Texaco Sportstars Bursaries Presented
Twenty-Five Irish Sports Clubs Benefit From Eur120,000 Fund
DUBLIN, IRELAND, 29 OCTOBER 2008 - The twenty-five successful Irish sports clubs chosen to receive Texaco Sportstars Bursaries - twenty from the Republic of Ireland and five from Northern Ireland - were presented with their awards at a ceremony which took place in Dublin today.
From the Republic of Ireland, the twenty successful clubs, each of whom received a bursary of EUR5,000, included four from Dublin city - St James' Gaels GAA Club, Crumlin, Darndale Junior Football Club, Neilstown Boxing Club and Palmerstown Wildcats Special Olympics Basketball Club.
Cork and Galway each had two winners. From Cork, the successful clubs were Iona Women's Superleague Basketball Club (Cork City) and West Muskerry Athletic Club (Macroom). From Galway, the winners were Craughwell Athletic Club and Mervue United AFC.
Other winners were Piltown Camogie Club (Kilkenny), Abbeylara Handball Sports & Social Club (Longford), Navan O'Mahony's Ladies Football Club (Meath), Asgard Swimming Club, Ashford (Wicklow), Shoot 'n' Stars Special Olympics (Westmeath), St Paul's Athletic Club, Kilrane (Wexford), Tralee Rugby Club (Kerry), Manulla Football Club (Mayo), Mount Sion GAA Club (Waterford City), St Michael's Rowing Club (Limerick), St. Senan's RFC, Shannon (Clare) and Sallypark Odhran's Football Club, Nenagh (Tipperary).
From Northern Ireland, the five successful clubs were Moyola Park Football Club, Magherafelt (Londonderry), Enniskillen Rugby Football Club (Fermanagh), Rasharkin Gaelic Athletic Association, Ballymena (Antrim), Ligoniel Amateur Boxing Club (Belfast) and Banbridge Special Olympics Club (Down). Each received a bursary of STG£3,500.
Now in its second year, the Texaco Sportstars Bursaries scheme is open to sports clubs of all kind. It was launched last year as part of celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of the Texaco Sportstars Awards.
To provide for an expansion of the scheme in 2008, the overall bursaries allocation was virtually doubled to over EUR120,000 to provide for an increase to 25 in the number of clubs which would stand to benefit - up from 10 to 20 in the Republic of Ireland and from 3 to 5 in Northern Ireland.
A record 422 sports clubs submitted applications representing clubs from all of the 32 counties - up 59% on the 2007 entry. The largest number of these came from clubs in Dublin City and County (90). Other leading counties were Cork (45), Antrim (41), Down (29), Galway (27), Limerick (18), Kerry (16), Wicklow (12), Kildare, Armagh and Wexford (10 each). Of the total, 23% of applications came from clubs in Northern Ireland with all of the six counties represented.
Some 51 sporting disciplines were represented amongst the applications received. Soccer clubs made up the largest number (72) followed by GAA (56), basketball (33), hockey and swimming (29 each), athletics (25), rugby (21), boxing (14), special needs (13), rowing and sailing (12 each) and camogie (10). Of the remainder, American football, ice hockey, diving, volleyball and canoeing were amongst the minority sports represented.
Commenting, Chevron Country Chairman Enda Riney said, “with entries almost double those of last year, we are overjoyed with the growing popularity of the Texaco Sportstars Bursaries scheme. We are especially delighted that it is being seen by so many as a vital source of revenue that enables clubs to achieve goals that might otherwise be beyond reach – a point especially true in the case of minority sports where memberships and spectator receipts may not always generate the funds needed.”
-ENDS-
2008 TEXACO SPORTSTARS BURSARY WINNERS - IN PROFILE
Republic of Ireland
Abbeylara Handball Sports & Social Club, Abbeylara, Co Longford
The club has recently completed work on an indoor handball, sports and social centre. All age groups are included as well as facilities for girls. Bursary will help to defray costs for stepping platforms, comfort mats, racquets of all types, table tennis table etc.
Enquiries: Anna O’Reilly (086-3509829)
Asgard Swimming Club, Ashford, Co Wicklow
Founded in 1999, the club has over 100 members ranging in age from 7 to 20 years. Bursary will be spent on fins, boards, backstroke starter board, bench for stroke correction and a fifty metre training session in the National Aquatic Centre, Dublin.
Enquiries: Sandra Nolan (0404-40758/087-2490044)
Craughwell Athletic Club, Craughwell, Co Galway
The club is one of the biggest in Connaught with over 200 juvenile members and is run on a voluntary basis by parents and local people. Bursary will be used to upgrade all track and field facilities.
Enquiries: Michael Tobin (087-6591879)
Darndale Junior Football Club, Darndale, Dublin 17
The club was formed in 1988 and has grown at a phenomenal rate. Over 200 children participate here. Situated in an area where drug and alcohol abuse is present, the club's mentors see football as a serious method of encouraging a healthy pursuit of sport amongst young people from an early age. Bursary will help pay for insurance, transport and training gear.
Enquiries: Gordon Moore (01-8479505/086-8207373)
Iona Women's Superleague Basketball Club, Cork City
The club is competing at a high level across the country and hopes to expand even more. Bursary will help with transport, gear and general administration fees.
Enquiries: Mary White (086-8462688/086-3398780)
Manulla Football Club, Castlebar, Co Mayo
This is a major soccer club catering for players in the Castlebar area. They have achieved a lot of success due to hard work and a dedicated support group. Bursary will be used to purchase gym equipment e.g. treadmills, weights, steppers etc.
Enquiries: John Durkan (094-9365325/087-2799213)
Mervue United AFC, Mervue, Co Galway
The club was founded in 1960 and caters for 26 teams, male and female. Bursary will help cover costs for ground and building improvement.
Enquiries: Declan McDonnell (091-764783/086-2435022)
Mount Sion GAA Club, Waterford
This very famous club was founded in 1932 to cater for young children in Waterford city. It has grown to cater for all age groups up to senior level. Bursary will be used to help fund the construction of a hurling ball alley.
Enquiries: Sean O’Dwyer (051-873847/087-2528009)
Navan O'Mahony's Ladies Football Club, Navan, Co Meath
This well-known Meath club is now promoting Ladies Football for all age groups. Bursary will be spent on jerseys, footballs, fitness frames, weights etc.
Enquiries: Philip Dowdall (046-9021966/086-3032557)
Neilstown Boxing Club, Neilstown, Dublin 22
The club provides an important outlet for young boys in an area where the temptation to engage in anti-social behaviour exists. To counter this, members of the committee have worked tirelessly over many years to improve the facilities for young boys, some of whom may have been turned away from membership of other clubs. Bursary will be spent on the purchase of exercise bikes, rowing machines, weights etc.
Enquiries: Tammy Tallon (01-4570363/4573859/085-7111739)
Palmerstown Wildcats Special Olympics Basketball Club, Palmerstown, Dublin 20
This club caters for Special Olympic athletes from the Palmerstown, Lucan and Clondalkin areas. The club is run on a voluntary basis and provides all year round training facilities for their athletes. Bursary will be spent on sports kits and equipment.
Enquiries: Lorraine Bracken (087-9515793/086-6082684)
Piltown Camogie Club, Piltown, Co Kilkenny
The club has expanded rapidly since its foundation in 2000 and now caters for over 120 members. A dedicated team of trainers has improved players' potential and they have reached All-Ireland success in the under-16 category. Bursary will cover costs for indoor equipment, a portable goal set, jerseys etc.
Enquiries: Kate Foley (051-643743/087-9451394)
Sallypark Odhran's Football Club, Nenagh, Co Tipperary
The club was formed in 2003 and has over 80 members. Fund raising is their only means of raising finances for the club. Bursary will pay for new floodlights, lighting fixtures, electric wiring, footballs etc.
Enquiries: Frankie Carter (087-2450011/067-26983)
Shoot 'n' Stars Special Olympics, Mullingar, Co Westmeath
The club is run on a voluntary basis to support special needs people who cannot find assistance elsewhere. Bursary will provide for gym hire, pool time, polo shirts and travel.
Enquiries: Bernadette Corroon (044-9342869/087-2662497/044-9342191)
St James' Gaels GAA Club, Crumlin, Dublin 12
A long established club situated in the Crumlin/Drimnagh area of Dublin city which has experienced a huge rise in Ladies Gaelic Football participation. Bursary will be used to encourage young girls to compete in the Dublin leagues and to fund the purchase of jerseys, tracksuits, footballs etc.
Enquiries: Cheryl Dunne (01-4559687/087-1257145)
St. Michael's Rowing Club, Limerick
The club has a membership of 140, including juvenile and senior members. St Michael's has been hugely successful and boasts World Champion Sam Lynch (Texaco Sportstars winner) as well as other big names in rowing. Finance is a constant challenge to the club. Bursary will be spent on ergometers, windtec sculls, sculling blades etc.
Enquiries: Una Hogan/David Hogan (061-328545/087-7689988)
St. Paul's Athletic Club, Kilrane, Co Wexford
St. Paul's caters for athletes of all ages in South East Wexford. They have achieved success at county, national and international level. Bursary will pay for hurdles, a storage trolley and electronic assessment equipment.
Enquiries: Peter Connick (053-9131438/087-2937183)
St Senan's RFC, Shannon, Co Clare
The club catchment area covers Cratloe, Bunratty, Sixmilebridge, Newmarket-on-Fergus and Shannon. They are developing two new playing fields and dressing rooms. Bursary will be used exclusively to purchase a tractor for the club.
Enquiries: Michael Callanan (087-6370042/061-430476/061 - 362535)
Tralee Rugby Club, Tralee, Co Kerry
The club caters for a large membership including under age groups. Bursary will be used mainly for transporting young players to venues in Cork/Limerick.
Enquiries: Richard White (066-7121257/087-2379989)
West Muskerry Athletic Club, Macroom, Co Cork
This athletic club caters for people of all ages in the Macroom area. The club is growing all the time and bursary is needed to upgrade all facilities at the clubhouse.
Enquiries: Collette O’Riordan (026-41278/026-41614/086-3517204)
NORTHERN IRELAND
Banbridge Special Olympics Club
The club depends on grants and donations to exist. Bursary will be spend on tracksuits, rain-jackets etc.
Enquiries: Cardyn Ross (028-38832922/028-40627522)
Enniskillen Rugby Football Club, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh
This club hosts one of the largest youth squads in Ulster. Bursary will be used to screen all participants under the 'CRY' initiative (Cardiac Risk in the Young).
Enquiries: Alan Laird (028-66327416/028-66388714)
Ligoniel Amateur Boxing Club, Belfast
Based in an area of high unemployment, the club provides an outlet for young boys who might otherwise be at risk. Their bursary will be used to pay for much needed equipment, such as head-guards, punch-bags etc.
Enquiries: E O’Neil (028-90729610/028-90719634)
Moyola Park Football Club, Magherafelt, Co Londonderry
This is a cross-community, multi-cultural venture located in a somewhat socially disadvantaged area. The club is engaging with over 100 children across all sections of the Magherafelt district. Bursary will be used to provide valuable social support and a focus for its young members.
Enquiries: Gregory Stewart (028-79643759/0791-2629743)
Rasharkin Gaelic Athletic Association, Ballymena, Co Antrim
The club was formed in 1943 and has 420 members. Costs are high and the Bursary will help to pay for coaching, equipment, travel and medical care.
Enquiries: Michael Hasson (028-29571413/0770-8375820)
