If you ever venture onto the social media sites then you will be familiar with users posting inspirational quotes which many comment on or ‘like’. One so such quote posted recently said “ordinary people have big TVs. Extraordinary people have big libraries”. Paddy McAleenan our former Trustee and a recipient of our Hall Of Fame in 1985 passed away in May. He was an extraordinary man! The former Principal of St Malachy’s High School Castlewellan who was born, reared, lived and reared his own family in the Town. He was well known to us all in different guises namely as ‘sir’ or ‘Mr. McAleenan’ from our school days and then simply as ‘Paddy’ when we saw and met him around the Town in our adult days. He was the proud holder of two Down Senior Football championship medals with The Town in 1950 and 1958 and a Senior League medal in 1955. When there was no hurling in the Town he hurled with the Liatriom Fontenoys with whom he won honours. On visiting his home at any time down through the years you could not be anything but impressed with his huge library of books. He was the most learned of men and once said to me that life itself was life-long learning –you never stop. If you ever spoke to him he had an enthusiasm and a smile. You came to appreciate why Paddy was in his chosen vocation and his life long association with education. We the member and executive committee wish to express our deepest sadness and sympathy to his wife Dympna, sons John, Niall and Conor, Daughters Catherine and Fiona and the entire family circle on their loss. Mary Banríon má Gael guí ar a son. Féadfaidh sí a chuid eile i síocháin.
Last week also saw the passing of Harry McCabe and Christine Kennedy. Harry was the grandfather of our playing members Collie Flanagan and Niamh, Clare and Ashleen Ward. Christine was also the grandmother of our senior players Caolan and Conail. We wish to express our deepest sadness and sympathy to both large family circles on their loss. Mary Banríon má Gael guí ar a son. Féadfaidh sí a chuid eile i síocháin.
How do you eat an elephant? No need to send your answer to us on a postcard, we will tell you presently. So what are elephants doing in the Castlewellan notes this week? Well elephants are mammals and there are a few MAMILS in our club – Middle Aged Men In Lycra! Not a pretty sight! Next Sunday these MAMILS will tackle the Grand Fondo which will skirt our Town. This is a Giro d’Italia legacy event which will be here in the north for the next three years. There will be upward on 3-4000 cyclists on our roads. Among them will be Mal McKay, Peter McKibben and Martins Keown & McClean who will take on the arduous 110 mile course starting and finishing at Titanic Quarter in Belfast. In between they will tackle some of the most difficult hills the Mourne area has to offer. Some of the younger members (Young Finty McGreevy) were offered the opportunity to join the determined and dogged quintet but they (he) wasn’t up to it – no miles in his legs! The combine years of the lads is almost 200 with young McClean keeping the average age down. When asked about the distance and the hills and they will cover the lads say they will just worry about each big hill one at a time! That’s how you eat that elephant – one bit at a time. While most of us will be comfortably in our beds next Sunday morning enjoying a well earned lie in, from 7:30am these guys will be on the road doing their bit and their best. This is a huge event which will come over the Dundrinne Road onto Mill Hill and over onto the Drumbuck Road. We may not see the likes of it again. We wish all the cyclists well and a safe run particularly our own members and that of the local cycling clubs.
Coaching for nursery, P1 and P2 boys and girls continues in St Malachys Park on Sat mornings at 10am. Also coaching for P3 to P7 girls in St Malachys Park in camogie and football on Saturday mornings at 10am.
Well done to the 4 town hurlers who were part of the Red High J3 team who won the McFarland Cup in a thrilling final last week against OLSP Knock. The game was in the Balance throughout with 5 second half goals tipping the balance in favour of the Downpatrick school. Well done to Eoin Maginn, Callum McCabe, Daniel Cunningham and Matthew McCabe. Hopefully the first of many colleges medals in both codes! Incidently Matthew scored 1-3 over the hour which was some contribution from a j1 student.
The juvenile sponsored walk and sports day was held on Sunday past and again was a resounding success, helped by the great weather. After the walk the children and some not so big children enjoyed games on the Meadow.. Special thanks to everyone whom assisted on the day – parents, coaches etc.
We will be holding three registration sessions for this years Kellogg’s Cúl Camp on Wednesday & Friday night from 8 – 9 and Saturday morning from 10 – 11 in our Clubrooms. The Kellogg’s Cúl Camps are for children who are CURRENTLY in P3 or above. The Cúl Camp runs daily from 10am – 2.30pm Cúl Camp Price Structure:1st Child – £40, 2nd Child – £35, Each Child Thereafter – £30. Once again Down GAA will be running the Nursery Camp in conjunction with the Kellogg’s Cúl Camp for the older kids. Down GAA Nursery Camps -The Nursery Camps are for children who are CURRENTLY in P1 or P2 in Primary school. The Nursery Camp runs daily from 10am – 12.30pm. Nursery Camp Price Structure: £25 per child. You cannot register for Nursery Camp online.
The 500 club draw tickets are on sale. If you remember last year we sold out and had a waiting list, so get your ticket ASAP!
Please ensure that you have paid your membership on line.
Lotto Results. 6, 17, 21 and 27. One £20 winner Stevie Connolly. Jackpot next week is £9,300
