LAUNCH OF ONLINE LOTTO: Prior to this Monday’s night’s Lotto Draw our Online Lotto project was launched in the presence of the Local Press and Media. The following is the statement made by Club Chairman, Billy Ryle at the launch.
‘I wholeheartedly welcome the news that GAA activity is to resume in the next few weeks. According to the ‘Safe Return to Gaelic Games Roadmap’ issued by the GAA on Friday, 5th June, all of our pitches will reopen on 29th June, but all indoor facilities except sanitized toilet facilities must remain closed. Non-contact training will begin for our players in small groups. All forms of team and group training will begin on 20th July. Indoor facilities must still remain closed. Club competitions for all grades will begin on 31st July.
I want the word to go out loud and clear from Connolly Park – Austin Stacks is raring to go and can hardly wait to get started. We are ready, willing and able. It’s time to let the games begin. We saw the best of our Club during the lockdown beginning with our Club Community Response. This wonderful initiative by Elma Nix, Wayne Quillinan, Ciara Nix and their gallant band of volunteers meant that no one in need was left unaided, alone or isolated. Our young team members willingly took on the tasks that housebound people couldn’t do for themselves.
By their many good deeds and fundraising initiatives, our members proved that Austin Stacks is more than a Club. It’s also a caring community. I’d like to mention just a few of those fundraisers.
Club Vice-Chairman, Eamonn O Reilly and his dedicated team organised the Austin Stacks Run4Pieta on Friday/Saturday, 8th /9th May. Club members ran or walked a 4k journey for a deserving cause while adhering to public health guidelines.
Gally’s Gallop, a 200km run, was a fundraiser organised by senior footballer, Eoghan Galvin for Kerry Cancer Support.
Club Executive Committee member, Mairead Fernane undertook a head-shave fundraiser for Kerry Hospice Foundation.
Collectively, those three events alone have raised in excess of €20,000 to date, with donations still coming in.
This evening is all about our dedicated Club Lotto Committee – Bernie Mannix, Carmel Quilter O Neill, Brendan O Regan, Martin Collins, John Breen and Nial Shanahan who were first out of the starting blocks by getting the offline Lotto up and running last Monday night, 1st June.
The three months loss of Lotto income was a big setback, so well done to the Lotto Committee for reactivating this vital fundraiser so speedily.
If we have learned anything during the lockdown, it is that we have to adapt to modern methods of communication or we’ll be left behind. Tonight. we are taking a major step in that direction by making our Lotto available online.
This is an exciting initiative by our Lotto Committee to reach out to a much wider playing audience locally, nationally and worldwide. Playing the Austin Stacks Club Fundraising Lotto online will be very straight forward. It takes just six easy steps to play. All you need do is visit our club Website, Facebook Page or Twitter Account, click on the lotto links and follow the steps.
The current JACKPOT is €13,400. There are five consolation prizes of €20 in each weekly draw. The weekly draw takes place each Monday evening at 9pm. Online tickets purchased up to 6pm on a Monday will be included in that evening’s Lotto draw.
Tickets purchased online after 6pm on a Monday will be included in the following Monday’s Lotto draw. Results of the Austin Stacks GAA Club fundraising Lotto draw are published weekly on our website, club notes and social media platforms.
So, in anticipation of a great boost for our depleted Club finances, it’s a great pleasure for me as Chairman of Austin Stacks Hurling & Football Club to declare our online fundraising Lotto to be officially launched. The Best of luck to all Lotto players’.
LOTTO RESULTS: This Monday Night’s (1st June) Jackpot, worth €13,400, was not won. The numbers drawn were 4, 17, 21, 32.
The €20 winners were – Ger Power, Jim Gannon, Paddy Creagh, Liam Liddy and St. John Hegarty, all c/o The Club.
For the time being the Jackpot will be capped at €13,400 and of course if it’s won it will then restart at €2,000.
We would be delighted to continue to hear from any other businesses who wish to sell lotto tickets for Austin Stacks GAA Club. If interested please get in contact with Bernie on 086 0767415 and in exchange we will promote your business, special offers and products to our vast membership through our extremely popular social media outlets which command a very high following.
STACKS 100: We continue to remind all club members that our Award Winning Stacks 100 website is now available to view – check out club memories, matches & podcasts – a great way to spend an enjoyable few minutes or hours and hours and hours . . . www.stacks100.ie.
ONLINE CLUB SHOP OPEN – check out the newest ‘official’ Austin Stacks Club Merchandise – only available to order on this link (free delivery on any orders over €50) see www.oneills.com
CLUBHOUSE: Our Bar and Clubhouse continue to remain closed until further notice.
CONGRATULATIONS: to Fr. Pádraig Walsh who is celebrating the 30th anniversary of his Ordination to the Priesthood around this time.
BEST OF LUCK: to John Murphy and the Murphy family on the re-opening of their Celsius Mensware Shop at 5 Lower Castle Street, the former location of Hurleys Newsagency and the residence, away way back in the day, of the Hifle family.
WELL DONE: to Club Footballer, Eoghan Galvin, whose ‘Gally’s Gallop’ during the month of May raised over €15K for two worthy causes – the Kerry Cancer Support Group and the Kerry Hospice Foundation. Eoghan undertook the project in memory of his mother Anne (sister of former Club Footballers, Tony and Ger O’Keeffe) who died some four years ago.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: It’s seldom that you would find four celebrities celebrating the same birthday on three consecutive days but that’s what happened at the weekend. On Saturday (6th June) one of the great Rugby players of his generation, Willie John McBride was celebrating.
Then on Monday (8th June) over in America it was the turn of singer, Nancy Sinatra and in between – on Sunday (7th June) – it was another singer, Tom Jones together with the man we are really trying to get at, our own John Barry, former Club Footballer and Hurler and Kerryman Sports Reporter.
Happy birthday John, and of course greetings also to Willie John, Tom and Nancy, regular readers of these Notes, no doubt.
SYMPATHY: Sincere sympathy is offered to the family of Con O’Sullivan, Cahermoneen, who died during the past week
