Down GAA Update EXTRA TIME – Saturday 2nd May 2020

A Chara

Hope this email finds you all well, we just wanted again to say Hello, to see how you are all doing and to hope that you and your family are all staying well and staying safe. We appreciate that this is becoming a difficult time for many people but this is the time when we stay the pace and Please God we will all come good.

We just wanted to update you on Matters and in particular in regard to Fixtures, there has been much speculation in the Press in the past week and indeed our Uachtaran John Horan was forced to clarify matters and put the record straight at the start of this week.

The facts of the Matter are that we do not know if there will be any resumption of activities anytime soon, talk of resumption of training, testing of players and Championship dates are all just speculation and largely Media Speculation. Coiste Chontae an Dúin is committed to ensuring that you our Clubs will hear first from us of any definite return to activity, our Officers are engaged with Provincial and National GAA bodies regularly, our own Coiste Banisti will meet by way of Microsoft Teams on Monday night coming, so I assure you that we are fully engaged in the process, we will continue to keep you updated by means of this weekly bulletin which we encourage you to share with your members.

Once again we thank you for the tremendous work that you are doing day and daily in your Clubs and in your community to help make a difference to the lives of many in our Society, your simple act of kindness and good nature to a fellow parishioner or neighbours is greatly appreciated. On behalf of Down GAA we applaud the great work of all Frontline workers, many of whom are our members, our players, our administrators, our coaches and our supporters, we say thank you for just being the people that you are and we are proud to have you in our midst.

SYMPATHY PREMISES CHECK

In these strange and difficult times and with guidelines in place around Wakes and Funerals, it can happen that we are not aware of the passing of a Gael in the community, that is why we ask you again to let us know by contacting myself if someone in your Club has died, we

can then acknowledge that sad passing and perhaps provide some Last week we asked to ensure to comfort to the bereaved family. maintain your property especially at this time when it is not in use, it Only this week we learned of the would be a good exercise too to passing in the past month of record your property check by George Gilmore a member of the simply taking note of the date and All Winning Junior time of the visit, who carried out Team of 1964, George played with the visit and what was checked. and will be remembered especially by his team mates of This only helps protect your Club in 1964 for the two goals he scored in the case that there would ever be a the Final win over Antrim need in a worst case scenario of an that year. Insurance Claim.

We were also saddened to learn of Please Don't forget when doing the death of John McGrath of your check to make sure and run Bright Club who was a former the water in your Dressing Rooms.

Manager, Chairman and Scór team member over the years and always helped out where and when he could. Many will remember Master McGrath as the Principal of Legamaddy Primary where many young people got their first love of under his tutelage.

We also extend our sympathy to the Drumaness Club on the death of Terry Walsh brother of Maurice and to our good friend and Mourne Observer photographer Pat O Hare on the death of his father Jimmy Joe.

In these strange and difficult times we just wish to record our sympathy on behalf of the family that is Down GAA to those who have lost loved ones in the past week and to assure you all that you are in our thoughts.

CLUBS DRAW GRANTS FOR SPORTS CLUBS WINNERS FOR APRIL

The Down GAA Clubs Draw It might be of benefit to some of continues each month and I am our Clubs to check out the links sure that those who made a great below in regard to eligibility for a effort in the Draw are seeing the grant to Sports Clubs, some of our benefit now to their Club Finances, GAA Clubs will be eligible. the monthly payments to Clubs for their DD sales continue to be made Sports Clubs have been included on and hopefully this goes to help Club the list of eligible applicants if they Cash flows. have a Net Annual Value (NAV) of between £15,001 and £51,000. The Draw winners for April were as follows: Scheme closing date: 20 May 2020 5 x £1,000 Prize Winners

Aughlisnafin: Please click here for simple way to 20AN012 Gerard O’Hare check if you are eligible is to

Atticall: access 20AL071 Hugh McGrillen

Drumgath: 20DH135 Gerry Grant

Clonduff: 19CL055 Paul Maginn

Burren: 20BU590 Patsy Heaney

Club Winners £200 each More details on other Funding Saval: opportunities can be found on the 20SA175 Seamus Sands Sport NI Website

Shamrocks: Please click here to go directly to 20SS139 Elizabeth Treanor the Sport NI Website

St. Johns: 20SJ197 Catherine McKeever

St Pauls: 20SP083 Paddy Campbell

CLUB DOWN

Tune in to Club Down's Facebook page and YouTube channel this Sunday for the first in our series of video interviews, with past and present players and friends of Down GAA.

First up, the 1990's squad... Throw in - 3:30pm

ARCHIVE – THE MEN OF 1946

We are thankful this week to Martin Durkan of Bredagh and formerly Mitchels who sent us these wonderful autographed Menu Cards from the Celebration Dinner for the 1946 All Ireland Junior Football Winning Team (Attached) There are many famous names here and we hope that Clubs will share this with family members who may like to see this artefact.

In 1946 when Down Junior Footballers overcame Louth in the All Ireland Junior Semi Final and thus qualified to meet Leitrim who had defeated Kerry in the other Semi Final, in what was then known as the Home Final. The Final was eventually fixed for the 13th of October that year and with a seven-week interval after the semi-final, the Team went into collective training in the now demolished St Colman’s Hall in Newry.

The Late great Father Esler after whom today’s Ground in Newry is named, took charge of putting all arrangements in place, he borrowed beds from local schools and coached and cajoled all other essentials from local traders. He was a man ahead of his time in terms on In Kind Sponsorship!

The news of Collective Training soon spread, and interest grew in the Team and how they would do on the big day, 10,000 people gathered in Breffni Park on 13th October, Leitrim had previously won the Home final in 1938 before falling to London in the Final so both teams were hungry for success.

This was the Home Final as it was known then and thanks to goals by Jimmy Heaney of Derrylecka and Thomas Brown of Clonduff, Down were winners 2-7 to 2-3 . In days of slow motorised travel, the Team came home to a midnight reception in Newry, the local bands led a parade from the Dublin Road to the Team Base at St Colman’s Hall where Father Esler welcomed and congratulated the Team and all who had played a part.

The Final was a curtain raiser to the Senior replay between Kerry and Roscommon and the team were cheered off from Newry on the Saturday and would stay over to the Sunday and post-match they would be the guests of the Down Association in Dublin. History would show that Down beat Warwickshire in the Junior Final 2-10 to 1-9 and it was then the beginning, a first All-Ireland Title for Down. There were links too with Teams yet to come, Peter McDermott a trainer of the 46 Team would return again to guide the Team of 1960, Gerry Brown player and Trainer in 1946 would manage Down to win the All Ireland in 1968. Aidan Carr a sub in 1946 would see his son Ross win an All-Ireland in 1991 and 1994.

The men of 1946 who beat Leitrim that October day in Breffni Park were the men who helped make us who we are, they sowed the seed and cleared the path for others to follow.

We owe them a great debit, let us remember them and who they were: Emmett McGivern (Warrenpoint), Paddy O Hagan (Clonduff), Andy Murnin (Clonduff), Harry Downey (Banbridge), Gerry Brown (Newry), Eamon Grant (Clonduff), Noel McCarthy (), Gerry Carr (Warrenpoint), Joe Haughian (Ballymartin), Gerry Doherty (Ballykinlar), Thomas Brown (Clonduff), Des Downey (Banbridge), Dan Kennedy (Glenn), Henry Brown (Clonduff) and Jimmy Heaney (Derrylecka)

Subs: Kevin O Hare (Glenn), Malachy Short (Newry), Willie McKibben (Castlewellan), Paddy Brown (Clonduff), Barney Shields (Saul), Aidan Carr (Warrenpoint) and Pat Rodgers (Castlewellan).

The Team Trainers were Peter McDermott and Gerry Brown assisted by Micksy McMahon and Owenie McManus.

WEBINARS FOR DOWN SONG & CLUB OFFICERS

The following webinars will be delivered in the next few weeks:

Using Microsoft Teams and Forms This webinar aims to recap on how County Officers and Operations Staff can use Microsoft Teams to

organise Committee meetings. There has been a great response Also, it will cover how voting can from our Clubs to date in regard to be managed using Microsoft the call for Singers and Musicians Forms. It will be presented by to participate in the Down Song. Gerard Bradley and Noel Tierney.

We really do want someone from Who: every Club to participate and now All County Officers and Operations the call is going out to the following Staff Clubs: When: • Aghaderg Thursday, 7 May from 6 – 7 p.m.

• An Riocht Where: • Ballycran Live Broadcast via Microsoft Teams • Ballygalget • Ballykinlar How: • Bredagh Access the webinar at the time by • Bright CLICKING HERE. • Burren • Carryduff • Clann na Banna • Darragh Cross • RGU Downpatrick • Glenn • Kilclief • Mitchel's • St John Bosco Personal Wellbeing • St Pauls This webinar aims to introduce • Teconnaught participants to approaches and resources to safeguard their Please contact personal wellbeing during the Paula Magee to ensure that your COVID-19 pandemic. Club is part of this whole County initiative. It will be presented by Alan Kerins, Tom Parsons and Colin Regan.

Please play your part and let your Who: members Sing a Song for Down. All County Officers and Operations Staff, plus Club Officers

Paula's contact details are When: 077 5398 7224 Tuesday, 12 May from 7 – 8:15 p.m. or email [email protected] Where: Live Broadcast via Microsoft Teams

How: Access the webinar at the time by CLICKING HERE.

*** Note - Live broadcasts are different to regular online meetings via Microsoft Teams. Participants can only hear and see the presenters and the slide show. They cannot see or hear other participants, so it is more private. The only way to interact with the speakers is through the chat feature which facilitates questions and answers.

E-MAIL GUIDANCE

It is important that people be vigilant about Phishing Emails - criminals trying to convince you to click on links within a scam email or text message, or to give sensitive information away (such as bank details).

There has been an increase of phishing especially at this time when working and studying norms are so different. In particular we would remind you:

• Be SUSPICIOUS of emails that ask for personal / company information;

• NEVER send your password or personal information in response to an email;

• NEVER activate or act on an email which has been routed to your junk mail. It’s there for a reason;

• Hovering over links in email will show the actual URL at the bottom – find the website yourself;

• Slow down - Research the facts - Do not click on links

• If you are unsure whether the email is legitimate contact the company directly to verify it. Do not use the contact number on the email to do this.

Delete the email and reset your password in case it has been compromised.

STAFFING SURVEY OF GOOD WORK

Just to update you that all of our A reminder to please take the time Coaching and Admin Staff have had and complete the survey as to be placed on the Furlough requested by GAA to outline the Scheme good work being done by our GAA Clubs in regard to Community Any enquiries you have re Support in Covid-19. Coaching, Accounts or any other matters should be directed to: Please click here for a link to the Survey County Secretary Sean Og McAteer: [email protected] or to the relevant elected County Officer.

VIDEOS

We are including here some links for Down games in the past in Football and Hurling, we are hopeful that soon the GAA Archives will have available Ulster Finals from the 1960's onwards and it will be great to see highlights of these games.

We will keep you informed when they become available.

Highlights of the 2005 Down v Offaly Down v Fermanagh

Minor All Ireland Final Hurling 1995 Ulster SFC 2012

Down v Donegal 1991 Down v Derry 1988 Down v Westmeath

Ulster SFC Final Ulster SFC 1st Rd Hurling

Seán Óg Mac an tSaoir

Seán Óg McAteer Runaí Coiste Chontae an Dúin 46-48 Main Street, Castlewellan, . BT31 9DG

Mobile : 07739700705 Tel: 028 437 70880