Congrats Daniel... 

Pride of place this week goes to our Club Runai Daniel Lane who is taking over as Secretary of the East Cork Divisional Board of the GAA. This is a huge appointment for Daniel who is a very capable Administrator. When the Nominations closed last Friday evening the name of 'Donal O Laighin, Fanuithe na Bride' was the only name put forward. As a player and Officer Daniel has given terrific service to the Bride Rovers Club over the last decade and we can confidently predict he will be a great Runai for the Board which governs GAA affairs in the Barony of Imokilly. Daniel was re-elected as our Club Secretary at our AGM in January and he will continue in this role also. There's a line in the Bride Rovers Club song which reflects the importance of family tradition 'How oft the traditions of sires they inherit' and Daniel Lane epitomises this. His father Gerard has served the East Cork Juvenile and Junior Boards and the held various Officerships at Cork County Board level before becoming Cork Chairman and serving from 2015 til 20127. Currently Gerard is a Cork representative on the Munster GAA Council. Daniel's appointment is a proud occasion for our Club as Tom Barry NT  'the Master' previously served in this position from 1950 to 1953. On a personal note as PRO of the Club I feel so proud. I took Ger Lane to his first East Cork Board meeting in 1981 and thirty years later, in 2011, I took Daniel to his first County Board meeting. It was Tom Barry's brother David John Barry who took me to my first meeting of the East Cork Board in 1972 in Midleton Courthouse. At our Club Executive Meting on Monday night Daniel was congratulated. We wish him the very best in his new job and promise all the support we can give.

LONG AGENDA.

Our first Club Executive Meeting of the years took place on Monday night. It was a Zoom meeting and 22 members participated in what was a long and constructive meeting.

The Chairman announced the make up of the Sub Committees  for 2021. 

FUTURE DEVP. COMMITTEE. (Project 2021) (19)

Richie O Regan {Chairman} Gerard Lane, Daniel Lane, Liam Barry. Pa O Driscoll, Aiden Dorgan, Billy Finnegan, Dave Burke, Damien Healy, Mark O Connell, Nevan Butler, Denis Ahern, Tom Kearney, John Arnold, Tom Mulcahy, Batt O Connell, Pat Culloty, Jim Purcell, Padraig Murphy,

· Terms of Reference: Finalise plans for Áras de Barra in conjunction with the Finance committee ,with works to commence in the second half of 2021 to be ready for use in 2022. Explore further areas of development to enhance facilities.

· Reporting: Report to monthly executive meetings

GROUNDS COMMITTEE. (15)

Denis Ahern {Chairman}. John Murphy, Tom Kearney, Pat O Connor, Tom Mulcahy, Billy Finnegan, Paudie Murphy, Paudy Collins, James Murphy, Paddy Hynes, Mark O Connell, John Arnold Nevan Butler, James Bermingham, Mossy O Sullivan.

· Terms of Reference: Liase with Fas workers, general upkeep of the playing pitches, grounds and surrounds.

· Portakabin meeting room & kitchen to be fitted out in 2021.

· Other remedial work that needs to be done.

· Reporting: Report to Monthly club executive meetings

 MATCH DAY COMMITTEE (18)

Aiden Dorgan {Chairman}. Brendan O’Driscoll, John Arnold, Gerard Lane, Richie O Regan Seamus Buckley, Daniel Lane, Liam Barry, Eddie O Callaghan, Liam Cahill, Michael Carey, Maurice Dooley, Mossie O Sullivan, Jerome O Driscoll, Paudie Murphy, James Murphy, Donal Roche, Alan Fitzgerald.

· Terms of Reference: Ensure all arrangements are in place, field, dressing rooms, gate taken, scoreboard, stewarding etc. Reporting: Report as is necessary.

FINANCE COMMITTEE(15)

 Liam Barry {Chairman} Gerard Lane Pat Culloty, Aiden Dorgan Ann Marie O Donovan, Donal Roche, Bridget Forde Ken O Riordan, Mark O’Connell, Nevan Butler, Charlie Scanlon, Michelle Lynch, Maurice Dooley, William O Leary, Pa O Driscoll,

· Terms of Reference: Prepare and apply for various grants available to the club.

· Ensure club 100, Rebels Bounty & lotto are reaching their full potential. Initiate other fundraising activities if needed.

· Reporting: Report to monthly executive meetings

LOTTO COMMITTEE. (9)

Liam Barry {Chairman},Tom Mulcahy, Aiden Dorgan, Pat Noel O Connor ,Brendan O Driscoll, John Joe Carey, Janey O Driscoll, Pat O Connor ,Billy Finnegan.

· Terms of Reference: Oversee and promote the lotto draw on a weekly basis

· Reporting: Report to monthly executive meetings

COACHING AND GAMES (10)

Jerome O Driscoll {Chairman}. Brian Murphy, Barry Hazelwood, Joe Delaney, Michael Carey, Stephen Glasgow, Rosario Hughes Kielty, Pat Walsh, Alan Fitzgerald. Patrick Croke.

· Terms of reference: Put coaching structures in place & monitor all coaching activities. Liase with Child protection officer to ensure all personnel are fully compliant….

· Reporting: Report to monthly executive meetings

 CLUB FIXTURE COMMITTEE (11)

Club Secretary {Chair}, Club Chairperson, County & Divisional Board delegates, Juvenile Club, Senior Hurling Manager, Junior H & F Managers, U21 H & F Managers, Minor Hurling & Football Managers

· Terms of Reference: Meet regularly during the playing season to ensure no clash of fixtures and plan ahead

· Reporting: Report to monthly executive meetings during the playing season.

 CHILD PROTECTION HEARING COMMITTEE.. Irene Hogan, Aoife O Regan & Lorraine Collins

Richie Regan Chairman of the Project 2021 Committee presented a detailed report, plan and costings for the redevelopment and modernisation of Aras de Barra. Realigning and enlarging the dressingrooms and gym was the biggest proposal. Applications to various Funding Sources are now being finalised . A final decision on this project will be made once we know what Funding may be forthcoming. A Finance Committee meeting will be Zooming next week. Votes of sympathy were passed to the family of the late Mike Howard, Quarter Lane. The Howard family were an integral part of our community for decades. Mike was the last member of a big family and supported all endeavours in the parish over the years. He had a great love for greyhounds and all sports. May he rest in peace. Sympathy was also expressed to the sisters of the late John Murphy of Ballybrowney, the relatives of Jim 'Sonny' O Sullivan and the O Callaghan family Clonmult. Next Executive Meeting is on Monday March 8th at 8pm.

WEEKLY CLUB LOTTO.

Results for Tuesday 2nd of February; numbers drawn 4, 15, 18 and 25- no winner. €30 each to Nevan Butler,  Esther & Katie O Keeffe, Sharon Dorgan c/o Online, Ella & Julianne Barry and Sylvia O Donovan. . The Jackpot for last Tuesday night February 9th was €20,000. You can join the Bride Rovers weekly lotto online at http://briderovers.ie/  or purchase tickets from any of the retail outlets locally that are open. Tickets can also be got locally from Bride Rovers GAA Club Members throughout the parish. Your support of the weekly Lotto Draw is deeply appreciated. If you're not in you can't win and each €2 is a help for our Club

PLAYER PROFILE..

Name, age, occupation, and Nick-name; Jerome O'Driscoll. 42. Medical Sales Manager. (Used to be an A&E nurse manager which surprises so many!!) Biscuit...tough one to answer....I think it goes back to my Primary school days when mom used to put 2 biscuits into our lunch boxes as a treat!!  

What positions in  H & F have you NOT played ?.I've played in every line! Started as a back underage because everyone started in the position that their dad played in didn't they! Selectors saw pretty quickly I was more interested in running away from tackles rather than trying to initiate them!! Full back was probably only position in both I never started in.....yet! Better known as a forward...playing as a keeper was only a last resort

Favourite Playing Position? Centre forward- ability to dictate play and easier to get involved in the game rather than stuck in the corner!

First Game; Played U10 challenge game v Fermoy in Rathcormac. Henry Hazelwood lining us into positions and struggled. Then again with young fellas like Raymond only interested in biting ankles it was always a tough job! We only played that 1 game at u10 before U12 the following year.

Have you played at all adult Grades Yep....started Junior B at 16...played senior at 39 and Junior B since....

Memories of St. Colmans; Didn't properly get going in Colmans until football at U16.5 level. Played Spiorad Naomh in first championship game...down 8 points at half time and won by 10 after extra time. Scored 1-8 and Gussie Kelleher collapsed during second half! Lost final to Brendans Killarney by 1 point...ref was horrific and Brendan Larkin slated the ref (from Cork) in d'paper the following day about his performance,should have won. Obviously All Ireland win was crazy. Started that year as the last sub in an A v B challenge game and ended up scoring 1-6 in Croke Park. Just goes to show that anything is possible.....unbelievable team that year and still good buddies with all the lads. End up meeting them more at our kids games these days than in the pub!

I remember turning up to All Ireland semi v St. Marys from Belfast in Tullamore....they had all shaved their heads and were mouthing off at us about a certain army up north....freaked us out for about 10 minutes and then we beat them by about 20 points!!!!

Could you have thought in 1997 that we'd win a County Junior & Intermediate? Losing in 1997 wasn't obviously nice because it was our friends in Castlelyons but confidence was growing within the club. With Castlelyons going on to win the county it showed we weren't far off plus we had momentum from the U16 team I had played on, plus the minor and U21 teams were winning championships....however the speed of the rise was fantastic. 

Toughest Opponents ? Club wise marking Barry & Brian Murphy & Niall Fitz was always going to prepare you for opposition backs! Hated having the likes of Shane Murphy from Erins Own marking me...fast and total hurler. Wayne Sherlock never let me touch a ball.

What makes a good selector?- Ability to read a game and make changes quickly. Most of all the ability to communicate with a range of players.....not all players are the same. 

Traits of a good captain?- ability to lead...knows when to kick someone up the backside and when to calm things down. Donal Ryan was great at that...

Your thoughts on warm ups? WARMS UPS WRECKED MY HEAD!!! No matter how fit I was I always felt shattered after 20 minutes! Sometimes deflated my confidence!

Any Cringe Inducing memories? Played a football league final in Rathcormac v Carrignavar in a storm. We were ahead 0 7 to 0  0 at half time ....ball never passed our 45 for the 2nd half but we won by 1 point! We were so cold we ended up back in Paudie's for a hot whiskey...but that was only part of the day...half of us had to go to Killeagh an hour later to play a hurling league play off. Another storm...a certain corner back (CH) pulled on a ball that had left the pitch about 30 seconds earlier...too many hot whiskeys! Also remember as a young fella Benjy Riordan going out for a puck around at half time down in Aghada and being struck in the face by a Hughie Kelleher overhead double....his nose nearly ended up in Bartlemy! Also remember Butch (Alan Broderick) kicking a football off a goalpost in Castlelyons during a warm up....ball came back and hit him straight in the face...he'd have failed a HIA!

Biggest Influences; Parents Barney and Janey always led from the front, Dad was always involved in every team....including senior with Imokilly. Mom was always the loudest on the bank...and no one every got away with bullying Brennie, Pa or Sinead!! As the years went on Liam Cahill was a good influence...I suppose on the pitch Richie and Raymond always had my back! Batt Dorgan, Paudie Murphy, Dinny Fitz stayed with us from u12 to u16 and had total encouragement. 

What is the Spirit of Bride Rovers? Fierce spirit...difficult one to define. Rovers teams were always tough to beat which is what we were brought up to believe. With the teams I've been involved in we were literally a team of brothers...Fitzgeralds, Murphys, O'Driscolls, Walshes, Cahills, Hegartys, Hogans, Brodericks, Ryans, Collins, Kearneys, O'Flynns....all brought up in the pitch and all willing to go the extra mile. We played together, we socialised together and had great adventures. We just didn't like losing and trained as such.

Can you remember your father/uncles playing? Gus and Fachtna had left for the missions before I'd started at matches. Dad had a facial injury which retired him early to the delight of full forwards throughout East Cork by all accounts! Only memories I have on the pitch are obviously I played with Martin and Andrew (Pussy) and we won a Junior B East Cork and Junior A county together. I was a cheeky pup and started a few fights that Pussy finished!! But by God have I heard all about Tommy "the Cat" and his heroics!! Great uncles from both sides of the family who all played and were great support...even with my own kids!

Have you ever watched the DVD of the 2008 Co. Senior Final that we lost by a Point? No...but I will have to with the kids to banish the ghost.

Should Hand Pass be banned in Hurling? Hand pass is a bug bear of mine...kids are trying to hand pass so quickly they're throwing it. Hand pass should never be banned, just coached and enforced properly. .

Most Memorable Game? Junior A county final v Freemount. Game was played in a bog but determination and skill won it out. But it was the celebrations after that lasted a week helped to create the spirit that lived on in the team for the following 10 years. Intermediate win was great because I was living in London and flying back....but didn't feel i contributed as much as i should have. 

Favourite Film? Remember the Titans.

Would You Like To Join the Bride Rovers GAA Club in 2021.? 

Are you a hurler, footballer, camogie or ladies football player, builder, painter, flag-maker, gardener, ticket seller, IT specialist, singer, poet, dancer, Quiz fanatic, carpenter, bookbinder, plasterer, floor sweeper, writer, lawn-cutter or just a willing and enthusiastic community worker? Well if the answer is yes then The Bride Rovers GAA Club Needs You.. We are always anxious to get new members to help out with the running of the Club. Maybe you could give an hour a week to help with some aspect of the Club's varied and enjoyable activities. Many hands make light work so if you want to help out with any aspect of our Club you will be very welcome indeed. If you are interested please contact our Club Runai Daniel Lane at 087 2070100 

BRIDE ROVERS CLUB SPONSORS are; Rathcormac Tyres , Fermoy Print & Design,  Veolia Environmental Services.