Ardal O'Hanlon top of the bill for Kinnegad Juniors' comedy gig

It is perhaps the best line-up Kinnegad Juniors have fielded yet. From the world of comedy comes Ardal O'Hanlon - star of the hit series, Father Ted, and from the world of footballJohn Giles, arguably the greatest footballer Ireland ever produced and the best pundit RTE has screened. Completing the team is Darragh Maloney, presenter of The Premiership on RTE and highly regarded as the nation's top commentator.Over the next couple of months, all three will be appearing in fundraisers for the local soccer club: Mr O'Hanlon will feature in a gig at the Mullingar Arts centre on Saturday, March 27 (tickets €20 from the Arts centre box office 044-9347777), and Messrs Giles and Maloney are appearing as guests of honour at the soccer club's annual dinner dance in Kinnegad's Hilamar Hotel on Friday, April 30."To paraphrase Eamon Dunphy, it's not a good line-up, it's a great one," said delighted Kinnegad Juniors Chairman, Colm Gildea."We're absolutely thrilled to have three people of this calibre coming to support our club. It's such an honour. Personally speaking, I think Ardal O'Hanlon is one of the best comedians Ireland has ever produced and he's been more than helpful in supporting the club - following contact we made through one of our committee members."So I'm really looking forward to his show. And I'm just delighted by the idea of John Giles and Darragh Maloney appearing at the dinner dance. Two years ago we got Packie Bonner, Jimmy Magee and John Delaney down. Last year it was Today FM's, Paul Collins, and Ronnie Whelan. And now John Giles."It just means so much to the club to have people of this stature supporting us. We're a new club and have got such a kick out of competing at underage level over the last five years. And events like these ones coming up simply help fund our ground development scheme on the Killucan Road."That development remains a work in progress but Colm is positive that football will be played on it a year from now.He said: "In one sense our timing was unfortunate in terms of how the Government's Sports Capital Grants have been a victim of the recession - because a reasonably sized grant would have funded our project quite comfortably."But we're far from despondent. The ground work has been prepared and we're just waiting on the weather to pick up before we seed the pitch. Our contractor, Arthur McGovern, has done an absolutely brilliant job at a very generous price. So it's all steam ahead on that front."And it is all steam ahead on the fundraising front too.Ardal O'Hanlon's comedy gig is next on the pipeline - and the star of Father Ted, My Hero and Val Falvey, was typically humorous in accepting Kinnegad's invitation to support their club.Mr O'Hanlon said: "Naturally I wanted to assist in the spiritual development of Kinnegad's youth. Then I heard one of their committee members was a Chelsea supporter and I felt a little queasy."That Mr O'Hanlon is a Leeds fan should appease him to the idea of John Giles coming on board for the dinner-dance on April 30.The former Ireland international captain and manager was described by Jimmy Magee as the greatest Irish player of all time, last year and his presence in Kinnegad continues the club's trend of identifying top class pros to assist in their fundraising efforts.Colm said: "When you think about we've had Ronnie Whelan (12 major medals with Liverpool), Packie Bonner (11 major medals with Celtic) and now John Giles (seven major medals with Manchester United and Leeds) coming to speak to us."All three of these men are ranked in the top ten of Irish football's major medal winners.I'm very proud to say they have been our guests of honour because they are thorough gentlemen as well as being highly successful sportsmen."The FAI's vice-president, Paddy McCaul, will also be a guest of honour at the dinner-dance. Athlone-man Mr McCaul said: "I met Colm at the Soccer Writers' Association of Ireland annual awards night last month and was delighted to accept his invitation to their dinner-dance.I've watched their progress keenly and look forward to an enjoyable evening in Kinnegad."Tickets for Ardal O'Hanlon in Mullingar Arts Centre on Saturday, March 27 are available from Mullingar Arts Centre on 044-9347777, priced €20; and tickets for the Kinnegad Juniors' annual dinner dance at the Hilamar Hotel on Friday, April 30 are available from Colm Gildea 086 8354297 or Garry Doyle 0879905915.