Delvin Celtic look back on successful first year

Delvin Celtic AFC held its second annual general meeting on Thursday night last, May 7, and reflected on a very successful first year of club activities.Reports from the chairman, secretary and treasurer demonstrated the club to be in perfect working order, as chairman, Larry Carolan said that Delvin Celtic had installed very solid foundations on which to build the club"s future.Young players from Under 7 to Under 13 excelled in their various competitions, and the success enjoyed by them in their inaugural season will surely contribute to creating a thriving soccer culture in Delvin for many years to come.The outgoing committee thanked the many parents who volunteered their time to either coach players, or to ensure that they turned up as bright as buttons for Saturday morning games, or for training sessions.The coaches for 2008/9 were as follows: Under 7s - Seamus Gaffney, David Leavy, assisted by Damien Gaffney and Barry O"Dare; Under 9s - Ciaran Perry, Gerard Farrelly, assisted by Larry Carolan and Paul Joyce; Under 11s - Damien Nugent, Larry Carolan; Under 11 girls - Paul Anderson, Brian Keegan; Under 13 girls - Pat Dugdale. Without the help of these mentors, the committee said, the club would not have got off the ground in 2008.The committee also thanked its main sponsors for the first season, most notably Michael Leonard, and Finches for sponsoring the club"s main kit; Dermot Mullen, for sponsoring the girls" jerseys, and McCormack"s Stores, Delvin.The committee also thanked the Delvin Sports and Leisure Committee for the use of their grounds; Margaret Sheridan of the Meath and District League, for facilitating games at the astroturf venue in Navan; and all others who helped make the first season such a success.The club hopes to field boys" Under 7, 8, 10, 12, 13 and possibly Under 15 teams next season, as well as an Under 12 and 15 team for the girls. They also hope to run another soccer blitz, the first of which took place earlier this season, and was well supported.The new committee elected for the 2009/10 season are as follows: Chairman - Larry Carolan; Vice-Chairman - David Leavy; Secretary - Margaret Carolan; Assistant Secretary - Anne Ivory; Treasurer - Mel Polgar; PRO - Julie O"Brien.Historical society lectureCarmel Gaffney"s lounge, Main Street, Delvin will be the place to be on this coming Wednesday night, May 13, when the latest Delvin Historical Society lecture takes place.Last month, the society"s honorary president, John Gavin, gave a lecture on the history of Clonmellon, South Hill and Ballinlough/Killua Castles, which was very well received by a large crowd of over sixty people.The next lecture will be entitled 'Westmeath, Before and After the Ice Age', and it will be delivered by Dr. Gareth Jones, a geologist based at Trinity College, Dublin.The lecture will begin at 8.30pm, and admission is €3 for non members. All are welcome to attend.Delvin celebrates 125 years of GAAA century and a quarter of Gaelic games was celebrated in Delvin last weekend, as the GAA celebrated the 125th Anniversary of its birth with hundreds of club events taking place across the country.The festivities began in Delvin on Friday night in Carmel Gaffney"s pub, Main Street, with a very successful GAA table quiz. On Saturday night, the crowds filed into the Blue Hackle Inn for a traditional music night, and the ceol, ól agus craic were greatly enjoyed by everyone.On Sunday, May 10 - set aside as Lá na gClub - Mass in memory of deceased Delvin club members was celebrated at the Church of the Assumption, Delvin, followed by an afternoon of games and activities on at the GAA Park on the Mullingar Road. Refreshments were served, and both Delvin GAA and Camogie clubs are very grateful to all those who turned out to join in the celebrations.Friendship Club tripDelvin Friendship Club will visit Lusk"s Garden Centre, Killyon, Co. Meath on Thursday, May 28. Any member who has not given their name, but would like to go on the trip, is asked to notify Alice on 087-4147871 or Kathleen on 087-9768703 before Monday next, May 18.Communion in DelvinFirst Holy Communion takes place in Delvin Parish next weekend, Saturday, May 16, with separate ceremonies taking place in the Church of St. Livinus, Killulagh at 10.30am, and at the Church of the Assumption, Delvin at 12.30pm.