LOCAL NOTES - 23/ 24th Feb.

TEA  DANCING:

Delighted to say we had a very big crowd Sunday for our dance and due to the generosity of all those attending we were

able to hand over a cheque of € 600. to Mary Chawke of the Apostolic Society, for the Missions.   Both Mary and Marian thanked the

ladies who brought the delicious home baking , those who brought the many spot prizes and all the helpers in the kitchen. 

We had a birthday request for Pakie Mulqueen and get well wishes for Peggy O'Dwyer who could not come but she very thoughtfully

sent on money for raffle tickets, by her friend Mary O'Riordan.     Nora O'Keeffe was only out of her sick bed as well and came over to

take photos for us so we thank her very much.     We  also had a retirement celebration.   Nora Kenneally from Ardagh one of our 

regular glamorous dancers recently retired from work, so all her friends brought a huge cake and presented it to her on Sunday.                     She cut it up there and then and everyone got a taste, it was delicious.   We wish her  health and happiness for a long and wonderful  retirement.    The band, as usual, were excellent - Seamus Sheehy, Pakie Moloney and Mike Tuohy.

Next Dance will be held on Sunday 20th March, with music by Lee  Sound.

Arthritis Ireland :    Seamus will be playing again in the  Mungret GAA clubhouse from 3-6pm on Sunday 27th Feb, in aid of the Limerick

branch of Arthritis Ireland.   Adm. €7.50.   Tea will be served with Spot prizes and Raffle.

GRANAGH  PLAYERS:

Presentation to Charities on Wednesday 16th:  

Chairperson, Michael O'Regan welcomed everyone and thanked them for coming.   Representing  TLC4CF,  we had Liam O'Kelly,

Sean Scanlon, John O'Kelly and Breda Sampson and from  the H.O.PE. Foundation, Cork,  Anne Coppletstone with students Grainne

Noonan, Niamh Brady, Ballyagran and Geraldine O'Connor Milford.    Missing on the night Noelle Dunworth, Bruree.  

Mike thanked Jimmy Sheehy and the cast of Granagh Players  for their immense contribution because without them we would not have any money to present.    Brid O'Gorman presented the first cheque of €1,000 to Anne Copplestone who spoke about HOPE.

250,000 children live on the streets of Calcutta.   They range in age from three to twelve, work twelve hours a day, seven days a week, they are born into extreme poverty and many are abandoned and abused.   They eat, sleep, wash and go to the toilet in the streets and slums of the city.         Hope was founded in 1999 by three Cork women, to help these children. 

Donations go directly to projects working with these children and their families e.g. providing vaccinations and antenatal care , schools, crèches,  HIV/Aids programmes, vocational training and funding towards a children's Hospital. 

This year Anne has fifty students and ten adults going out on the trip,  which will be a life changing experience.   She will use the money towards educational goods -  books, copies, colouring pencils, jigsaws, maps and alphabets.   Not a cent is wasted - one thousand here is worth ten thousand out there.    She thanked the students for all the work they have done towards raising  the required three thousand euro each  and sincerely thanked Granagh Players for making it possible to continue their work of freeing children from a life of horror and giving them back their childhood.

Liam Houlihan presented the next cheque of €1,000 to Liam O'Kelly.   TLC4CF was founded in November 2008 by friends and family of people with CF.   It represents families from Tipperary, Limerick and Clare who felt that TLC ( Tender, Loving, Care) was missing from present day services.    Their big project was to raise 4.2 million euro to build a specialist unit for Cf patients at the Regional Hospital.   This would greatly improve the quality of life for these patients -  long distance travelling to Dublin would be minimal, family and friends would be much closer  and they would not have to stay in an open ward where they are at risk of more infections.

The J.P. McManus fund donated three million to their efforts but the fundraising goes on as it will cost another million to fit it out.   It is hoped that this state-of-the-art centre will be open in 2012.   Liam thanked everyone involved for their generosity in thinking of this worthy cause .

Finally, we had a presentation of €600.00 each,  to the local sporting clubs.   Tom Noonan presented a cheque to Kevin Clifford, Secretary of Granagh Utd, Soccer Club, Theresa Noonan presented the cheque to Mike Carroll, Treasurer of the GAA and Seamus Murphy presented a cheque to Eddie O'Brien of the Camogie Club.      All three representatives expressed their sincere  thanks to the Cast for being so generous with their time by adding on an extra night at short notice.   It was very much appreciated by all concerned .   Norah was on standby again with the camera to record the transfer of those brown envelopes !!!    Patrick C. Fitzgerald was also in attendance and will have photos up on the website - www.ballingarrynews.blogspot.com  .      Marian prepared a beautiful tea which everyone enjoyed afterwards .   

GRANAGH  UTD. F.C.

No Matches played last weekend.

Lotto  Results:    Winning Nos. 3.  19.  28.  29.   No Winner.    Next Week's jackpot €8,950.00

Lucky Dips:    Ann O'Gorman, Knockfierna, Marie McMahon, Ballyagran, Niall Cregan, Croom.

Tickets available at O` Gorman's Foodstore Granagh, Hickeys Bar Croom, The Rock Bar Granagh, & Bennis'  Bar Ballyagran.

John Giles Foundation:
On Sunday the 27th of March at 3pm the club will take part in the John Giles ' Walk of Dreams ' in O' Connell St. Limerick.
We are asking parents, managers and both schoolboy / girls and junior players to take a sponsorship card to raise money for the                       John Giles Foundation as the club get to keep half of what is raised.     And,  after the 1st of May we can then apply to the                              foundation for funding for our club for the purchase  of footballs, equipment etc.    

Please get involved by  getting your sponsorship card from  club secretary Kevin Clifford on (086) 8431840 .  

COMMUNITY GAMES NOTES:
U/14 Talent Competition:
Next Friday night the next round of the U/14 Talent Competition takes place in Caherconlish .Competitors are advised that check in is at 6.30pm.     We wish all our qualifiers the best of luck on the night.
CROSS COUNTRY TRAININGTraining continues this Friday evening 25^th Feb 2011, in “O’Gorman’s Field” in Granagh(camogie field) commencing at 5.00 pm to               5.45 pm.    The distances are as follows: Girls & Boys U/9 300m, U/11 600m, U/12 400m, U/12 600m, U/13 1200m, U/14 600m,                      U/14 800m and U/17 1000m.      Children must be 7 years to take part in this and Parents are needed to help out otherwise we will have to abandon the training which would be a shame!    More children are required in all age groups and distances so everyone is welcome to     come along next Friday evening.    If you have any questions re the above contact Anne on 087 9274241.