This week’s edition of Extra Time can be viewed online by Clicking here This week’s edition of Extra Time can be download in PDF Format by Clicking here Hello and Welcome to the latest edition of Extra Time. This weekend sees the return of spectators to our Grounds and hopefully everyone will follow guidelines and stay safe. This is not a time to be selfish, we need to keep doing the simple things and doing them well for the good of our players, mentors, referees and supporters, so please just do the simple things, wash your Hands, keep your Distance and be mindful for others. Shutting down of Club Activity The Shutting down of Club Activity is not a necessary requirement if a player tests positive, we have to be guided here in the six Counties by the Public Health Authority, and we ask you to please follow the steps in the document that you have all received. Shutting down of Activity is creating a culture of Fear unnecessarily, as we prepare to enter increased activity in the weeks ahead, we need to remind Clubs that postponement of games can only be sanctioned by CCC and that the Public Health Advice to the Club must be of such a nature to warrant any proposed change to fixtures or activity. If in any doubt please contact myself or the County Chairperson John Devaney. Last Friday night we had a full series of fixtures and since that all adult teams in all codes have returned to play, this week sees the return of Under 17s, Under 15s and Under 13s and this will bring its own challenges again it is important that as above we do the simple things and if we do that then we are playing our part. Planning is at an advanced stage in regard to the logistics of our 2020 Club Championships in Football and Hurling, this will be a Club Championship like no other and something are becoming very apparent as we plan for the weeks ahead for example: • Tickets for all games in the Football and Hurling Championship at Adult Level must be purchased in advance, there will be no walk up sales on the day of a game. • There will be limited attendance numbers for each game. • In the Senior Football Championship all games will be standalone fixtures • Down GAA hope to announce a streaming partnership to allow us to stream a good percentage of our games. These are some of the measures that will be in place for the 2020 Championships, we will need your help, support and cooperation to make this a successful Championship. SPECTATORS AT GAMES The NI Executive have announced that "spectators will be enabled to attend outdoor competitive games with numbers to be determined by venue in line with public health advice." This applies to games in the 'Six Counties' only. We must however be mindful that there remains a pandemic in our community and we must take all possible measures to mitigate against further spread. Therefore GAA units organising and hosting matches must adhere to the GAA and Executive protocols. This 'return to spectators' is therefore on a basis of restricted numbers with the onus on all to ensure that public health guidance is adhered to. Ulster GAA, having consulted with the GAA nationally, are therefore advising that in GAA grounds with perimeter fencing with viewing access on all four sides there should be no more than 400 people present at a game (including essential match personnel). In all other grounds the number of people attending a game (including essential match personnel) should be limited to a maximum of 250, though in some cases (e.g. grounds with no perimeter fencing) the number might be lower. There is an onus on both the spectator and the organisers to ensure that all social distancing requirements are adhered to. This is currently 2 metres. In line with GAA protocols, supporters are strongly advised to wear face coverings at games. Patrons are also encouraged to bring their own hand sanitiser. Clubs are reminded that dressing rooms and indoor facilities remain closed. It is also recommended that dugouts should not be used. If being used they can only be done so in accordance with the 2 metres social distancing regulations. We will issue further guidance to counties in the coming week in relation to the use of designated venues, including county grounds, where it may be possible to put in place additional safeguards for spectators in the weeks ahead. There is an onus on all to adhere to the guidelines - by doing so we will help hasten the day where higher numbers of spectators will be able to attend our games in a safe and regulated matter. SPONSORSHIP & MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE WITHIN DOWN GAA For more details please contact either Sean Og McAteer ([email protected]) or Diarmuid Cahill ([email protected]) JULY CLUBS DRAW RESULTS FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES 5 x £1,000 Winners There are still a number of funding opportunities • St Pauls: open to help assist clubs in addressing the needs 16SP118 Richard Lennon of their members and communities at this time. • Glasdrumman: 20GN030 Bernice McCartan Check out the Funding page • Liatroim: (https://ulster.gaa.ie/covid-19/funding/) on 20LM135 Michael Clarke Ulster GAA's COVID-19 Microsite for more • Burren: information on the following: 20BU664 Gary Dixon • Sports Hardship Fund – Sport NI & • Glenn: Department for Communities (DfC) 20GL146 Brendan O’Hare • ESB COVID-19 Recovery Fund Club winners £200 each • Department for Communities (DfC) Small Drumgath: 15DH096 Miceal Quinn Capital Grants Programme Longstone: 20LE057 Mark Poland • Public Health Agency Funding Portaferry: 20PY041 Garrett Murray Programme Saul: 20SL077 Peter Galloway • Moy Park Community Support Fund • Belfast City Council Summer Funding Programme PR COMMITTEE • Fermanagh and Omagh District Council Grant Aid – Recovery Programme • Fermanagh and Omagh District Council COVID-19 Community Funding • Mid Ulster District Council Emergency Community Support Fund • Newry, Mourne and Down District Council: COVID Response and Recovery Fund • Community Foundation for NI: The New Needs Fund As we prepare for the streaming of our • Halifax Foundation NI Small Grants Championship games we need to recruit Programme commentators and Interviewers, workshop • National Lottery Awards for All (New training will be provided so if you are COVID-19 restriction) interested contact Seán Óg or Diarmuid • Enkalon Foundation Coronavirus Cahill. Community Support Fund COVID-19 REPORTING In order to keep track of Covid related incidents around the country, we have created the Microsoft Forms link below where Counties and Clubs can report various incidents to the GAA centrally as they occur. We are asking all Clubs to fill out the form below if there is a Covid related incident for your club. Please click here for GAA Covid-19 Incident Report Form OVERSEAS TRAVEL We also want to take this opportunity to remind all clubs, that players who are returning from abroad must follow the Government regulations in terms of restricting their movements for 14 days on their return to Ireland - any player in this situation SHOULD NOT return to training or games until the 14-day period has expired. This is also applicable to the Six Counties. This requirement does not apply to those returning from countries on the Government’s 'Green travel List'. This list is subject to review every two weeks and changes should be monitored at gov.ie. SMALL GRANTS CAPITAL PROGRAMME The Department for Communities (DfC) has launched this years’ Small Capital Grants Programme. The Programme, which has a total fund of £800,000, is aimed at assisting voluntary and community organisations purchase items of equipment to enhance and sustain the activities and services they provide to the community. It provides grants of between £1,500 and £5,000 towards the purchase of items such as IT equipment, sporting equipment, catering equipment and material to support arts and cultural activities within the voluntary and community sector. The purpose of this Programme is to promote Partnership and Collaboration among organisations, as such the amount of grant available to applicants will be dependent on the number of partners included on an application: • 2 partner groups = can apply for £1,500 • 3 - 4 partner groups = can apply for up to £3,500 • 5+ partner groups = can apply for up to maximum £5,000 To be eligible for grant assistance organisations must: • be constituted voluntary /community sector organisations located in Northern Ireland • have an annual income of less than £100,000 per year. This grant is only eligible for expenditure on capital items and groups must be able to incur the expenditure before 31 March 2021. Completed applications must be received by 5.00 pm on Friday 14th August 2020. Further details on how to apply are available on the Co-operation Ireland website at: https://www.cooperationireland.org/small-capital-grants-programme SYMPATHY Down GAA were saddened this week to learn of the deaths of Monsignor Seán Cahill and of Tony Bannon, Monsignor Cahill was a brother of our former Development Officer Hugh and an Uncle of our County Treasurer Diarmuid. Tony Bannon was a member of the Glasdrumman Club and a man who had a deep interest in Scór and in all aspects of Irish Culture. Life and Ministry of Monsignor Seán Cahill Sean Pancras Cahill was born on 25 April 1934, the son of the late John and Margaret Cahill (nee O’Halloran). The family home was at Latlurcan in Monaghan town. Educated at Monaghan CBS and later at St Macartan’s College, he studied for the priesthood at St Patrick’s College, Maynooth after which he was ordained by Bishop Eugene O’Callaghan on 24 July 1960.