News from Ireland - news from around the 32 counties

Kerry

An incredible €6,500 was raised from gate receipts at Dingle's Páirc an Ághsaigh last Friday at the inaugural testimonial match for Brendan 'Bawnie' O'driscoll who died tragically in October.

The match saw Dingle GAA play against a selection of players from the clubs of West Kerry.

Players made a concerted effort to make themselves available for the game, including county panel players such as Marc Ó Sé, Tommy Griffin and Dáithí Geaney.

GAA circles in Kerry were well represented with county board members and representatives from a number of clubs present. Terrace Talk's Weeshie Fogarty was also present, as was legendary GAA broadcaster Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh.

Páirc an Ághsaigh was packed, with supporters from all over Corca Dhuibhne turning out to witness the sides draw even with a final score of 1-10 apiece. Dingle's Daithi Geaney was also named Man of the Match.

The fund has been founded by the GAA Clubs of West Kerry to set up a college scholarship in memory of Brendan 'Bawnie' O'driscoll from Camp. The scholarship will benefit a first year college student who has played underage football with West Kerry.

Brendan (28) collapsed on the pitch as Annascaul took on Lispole on October 23. He was rushed to Cork University Hospital and passed away on Wednesday October 26. During his life he had excelled both in Gaelic football and soccer – with Annascaul GAA, West Kerry and Camp United - and he was even capped as an Irish Junior International.

"We could not be happier after raising €6,500 at the gate," Annascaul GAA'S Sean Barry told The Kerryman. "This will ensure that the scholarship runs for a minimum of seven years."

"There are two significant results; firstly that Bawnie and his legacy will be commemorated properly and secondly that students in West Kerry will get a helping hand in their first year at college," he added.

"We hope to do something like this match on an annual basis. Another idea that we have floating around is that whichever club wins the West Kerry Championship would play a selection of West Kerry clubs at their home ground," he added.
(Source: Irish Times)

Kildare

The year ahead will see Ireland hosting a week-long event to which an estimated 25,000 people will flock each day, with the organizers hoping to fill Croke Park for the final ceremony.

It’s not a sporting event, or a rock festival, but a very different kind of celebration which nevertheless looks set to draw enormous crowds - the 2012 Eucharistic Congress.

With religion not exactly high on most people’s agendas these days, and the Catholic Church having taken a battering through the series of scandals which have rocked it over recent years, it is surprising to realize that an event like this is likely to attract so many thousands of people, yet all of the signs are that it certainly will prove a massive crowd-puller.

​
Nster.com