Stephen Mulligan
We wish you a Merry Christmas!

A Look Back at 2021

The PRO Team has produced a short video (~7 mins) to look back on the past year of games and activities within and outside the club. This was produced for the AGM but we have had a few requests to share it out to everyone so you can all enjoy a look back at what has been a very successful year in the club.

This video is possible thanks to the great work of our volunteer photographers and videographers who come along to matches and events and take the great snaps you'll see in here, so thank you so much to all of them. But, there are also lots of team photos and captured moments that are taken and shared by mentors and members, so thank you to all of you as well. As we move into next year, please continue to take and share these wonderful memories and, if you are interested in becoming part of the growing team of snappers taking the fantastic photos, you can reply to this email (pro@clontarfgaa.com) with your details.

Make yourself a nice cuppa, grab a biccie and click below to see the video: 

We hope you enjoy.

Photo Gallery: Clontarf Junior 1 Men’s Championship Semi-Final v Castleknock

Junior 1 All County Semi-Final
Clontarf vs Castleknock, 7/11/21 in Somerton.

Photos courtesy of Damian O’Higgins

Clontarf Junior A Men vs Ballyboden Photos 10/10/2021

Dermot Early Youth Leadership Initiative

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Dermot Early Youth Leadership Initiative (DEYLI)

Clontarf GAA is now opening a call for participants for this exciting joint GAA/Foróige programme which enables young people (15-18 years) to develop their leadership skills and challenges them to use these skills to improve society. 

The DEYL Initiative takes its name from one of Ireland's most inspirational leaders and one of Connacht's greatest Gaelic sportsmen, Dermot Earley Snr. (1948-2010), recognising his lifetime of sporting and professional achievements and his commitment to community service.

"Your attitude is more important than your ability, your motives are more important than your methods, your courage is more important than your cleverness and always have your heart in the right place.'' 
Dermot Earley Snr.

The Dermot Earley Youth Leadership Initiative aims:

  • To enable young people to develop the skills, inspiration, vision, confidence, and action plans needed to be effective leaders, both on and off the pitch

  • To empower young people to make a positive difference to their society through the practice of effective leadership.

The programme is aimed at young people aged 15 to 18 and will be run locally in Clontarf from October 2021 to Summer 2022. Participants do not have to be current playing members of the club. It will be delivered by local facilitators, based on a structure and resources developed by the GAA and Foróige. On completion of all 3 modules participants have the opportunity to graduate with a Foundation Certificate in Youth Leadership and Community Action, which is accredited at NFQ Level 6. Applications will be accepted on a first come first served basis.

To find out more and to apply to join the programme, please follow this link
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfsbWgg5LvycBY3k8f3nf7P5RYmBHLjUZqm22LrTc8FrOZ_Jw/viewform

GAA Healthy Clubs My Mind Matters Challenge

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The Clontarf GAA Healthy Club Project is once more partnering with Irish Life to encourage club members to participate in a wellbeing challenge this October via the MyLife App that has the potential to raise €10,000 for Samaritans Ireland.

This challenge will inspire you to develop habits that boost your mental wellbeing, while contributing to a great cause – The Samaritans.

The goal is to take 30 minutes per day for yourself, 5 days a week over 3 weeks.  Any activity counts, walking running, cycling, yoga, meditation etc. If participants track 30,000 days of activity Irish Life will donate €10,000 to the Samaritans (min. 30 minutes continuous activity counts as 1 day). Track your activity with a fitness wearable (e.g. Fitbit or fitness app ) connected to MyLife.

You’ll also have the opportunity to win great prizes for you and your club. Any participant who achieves our weekly targets will be entered into our weekly prize draws for:

Week 1: 25 x £50 Amazon.co.uk Gift Cards

Week 2: 30 x Fitbit Charge 4

Week 3: 5 x €500 Ireland’s Blue Book Voucher

One lucky participant will win an expert coaching & wellbeing event with Oisín McConville for their local GAA club.

How do club members & community join the challenge?

1. Download the MyLife app from the App store or Google Play store

• Apple App Store - https://apps.apple.com/ie/app/mylife-by-irish-life/id1459620652

• Google Playstore - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.irishlife.mylife

2. Register your details

3. Tap the social tab on the MyLife app,  select challenges, and select GAA Healthy Clubs My Mind Matters Challenge

We encourage all Club members to get involved with the My Mind Matters Challenge and promote it amongst your friends and family.

An Cúldoras Opening Hours

The club is delighted to inform you that from this coming Wednesday 29th September, An Cúl Doras, the Club Bar, will be open from Wednesday to Sunday nights. The opening hours will be as follows:

Wednesday to Saturday: 8.30pm to 11.30pm
Sunday: 7pm to 11.30pm

The Executive are asking that all Mentor groups or sub-committees please organise their meetings for these nights. With the championship season in full swing at the moment, our teams are always welcome back after matches. Contact Kieran (0861791120) for the bar to be open earlier if required.

Members are welcome to hire our bar for birthdays, family events, etc. If a group wishes for the bar to be opened outside our opening hours, again please contact Kieran. We look forward to seeing you back in our clubhouse over the coming weeks and months as we return to some sort of normality.



Report - Clontarf Men's Junior 1 Championship Football Match vs TSS

This was the second outing in the group stage of the Men’s “Junior 1” Championship.

Templeogue Synge Street (TSS) fielded a strong team of somewhat older, experienced players including Danny O’Reilly and Ciaran Murphy of the Coronas and Off the Ball/Irish Times fame respectively - both of whom acquitted themselves well.

Clontarf started well taking a nice lead by the water break against the breeze. Liam Ennis finished off a flowing move to the net contributing to a lead of 1-5 to 0-4 at half time. Clontarf had several missed chances too which augured well for the second half.

However, a poor start after the break and a TSS team growing in confidence who, showing all their experience chipped away at the scoreboard. When they got a palmed goal, they led for the first time and really put it up to Clontarf who had an excellent response from all over the team but especially from the Mayo man, Sean Prendergast, who came off the bench to get 2 expertly finished goals and Brian Dufficy who kicked a crucial long range placed ball to help seal the result by 4 points, 3-7 to 1-9.

A great hard fought win which puts us top of the group with just the Ballyboden game remaining in a fortnight.

The value of a strong squad was never more apparent with all 5 subs used and helping to get us over the line.

The team is now on a 10-match unbeaten run including the league campaign and final.

Report by Pat Cunningham.

Clontarf wins Men's Division 4 League Title

Photo Credit for Video Content: Damian O’Higgins.

On a balmy Saturday afternoon the Clontarf Men’s Second Team contested the AFL 4 League Final in O’Toole park against Cuala.

Clontarf had come into the game unbeaten with 6 wins and 1 draw in the Dublin North league while Cuala had an impressive 7/7 wins in the Dublin South league. The two teams’ unbeaten seasons were on the line and it showed with the attitude, fitness and ability of both teams really coming to the fore in the opening exchanges.

Cuala dominated possession in the opening 5 minutes but came up against a resolute Clontarf defence. Time and time again they tried to break the line but to no avail. A massive turnover was greeted by roars from the crowd and within 30 seconds the ball was dispatched into the top corner of the Cuala net by a Clontarf player who had started the move on his own 45 metre line.

Clontarf then dominated possession for the rest of the half and created numerous scoring opportunities and although leading 1-7 to 1-4 at HT had been hit by a sucker punch of a goal towards the end of the half.

It is important to mention Cuala’s skill and ability here as they didn’t register a single wide in the first half and looked extremely dangerous when going forward. The match was balanced on a knife edge at this point. The Clontarf players dug deep in their reserves of energy for this 3rd quarter and even without having the shooting boots on kept taking the game to Cuala time and time again. It just shows the character of the squad that they kept going as this was a hugely difficult part of the game and there have been many games in the past where the game has been lost in this period.

Clontarf entered the final quarter with a 1-10 to 1-6 lead. This was where all the players put their bodies on the line and with some hugely nervy moments survived a Cuala onslaught through some outstanding defending and huge fielding.

The final score being 1-11 to 1-8 showed the tightness of the game. It is customary to name the starting team and subs but it can be genuinely said that this league would not have been achieved without the whole squad who had big moments in tight games throughout the season. The squad was the key reason we made it to and then won the final. Huge thanks to all the players and coaches for their attitude for the whole season and hopefully this is only the beginning of a successful year for this group of players. Thanks also as ever to our team sponsors, Member First Credit Union for all their support.

John Treanor
AFL4 Team Lead Mentor

Match Day Panel:
1. Brian Dufficy
2. Ciaran Walsh, 3. Ross Coy, 4. Lucas Sherwood
5. Rory Doran, 6. Alex Byrne, 7. Harry Lynch
8. Daragh Devilly, 9. Rob Reynolds
10. Fionn Delaney, 11. Mick Cunningham, 12. Leo Cunningham
13. Luke O’Higgins, 14. Eoghan Doody, 15. Shane McIntyre
16. Phillip Lynch, 17. Barry Mangan, 18. Kev Mc Grath, 19. DJ O’Flaherty
20. Rory Goode, 21. James Dunne, 22. Liam Ennis, 23. Eoin MacNamee, 24. Ross McCulla

Team Management:
John Treanor, Anthony Eames, Michael Murphy, Pat Cunningham.

Photo Credit for Video Content: Damian O’Higgins.

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