Welcome to St. Joseph’s GAA Club London

St. Joseph’s is one of the oldest clubs within London GAA. We had a very successful year in 2011 under the management of ex-London and Clare footballer, Paul Hehir. We were the 2011 London Junior Champions and Division 2 (Intermediate) League finalists, having narrowly missed promotion to the Division 1 (Senior) League when we narrowly lost to the 2011 London Senior Champions.

Everyone within the club is committed to making a big push to ensure continued footballing success in 2012. We look forward to successful campaigns in the Intermediate Championship and League and will push for promotion from the Intermediate grade, along with the two Intermediate Cup competitions within London GAA. New players are always very welcome to join our friendly club.

***Club News***

Congratulations

Many congratulations and best wishes for the upcoming year to St. Joseph’s clubman, Declan Flanagan, following his re-appointment as PRO for the London County Board. This is a great honour, and Declan is a credit to the Club. Comhghairdeas libh go léir, Déaglán.

St. Joseph’s v West London Wildcats Challenge Match - 25 February

We are currently organising a challenge match against the West London Wildcats. The Wildcats were the 2011 AFL London Premier Champions and they are looking forward to the contest! We are looking at a format of playing the first half with a round ball and the second half with an oval ball! If you are interested in playing, please let Shane McCauley know.

St. Joseph’s v St. Brendan’s Challenge Match - 3 March

We are playing a challenge match against St. Brendan’s in a reunion of the outstanding 1994 U14 British Champions team, on Saturday, 3 March at 1pm. Please contact Tom Mitchell with any queries.

St. Joseph’s GAA Club Annual Dinner Dance - 3 March

We will be hosting our Annual Dinner Dance and Presentation of Medals and Awards for the 2011 Season in the Crown Moran Hotel, Cricklewood, on Saturday, 3 March.Ticket includes:

·       Four Course Sit-down Dinner at the 4* Crown Moran Hotel

·       Live Music

·       Free Entry into a Draw for a Luxury Hamper

·       Free Transport from Ruislip / Greenford for Senior Citizens

·       Special Accommodation Rates

A great night’s entertainment is guaranteed! Tickets are priced at £40 each / £30 for Senior Citizens. Tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis, so please contact Karen, Tom or any committee member as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

The craic was good in Cricklewood and they wouldn’t leave the Crown!

St. Joseph’s GAA Club Easter Charity Cycle 2012 - from 31 March

We are undertaking an Easter Charity Cycle from Ruislip, London to Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon, Ireland from Saturday, 31 March. This epic challenge is in aid of Mickey Colleran’s brother, Brian. Mickey is one of St. Joseph’s best known and most liked players. Brian Colleran is a 24 year old man from Ballaghaderreen who was seriously injured in a car accident while travelling to work. Brian has a passion for all sports, especially Gaelic football, having played at all ages for Ballaghaderreen GAA Club and for one year with St. Claret’s in London. Brian is constantly undergoing medical treatment and we hope to raise as much money as possible to help towards Brian’s medical fees through ‘The Brian Colleran Trust Fund’. The cycle will culminate in a Ballaghaderreen v St. Joseph’s challenge match on Good Friday, 6 April.

As the cyclists who completed our Easter Charity Cycle in 2006 will testify, everyone felt an enormous sense of achievement afterwards and enjoyed plenty of craic along the way! So far, we have 16 confirmed cyclists. With less than 9 weeks to go, if you would like to take part, please let us know as soon as possible on 07597 168298. Please don’t worry about your cycling ability; we will be arranging training sessions in Richmond Park in the weeks leading up to the cycle.

St. Joseph’s GAA Club 50^th Anniversary (1962-2012) Gala Dinner - October

The history of St. Joseph’s GAA Club (‘The Joes’) dates back to the club’s formation in 1947 in the Men’s Club attached to St. Joseph’s Church, Hanwell. The Club held their meetings in an old wooden hut that stood in the grounds of what is still St. Joseph’s Church. In the first year of existence, St. Joseph’s won the London Intermediate title in 1947. The following year, St. Joseph’s won the London Senior Championship, a fantastic achievement in such a short space of time. Unfortunately, towards the end of the Fifties, the original St. Joseph’s went out of existence. However, thankfully, in 1962, the club was revived and reformed by Pa McAvinue and Pat Kinsley. Pa is our President and is still very active with the Club to this day.

In October, the Club will be hosting a Gala Dinner to mark and celebrate this momentous landmark. We would be very grateful for any old photographs, videos or newspaper cuttings; please contact Karen or any committee member, who will carefully arrange for copies to be taken.

Forthcoming Events - Dates for your Diary

·       St. Joseph’s v West London Wildcats (2011 AFL London Premier Champions) Challenge Match

Saturday, 25 February

·       St. Joseph’s v St. Brendan’s 1994 U14 British Champions Challenge Match

Saturday, 3 March at 1pm

·       St. Joseph’s GAA Club Annual Dinner Dance

Saturday, 3 March in the Crown Moran Hotel, Cricklewood

·      

·       Easter Charity Cycle 2012 from London to Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon, Ireland

Saturday, 31 March - Good Friday, 6 April

·       County Board Confirm Championship Fixtures

Sunday, 1 April

·       Ballaghaderreen GAA Club v St. Joseph’sChallenge Match

Good Friday, 6 April in Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon

·       St. Joseph’s GAA Club 50^th Anniversary (1962-2012) Gala Dinner

October

·       Nights at the Races and quizzes will be held throughout the year

Sympathy

St. Joseph’s GAA Club wishes to extend its deepest sympathy to both the Doyle Family and Fulham Irish GAA Club on the very sad passing of Brigid Doyle, RIP. We can only imagine the depth of loss that they must be feeling and our thoughts are with them at this extremely sad time.Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam dílis.

2012 AGM

The 2012 AGM / Players’ Meeting was held yesterday, Sunday, 15 January, in the Visitation Centre, Greenford. It was great to see such a good turnout. Many thanks to all those who attended and a special thanks to our new members, who are very welcome additions to the Club. We reflected on a successful 2011 and shared our plans for the upcoming 2012 season. Highlights from the Agenda / Clár included:

·       Chairman’s Address / Óráid an Chathaoirligh

We had a very successful year in 2011 under the management of ex-Clare and London footballer, Paul Hehir. We were the 2011 London Junior Champions and Division 2 (Intermediate) League finalists, having narrowly missed promotion to the Division 1 (Senior) League when we narrowly lost to the 2011 London Senior Champions.We lost six games all year, which included two against the 2011 London Senior Champions, Fulham Irish, in the Intermediate League; one against the 2011 London Intermediate Champions, Round Towers, in the All-Britain play-off; and one against Senior side Tara in the Intermediate League play-off.

We are one of the oldest clubs within London GAA and 2012 is a big year for the Club; it is the 50^th anniversary of when we were reformed (1962). Everyone within the Club is committed to making a big push to ensure continued footballing success in 2012 in the Intermediate Championship and League and will push for promotion from the Intermediate grade, along with the two Intermediate Cup competitions. We hope that the hard work, team spirit, dedication and hunger displayed this year will encourage us all to strive harder to achieve our common goal for the coming year – the success of our Club both on and off the field.

·       Secretary’s Report / Tuarascáil an Rúnaí

·       Treasurer’s Report / Tuarascáil an Chisteora

·       Lottery Officer’s Report / Tuarascáil an Oifigeach Crannchur

Our Lottery Officer, Kevin Keenan, has stepped down from his role. We are extremely grateful to Kevin, and his dedicated team, for his tireless support of the Club’s Lotto over many years. Kevin kept the show on the road week in and week out and he will be a tough act to follow!

·       Election of Officers 2012 / Toghachán na nOifigeach

Please find our Club Officers for 2012:

Life President: Jim King

President: Pa McAvinue

Chairman: Joe O’Donnell

Vice Chairman: John McNamara

Secretary: Chris Dowd

Assistant Secretary: Declan Flanagan

Treasurer: Thomas Mitchell

PRO: Karen McNulty

Lottery Officer: Thomas Mitchell

Social Committee: Michael Colleran; Aaron Conlan; Mike Cullinane; Micheal Hanily; Martina Kelly; Shane McCauley; Eamon McNamee; Karen McNulty

County Board Delegates: John McNamara; Anthony Duffy

Team Trainer & Manager: Paul Hehir

Assistant Team Trainer: Shane McCauley

Selectors: TBC

We would like to wish our Committee and everyone involved with the Club all the very best for 2012. Go raibh mile maith agaibh go léir.

·       Any Other Business / Aon Ghnó Eile

The fee for 2012 will be £40, to be paid in the first/second week of training, and £20 for non-playing members, Senior Citizens & students.

Training will re-commence on 16 February.

9 January 2012

Happy New Year

St. Joseph’s GAA Club would like to wish a very happy and healthy New Year to all our players and members both past and present, management, supporters and sponsors. Bliain nua faoi mhaise dhaoibh! This year is a special one for the club as we celebrate our 50^th Anniversary. We have many events planned throughout 2012, so please keep an eye out for further details.

2012 AGM

The 2012 AGM /Players’ Meeting will be held on Sunday, 15 January, at 5pm in the Visitation Centre, Greenford (http://www.rcdow.org.uk/greenford/). All players, management and members are kindly requested to attend. Potential new members are also very welcome. We look forward to sharing our plans for the 2012 season.