Club Notes... - 2023-02-26 18:23:00
Celebration Night..
The song says ‘For 21 years is a Mighty Long Time’ and so it is- than add nine more and we’re back to 30 years ago - in the year 1993. At the start of the 1993 season Bride Rovers were hoping that it would bring better results than the year just gone. So it came to pass and the winning of the two East Cork B Grade Championships -hurling and football started a fantastic run for the Club. Though our hurlers had lost to Fr O Neills in the 1992 Junior B Championship the year had still brought us silverware. The Junior footballers won the B League and the Minor Hurlers won the East Cork and County Hurling League so we had cause for optimism. It was a long, long season with our first Championship games in May. December 12th saw the curtain come down on a fantastic year when we travelled to Rostellan to win the league Title. East Cork final wins over Glanmire in Glenville and Midleton in Hurling- in Lisgoold aw us record a rare double. On Saturday night next we will come together in the Rathcormac Inn to remember those great victories of thirty years ago. Last year of course saw us capture the East Cork B Grade hurling title for the sixth time as well as scoring a fantastic win in the under 19 County Hurling Championship with a fantastic win over Newtownshandrum. Our winning Ladies teams will also be honoured on the night. It promises to be a great occasion so make sure your there. Details from our Runai on 087 9808973 or our Cisteoir on 085 7124312.
REMEMBERING DAVE 50 YEARS LATER.
The contrast couldn’t have been greater- back in February 1973 it was a cold, wet, miserable day when we laid Dave Ryan to rest in Macroney cemetery. Last Sunday as we gathered in his native Kilworth the sun shone on a great gathering of relations and friends. Hard to imagine that half a century has come and gone since that February Sunday in 1973. How time flies but on Sunday last ‘twas as if it stood still as stories were told and songs were sung to honour the memory of Dave, a great character and a great Gael. It was a lovely occasion and a fitting ceremony to recall the life and times of a larger than life figure. For me personally I can thank Dave Ryan for ‘getting me started in the GAA’. Growing up in a family with little or no involvement in the GAA it was Dave who started taking me to underage games and soon I began to fall in love with hurling and football. A full account of last Sunday can be read elsewhere in this week’s ‘Avondhu’ but from a Bride Rovers Club point of view it was just great to see former players and many former Club Chairmen as well as our current Officers Pa, Mike and Aiden.
On the plaque erected in Macroney is a QR code which when scanned tells the story of Dave Ryan. If, in the future, other photographs of Dave tun up they can be added to the archive. Thanks to Cork Co. Council for their assistance, to Adrian Budds of Budds Memorials and to Liam and Kieran at Fermoy Print for producing the beautiful booklet. It was a wonderful occasion as we paid a fitting tribute to Dave Ryan, it was nothing less than he deserved.
CLUB LOTTO.
On Tuesday February 14th, St Valentine’s Day, the Lotto Jackpot was €5200. The four numbers drawn were 1, 5, 21 and 30 and there was no winner. The Lucky Dip winners of €30 each were Sinead Tarrant, c/o online lotto, John O’Connor, Ballyreidy, Michelle McCormack, Shanowen, Oisin Roche, Ballynanelagh and Evelyn Murphy, Kildinan. The Jackpot for last Tuesday night, February 21st, was an incredible €5,400. If your ticket has expired or you would like to purchase for the first time, please enter via http://bit.ly/
GAA CONGRESS.
Last weekend in Croke Park close on 300 delegates gathered for the GAA’s Annual Congress or AGM. Every third year now the annual gathering is held in GAA HQ on Jones Road. Over 50 Motions were discussed and voted on. The GAA decided that Inter County Minor grade will remain at under 17 rather than revert to under 18 as it had been for close on a century. Confusion still exists in relation to 2024 and what Age Grades we will have here in Cork but hopefully it will be sorted out shortly. The highlight of the weekend was the election of a President Elect (Uachtarain -Tofa) on Friday night. Jarlath Burns from Armagh who was runner-up to the present incumbent Larry McCarthy last time out was opposed this time by fellow Ulsterman Niall Erskine and Pat Teehan of Offaly. It was anticipated that a tight contest might ensue but that’s not what happened. I was lucky enough to be with the Burns family and a huge crowd from Jarlath’s Silverbidge Club when the result was announced. With a huge tally of 158 votes Jarlath was elected as the 41st President of Cumann Luth Chleas Gael. It was a super result for a superb candidate. Jarlath is at present Runai of his own club in Silverbridge in South Armagh. He is a former Central Council delegate for Armagh. He served as chairman of the GAA ‘s ‘125 Committee’ from 2008 to 2011 during the Presidency of Christy Cooney from Youghal. For the next 12 months Jarlath will be on the GAA’s Central Council. He will take over as GAA President at Congress 2024 which may well be hosted by the Armagh County Board. All in Bride Rovers say ‘well done Jarlath’.
REBELS BOUNTY 2023.
Rebels’ Bounty is the monthly draw for Cork GAA Members run by the Cork Bounty Board, and is an important fundraising initiative within the Bride Rovers club, as much of the ticket sale revenue is returned to our Club to support activities and developments.
Across the 12 monthly draws, there are €500,000 in prizes and 360 chances to win.
The cost to join the draw for 12 months is €100 with a closing date for this year of mid-February. The January, February and March draws will be held towards the end of March.
Further detail at https://gaacork.ie/
JOB OPPORTUNITIES.
At present there are several vacancies locally for positions on Community Employment (CE) Schemes. These jobs entail working for 22 hours per week. Those over 21 and on a Department of Social Welfare payment are generally eligible for CE placement. For full details please contact 086 30009107.
MENS SHED MEETING
An Information meeting re setting up a local Men’s Shed was held in Rathcormac Community hall on Thursday morning February 9th last and it was decided to launch a Men’s Shed Initiative in the parish. All men are welcome to get involved. Further details shortly.
FIXTURES.
Our East Cork Junior Football League Division 1 campaign will commence on Sunday with a home game v Carrignavar in Pynes Field at 11.30. The following Sunday we are away to Fermoy in the Red FM SHL.
UNDER 18.
For 2023 we are taking part in the Under18 Premier 2 Hurling grade. Our games commence on March 4 away to Carrigtwohill. On March 17 we are Home to Aghada and on March 29 away to St Catherine’s. April 12th sees us away to Youghal. April 26th Home to St Finbarrs.
In under 18 football we’re in Division 2.
Feb 25 away to St Vincent’s. March 11th away to Cobh. 25 March Home to St Catherines. 5 April away to Kilworth. 19th April Home to Mayfield.
UNDER 7’s OFF THE MARK.
For the new playing season our Under7 teams are ready to roll. For boys born in 2016 hurling and Gaelic football training is on Saturday mornings from 10 to 11 in the small astro pitch. At under 7 level it’s all about getting the basics right, making friends and having plenty fun. Even if boys have never before tried our Gaelic games of hurling and football they are very welcome in the Bride Rovers Club.
SCOR.
Best of luck to our participants in Scor na b Paisti . They have been preparing in recent weeks . The East Cork semi finals are on this weekend, February 25th and 26th.
UNDER 11’s BACK IN ACTION.
The Under11 training season starts back on Saturday week 4th March at 10am in Pynes pitch. It will be a joint hurling and football session. Players who were born in 2012 are as always very welcome. For those who haven’t been at the pitch before just come along and have a great time learning skills and making new friends. Please contact Paddy Croke on croke.patrick@gmail.com if interested.
CORK DOUBLE ON SUNDAY.
After last Sunday’s thriller with the Dubs Cork ae home once more next Sunday. At 1.45 in Pairc Ui Chaoimh the footballers face Limerick. Then at 3.45 the unbeaten hurlers meet Westmeath, best wishes to Brian and Eoin Roche and all their team mates.
CAMERA,LIGHTS ACTION.
We are aiming high in Bride Rovers and don’t say ye weren’t told if we end up with several BRAFTA Awards later this year! Yes indeed lines are being practised, costumes bought, voice coaches secured and Dramatic Agents and Scouts are coming here in April and May. As part of a major fundraising campaign our Finance Committee are planning ‘A Night At The Oskars’ at the end of May. Basically 7 or 8 full length (eight to ten minutes) will be shot on location in the parish over the next two months. For those who have always secretly yearned to tread the boards, to feel the crunch of the Red Carpet under the feet, to see their name lit up on a shining LED billboard- well cometh the hour, cometh the person! This brilliant and exciting venture will be launched shortly and then auditions, interviews, screenshots etc will be all the talk along the Bride Valley. Who knows we could well see locals on TG4, RTE, UTV, BBC, GAA GO etc stepping up to receive the glittering BRAFTA award -the Bride Rovers Ancient & Futuristic Trier Award ! Normally when one submits one’s acting CV to Casting Directors and Producers they say ‘Don’t ring us we’ll ring you’- so lads and lassies, young and old keep them there phones charged and turned on. Oops - just got an update from the Production Team as follows; Bride Rovers - Oskars Fundraising Event
Bride Rovers GAA Club are organising a Oskars fundraising event on the 26th of May. All funds raised will be going towards the development of our new playing fields in the Pynes Development. The event will see Club members and neighbours get the opportunity to become a star of the big screen. The event will see 7 short adaptions of some of Hollywood's most famous movies ever filmed.
The movie casts and club members will be invited to attend the Red-Carpet event on May 26th where the 7 movies will premiere on the night. After the movie premieres our panel of Celebrity Judges will be awarding the Oskars to the winning performers & movies.
Your first step to becoming a Movie Star is attendance at an information evening on Wednesday the 8th of March where the process will be explained. All levels of acting and performing skills are encouraged to attend with suitable roles available for everyone.
All our Movie stars must be at least 18 years of age at the time of filming so must be born before 22nd of April 2005.
Senior Hurling Fixtures.
Our first two games in the RED FM County SHL are both away fixtures, as follows; SHL Rd 1 v Fermoy (away) on Sun 5th March at 12noon.
SHL Rd 2 v Ballincollig (away) on Thurs 16th March at 8pm.
BRIDE ROVERS CLUB SPONSORS are; Rathcormac Tyres
