2009 Texaco Sportstars Bursaries presented
Twenty-five Irish sports clubs benefit from EUR120,000 fund
DUBLIN 22 OCTOBER 2009 - The twenty-five successful Irish sports clubs chosen to receive 2009 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 five from Dublin city - Drimnagh Amateur Boxing and Physical Culture Club, Ballybrack FC., Tallaght Martial Arts, Walkinstown Association Special Olympics Club and Killester Basketball Club.
Cork, Galway and Limerick each had two winners. From Cork, the successful clubs were Church of Ireland Hockey Club, Rochestown and Courceys Athletic Club, Ballinspittle. From Galway, the winners were Maree Basketball Club, Oranmore and Iomanaíochta Bearna-Na Forbacha. Limerick winners were Castleconnell Boat Club and Green Giants Basketball Club based at Limerick Institute of Technology.
Other winners were Ennis Swimming and Lifesaving Club (Clare), Celbridge Paddlers Canoe Club (Kildare), St Peter's Athletic Club (Louth), Trim Arch Club (Meath), Garrymore GAA Club, Claremorris (Mayo), Curragh Nomads Gymnastics Club, Geashill (Offaly), Four Corners Boxing Club (Roscommon), Clonmel Town FC (Tipperary) and Crossabeg/Ballymurn Ladies Gaelic Football (Wexford).
From Northern Ireland, the five successful clubs were Cliftonville Cricket Club, Belfast, St Brigid GAC., Ballymena and Pan-Disability Lisburn Badminton Club (all from Co. Antrim), Portadown Amateur Swimming Club (Armagh) and City of Derry Rugby Club Juniors. Each received a bursary of STG£3,500.
Now in its third year, the Texaco Sportstars Bursaries scheme is open to sports clubs of all kinds. It was launched in 2007 as part of celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of the Texaco Sportstars Awards.
Over EUR120,000 has been allocated to the scheme, from which a total of twenty-five sports clubs benefit - twenty from the Republic of Ireland and five from Northern Ireland. In the Republic of Ireland, bursaries are distributed in amounts of EUR5,000 each and in Northern Ireland in amounts of STG3,500 each.
A record 582 sports clubs submitted applications representing clubs from all of the 32 counties - a 38% increase on last year. The largest number of these came from clubs in Dublin City and County (118). Other leading counties were Cork (73), Antrim (51), Meath (30) and Galway (26). Of the total, 16% of applications came from clubs in Northern Ireland with all of the six counties represented.
Some 46 sporting disciplines were represented amongst the applications received. Soccer clubs made up the largest number (219) followed by GAA (75), basketball (35), swimming (30), rugby (29), athletics (25), cycling and hockey (15 each) and special needs (14 each). Of the remainder, American football, karting, tug of war, kickboxing, ice hockey, diving and canoeing were amongst the minority sports represented.
Commenting, Chevron Country Chairman Enda Riney said, 'with the entry level continuing to grow, the popularity of our Texaco Sportstars Bursaries scheme and the benefit which it can bring to hard-pressed clubs, especially in these recessionary times, is becoming more and more evident, year on year. Through the scheme, we at Texaco have pride in the contribution that our Bursaries make, particularly to those clubs whose membership base may not be sufficiently large or able to fund the facilities, equipment and developments that are required.’
ENDS
2009 TEXACO SPORTSTARS BURSARY WINNERS - IN PROFILE
Ballybrack FC
The club has 300 members with teams from 4 - 5 years of age and upwards. A weekly feature of their activities is a Friday night ‘soccer blitz’ for 10 - 14 year olds devised as part of the club’s strategy to provide a positive outlet for young people in the area. The bursary will be used to fund the re-roofing of their clubhouse so that they bring the facility back into full operation.
Enquiries: Peter O’Hanlon 086-0703302
Drimnagh Amateur Boxing and Physical Culture Club
With increased facilities for five-aside soccer and basketball, membership of the famed boxing section is closed until new changing, shower and toilet facilities become available. The Texaco bursary will help to fund these and allow the club to enrol new boxing talent.
Enquiries: Austin Carruth 01-4730981
Killester Basketball Club
With over 500 youth and adult members, the club has an ambitious programme aimed at providing training for coaches, referees and table officials together with instruction in first aid and the development of plans for 6 -11 year olds. Their bursary will be used to fund the purchase of portable basketball stands and other items of playing equipment.
Enquiries: Ken Clarke 087-2049414
Tallaght Martial Arts
A club which enjoyed success - 3 gold, 2 silver and 4 bronze at the European junior championships in Croatia this year - is anxious to cater for people with disabilities. The Bursary will help obtain adapted training and safety equipment, mats, head guards, focus pads, kick shields, etc., which will enable it to put this programme in place.
Enquiries: Caradh O'Donovan 087-2622660
Walkinstown Association Special Olympics Club
Formed in 2006, the members participate in soccer, table tennis, bocce, equestrian, bowling and swimming, with pitch and putt and badminton coming on stream. The Bursary will fund table tennis tables and soccer kit, replacing second hand donations which have served their purpose.
Enquiries: Lorraine McNicholas 01-4650388
Church of Ireland Hockey Club, Cork
This old established club has 280 under-15 girls learning to play hockey. The Bursary will be used to purchase goal keeping gear, which is essential for safety reasons and to improve the players' skills.
Enquiries: Nicky Stokes 086-6066215
Courceys Athletic Club
Based at Garrettstown, Ballinspittle, Co Cork, the club has a tradition in long jumping, with former club member Tim Harrington the current All-Ireland junior long and triple jump champion. The Bursary will be used to build a long jump run-up and pit.
Enquiries: Fiona Coghlan 021-4778798
Ennis Swimming and Lifesaving Club
The club has 257 members in training and almost 120 children on a waiting list. The Bursary will supply extra pool hours so that these children will no longer be denied the opportunity to develop their swimming skills.
Enquiries: Caitriona McMahon 087-2045222
Maree Basketball Club, Oranmore
With the club expanding - 276 players last season - it is having trouble covering all teams with coaches. With the Bursary a qualified coach instructor will be hired to bring the club's aspiring coaches up to the mark.
Enquiries: Mary O'Hagan 087-8036060
Iomanaíochta Bearna-Na Forbacha
Although failing to win a game in their first three years, the club has gone from success to success since. The Bursary will help fund the installation of a roof and lighting at the club's ball alley so that hurling and camogie members can avail of the facility in all weather conditions throughout the year.
Enquiries: Tim Folan 087-9447997
Castleconnell Boat Club
Pioneering work in the area of inclusion has been done by the club through adaptive rowing programmes. In the past two years, over 80 people with disabilities have been helped in this way. The Bursary will help provide five adapted indoor rowing machines, doubling the number of adaptive rowers the club can accommodate.
Enquiries: Joe Cunningham 087-6662135
Green Giants Basketball Club
Based at Limerick Institute of Technology, this club, which was set up last year, is providing an avenue of integration for young asylum seekers into the local community. Currently there are over 500 asylum seekers mainly in the 14-35 age bracket, with no meaningful outlet for their time. This Bursary will help these naturally talented players fulfil their potential.
Enquiries: Eugene Crimmins 086-3822668
Celbridge Paddlers Canoe Club
With over 120 members ranging in age from 10 to over 60, the club has been in existence since 1982. As a consequence, the Bursary will help replace the plastic general purpose kayaks, some of which are not repairable to the club's safety standards.
Enquiries: Tim Hartnett 087-6897522
St Peter's Athletic Club
Based at Dromiskin, near Dundalk, the club has a fine record in technical events. To build on that the Bursary will help provide starting blocks, training hurdles, a high jump landing area, an indoor shot circle, javelin balls, measuring tapes, speed hurdles and medicine balls.
Enquiries: Thomas McGrane 087-2483092
Trim Arch Club
Founded 11 years ago and previously known as the Trim Special Sports Club, this voluntary group assists young people with special needs to develop their social skills, self esteem and confidence through sporting activities such as basketball, bowling, football, tennis and dance. Their bursary will be used to purchase sports equipment and to fund an activity weekend.
Enquiries: Carol Mongey 086-0866285
Garrymore GAA Club, Claremorris
The club is based in an area without church, pub or town, yet it continues to provide excellent talent to the county minor team, including two on the panel that reached this year's All-Ireland final. The Bursary will be used to provide coaching equipment and gear for the continuing development of the club's young players.
Enquiries: Enda McGearty 087-1374533
Curragh Nomads Gymnastics Club
From Geashill, Co. Offaly, the club's name reflects the fact that, while its activities are centred around the Curragh, the members travel from Offaly, Laois and Kildare to train together. Due to a lack of equipment, the club's gymnasts have only been able to participate in four out of a possible six disciplines at level four, and yet were awarded seven medals. The Bursary will help purchase rings and essential support apparatus to allow competitors to progress to a more advanced competition level.
Enquiries: Pauline Price 087-2419194
Four Corners Boxing Club, Roscommon
The club's name refers to the multicultural and integrated nature of its ethos, with membership embracing the traveller and settled communities, and non-nationals from Chechnya, Brazil and Britain. The Bursary will be used to purchase training equipment as the present equipment is lacking both in quality and quantity for the members' requirements.
Enquiries: Brian Mongan 087-7517966
Clonmel Town FC
Formed in 1963, the club is one of the most successful junior and schoolboy clubs in Ireland, winning the FAI Junior Cup in 1994 and the Munster Junior Cup on three occasions - 1968, 1986 and 2006. Weekly, the club fields over 360 young players in various team competitions. Their bursary will be used to underpin their development, promote the game amongst young players in the town, fund the purchase of new equipment and assist with travel costs.
Enquiries: Stephen Napier 087-2507226
Crossabeg/Ballymurn Ladies Gaelic Football, Wexford
Founded in 2003, the club is expanding every year and currently has the most registered members in Co Wexford, approaching 200. The Bursary will enable the club to acquire new sets of jerseys as the present sets are six years old. It will also help to hire a coach to help develop the players' skills.
Enquiries: Peadar O'Connor 087-6686596
Cliftonville Cricket Club
Having lost its ground at the height of the Troubles, the club has led a nomadic existence, but has now settled in a Belfast City Council ground at Mallusk. The Bursary will help provide a practice net on wheels and a bright, visible and functional scoreboard, both of which are essential to the development of the game.
Enquiries: Crawford McCully 00-44-28-90760593
St Brigid GAC
Based at Cloughmills, Ballymena, St. Brigid’s is a small, rural hurling club which opened its own pitch three years ago. At present they lack electricity in their changing rooms. The Bursary would be used to purchase a generator and thus maximise the use of their facilities, providing youth facilities during the winter months.
Enquiries: Majella Magill 00-44-78-66443877
Pan-Disability Lisburn Badminton Club
Founded in 2007 and believed to be the only pan-disability club of its kind in Ireland, the club exists to provide the means whereby people with physical, sensory and learning disabilities can develop their skills through badminton. Since they were founded, they have had players present at every four-nations disabled badminton event - a proud achievement which the club intends to continue by using their bursary to fund the travel costs involved.
Enquiries: Terry Conroy 00-44-77-89682446
Portadown Amateur Swimming Club
Two years ago, the club had six coaches, but now it has 23 coaches and 160 members. Naturally to support the new structure, the club needs to hire more pool time at the Cascades Leisure Complex from Craigavon Borough Council. The Bursary will assist in this and also in child protection training for coaches.
Enquiries: Elizabeth Branagh 00-44-77-64678764
City of Derry Rugby Club Juniors
While Limerick, a city of comparable size, has six senior clubs, Derry has just the one and they have been promoting the game under trying circumstances for the past 40 years. Recognising that youth is the future of the club, the Bursary will go towards upskilling coaches at all levels, maintaining a bus service for youth players and delivering structured development programmes in all schools for students and staff.
Enquiries: Bevan Lynch 00-44-75-4627732
