Collegeland O’Rahillys GAC Club Notes – 10 March 2015

Cyclists win £400 in vouchers

We had three lucky winners of the Vouchers for those early birds who were registering by 7pm on Sunday last. The £200 voucher from The Bike Shop, Dungannon went to Gary McArdle. The next two £100 vouchers from So Cycle, Augher went to Colm Mitchell and Conor Mallon. Thanks to these two cycle shops for their magnificent support attending on the day with a collection of bikes available for potential customers to try out. Thanks also to the McKenna family for supplying all the vegetables for the tasty irish stew and to the other that attended or provided information stands at the event.

Thanks to the 61 early birds who signed up before 7pm on Sunday. We still have room for some more so contact us now, checkout our on-line registration on the www.facebook.com/collegelandbig100 Facebook page or on our website http://www.collegelandorahillys.com

As our cyclists are completing the Lap the Lough route it is important that you do not wait too long to register with Collegeland Big 100 as Lap the Lough will be closing for entries whenever they reach their target of 2,000. They have announced that their February registrations had already reached 1,000 entries so you have been warned. Latecomers cannot be accommodated. To register on the Collegeland Big contact us as above or by phone/text to Colm McGeary 079 7798 8901.

A reminder that this is Collegeland O’Rahillys major fund-raiser for 2015 and will be held on Sunday 30 August, 100 miles around Lough Neagh starting and finishing from Collegeland.  We are pleased to announce that our chosen charity to receive a small donation from this event is the Cormac Trust.

When you register you will get information on training, insurance, etc and we also need to order your own size in the specially commissioned cycling jersey.

Business Sponsorship names and logos are needed in the coming weeks for the Cycle jersey and a team of people under Shane McGeary and Frank Donnelly are looking for your support.

Senior Football The Intermediate League commences on Sunday 12 April with Collegeland at home to Clann Eireann. Reserves will get underway on Wed 15 April at home to Tir na nOg. Reserves training will be organised soon so you need to register your interest. If any players want to participate this year then time is running out for registering or renewing your membership, Adults £30 and Youths £10. The football contacts are Brian McGeary – Registrar, Stephen Clancy – Treasurer, Tommy Mitchell – Secretary, Pat Brannigan – Football Sub Committee Chair, Tom Murphy – Players Rep, or Frank Donnelly – Finance Sub Committee Chair.

Collegeland O’Rahillys GAC Club Notes – 2 March 2015

Collegeland Big 100 Cycle.  This Sunday 8 March is Registration Evening in Collegeland Clubrooms for this major fund-raiser which we be held on Sunday 30 August, 100 miles around Lough Neagh starting and finishing from Collegeland.  An energetic Sub Committee headed by Colm McGeary is organising this event. There will be a Big 100 Registration Evening on this Sunday 8 March from 5pm to 7pm and a special Draw Prize of a £200 voucher (donated by The Bike Shop, Dungannon ) for all those registering that day. Draw will be held at 7pm so dont delay.

Those registering on Sunday will try on cycle jerseys so we can order the correct size for all cyclists. Cyclists will also get information on training, insurance, etc and there cycle merchandise will also be available. So come along, register, relax and enjoy refreshments and food before you start your training programme. See Facebook www.facebook.com/collegelandbig100 for further details.

If you cannot cycle the whole 100 miles but are still keen to raise money for the Club then please talk to us.

Business Sponsorship names and logos are needed in the coming weeks for the Cycle jersey and a team of people under Shane McGeary and Frank Donnelly are looking for your support.

Dinner Dance.  The Clubs Dinner Dance and Presentation Night was held in Armagh City Hotel on Friday last when we paid tribute to the winning teams of 1988 Junior Championship, and who then went on to win the 1990 Intermediate Championship. It was great to see the two captains, Tony Murphy (1988 ) and Micheal McParland (1990) leading their teams on stage.

Brian Smyth, Vice Chairman of Armagh County Board presented the medals to Collegeland led by captain Stephen Clancy as the 2014 Armagh Junior League Champions. The 2014 Reserves Player of the Year was Bernard Mackle, Young Player of the Year was Oisin Kelly, and Player of the Year was Mickey Cullen.

The six Collegeland minors from the 2014 Naomh Eoin minor Championship winning team were also invited on-stage.

The Intermediate League commences on 12 April with Collegeland at home to Clann Eireann.

Collegeland O’Rahillys GAC Club Notes – 24 Feb 2015

Gaelic Start in St Peters School.

It’s the final session at the Collegeland O’Rahillys new Gaelic Start programme for the St Peters Collegeland pupils on Saturday mornings. Its been a great success so far and our new coaches are doing really well – as usual 10.00 am for Gaelic Start for P1 to P3 and then from 11.00 am we have the Gaelic Skills for P4 to P7.

This has been a very successful venture allowing us to identify potential coaches for camogie and football. We have already gained new Club members, children and their parents, and most importantly those essential new coaches.

Our underage football fixtures and training is delivered through the very successful Naomh Eoin arrangements with Collegeland, Annaghmore and Clonmore. The Naomh Eoin AGM was held recently and the three Clubs have agreed arrangements for training venues and days/times. The Naomh Eoin Gaelic Start beings next Saturday in Clonmore. Football training is also starting for some of the age groups. Coaches will be in touch with parents by text.

 

Membership. Adult members is £30 and in addition we are preparing to relaunch and rebrand what was our Gold Membership at £10 per month or £120 per year. We hope to say more about this at our Presentation Night on 27 Feb. If your child is a member ( Youth £10) then we would hope that at least one adult family member would also join the Club.

 

Collegeland Big 100 Cycle. This major fund-raiser is being planned for Sunday 30 August 100 miles around Lough Neagh starting and finishing from Collegeland. An energetic Sub Committee headed by Colm McGeary is organising this event. There will be a Big 100 Registration Evening on Sunday 8 March from 5pm to 7pm and a special Draw Prize of a £200 voucher (donated by The Bike Shop, Dungannon ) for all those registering that day. Draw will be held at 7pm. Cyclists will be able to try on samples of other cycle jerseys so we can order the correct size for all cyclists. Cyclists will also get information on training, insurance, etc and there cycle merchandise will also be available. So come along, register , relax and enjoy refreshments and food before you start your training programme.

Business Sponsorship names and logos are needed in the coming weeks for the Cycle jersey and a team of people under Shane McGeary and Frank Donnelly are looking for your support.

Dinner Dance. The Clubs Dinner Dance and Presentation Night will be held in Armagh City Hotel on this Friday 27 February at 8.30pm when we pay tribute to the winning teams of 1988 Junior Championship, and who then went on to win the 1990 Intermediate Championship. We will also be presenting the medals to our Junior League Champions 2014. Tickets (£20) available or contact Frank Donnelly 07751803050 or John McGeary 0791716302 or any Committee member. If you book your ticket by phone you can collect / pay at the door.

Collegeland O’Rahillys GAC Club Notes – 17 Feb 2015

Gaelic Start.

The fun continues at the Collegeland O’Rahillys new Gaelic Start programme for the St Peters Collegeland pupils on Saturday mornings. Only a couple of weeks left so make the most of it – 10.00 am for Gaelic Start for P1 to P3 and then from 11.00 am we have the Gaelic Skills for P4 to P7.

Gaelic Start is a programme designed by the Ulster GAA Council with the aim to develop early movement skills vital for all future sports including football, hurling and camogie. After a brief warm up, the children do a series of stations in small groups focussing on AGILITY, BALANCE, CO-ORDINATION, RUNNING and JUMPING.

This has been a very successful venture allowing us to identify potential coaches for camogie and football. We have already gained new Club members, children and their parents, and most importantly those essential new coaches.

Our Child Protection Training, a three hour session by an GAA Ulster Council coach, Kathleen Woods, was well oversubscribed, took place in St Peters Collegeland School premises (kindly granted) with a fantastic attendance of twenty-seven coaches being trained across camogie and underage and senior football.

Our underage football fixtures and training is delivered through the very successful Naomh Eoin arrangements with Collegeland, Annaghmore and Clonmore. The Naomh Eoin AGM was held recently and coaches will be advising parents of the arrangements for training venues and days/times shortly.

 

Membership. Collegeland O’Rahillys has already had a couple of membership events but you can still join or renew membership ( Youth £10) on Saturday morning at St Peters School or on Sunday after Mass from 12.15 to 1.00pm. If your child is a member then we would like at least one family member to join as a Adult membership (£30) .

All adult members will need to pay £30 membership as we are preparing to relaunch and rebrand what was our Gold Membership at £10 per month or £120 per year. We hope to say more about this at our Presentation Night on 27 Feb.

Collegeland Big 100 Cycle.  This major fund-raiser is being planned for Sunday 30 August 100 miles around Lough Neagh starting and finishing from Collegeland.  An energetic Sub Committee headed by Colm McGeary is organising this event. There will be a Big 100 Registration Evening on Sunday 8 March and a special Draw Prize for all those registering that day. Business Sponsorship names and logos are needed for the Cycle jersey and a team of people under Shane McGeary and Frank Donnelly are looking for your support.

Dinner Dance.  The Clubs Dinner Dance and Presentation Night will be held in Armagh City Hotel on Friday 27 February when we pay tribute to the winning teams of 1988 Junior Championship, and who then went on to win the 1990 Intermediate Championship. We will also be  presenting the medals to our  Junior League Champions 2014. Tickets (£20) available this Sunday at the Clubrooms after Mass or contact Frank Donnelly 07751803050 or John McGeary 0791716302 or any Committee member.

Sympathies   Collegeland O’Rahillys sends its  sympathies to the family of Al Mackle (RIP), former Principal at Aughanlig School in  Collegeland. The book “Once More Returning” tells us that in the mid Fifties  “Master Mackle started a school boys team  and there were some great battles between Collegeland and Maghery School.”
Master Mackle’s initiative with the school boys team  continued with the successful Collegeland  Minor team  winning the Armagh Minor  Championship in 1956.    Mary Queen of the Gael, Pray for him

A Walk In The Mournes – Sat 21 June

Our Walk in the Mournes to Slieve Binnian on Sat 21 June in memory of Mickey Mitchell (RIP) is attracting a lot of interest from players, members and friends of Collegeland. The full walk is about 7 miles taking around 3.5 to 4 hours but you can do a part of it and still enjoy the views and scenery. A number of families are going. Entry fee is at £10 and the bus will cost £5. Another £5 for the BBQ back at the Club afterwards. The bus will be leaving the Clubrooms at 9.30am sharp and should be back in Collegeland around 5pm. As the bus is nearly full a good number of people are traveling in cars also.
Bring strong shoes or walking boots, – not new as that might give you blisters, good fitting socks, waterproof clothing, a hat, sun cream, a few plasters, bottles of water and some snacks and please take all rubbish home.
Walkers will be back at the Clubrooms for the BBQ around 5pm, in time to watch World Cup and any featured GAA Qualifier games and some music. If you are not going on the Walk then come along to the early evening BBQ at the Clubrooms, only £5. Monies raised will go towards the new scoreboard. The significance of this event is that almost a year ago Mickey Mitchell climbed Croagh Patrick in Co Mayo on Reek Sunday in July. Over recent years he had been the scoreboard operator as well as doing match reports and serving as County Board Rep. Over many years he had held every Committee post and and had served the Club and Collegeland community in the lean as well as as the better years. A plaque to mark Michael (Mickeys) Mitchell’s contribution to Collegeland O’Rahillys GAC will be placed in the Clubrooms.