PR Weekly Bulletin

A Chairde,

We hope you are keeping well and are enjoying the weekly updates. See below this week’s notes along with a poetic reflection on the closure of Clubs during the lockdown composed by Lorcán O’Rourke:

“Bits & Bytes”

• Tickets are now on general sale for all this weekend’s Joe Mallon Renault SFC, The Auld Shebeen Athy IFC & Tom Cross Transport JFC games on the following link https://embed.futureticketing.ie/c/kildare-gaa/?ftredirect=1 – Please note all fixtures are ticket only events.

• The first Kildare GAA Club Draw will take place next Friday @ 6:30pm in Joe Mallon Motors, Sallins Rd. Each ticket bought will assist your Club with projects they are completing. Contact your local Club to purchase your ticket or alternatively you can purchase online https://member.clubforce.com/kildareclubdraw2021 Congratulations to Robertstown who claimed the early bird prize.

• The Kellogs GAA Cúl Camps were a massive success in Kildare this year with each attending child receiving the famous Cúl Camp kits. The GAA have provided all those unable to attend camps the opportunity to purchase these kits for €35 via http://gaa.ie/kelloggsculcamps

• Gaelic Armour were this week announced as a new gear supplier for the GAA. They now become one of a number of approved suppliers of GAA merchandise.

• Six broad sections of resources are available for GAA Club Officers and Volunteers through the Club Officer Online to assist you in carrying out your roles effectively. Full details can be found on https://www.gaa.ie/news/online-resources-available-to-club-officers/

• The Manguard Plus Minor Football Championships commence next Wednesday evening. A full list of fixture for one of the most eagerly awaited and competitive Championships can be found on https://kildaregaa.ie/fixtures-results/

• The official GAA match programmes for tomorrow week’s All Ireland Senior Football Championship Final will be available to pre-order from Thursday next week. Click on the following link to purchase your match day programme https://www.dbapublications.ie

• Congratulations to Brendan Cawley from the Sarsfields Club who was this week appointed as linesman for the 2021 All Ireland Football Final between Mayo & Tyrone. This is a fantastic achievement for Brendan who progressed through the ranks of Kildare GAA & Leinster. Joe McQuillan from Cavan is the man in charge on the day.

• Best wishes to Pa Monaghan from the Raheens Club who will be competing at the Tokyo Paralympics Wheelchair Marathon on Saturday night commencing at 10:30pm.

• The GAA released a further Gaelic Games Covid Update this morning. Full statement can be found on the following link https://kildaregaa.ie/gaa-covid-update-03-09-2021/

In Praise of our Cill Dara Boys and Girls

I heard the sound of silence

When the virus closed the fields

The gates were locked, and pitches blocked

While the grass grew tall and green

The clubs and fields were empty

With pitches out of bounds

Where we love the hurling and football

With friendships all around

The players they all stayed at home

To protect their health and friends

Checked their kit and heard the call

A hurley, football, a back yard wall

I heard it in the early morning

All day long it rang

In every estate and park

And from midday until dark

The sound of sliotar on camán

Pinging on the garden wall

The thud of football leather

Echoed out a call to all

They practised all the skills

The boys and girls in every team

They got ready to play again

When better days were here

It was tough at home all day

They dreamt of games on GAA fields

With friends and family all around

When whistles would blow another day

They dreamt of games in summer

Of county finals in September

Trophies to be collected

Fond memories to remember

They kept up their practice

And got their skills in tune

There’s magic in their hands and feet

To make the scoreboard sing