Public urged to support Nenagh Éire Óg plans
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Catherine Ryan, Director of Nursing Nenagh Hospital, presents John Tooher, Chairperson Nenagh Éire Óg, with a ‘Thank You’ letter on behalf of hospital staff for €500 worth of vouchers that the club recently donated to staff for a raffle to show the GAA club’s appreciation of the dedication the staff have always shown, but particularly since the outbreak of the Covid pandemic.Image 2 of 2
At the presentation of five €100 vouchers to staff at Nenagh Hospital by Éire Óg GAA club are, from left: Josephine Mackey Treasurer, Nenagh Éire Óg; Jessy George, Mary Minogue, Marjorie Roberts, Deidre Ryan, Denis O’Farrell and John Tooher, Chairperson Nenagh Éire Óg.As the fundraising campaign begins on an ambitious €1.3 million plan to transform MacDonagh Park in Nenagh in to a state-of-the-art sports and recreational facility that will incorporate a new training pitch, a hurling wall and a floodlit 2.5 kilometre greenbelt walkway and jogging amenity for the town, Nenagh Éire Óg GAA Club is urging as many people in the town and surrounding areas as possible to support its Community Lotto.
The revenue from the lotto, which is a core fundraiser to fund the sporting and social activities of the club’s 600 members, is also vital to help the club provide the wonderful new proposed facilities and club Chairman John Tooher is urging everyone to row behind the club and support it.
The club was forced to close its traditional way of conducting its lotto from December to February due to the pandemic but it subsequently opened again virtually with numbers drawn on WhatsApp video.
GIVING BACK
And yet, at a time when Éire Óg needs such unprecedented funds and donations, it still manages to give back to people and organisations who serve the community in such wonderful ways.
As part of its Community Lotto, the club runs a lotto charity programme that has seen funds donated to really worthy causes in the Nenagh area. As part of this programme Éire Óg has to date donated €500 each to six groups and sectors serving the town and surrounds in exemplary fashion.
The groups who have so far benefited from these €500 contributions from the club are the Friends of Nenagh Hospital, Tipp Search and Rescue Unit, Ormond Special Olympics, Nenagh Lions Club and staff at Nenagh Hospital who have served the community so well, showing tremendous commitment and dedication always, but especially since the outbreak of the pandemic last year.
On Friday last the club presented €100 vouchers each to five staff representatives from the hospital. The vouchers are being put up as prizes in a draw for all staff in the hospital. “This is our way of saying ‘Thank You’ for the Covid stress they all worked under,” said Mr Tooher.
Meanwhile, Éire Óg’s charity lotto programme is ongoing, despite its own heavy financial commitments to provide the wonderful new facilities. The next designated charity in the community chosen to benefit from the €500 donation programme will be Nenagh Rape Crisis Centre.
GREAT SADNESS
All of this comes at a time of deep sadness in the club following the recent death of its former Chairman and Life President Ger Gavin on Friday, May 21st. As a mark of respect to Ger, senior and juvenile players gathering for training at MacDonagh Park on the evening of his passing staged a minute’s round of applause to show their appreciation of the great work Ger had done for the club and for the kindness he showed to every member. A group of his friends and his family also attended what was a very special and moving event.
BIG THANKS
Mr Tooher told The Guardian that the financial and moral support for the club has been “extraordinary” at this important time in its long history and he thanked everyone for showing such amazing commitment to Éire Óg’s plans.
He revealed that the club will be starting construction on its new hurling wall at the end of this month, with the August Bank Holiday weekend being the target for completion date.
Mr Tooher said preliminary work has also been undertaken on planning the new walkway from the Dark Road which will be a superb amenity for everyone to enjoy.
The club has never been busier now that Covid restrictions have been eased further. All its juvenile, camogie, junior and senior panels are back training, which is proving a hectic job for Catherine McTiernan who is doing a great job coordinating the training slots - proof positive that the new planned training field is badly needed.
As the club approaches the first anniversary of its lotto relaunch, some changes are planned. It will contine to donate €500 to a local charity every ten weeks. But from the end of July it will once again introduce weekly Lucky Dip prizes, which will replace the current supplementary draw that it currently holds every ten weeks. When the weekly jackpot is not won there will be three lucky dip prizes of €50.