GAELTACHT SCHOLARSHIPS:
Applications are now invited for the GAA Gaeltacht Summer Courses Scholarship Fund 2016. Applications are open to Boys & Girls. The applicant must be a registered playing member of the Austin Stacks GAA club. Please text your child’s name, address, age and school to Brian Caball on 087 6606693 or email briancabll2@hotmail.com Closing date for applications is Friday 15th April.
DEFIBRILLATOR TRAINING:
Tim Murphy, Development Officer of the Kerry Co. Board’s Planning & Development Committee, informs us that a Defibrillator Training Session will take place in Austin Stack Park on this Tuesday (5th April) commencing at 6.45pm sharp and concluding at 9.10pm. Anyone interested in participating should email tomasstack@gmail.com immediately as numbers for this session are limited to 24. So it’s ‘first come, first served’.
1916 PROJECTS COMPETITION:
Our thanks to Adrienne McLoughlin who submitted the following Report and whose brilliant photographs of the event can be seen on our website:-
Connolly Park residents held a Commemoration Mass (celebrated by Fr. Patsy Lynch) in the Clubrooms on Easter Monday, followed by food and refreshments for all present
A projects competition based on the theme “1916 Rising”, for younger members of the community, was held in the Clubhouse also. Local Politician, Toireasa Ferris, had the tough job of selecting the winners. All entrants received a prize but the first 3 places and prizes of a Tablet, signed Kerry Jersey and signed football, respectively, were awarded to: 1. Nia Ní Chíarba 2. Dara Ó Sé 3. Saoirse Ní Mhuircheartaigh.
The committee also held a raffle for 3 Easter Hampers (won by Paul O’Connor) and the funds raised will be used for the Senior Citizens Party later in the year. Newly elected T.D. Michael Healy-Rae also made an appearance at the gathering as well as some other local politicians, including Pa Daly, Norma Foley and Sam Locke.
Well done to the organising committee – Michael and Mary Hurley, Mary Whelan, Annette Carmody, Marian Clifford, Bernie Somers and Nora O’Connor.
SENIOR FOOTBALL:
Our next Co. League outing will be another home game, this time against newly-promoted Kenmare, in round 3. The game is due to go ahead on this Saturday evening (9th April) at 6.30pm. The last time both sides met in the League was 17 years ago when we were both in Division 2 in that 1999 season.
We won that game in Kenmare on 3rd April (0-13 to 1-7) and we lined out as follows:- Tommy Naughton, Eddie Dowling, George Jordan, Kieran Browne, Denis Sayers, Cormac Kennedy, John Walsh, Peter Quillinan, William Kirby (0-1), Michael Hogan (0-4), Darren Aherne (0-4), Donal McEvoy (0-2), Darragh Long, Billy Sheehan (0-2), Kieran Kelliher. Subs used: Pat Slattery (27m), Pat Costello (52m).
And look at the connections between then and now. Tommy Naughton, John Walsh and William Kirby now with today’s SF Management team, with William also playing along with Darragh Long; George Jordan on the 1999 team and his son, Conor a regular on today’s team; Kieran Kelliher’s son, Shane playing with the Minors now and Peter Quillinan’s brother, Wayne managing the Minors.
BEST OF LUCK: to the Kerry U21 Footballers, including our own Greg Horan and Michael O’Donnell, in their Munster Final clash with Cork in Austin Stack Park on this Thursday evening (7th April) at 7.30pm. This will be the 55th Final since its inception in 1962 (and that Final was won by Kerry with Cork the opposition).
In all, the sides have met each other in 21 Finals with Kerry coming out on top on 13 occasions and 8 victories for Cork. Overall, however, both sides currently share the Roll of Honours with 25 titles each (out of the 54 Finals played to date). So it’s all to play for on Thursday evening.
B FOOTBALL:
Our B Team also have a home game, against Rathmore, in Round 3 of Div 5 of the County League. The game is fixed for this coming Sunday (10th April) at 2pm..
MINOR FOOTBALL:
With three back games to be played as we write (Firies .v. Dr. Crokes; Firies .v. Kerins O’Rahillys and Austin Stacks v Dr. Crokes), five of the six Div. 1 teams are still in contention for the four semi final places. Two of the three back games are fixed for this week but there is still no date fixed for the third outstanding fixture, that’s our home game against Dr. Crokes.
CONGRATULATIONS:
to St. Brendan’s College (Killarney) on winning the Hogan Cup last Saturday and also well done to Ferbane who won the Paddy Drummond Cup. And of course well done to both Kerry teams – the footballers (including own Kieran Donaghy) who have qualified for the NFL semi final (and best of luck to them as they play Roscommon in that semi final at the weekend) – and the hurlers on another brilliant victory at the weekend which guarantees their Div 1B status for the 2017 NHL season.
SENIOR SCÓR:
Scór Officer, Brian Caball, says ‘Well done’ to the Spá dancers who won their club’s 9th Senior Rince Foirne All-Ireland. (ii) Comhghairdeachas to our Spá (Cnoc na hEaglaise) neighbours who came 2nd in the Quiz All-Ireland, scoring 68 out of 80…..two firsts and a second in three years is a great achievement! (iii) The Rock was also represented at the Scór finals…..our Aoife Ní Choileáin sang Amhrán na bhFiann. Agus chan sí go binn!
CLUBHOUSE:
As always the Clubhouse is available for all types of Parties. For Bookings phone Des Griffin at 086 402 0808.
CARDS:
The 45 Card Sessions will continue in the Clubhouse on every Monday and Thursday nights, commencing at 9.30pm each night. All at the Cards extend sincere sympathy to Tom Leen on the recent death of his cousin, Carol Leen; and also to Margaret Shanahan on the death of her husband, Denis Shanahan at the weekend (see Sympathy),
LOTTO:
Last week’s (29th March) Jackpot, worth €5,000, was not won. The numbers drawn were 21, 23, 24, and 28.
The €20 Winners were: John Joe O’Sullivan, c/o Club Rockies; Brendan O’Riordan, c/o John O’Riordan; Mary Foley, c/o The Bingo; Derry Sugrue, c/o The Club; and Peter O’Regan, c/o Brendan O’Regan.
SYMPATHY:
Sincere sympathy is offered to the families of the following who died recently – Paul Dennehy, Woodbrook (nephew of former Club Footballer, Gerry); Carol Leen (nee Kavanagh), Kilquane, Ballymacelligott and Denis Shanahan, Cloonametagh, Abbeydorney (see Cards); Thomas (Tony) Walsh, Stack’s Villas; Mary Dowling (nee Rohan), Castlecountess and late of Aughacasla, Castlegregory; Carmel Ruth (nee Casey), Castletroy (Limerick) and late of Caherslee; Irene Lyne (nee Galvin), Killarney and late of The Square; and Mary Daly (nee Cashman), Caherslee.
