September Mona Newsletter

__________September St. Kevins News_________


Lotto

The Lotto is still in full swing.  The jackpot is now £2,700 with four £25's each week as well.


Football News

Training is in full swing for the Intermediate Final which is set for Sept 13th.  The Club 2nd team are also in the Championship semi-final.

The Club would like to wish Kildare all the best in the Final.  With the county team having training in our fields during the winter months, we feel we have done our bit to get them where they are now.

Nice to see Thomas Carew playing in an All-Ireland hurling u/21 Final for Kildare.  Well done Tom and indeed his dad, Tony, in his position as selector.

St. Kevin's would like to wish Coill Dubh Hurlers the best of luck on their up coming Semi-Final.


Christmas Draw

Watch out for our up-coming huge Christmas Draw.  1st prize will be £2,000 Shopping Spree.  Tickets will be £10.  Details Later.


Club Theft

The club were sickened to discover the theft of a ride-on lawnmower and trailer, with a value of £2,000, which was stolen from our grounds recently.  Anyone with any information, please contact Clane Guard Station.


Tom Casey

To say saddened, only goes a little way to describe the feeling's of all the club members and parishioners on the sudden death of our great friend Tom Casey.  If ever a man put his heart and soul into his football club this is the man.  Having served as Chairman, Secretary, Selector, Advisor etc. words can not explain our loss.  To his dying day Tom was a man whose advice on club plans, club approach to the Co. Boards etc. was always sought and acted upon.  All club activities were closed down for one week and a vote of sympathy was passed at our monthly meeting as a mark of respect to Tom.  To all Tom's family and relatives, our heartfelt sympathy on this sad occasion for all of us.


"Our Friend Tom"
We've won Cups,
Plaques and Medals
And they all went down a bomb.
But we'd hand them all back again,
To have back our dear friend
Tom.


Leinster Final At Croke Park
Jamboree at St. Kevin's

The first annual Tir na Mona Jamboree at St. Kevin's was arranged in late May, when the Leinster Final title was still more of a dream than a possibility.  But as the weeks passed into June and July, Sunday August 2nd came upon us like a huge beacon full of the possibilities and then, of the promise of what might be.  In such an atmosphere the task of selling tickets for the jamboree was more tedious than difficult as the committee members, under the chairman Liam Holton, set about visiting every household in the area to sell the £5 tickets for the evening's entertainment including a cold meal, meat platter prepared by Liz Ward.

On the Saturday more than 20 eager helpers were busy cleaning up about the club house, laying an outdoor floor and surrounding straw bale seating using material loaned by MDY Construction.  Setting up out-door lighting and sound systems provided by O'Shea Trailers, Baltracey and hauled to the grounds by Bill Mackey.  The weather that Saturday was smashing and one or two of those present were seen doing some dance steps on the floor in their "wellies".  That night even certain pre-match revellers going home from St.Kevin's were waltzing in the moonlight, to music of their own making.   There was talk of bad weather for the weekend, first for Saturday there for Sunday.   Everyone in Kildare was holding their breath and praying for the weather and for the day to be right, someone heard them.  As the greying skies echoed to the roars and songs of triumph, the first committee members were arriving at St.Kevin's at 7 o'clock that evening as the first drops of rain, like tears from Laois, Limerick and distant Kerry, set a handful of Committee members to rigging up a huge tarpaulin across the forecourt area in front of the main club-house entrance in an attempt to lay on extra shelter against the rain and wind.  And the wind got stronger and towards 10 o'clock it really began to rain and the stalwards were still trying to nail down the tarpaulin and now people began to arrive directly or indirectly from one of the happiest days of their lives so far.  For the 200 or so who finally arrived, there was plenty of space around the two bars, and food, and spot prizes.  Séan Wood won a voucher for dinner for 2 at Lawlor's Nás na Rí Hotel as the best dressed Western man and Deirdre O'Driscoll took away a dinner voucher for 2 for the Town House Hotel for the best dressed gal.   In conditions most cramped, Gerry casey, Paddy Kelly and Gerry Ward provided music and song into the small hours and were very happy to accompany any singer brave enough to sing against the background of celebration.  To huge applause Big Jim Casey sang his ballad of  '98 specially composed that morning and completed after the final whistle sounded in Croke park.  And still it poured outside and the tarpaulin nearly blew away and the dance-floor seemed like it might float away in the night.  Next morning - the bank holiday Monday, a bunch of helpers arrived to clean up, the rain stopped and the sun came out in time to dry the dance floor.  The day turned out beautiful and that night too, if only it had been 24 hours earlier.  Or would it have been a bit too much to expect to win the Leinster Final and have good weather for a Jamboree all in the same day?  Sincere thanks to all who supported this fund-raiser especially those who bought tickets and did not turn up on the night, you provided space and comfort to those who did show up for the never to be forgotten "First Annual Tir na Mona Jamboree".


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