the ball stand out more when in flight. Imbedded in the polyurethane core will be a microchip. This is a key feature of the GAA’s research and development work aiming for a standardised approach to the manufacture and supply of sliotars and allow to govern size and weight to specifications and quality control. However, at what cost to hurling and the club. It is mentioned that these new sliotars will cost €10 apiece which is double the current price.  Will clubs be able to afford this price hike?  Of course, we could have spurious sliotars with just a change in colour to assist with vision and hurling under lights.  Then if the real one is only in intercounty hurling it may cause further turbulence in the intercounty versus club scene. I remember been in the Páirc Uí Chaoimh one night and Tony Kelly put one rightly over the bar for the Banner, but it was waved wide.  They all thought it was a mighty point and even the great Donal Óg said a change in colour of the sliotar can’t come soon enough.  Well if Central Council agree we could have it in 2020 and it might benefit Cork too.

Liverpool for our Players.

With the playing season over and the long evenings on us our players at least those Liverpool supporters had a weekend away at the Kop watching their team defeat Watford last weekend.  I don’t know how the Man U boys tolerated this or even if they went on the trip.  No need to worry about funding here as there are no club bobs but with long laid plans the lads surely got great value and enjoyment.  No doubt they gave a blast to that song ‘Never walk Alone’ and ‘On the one Road’ for 2020.

A Special Thanks to our Sponsor ZEUS.

A special thanks to our main sponsor ZEUS our main sponsor for the last few years and for renewing their sponsorship again.  We are delighted to see our main sponsor grow their business once more in 2019.  They have found time for more growth and research.  Now in an exclusive partnership with DS Smith they embark on another major project and this is a nationwide solution to recycle every coffee cup in Ireland. Over 200 million coffee cups are thrown away every year in Ireland and is a serious cause of concern to government who are planning a levy of 25c on such cups, but this is surely a massive solution to the problem.

Zeus recently presented CMRF Crumlin with a cheque valued €20,000 at their Dublin Headquarters. Throughout the year they ran several charity fundraisers such as their Purple Bale Charity Initiative and the Annual Zeus Golf Day in Kilkea Castle. Excellent work indeed so please they deserve your support in any way possible.  We wish Dave, Margaret Ann and family a very Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year.

Nollag shona daoibh go léir. 

Well as we take a break to spend some time with family and friends our club wishes to thank our members, supporters and all for your great support throughout the year.  We wish you a Happy Christmas with peace and hope and gladness and all they may hold dear.  

Vote of Sympathy

Castlelyons GAA wish to express sincere condolences to McHugh and Gallagher families on their recent bereavements.  Solas na bhFlaitheas ar a nainmeacha go léir.


Club Main Sponsor: ZEUS Packaging Group.




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