Huge variety at Clonkill Hurling Club social and fun day

There was significant news announced, as well as a great variety of entertainment, at the Clonkill Hurling Club fun day between Christmas and new year at the club grounds.

The day started with a tractor run on a route via Rathconnell, Cloughan, Turin, Balreagh, Rathcorbally and back to Loughegar. Almost 80 tractors and some interesting vintage cars took part, starting and finishing at the Clonkill GAA grounds. Breakfast for the participants was served before the run and lunch afterwards.

In the afternoon there was a junior tractor run for the youngsters, who steered along an improvised route through the main hall, and in the evening there was a concert of Irish music, song and dancing, when mostly young performers from Loughegar and other local schools, plus prizewinning performers from Ballynacargy and The Downs, entertained the crowd.

Following the concert, club chairperson, Oliver Scally, announced plans for the future of the club; Kevin Muldoon, club treasurer, explained them to the Westmeath Examiner. He said: “We are hoping to build a new pitch, a second training pitch – we might have to go away from the local area here to source some land, but that’s our plan for the next five to 10 years. We have a lot of other plans too – put nets behind the goals, upgrade our gym, tarmac the drive and put in footpaths – there are a lot of developments going on.”

Kevin said that club had already done some work “getting the place refurbished, making the facilities better for the teams and players we have”.

“We have 20 teams playing hurling and camogie vying for pitch space, and we need to provide all the area we can for training. We’re also finishing off two major projects from 2023, the pitch lights and the astro. The astro is finished and the lights will be finished in the next month or so, and we have to pay for that as well.”

A new Clonkill joint crest for the hurling and camogie clubs was formally launched on the night and endorsed by the chairperson, Oliver Scally (hurling) and Marie Nea (camogie).

Aidan Davitt was MC for the evening part of the event, and he explained the detail of the individual elements of the plans. It is the intention that the full plans will progress through due process and be completed in five years.

Oliver then thanked the many people who had spent considerable time and effort in organising the day and making it a success. To round off the night, local band, The Takeover, provided music.

Kevin, on behalf of the club committees, stated: “We sincerely thank everyone who helped make our fun day a great success. We would especially like to thank our sponsors who donated prizes, services and food – Val Mangan, for sorting out our electronics on the morning, at short notice; Ray Dolan, Mullingar; Juice Zone / Derek Tuite Catering; Matty Murray and Sons, Wines Direct, Sherry Fitzgerald Davitt & Davitt; KCS Mullingar, Keogh Tyres, Greville Arms Hotel, TEG, Mergon, Kerrigan’s Bar, Mullingar; Pat McGrath, timber and fencing contractor; Body Edge Fitness; @everything.eileen; M Hynes Signs; Balliskeen House; Alo Egerton; Cleary Electrical; Fuji Specialist Coffee and Tea Emporium; Grow and Bloom with Michelle; John Dunne; Kinnegad Agri Stores; Smyth’s of Killucan; Pat Carolan Farm Supplies; Conor Shaw Fitness; Fencescape Ltd; John Fagan; CL Recycling; Castle Varagh Hotel; QTP; Rock ‘n’ Bowl; Reiki with Eileen O’Heney; Expert Electrical; Curraghmore Kitchens.”

Kevin also expressed gratitude to all the participants in the tractor run and junior tractor run; Yvonne Muldoon and Niall Brennan for organising the concert; the musical and dance performers; Enda Moran for recording the whole event; Paul McCool for providing the sound system; all the volunteers; the stewards for controlling the tractor parking and run, and car parking; those who prepared and served food all day; those who served in the shop all day; everyone who contributed to the set-up and preparation for the event and turned up for the clean-up the following day; the bar staff; the camogie and hurling club committees for combining their resources for the event; club members who turn up day or night whenever they are needed for both clubs; the supporters, who turn up for events and matches and who “make everything possible for the club”. The club have a new website, which player Niall Mitchell was instrumental in setting up.

At the dinner dance, planned for February 17, medals will be presented to the Junior A Championship winning team. The presentation of medals to the U15 and U17 (minor) championship winners is being planned for the near future (details will be confirmed on social media).