Sunday, April 19, 2009

Ballymore Community Games

Open Evening
An “open evening” was held recently in the Resource Centre to which various local club representatives were invited. Jarlath Gilroy, chairperson, showcased events in which Ballymore had competed last year - namely athletics, football, hurling, swimming and art and highlighted those in which the village hoped to compete in 2009 which included badminton, chess, athletics, art, gymnastics, swimming, football and hurling. Indeed, a huge field of events is encompassed by the community games, e.g. talent contest, solo singing, table quiz, draughts and Irish dancing to name but a few and the committee will facilitate entrance into any area in which a child may wish to compete to the best of its ability.

Jarlath thanked the local club representatives for looking after various events last year and stressed the importance of continued support in ensuring that the local children get every chance to compete in their chosen field.

A special thanks goes to Janet Deegan for supplying the mouth watering cakes and biccies enjoyed over a cuppa at the meeting.

Art
Scoil Mhuire kindly hosted the local Community Games art competition after school on Wednesday, 25th February. An abundance of 5 to 12 year old boys and girls enthusiastically sketched and painted a wide variety of Community Games themed pictures - from swimming to gymnastics, archery, football and athletics. The standard was truly excellent across the board and local artist, Grainne Glancy, had the unenviable task of choosing three from each age category to go forward to the County finals. A special thanks to Grainne for volunteering her expertise and to Celine Carthy, Rachel Murphy, Gail Kinsella, Sylvia Foster, Eithne Carter and Mary Maguire who kindly supervised the event, to Jacinta O’ Rourke for presenting the certificates and to Mairead O’ Flynn for allowing the school to be used.

Results as follows:-

Boys Girls
U8 U8
1. Oisin Breslin 1. Laura Gallagher
2. Jonathon Browne 2. Katy Lipsett
3. Roisin Murphy

U10 U10
1. Finn Breslin 1. Sally Kinsella
2. Aaron Deegan 2. Orla Murphy
3. Cian Clarke 3. Rachel O’ Reilly

U12 U12
1. Zak Kinsella 1. Rachel Fanning
2. Tom Carter 2. Ellen Carter
3. Conor Lipsett 3. Evie Carter

U14 U14
1. Patrick Murphy 1. Cody Behan
2. Tony Og Sheridan


The County Finals took place in St Conleth’s Primary School, Newbridge recently with a flurry of eager children vying for places in the Leinster final. Whilst there were no qualifiers from Ballymore this year, everyone who took part is a winner and can be very proud of themselves.

Cross Country
The local finals were run at the football pitch recently and following great efforts from all participants, results were as follows:-

Boys Girls
500m - U-11 U-11
1. Mark Barrett 1. Oonagh Deegan
2. Aaron Deegan 2. Katie Gilroy
3. Luke Maguire 3. Zoe Fanning

800m - U-13 U-13
1. Shane Barrett 1. Amy Mahon
2. Daragh Kelleher 2. Natasha Murphy
3. Cian Clarke 3. Lucy Field

1200m - U-15
1. Conor Davis
2. Tom Murphy
3. Michael Stewart-Byrne

A special thanks to everyone who helped out on the evening and to the ever present and untiring Jarlath Gilroy, who has also been busy with athletics training at the football pitch on Tuesday and Thursday evenings (6.30-7.30pm) in preparation for the County finals and any children wishing to improve their general fitness are very welcome to come along!

Up-coming Events
Football and hurling competitions will be played shortly through the local clubs. Swimming is also scheduled for the near future so can anyone interested please contact either Jarlath Gilroy, 087 6786127 or Ann Murphy, 087 1388568 for further details.

The Church gate collection week ending 21 and 22 March is in aid of the local Community Games. Funds are needed for new singlets and equipment, etc so all support is greatly appreciated.

The next committee meeting will be held on Wednesday, 18th March at 8pm in Scoil Mhuire with the usual open invitation extended.

Here’s to a sporting 2009! A Peacocke

Matt’s Memories
Munich
Where is Munich? Cyberknife - what is that? Munich is in Germany. Back in 1979 when I toured the continent by bus I would have left Munich to my right when I visited the Black Forest in Southern Germany.
Before my stroke, I never heard of Cyberknife. It is a form of Radiosurgery apparently not yet available in Ireland. Because it is not invasive, it was the ideal treatment for me.

On February 9, James and I headed for Munich. It was quite foggy at Dublin Airport but nevertheless we were able to fly. This was my first flight since I returned from Australia in November 2000.

On February 10 I had an MRI Scan, consultation with one of my German Neurosurgeons and a CT Scan. On February 11 I had a “free” day so we went into city centre by train using their underpass. Unfortunately, it was snowing most of the time so we did not see much of Munich but we did get dinner there.

On February 12 I had my Cyberknife treatment lasting an hour and a half. Happily, everything seems to have gone well. That night, we returned home. At Munich Airport it was snowing, so for the first time I saw a fluid being put on the wings of our plane and the ice being cleared.

Before departure, I had to undergo a blood test that Billy in Naas kindly did for me.

Shot at Dawn
Before my stroke I heard the TV programme “Shot at Dawn” being advertised and intended watching it when it was shown. As luck would have it, I saw the programme by accident and was glad I did. This programme relates to soldiers who were shot at dawn for cowardice for desertion from the English army and were recently reprieved. A higher than normal number of those shot was either from Ireland or New Zealand.
Fergal Toomey did an invaluable article on those from Ballymore Eustace who lost their lives in the First World War for the Millennium 2000 Chronicle.
Joe Purcell.
Congratulations and best wishes to my nephew, Joe Purcell, who began work as a doctor at Tara Court, Dublin Road, Naas shortly after Christmas, continuing the Purcell family tradition in practising medicine.

Eoghan Corry
Eoghan Corry can be regularly heard on the Pat Kenny Radio Show as a travel expert. In times past, Eoghan was a regular GAA contributor and, in fact, he wrote a History on the Kildare GAA in the late seventies and early eighties, which is where I came across him first in relation to my handball experiences. As it turned out, I had a double link with Eoghan who was related to one of my former work colleagues.

Rita O’Rourke
Happily Rita O’Rourke, after a stint in Naas Hospital and the Craddockstown Nursing Home, is now home. The night before Rita got ill; she gave me an Evening Mail photo of Tommy Leahy being presented with an All-Ireland medal. Best wishes to her daughter Kay whom I understand was taken ill recently but is home now and recovering well.

Liam Marron and Sean Clerkin
Recently while shopping in Dublin I met Liam Marron who I often used to meet out walking before I had my stroke. I gather from Liam that Sean Clerkin has problems with arthritis in his knees. Both Liam and Sean were very much involved in Dublin Handball and, in fact, like me were on the Committee which built the 60 by 30 Alley for the 1970 World Handball Championships.

Tara
Congratulations to Tara Mullally who was awarded the Ingram Scholarship to attend Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee. Tara is the youngest daughter of Rob formerly Assumpta Terrace. Naturally, Rob is delighted with Tara’s achievement. Tara’s brother Ryan is at Marshall School Of Business, USC.
Tommy
Congratulations to Tommy Dwyer on winning the 2009 Ballymore Eustace Person of the Year Award against strong opposition. I recall Tommy playing juvenile football. More recently, he was one of my Dublin neighbours when he worked in Dundrum. His wife Bernie also worked in Dundrum in times past. Nowadays, Tommy is involved in the running of the successful Senior Citizens Party.

Michael
On Thursday February 26 James and myself bid farewell to Michael Coleman from Sligo who we had worked alongside in the County Council for many years. It was a great night and one of those present was our own Máire Ní Domhnaill otherwise Máire De Labra whom I had not seen for a good while.

Deaths
Kathy Mahon of St. Bridget's Park, Ballymore, Eustace died on February 22 R.I.P. Her brother Kevin, daughters Marie and Anne, sons Pat and Denis, sons-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and relatives survive Kathy. Kathy is interred in St. Mary's Cemetery and is the third member of her family to have died over the last number of months. I only learnt of Kathy’s death from a former work colleague who was at Kathy’s funeral.
© Matt Purcell (March 2009)

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