Dunfanaghy Golf Notes

You would wonder where all the rain is coming from. But our course is holding up to the weather conditions.  

There was competition on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday this week. Congratulations to everyone.

Results;

4BBB Saturday Stableford

1st Freddie Stewart / Tony Griffin 43 pts

February Monthly Medal

1st Eamon Hunter 34 pts BOT

2nd Peter Johnston 34 pts

Gross William McCallion 24 pts

3rd James Connors 33 pts BOT

Cat Eamonn McGrath 30 pts

Front 9 Fergus Mullen 18 pts BOT

Back 9 Garry McGrath 17 pts

James Doherty and Michael and Brendan Kelly are coming to the clubhouse with family and friends this Friday evening from 6pm on-wards.

This is a new initiative where two or three members will try to bring their friends or family along to the clubhouse on a Friday evening to show what a great place it is to come for a drink.

This is not confined to friends of Brendan, James and Michael and it would be great to see a crowd in the clubhouse this Friday evening.

Again there will be free bites for everyone.

What better way to start the weekend. Don’t forget to come to the clubhouse on Saturday or Sunday if you want to watch the Rugby or soccer games.

Competitions this week:

From the 1st of February all balls landing on the fairway will have to be lift, clean and drop in the semi-rough until further notice.

This is to ensure the fairways are in excellent conditions for the summer months.

Wednesday 26th February: Open Single’s Stableford (Soup & Sandwiches)

Saturday 1st March: Winter Alliance

Sunday 2nd March: AIB Bowl Stableford Competition

Don’t forget there are prizes for nines and a prize for over 19 handicap in all singles competitions at the club.

We are coming to the end of February in the Four Person Team event.

Make sure to give it a go before the end of the month as everyone will want to qualify for the final and we are running out of months.

Also the timesheet for the mixed foursomes is filling up.

Please get your name down before St. Patrick’s weekend when the draw takes place.

Also the Club diary is available at the shop including all the important fixture dates for the year ahead.

The Gaeltacht team are away to Portnoo on the 8th of March.

Gerald or Andy will be in touch with all the players during the week.

Let’s hope we can get a result from this match as the league is finely balanced at the moment.

Juvenile Notes:

Some great golf was played in tough conditions last Saturday morning with James Sweeney getting the bragging rights in the main section after some very steady golf.

In the cadet section it was Michael Dolan who came out on top this week.

Shot of the day went to Max Roarty for a superb putt on the 18th which found the bottom of the hole after travelling the full length of the green.

Letterkenny General Hospital Paediatric Department staff and members of the Donegal Women’s 5k committee at the launch of the charity race which takes place on Sunday, April 6th from the Finn Valley Centre at 11 a.m.

The money raised from this year’s event will go towards the purchase of a new baby oxygen delivery machine.

Included at front are staff nurses Dot Kelly and Ailish Breslin with Donegal Women’s 5k committee members Bridgeen Doherty and Grace Boyle.

John Downey

A FORMER Sinn Fein spin doctor today insisted that unionists knew years ago about  a deal that so-called ‘On The Runs’ would not be pursued by police.

And Danny Morrison says many of them actually picked up their clearance letters from PSNI stations.

He spoke out after a court in Britain ruled that Donegal-based John Downey, a republican originally from County Clare, would not face prosecution for the deaths of four British soldiers in an IRA bomb attack in Hyde Park in London in 1982.

“The fact is that the DUP and the UUP knew about the clearance letters and that people had to sign for them in RUC barracks in some instances,” said Mr Morrison today.

“It’s a nonsense that the DUP did not know about the letters stating to people that they were not wanted.”

The PSNI has now apologised for issuing the letter which led to Mr Downey’s case being dropped.

He has consistently denied involvement in the incident and has worked tirelessly for the peace process for 20 years.

Mr Craig with the porpoise. Pic Trish Murphy

DYLAN, the baby porpoise, is free again.

The little mammal swam out to sea a short time ago from the shoreline in Moville where he was found yesterday.

Named after the Donegal town’s famous Bob Dylan music festival, the porpoise had been in the Bredagh River this morning after returning to the shore.

He was found by local man Anthony Craig, from River Row in the town, when he was out walking his dog.

Dylan was sent back out to sea yesterday but returned.

This morning he looked dazed and weak.

But after help from local people Dylan was successfully returned to the waters of Lough Foyle.

“We just hope now that he has gone and is safe,” said Mr Craig.

Local people say they will watch for the next tides and hope that Dylan has seen the last of Moville (until the music festival of course!)

Donegal star Christy Toye has said his lengthy battle to overcome illness has left him very appreciative of being able to participate in every training session and match so far this season as he aims to make up for lost time.   

Christy Toye is aiming to make up for lost time after illness last season meant he missed the entire campaign.

Toye who played an integral role in helping Donegal land the All-Ireland title in 2012 missed the entire 2013 campaign with Donegal due to illness.

Toye was struck down with a condition known as trigeminal neuralgia which affects the trigeminal nerve in the face and causes excruciating pain.

The St.Michaels man was left in severe pain due to the illness and as a result was unable to work and train for over five months.

Toye explained the symptoms of his condition to the Irish Independent and how they affected everyday life, “There’s pain in your teeth, your ear and even in the back of your eye.

“It was hard to get my head around it for a while. At one stage I thought it might never go.

“You can understand people who have it and how it affects their lives and work. I was off work for a while.

“There are different variations of it and people recover differently from it. It is basically the same type of pain, a dull aching throbbing in the side of your face.

“It was there constantly for four to five months until it started to ease off. I still get bouts of it here and there.

Toye said he is now very appreciative of every training session and game no matter how hard they might be following his battle with this painful condition.

“When you are hitting the wrong side of 30 there are not too many opportunities left. I didn’t want to just leave it at that.

“I wanted one last proper crack at it and hopefully now I can get a bit of training under my belt and get to the level required.

“Since I went back training I’ve made all the sessions and have recovered well. But you only take it from game to game, session to session. I appreciate every single minute of it.”

It’s about as far removed from a Donegal sport as you can get.

Curling is coming to the Finn Valley!

But now, fresh on from the Winter Olympics in Russia, the popular sport will be coming to the Finn Valley.

A team from the CAKE Wednesday Club for older people will take-on a Stranorlar outfit next Monday, March 3, at the Oaktree Centre in Killygordon.

Following the establishment of an east Donegal league by the Donegal Sports Partnership, CAKE will enter teams against neighbouring Raphoe, Letterkenny, Stranorlar and Lifford.

The will have five home and five away games.

Next Monday’s encounter against Stranorlar should be an entertaining and competitive one and spectators are more than welcome to come along.

The game will begin at 2 pm and end at around 4 pm.

Meanwhile, tickets are selling fast for the annual dinner dance for the older people of the area which will be held in the Villa Rose, Hotel, Ballybofey on Wednesday, March 12.

Anyone who wishes to go should contact the CAKE office as soon as possible on 074 91 49557, between 9 am and 1:30 pm.

There are only a few tickets remaining.

Bradford City manager Phil Parkinson has praised Carl McHugh proclaiming “He’s probably got the biggest heart of any player I’ve ever worked with” following McHugh’s crucial injury-time winner against Port Vale last week.  

McHugh celebrates scoring the vital winner against Port Vale last week that earned him special praise from his manager Phil Parkinson.

Leitirmacaward native McHugh earned praise from his manger for his desire to go ‘that extra yard’ and earn Bradford a crucial win.

Bradford had gone 14 games without a win before McHugh’s crucial intervention.

McHugh hadn’t featured as much as he liked earlier on this season but since the turn of the year he has been a regular fixture in the Bradford defence.

Parkinson likened McHugh’s goal as similar to the one he scored against Aston Villa last season in their crucial semi-final victory in the league cup.

Parkinson said,  ”We always talk to the lads about having that extra half a yard in desire, whether it’s sliding in to score a goal or defending at the other end.

“That’s what wins games and Carl showed it tonight.

“I’ve said it about Carl McHugh before. He’s probably got the biggest heart of a player I’ve ever worked with and the goal typified what he’s all about.

“He did it for us last year and he’s a massive threat in those situations.

“We’ve asked him to play slightly out of position but he stuck to his job and did well.

DDTV: St Eunan’s Letterkenny 4-10 St Malachy’s Belfast 0-5
The Danske Bank MacLarnon Cup is certain to make its way to Donegal next month after last night’s second semi-final at Garvaghey in which St Eunan’s Letterkenny emphatically scored an emphatic 17 points victory over St Malachy’s to set up a final meeting with Coláistí Inis Eoghain on St Patrick’s Day.

Indeed the result looked a formality at the break with St Eunan’s having played superbly against the elements to lead by 2-8 to 0-5.

St Malachy’s dug in during the second half and restricted the Donegal side to just 2-2. But they never looked like breaking down the Letterkenny defence for the goals needed to progress.

David Tyrell burst through for the first goal and Dara McDaid added a second in the opening half, while McDaid and Sean Hume split the posts for 3 points each.

St Malachy’s had 2 points each for Odhran Eastwood and Seamus McGarry, but their defence on several occasions coughed up possession rather easily and were quickly made to pay for it.

In the second half, McDaid found the net once more, as did Rory Carr. However by that point the game was over as a contest and a tasty derby final had been set up.
St Eunan’s : Dara McDaid 2-4, David Tyrell 1-1, Sean Hume 0-3, Niall O’Donnell 0-2.
St Malachy’s : Odhran Eastwood 0-2, Seamus McGarry 0-2, Ben Rice 0-1

IT’S that time of the year again – when students turn every day pieces of rubbish into incredible clothes.

And this incredible entry into Junk Kouture from three students at Coáliste Ailigh in Letterkenny is already winning hundreds of online votes.

The dress is the work of Kirsty Nic Giolla Bháin, Jessica Ní Ghallachóir and Aoibhinn Ní Mhuimhne.

There’s no finer gúna around.

So don’t just sit there – get voting for Calypso

Here’s the link

https://www.facebook.com/ERPIreland?sk=app_1405174289738922&app_data

The Donegal property market could be starting to show some real signs if the latest Allsop Property auction is anything to go by.

Four properties in Donegal sold on Tuesday and all for above the reserve price.

The properties which included an industrial unit and three houses – went under the hammer at the RDS on Tuesday.

They included 4,000 sq.ft. warehouse unit at Thorn Road in Letterkenny, which had a reserve of €50,000 but sold for €90,000.

All three of the houses, which were listed with reserves of €60,000 fared equally well.

A three-bedroom semi-detached house containing a two bedroom apartment with separate access at Beinn Aoibhinn, Gortlee, Letterkenny sold for €117,000.

A 1,600 sq.ft. detached four-bedroom dormer bungalow at Tirloughan, Carrigart went for €82,500; and a 1,500sq.ft. four bedroom detached house at Lawnsdale, Ballybofey sold for €88,000

Robert Hoban of Allsop Space said Donegal sales were really beginning to pick up.

“We’re delighted to see that level of activity. With a high number of overseas bidders, it’s also great to see that all but one of the Donegal properties were sold to local people, while the Carrigart house was bought by someone in Monaghan.”

St. Eunan’s GAA Club and the Sports Science Dept. at LYIT have entered into a partnership that will benefit both groups in the coming months and years.

On Wednesday, the first two groups from the club, the U16 and Minor Boys footballers were put through their paces by the LYIT Sports Science staff and students with a Functional Movement Screening for each player.

The screen will identify each players strengths and weaknesses with regards to agility, balance and co-ordination and the payers will then be given an individual programme to work to work to improve their techniques before being reassessed in 6 weeks’ time.

Together with the new GAA Activate warm-up the St. Eunan’s club hope that this new partnership will lead to both injury prevention and also improved performance.

Club coaching Officer Jim Clarke was at the forefront of this new initiative along with Head of Sports science, Dr. Lynn Ramsey and Ronan Doherty (Sports Science Lecturer).

“We have been very impressed with the Sports Science now on offer here in Letterkenny at LYIT,” said Jim.

“Sports Science now plays a huge part in preparing players and teams to get the best out of themselves performance wise and also through injury prevention. Obviously injuries cannot be avoided altogether but with the aid of science we can ensure we get players properly rehabbed and back on the playing fields quicker and in better condition.

“The players will have to take on board their individual programme themselves as when they are reassessed it will very obvious who has or hasn’t done the work” Jim enthused.

“This new relationship will work both ways as these students will have players that they can use for real data for their course work and projects and hopefully the club benefits both physically and mentally with better educated players who know what work is required to maximise their potential.

“We will be rolling out the Functional Movement Screening with other teams through the course of the year and we are very excited to use the expertise that now exists in LYIT in a mutually beneficial partnership that we hope will last for many years to come,” he concluded.

A MILD-mannered pensioner threatened and robbed at his Donegal home has been admitted to hospital suffering from the stress of the incident.

Gentle George Moore, who is 87, was one of the victims of the spate of attacks in the east of the county.

He had a knife waved at him and he was shaken at his home. Although his premises now has a state-of-the-art alarm and lights system, friends told Donegal Daily that George is now suffering from shock.

George had appeared at a public meeting in Manorcunningham two weeks ago alongside other victims of the sickening burglary attacks.

He is pictured here at that meeting.

Last night as hundreds of people turned out again to vow to prevent more incidents, Mr Moore wasn’t there.

“He is suffering from shock,” said one friend.

“George is the salt of the earth. He wouldn’t harm a fly but he just hasn’t got over what happened. He was left traumatised and we think he is suffering delayed shock after the incident.

“That’s what happens to good people when these evil people attack an innocent elderly person. It leaves them traumatised.

“This is what happens. It’s just dreadful.”

Another friend said: “You couldn’t meet a more innocent man. Everyone is praying for George and we hope he gets out of Letterkenny hospital soon.

“The whole community is right behind him and his family.”

People right across the communities of Donegal are being invited to join a community Text Alert scheme in a bid to crack down on the criminals.

A meeting will take place at the resource centre in Manor next Monday at 9pm. A report on last night’s meeting is in our news section on Donegal Daily.

Donegal is set to see forty post offices closed if the current social welfare contract is lost to An Post, the Irish Postmasters Union has warned this week.

This suggests that over 7% of the targeted closures across the country are in Donegal.

Despite comments by Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte this week that the Government has no plans to close any post office, few in the Donegal postal service are assured in any way by those comments since plans are already in place to farm out a range of services to Tesco and other commercial enterprises.

The Postmasters Union says the Govt plan for protecting the service is effectively a recipe for doing nothing.

The Union has challenged Pat Rabbitte that if he is serous about the future of the service, he should rescind immediately the contract with Tesco and Supervalue to deliver a “Post and Pay” service at their branches nationwide.

The Union and supporters, many from Donegal gathered outside Leinster House on Wednesday when a Dail motion proposed by the 16 members of the Technical Group of TDs was debated.

County Donegal now has 77 post offices and the Irish Postmasters Union has told the Tirconail Tribune that at least half of these will close under the proposals now being considered by An Post.

The Postmasters Union has challenged this week’s comments in the Dail by Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte that the Govt. has no plans to close any post office.

Brian McGann, General Secretary the IPU speaking on Sean O’Rourke’s Show on RTE Radio on Wednesday said that while the social welfare contract had been secured by An Post for the next two years, the Government was urging recipients to use the banking service and this would decimate the service.

Calling for Govt action Mr. McGann said that no single Department can solve this issue – it needs a combined Government approach, he claimed. He noted the Minister’s comments regarding An Post having to tender for business contracts.

However, Mr.McGann pointed out the Government needs to ensure that the network has a level playing field on which to compete.

“The driving licence renewal contract was an example of where the network could have been used very effectively. We have experience of passport renewals – we could have offered the service of driving licence renewals using the same model. However, severely restricting the number of locations for the provision the driving licence renewals to 34, effectively prevented Ireland’s network of 1,150 Post Offices from having a fair opportunity to compete for the business” Mr. McGann stated.

He says the postmasters are very concerned that no plan is in place that signifies the commitment of the Government on the future of the post office network.

The Grant Thornton Report has called on the Government to take action to secure the future of the Post Office network by highlighting the devastating impact, both social and economic, on communities across the country if the network collapses.

Mr McGann called on An Post to pull back from establishing an alternative network in partnership with Tesco.

“The possible partnership with Tesco is unacceptable to the Union and we have sought an urgent meeting with the company to express our concern and opposition to the development. We will not tolerate the establishment of a network that we believe will ultimately destroy the Irish Postmasters,” Mr McGann stated.

Pat Rabbitte has told the Dail this week that An Post was a commercial State company and received no exchequer subsidy.

He highlighted issues the network ignored “at its peril” including when business activity moved from the High Street to nearby shopping centres.

He also warned that business would suffer without electronic services.

“There really isn’t much point in expecting the world to stand still while An Post remains committed to over-the-counter business.”

The TD’s along with Pat Rabbitte stand accused of waffling and using flowery language that ignores the reality of the crisis facing half the country’s post office network.

The Postmasters Union (IPU) argues that 557 Post Offices nationwide would close down if the contract is lost in the next couple of years.

The Grant Thornton Report has found that by 2017 there would be a decline of 557 Post Offices (48%) in the network, which has 1,150 Post Offices at present. Urban and rural communities would be hit by the closures that would follow the loss of the social welfare contract.

In recent years many of our towns and villages have been decimated by the loss of the garda station, the post office, creamery office and the sad toll of emigration. In more extreme cases, the pub and the local shop have closed their doors, victims of emigration and changing consumer habits. In many locations across Donegal it is a struggle to find an ATM.

This indeed is the rule rather than the exception of life under the new regime of the Enda Kenny led Government where sound bites are the only response to the most serious concerns in our midst. The Government and Sate agencies surely must have a social responsibility towards the entire country.

While we need to continue to invest capital expenditure into the larger urban areas, we cannot simply ignore entire counties, communities and constituencies in the West of Ireland.

The general secretary of the Irish Postmasters’ Union, Brian McGann, has said that immediate government action is now needed to ensure the viability of the Post Office.

Rural Ireland needs as many post offices as can probably be kept viable. The two-year social welfare contract is currently held by An Post with possible extensions for up to four additional years.

However the Government is committed to moving to electronic payments as part of its eCommerce strategy and this is causing serious concern to the 1,150 postmasters around the country.

Commenting on the report’s findings Irish Postmaster Breid Gallagher, who represents Postmasters in Donegal, said immediate Government action was required to ensure the viability of the Post Office network into the future.

She says: “We may have won the contract in theory but the business is being diverted away on a daily basis. We cannot survive if this continues. We know that the Programme for Government contains a commitment to maintain the network of Post Offices but we are in no doubt that the network is under serious threat. There is no plan in place to ensure that that commitment is honoured and we need one urgently.”

Breid Gallagher also expressed the Union’s grave concern that An Post is partnering with Tesco to develop an alternative network that will seriously impact on the network.

This development, which is a result of Government inaction on maintaining the Post Office network, would destroy the network within two years, she predicted.

“The Union will resist this move, by direct action, if necessary,” she warned.

DONEGAL’S close knit communities will fight back against the burglars, a public meeting heard last night.

More than 900 people packed inside the resource centre in Manorcunningham to hear advice from Gardaí about recent burglars in east Donegal.

But a suggestion from Donegal County Councillor Ciaran Brogan could turn the fightback against crime into a county-wide effort.

It follows text alert schemes in Glenties and Ardara, supported by Gardaí.

Cllr Brogan took to the stage to suggest that there should be a “a leader in every townland” who could form part of a unique text alert scheme.

And now communities from across Donegal are being invited to another meeting in Manor next Monday (at 9pm) to learn how the warning system will work.

Local businessman Tony Morning revealed that money collected two weeks ago had been used to fit alarms and security lights in the homes of seven elderly people. Orbit Security had fitted them at cost price, whilst Sheridan Security and North West Alarms had now also offered to do the same for future jobs.

Brimac Security were also heavily involved in the supply and fitting of the alarms and security lighting for concerned pensioners at cost price.

Lifford-based Sgt Maurice Doyle gave advice to people at the meeting about what they could do with the Text Alert scheme.

But he said this was to report suspicious activity; anyone who saw a crime being committed should dial 999.

Meeting chair Jim Devenney said he had done just that last Monday.

“I don’t want to go into the detail, but two Garda cars were at the scene within seven minutes,” he said.

One local man wanted to know if he could shoot someone stealing a trailer from his farm.

However Gda Doyle said only reasonable force could be used and he “strongly advised” against such actions; another speaker asked if he was allowed to slap someone if he saw them on premises illegally.

After Cllr Brogan’s suggestion, people queued up to give their details and volunteer as Text Alert members for their town lands.

Mr Morning said: “This can be used right across the county. If someone is in Kilmacrennan or Convoy or wherever they are welcome to come along next week.

“This cannot be done by a few. The whole community needs to get involved.”

He also said he wanted to make it clear that some names were being used in relation to attacks on elderly people in the area.

“This has to stop,” he said.

“I have been approached by some people who say they are completely innocent but rumours have started and their names used. We cannot allow this to go on. We need to leave that to the Gardaí. People are innocent until they are proven guilty in court. I want this to stop immediately.”

Another Manor man said the anti-crime initiative needed to be widened.

“Everyone here knows what I’m talking about. We live beside a main road and four or five nights a week, in the middle of the night, up to 15 cars are screeching and racing up and down the road for an hour. We need to tackle anti-social behaviour as well,” he said.

He said the noise might not frighten younger people like him but would terrify elderly people.

Over the last thirty years Foy’s Ballybofey have helped thousands of Donegal homeowners re-design their own homes and now Foy’s are planning on re-designing their own home as they get set to re-locate.    

Foy’s have formally announced plans to relocate their paint shop from Herdman’s Retail Park Sessionghneil into their store on the Main Street, in Ballybofey.

Foy’s aim is to be your one stop shop for all your interior needs and designs.

Foy’s have built up a stellar reputation over the years for providing first class customer service excellence .

Having been in operation on the Main Street in Ballybofey since 1981 they have overseen many changes throughout the years but one aspect that has never changed at Foy’s was the quality of products on offer to customers at affordable prices.

Foy’s have earned a reputation over the years for tailoring to the needs of all, priding themselves in offering their customers quality service and products.

Foy’s concept is about making design, furniture, lighting, wallpaper and colours come together in your home.

They aim to help you create an interior that is unique in style yet affordable.

Their highly trained staff have a wealth of skill and knowledge to offer you expert advice and cater for everyone’s tastes and budgets.

Foy’s decision to relocate the paint, wallpaper and hardware departments to Main Street Ballybofey was to allow them to offer customers many different styles and types of wallpaper from leading manufactures.

Their paint department will carry leading brands such as Dulux, Fleetwood, Colortrend and Ronseal.

Foy’s paint department also has a large range of specialist paints, primers varnishes to suit all surfaces and applications.

Their décor expert staff will guide customers with colurschemes and help them to co-ordinate with wallpaper patterns.

Not content with offering all you need to design your home, Foy’s have announced they will continue to stock a full Toymaster range to highlight the fact they can provide for all members of the family.

You can find them on Facebook by searching Foy’s Donegal or alternatively check out their web site at www.foys.ie.

Foy’s extend a warm invitation to everyone to call into their store, meet their professional team, view their quality products and receive satisfaction that you can decorate your home with quality value and style.

It’s back and the details of the eagerly anticipated Lord of The Ring 5 rematch between St.Eunan’s GAA club and Letterkenny Rugby Club have been announced. 

The training has started, the push ups have almost started, sneaky punches are flowing and this year’s Lord of The Ring 5, the original and biggest fight night  - Letterkenny RFC vs St. Eunan’s GAA club is officially up and running.

Paul Carr’s wonder-punch, somebody finally getting Boyd Robinson into a ring,
a sell-out, a set-up call it what you will – but last year’s event was a cracker and this one will be bigger, louder, faster and more entertaining than ever before!

This is the fifth installment of the series and just like the classic Rocky films they continue to get even better, this year’s rematch promises to be the best line-up of fights yet.

The Mount Errigal Hotel will host the event on March the 14th and another sell-out crowd is expected to pack into the venue for another night of cracking entertainment.

With a fantastic array of first-time boxers and a couple of ringers from bygone days it promses to be a night not to be missed.

Niall Doherty, Brian McDermott, Sean Feeney and Elaina Gallagher will be out for St. Eunan’s to rub the LRFC noses in it again this year.

Egg-chasers fear not – with Brian Peoples, Edel Bradley, Ronan O’Donnell, Ciaran Clarke and lifelong LRFC stalwart Leonard Watson out to defend Letterkenny Rugby Club’s honour and wrestle back the crown of Letterkenny’s toughest club.

Nothing makes for motivation like rivalry, especially being on the wrong side last year’ s battle!!

“Letterkenny RFC and St. Eunan’s GAA Club would like to recognise and thank O’Gorman & Cunningham Solicitors for their enduring support of local clubs in Letterkenny – we are delighted once to have them on board as the event’s title sponsors.”  

Tickets can be attained through the Mount Errigal Hotel, Charlie Robinson & Sons (074 9120990) & Blake’s Bar, Letterkenny and by also contacting the clubs directly.

Check out the photos and videos of your (least!) favourite boxers from training and watch word spread the ORIGINAL and BIGGEST fight night show is back!!!

Donegal Daily will be publishing profiles on all of the fighters over the next few weeks starting with profiles on six fighters today as the anticipation for the big event builds.

Name: Ciaran “White Lightening” Clarke

Occupation: Gym Instructor/Lifeguard

Boxing Style: Big Hitter  

At 23 Ciaran is already a sporting veteran having spent many years tearing it up for Letterkenny Rugby Club in addition to TWO All-Ireland College’s medals.

With ambitions to own his own gym, Ciaran has taken on the ‘new challenge’ of Lord Of The Ring 5 with serious effort in training – head down and gloves up from the first night.

At 95kgs he is one of the biggest men in this year’s event and it would appear his mother’s fears of him ‘getting his nose broke’ seem a bit far-fetched at this stage – it will be take a mighty machine to do it.

Name: Brian “Barney Rock” McDermott

Occupation: Teacher

Boxing Style: Hardy Buck

Motivated by the ‘opportunity to train with Niall Doherty’ the other Hawthorn Heights man, McDermott, has nothing to prove on a football field having had a lengthy and successful playing career with St. Eunans.

Enjoying training somewhere ‘apart from a muddy pitch’, Barney is fired up and his commitment in training hasn’t eased a bit (says Damian Daly).

A fishing and bee-keeping enthusiast, he ‘fears’ KO-ing his opponent on the night and to that end is enjoying the sparring in training ‘being able to hit someone without saying sorry!’.

McDermott has the ‘bit between his teeth’ as the photos on the LOTR5 Facebook page will confirm!

Name: Leonard “Silver Bullet” Watson

Occupation: Owner – Watson Menswear

Boxing Style: Scrapper

“Don’t back off and just keep throwing”, the boxing philosophy of the popular Lord of the Ring veteran.

Recently celebrating a milestone birthday didn’t deter the irrepressible owner of the Watson Menswear on the Main Street from – although by his own admission part of his ambition was to “fight Boyd Robinson” no such luck!

The “wife thinks he’s too old”, while he fears for all others in his way. Training is good banter but not easy – not unlike another aspect of his life, being a Liverpool supporter!

Name:                  Edel “The Diesel Queen” Bradley
Occupation:        Bus Driver
Boxing Style:      Dynamo

“It was on the bucket list” a good enough reason to get involved!  Training hard and enjoying the new experience of sparring, Edel is an avid mountaineer and hill walker who will no doubt be leaving others with mountains to climb in the ring.

Sparring like a pro’ yet laughing all the way, bubbly and brutal probably sums it up.

Mother doesn’t want to watch her getting hit in the face – she needn’t worry.

The affable assassin is well fit to fight her corner!

A massive fan of the Irish Rugy team, the bus driver with ambitions on a big bus at CIE actually lists “women drivers!!!” as her pet hate!!

Name:                  Paddy “The Kiwi” Gallagher
Occupation:        Available for work
Boxing Style:      Big Hitter

Throwing his body on the line for the St. Eunan’s club he grew up beside, Paddy has ‘worn the t-shirt’ before, boxing in two previous fund-raising events.

The well regarded hurler has Ulster medals at both minor and reserve level – his determination and rocky-steady aggression still serving him well in the training and sparring so far this year.

Dislikes: “All things Ballyshannon”, Paddy is currently busy working hard at “developing his coaching and management” skills on a number of sporting projects.

A serious worker in training, with experience to rely on, PG represents a man not to underestimated!

Name:                  David “Walks On” Water
Occupation:        Civil Servant
Boxing Style:      Speed Merchant

Having missed out on last year’s event, Waters will be going full-gun for whoever is (un)lucky enough to be put before him in at the Lord of the Ring Fight 5 fight night.

Light on his feet and with Paul Daniels-like speed (!!) in his hands, Waters plays-well the part of a boxer!

Training is “fun” (is he saying Danny Ryan going soft?) and he is really enjoying the competitive atmosphere, but more than anything he now just wants to get into the ring.

A thinker, he states his working ambition as “to finish it” a dark horse indeed, the man has pedigree – he’s Henry Shefflin’s cousin!!!

For more information check out their Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Letterkenny-White-Collar-Boxing-Event/106411936059809

The people of Donegal can talk to Joe tomorrow!

Now only that but they can also see him and a host of other well-knwon personalities.

RTE broadcaster Joe Duffy will be doing Liveline Funny Friday from the Lough Eske Castle Hotel, outside Donegal Town tomorrow.

The show will be live on air from 1.45…the audience can arrive from around midday.

All the usual Funny Friday crew will be there June Rodgers, Brush Shiels, Sil Fox, Doc Savage, Conal Gallen, Packie O’Callaghan etc….and of course Joe Duffy.

Everyone is invited along. So get ahead – talk to Joe!

Cloughaneely GAA Notes

Bhí slua an mhór í lathair ag babhta leath ceannais Scór a bhí ar siúl í halla na paroíste, Gort a Choirce oíche De Sathairn, Comhghairdeas do na daoine uilig a chuidiú ar an oíche go haraithe Maíre Mc Manus a eagrú an ocaid, Mary & Marie Mc Clafferty, Anne & Fiona Nic Suibhné a chur an tae & sólaistí ar fáil ar an oíche.   

Buíochas do Eddie Mc Fadden & Martin Duggan a d’amharc in dhiadh an stáitse agus do Paddy Mc Clafferty a rinne an doras.

Comhghairdeas mór do Carmel Ní Chuirreain a rinne jab iontach mar bean an tí le linn an chomórtaís.

Caithfidh buíochas mór dul ag na mná uilig as an paroíste a rinne bhácáil don oiche agus do John Mc Clafferty & Seamus (Doc) Gallagher a d’amharc ina dhiadh an páirceál taobh amuigh den halla.

Buíochas fosta do an tAthair Séan chun an halla a tabhairt duínn do’n comortas agus do Con O’Domhnaill agus Grace Mc Carron as coiste an Chondae a cuidí go mhór ar an oíche.

Rinne iomaitheoiri CLG Chloich Cheann Fhaola an maith ar an oíche agus fuar trí foireann on gClub fríd chuig an babhta ceannais a bheiths ar suil í Gleann tSuílí ag 7.30 de sathairn seo, se sin Foirne Rince, Ceol Urlishí agus Rince Set, adh mór daofa uilig sna cluichí ceannais.

There will be a club Quiz taking Place in the Shamrock this Saturday night starting at 9pm.

The questions will be based on GAA and the Premier league and organiser Kevin Scanlon believes that these questions shouldn’t be too testing on the Club players, as certain players struggled on general Knowledge questions in previous years, Teams of Four with prizes and bragging rights for the Champions.

The Club minor team have their first game of the season this Sunday against Mulroy Gaels at home, best of luck to the team.

The U-16 PCC Gaelic Team have reached the Ulster Final which Is a massive achievement, we wish the team continued success in the final especially our Club players and especially club members Stephen Doohan & Christopher Smyth who are managing the Team.

It is expected that the Senior and Reserve teams will begin their league campaigns during the weekend of the 21st of March and pre season is going well.

National GAA Draw tickets are available from any club member at a price of €10, there are great prizes available and all proceeds go to the local Club.

Gym memberships are now being taken and we urge members of the Community to call down to see the fine facility which we have to offer the Cloughaneely Community.

The Club and wider community were delighted ot learn that Aogán Ó’Fearghail was elected President of Cumann Lúthchleas Gael, Aogan has many links in the local community and we wish him the very best in his role which commences in 2015.

We also wish to conratulate Niall Erskine from Killybegs and who attended school in Falcarragh on being elected to Coiste bainistí of the national Association.

Donegal Enterprise Week is set to kick off on Monday with two of the most sought-after topics by Donegal businesses – Marketing and Motivation.

Gary Brown will help keep off Donegal Enterprise Week

The week-long programme of free events will get under way in the Mount Errigal Hotel at 9am on Monday when Gary Brown of Target McConnells hosts a Marketing Workshop.

Later that evening, international speaker and best-selling author Kevin Kelly will provide the first of the week’s motivational sessions and as the week progresses other areas of interest to local business will be well covered.

With access to finance a hugely important issue for business in the current climate, it is not surprising that there has already been a keen interest shown in Tuesday night’s events on accessing bank finance.

“Marketing has always been a favourite topic at Enterprise Week over the years and I have no doubt that Gary Brown’s workshop on Monday morning will be a huge benefit to local businesses,” said Michael Tunney, CEO of Donegal County Enterprise Board.

“Gary is an Irish business and marketing expert of international repute. An international Marketing speaker on Relationship Marketing and Direct Marketing and a winner of over 75 Gold awards for Sales Marketing campaigns run in Ireland. His campaigns have won Gold awards from the Marketing Institute, the Irish Direct Marketing Association and the Irish Sales Promotion Association. He is also the only recipient of a Lifetime Achievement award from the Irish Direct Marketing Association.”

Monday’s marketing theme will continue in the afternoon with a Marketing Masterclass hosted by Carol O’Kelly of Redstorm while Kevin Kelly’s motivational session in Radisson Blue Hotel on Monday is also sure to be a huge hit.

“Kevin is a leading authority on the success principles of entrepreneurship, leadership, sales and motivation. Bachelor of Commerce degree graduate form NUI Galway he worked in companies in the construction and manufacturing sectors before setting up his own company, Advanced Marketing Ltd. in 1990.

Now a sought after keynote speaker, Kevin speaks on the entrepreneurial mindset, motivation and leadership, trust-based sales and customer service.”

Of course, as always, there is a fantastic range of events and speakers lined up for the week, but with bookings flooding in quickly and places limited in some of the events – anyone interested in an event is urged to make sure they register well in advance.

All events are free but registration is necessary and full details of the events and registration are available on www.donegalenterprise.ie

In addition text information and reminders about Donegal Enterprise Week are also available by sending free text – DEW to 50015.

County & City Enterprise Boards are funded by the Irish Government and part-funded by the European Union under the National Development Plan 2007-2013.