GERALD GRIFFIN GAA NOTES
Membership
With the rollout of vaccines at the moment, it looks like we may have our spectators back watching our matches again soon. Make sure you have your membership paid so you can secure tickets for the matches. Membership can be paid:
Online by registering at the following link: Login | Foireann (gaaservers.net)
Contact any of the following members of the committee and you can either drop the membership to them or pay directly into the bank account:
Gerard Reidy 0872582963 (Treasurer)
Sharon Ambrose 0879274068 (Bord na nÓg Secretary)
Teresa Cregan-Stack (Secretary) 0876111543
Membership Rates 2021:
Adult/ Working Player
€50
School-going Player
€30
Under 18 Player
€20
Non-Player
€25
Family (2 adultes/children)
€65
O’Neills Club Gear
We have a wide range of club gear available on the O’Neill’s website. Check out our gear at the following link: https://www.oneills.com/catalog/category/view/id/3068
May Club Limerick Draw
Last chance to get signed up for the club Limerick draw and be in with a chance to win a top prize of €10,000. There are many other cash prizes to be won and the exclusive prize this month is a Barcelona 8-seater cast aluminium patio set worth €1600. Entry is €10 per month and half of this is returned to our own Gerald Griffin’s club. We had two winners from Gerald Griffin’s club in April’s draw, we hope we will have good luck again this month. The draw will take place this coming Saturday May 29th.
HOW TO JOIN:
Join at the following link: Join CLUB Limerick Draw | Limerick GAA | Official Website
OR
Contact Gerard Reidy (0872582963), Pakie Hayes (0879126934) or Teresa Stack (0876111543) or email secretary.geraldgriffins.limerick@gaa.ie
Gerald Griffin’s Social Media
Check out our social media pages for all the club news and updates. We are on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, under Gerald Griffins GAA. We also have a Whatsapp group which sends out club information and updates. If you would like to be added to this group, contact Teresa Stack on 0876111543 or email secretary.geraldgriffins.limerick@gaa.ie
Shannon Gaels Bord na nÓg
Great to see all our underage children back on the pitch. Training continues for u/7, u/9, u/11, u/15, and u/17’s. Contact Sharon (Club Secretary) for more information 0879274068.
Abha Bhán Parish Park Raffle
Please support our local Abha Bhán park in their upcoming raffle. There are some fabulous prizes on offer. The raffle will take place on Sunday 27th June. Lines cost 10 euro and can be bought from any committee member or online at their gofundme page. Check out their facebook page for more details.
LSP Exercise and Wellbeing Programmes
Limerick Sports Partnership have some fantastic exercise and wellbeing programmes and courses available at the moment. The courses are all available online via Zoom. You can register for any of the courses on Limerick Sports Partnership’s website at https://limericksports.ie/ or contact them on 087-1494243 or 061-333600 or e-mail mcurtin@limericksports.ie
Ireland’s Fittest Family 2021
Applications are now open for Ireland’s Fittest Family 2021. Several Limerick families have entered over the years, with the Lawlor’s coming in 6th place in 2018. Could you be the first Limerick family to take home the title? If you think you have what it takes to be crowned Ireland’s Fittest Family and win €15,000, you can sign up at the following link:
www.rte.ie/irelandsfittestfamily
If you have any questions, you can also email fittestfamily@animotv.ie or call the production team on 083 0136814.
Sincere Sympathy
Dan O’Donovan who died recently, aged 89 years, was born in Carhubane, Loughill, Co. Limerick. He was one of eight brothers and two sisters. Their father, Tom, married Margaret Walsh; a Kerry woman from Coolaclarig. Their uncle, Dan Walsh, was a national school teacher. The O’Donovan brothers were well known, not only in the county, but throughout the country, for their prowess on the football field. Dan had a brilliant academic career. Educated at Loughill National School and St. Patrick’s secondary school, Glin. He then went to agricultural college in Clonakilty, Co. Cork; from there, he went to U.C.D. to complete his degree in agricultural science. He then went to Cornell University and got a masters degree in physiology at Rochester Uni. He was made professor at the National University in Galway in 1965. From then to his retirement, he lectured to students at U.C.G.
Dan was a strong, physical footballer and full back was his favourite position. He won two Sigerson cup medals with U.C.D. He was just over age for the 1950 county minor football winners. His four brothers, Patrick, John, Eddie and Denis, were on the team. He was unavailable for the Glin/Ballyhahill winning team of 1955; his brothers Tom, Denis, Patrick, John and Jimmy played. Dan was proud of his club. He turned up every year without fail, for the championship games, during the later years of the fifties and early sixties when immigration was rampant. Without Dan and his brother turning up from all parts of the country to play for the club, it would have been impossible to field a team.
During 1956, 1957 and 1958, Dan was the star of the team. We were playing in the senior football championship and we were more than a match for the best of the clubs. Most of the events over those years are forgotten over time. The match in particular Dan always remembered and the result was a big disappointment to him. It was a senior football championship match against Treaty-Sarsfield, Dan playing full back and his brother Denis in goals. It was the last kick of the game; a high ball dropping in the square was slightly misjudged and the ball dropped into Denis’ net. Treaty-Sarsfield won by a point and went on to win the county afterwards.
Recently, the club has been holding a ‘Buy a Brick’ fund-raising event. Jerry Reidy was in contact with Dan. He was full of praise for the club and the work that was done and he actually wrote a letter to Jerry, complimenting the club on their achievements. Dan bought a brick and engraved on the brick is the following – “Dan ‘Donovan, played 1948 – 1968. Very happy memories”. As the old seanfhocal says – “Maireann an chraobh ach ní mhaireann an lámh a chuir..”
Gerald Griffin’s club wishes to convey the sympathy of its members to the family of Dan O’Donovan and to the wider O’Donovan families. Solas na bhflaitheas dá anam dílis.