
With Jimmy Walsh
Windgap Tullahought Notes Feb. 3rd.
FOOTBALL IN FRANCE: Making the French connection in Football is local Club player Stephen Purcell who is currently training with Paris Gaels Gaelic Footballers. Wearers of the blue of France the side train for two hours under lights in Pantone Rugby club in the north eastern section of Paris. Stephen previously wore the renowned yellow and blue colours of Clermont the rugby famed city of Clermont in the French championship. Stephen is currently teaching English in Danton Bleriot in the Parisian suburb Enjvalois. In Paris the Gaels training panel is made up of almost half Irish and French and is completed by a Chinese and a Hungarian player. Grandson of Edward Purcell who played in goal for the county seniors in the heyday of Kilkenny football. Stephen will miss the French championship as he hopes to return home in the spring to assist the local hurling side in the junior championship. Continuing the Clermont football training connection was Shane Walsh who also studied in the City.
MIXED BAG: The Mixed bag award went to Anthony Kearney who shot Snipe, Woodcock, Pheasant, Rabbit and Pigeon. As tales and tails were told of the ones that got away, concern was expressed that the amount of good shooting country was in decline. This was put down to the clearance of ditches and hedgerows and the growing amount of annual hedge cutting as farming methods intensified. Thanks were extended to those who sponsored prizes and also those who attended and supported the event that raised €1000 on the night for the school. Thanked too was Neil McEvoy the Kilkieran Cottage Restaurant chef and his crew who prepared the food. Raffle prize-winners on the night were Deidre O’Shea, John Smith, Sean Murphy, Tony Doyle, Colin Barry, Eamon and Breda Meehan, Therese Walsh, and Sean Maher
VALENTINES DAY: A date with a difference takes place when the next Hurling Club Progressive 25 Card Drive takes place in Guinans on February 14th at 8.45 pm. All are welcome.
SCHOOL HURLING: Hurling Coach James Meagher visited Windgap last Monday and will be starting coaching in the school from next Tuesday 4th, for a 5 week block. It continues on 11th, 18th, 25th and finishes on the 4th March. All sessions are at 11.30am. In the coming weeks County Coaching officer Brendan O'Sullivan will be leading a team to meet the Club Juvenile Chairman, Juvenile Secretary and Club Coaching Officer to discuss the club coaching plans for the year and to see if the club needs any help the coaching area.
CAMOGIE AGM: The Camogie AGM takes place in the Clubrooms on Friday 21st of February at 8pm. It will be followed by Club registration on the following Sunday 23rd at 10.30am
HURLING AND CAMOGIE PRESENTATIONS: The presentation of the County Senior Camogie League trophies and the Southern Junior Hurling Championship medals takes place in Powers’ of Tullahought on Friday next at 9pm. The first time ever for the Camogie Club to win a senior title and only the fourth time to win a Divisional Junior title a large crowd is expected. There will be live music and food on the night and all are invited to attend.
LOTTO RESULTS: This weeks Winning Numbers were 5, 11, 13, 22 and Bonus 20. They resulted in match three Ed Howe and Michael O'Shea with On Line player John Dollard also winning. Weeks Prize fund, €5,650
WINDGAP HALL AND DEVELOPMENT: A meeting between the Hall Finance committee, the Playground Committee and the Windgap Community Development Company to streamline plans will take place on Tuesday in the Clubrooms at 8p.m.
FIRST COMMUNION: May 19th is the date of the 1st Holy Communion in Windgap and there is no Confirmation in the parish this year.
UNSOCIABLE BEHAVIOUR: After a successful concerted effort by the community to keep a herd of cows moving from winter pastures to their farmyard from damaging the grass margins in Tullahought Village they were again destroyed by traffic driving onto them on Friday and Saturday evenings last.
CLUB MERCHANDISE: Currently available in most sizes are Club Hoodies, Jerseys and Hurling Balls all at cost price. Also available in time for the new season training are large red training jerseys, adult togs at cut prices along with and a number of rain jackets. For further details contact any committee member or call 051 648366.
WINDGAP SENIOR CLUB: Twenty four second level students with connections in Windgap registered as members of Windgap Senor Youth Club in the Parochial House. With events scheduled to commence in the coming weeks the trained leaders include Michelle O’Gorman, Mona Lomax, Marie Anne Hayes, Julie Anne Walsh, Liz Jackson, Celia, Mairead O’Rourke, Barbra Kelly, Triona Moloney, Lena Young and Rachel Murray.
FAUGHEEN AGAINST PYLONS: Following the meeting hosted by the Faugheen against Pylons group and the ongoing communications with the Suir Valley Action Group and the East Coast PAA (Pylon Alternative Alliance) along with the constantly changing feedback from Government ministers on the Eirgrid proposals the groups are considering contesting the forthcoming local elections in some areas.
JUNIOR YOUTH CLUB: The Junior Club will meet in Windgap Community Centre on Friday 28th of February from 3 to 4pm. To participate a person has to register and pay the €10 registration fee to any committee member. The group will meet fortnightly and a €2 fee is required to cover costs. Club rules and consent forms are being organised and will be sent to each registered member by Friday 21st. They can be returned to the organising committee of Lena Young, Helen Walsh, Triona Moloney, Michelle O'Brien and Mairead O'Rourke
YEAR BOOK ARCHIVES: All editions of the Kilkenny GAA Yearbook from 1972 to 2012 are now online on the County website kilkennygaa.ie under the Resources tab. The valuable archive contains many references to the current and previous teams in the area. It has been provided compliments of Gerry O'Neill and the County Year Book and IT committees
NOTES: Contributors and Clubs are invited to email items for publication with a name and contact number to windgapnotes@gmail.com by Sunday evenings at 6pm. For all the local news visit the parish website windgap.ie run by Noel Smith.