AGM 2020
On what was a first for Ahane GAA Club we held our AGM for 2020 virtually through Microsoft Teams. The AGM was attended by big numbers which was fantastic to see! On a year that was like no other in regard to training and playing matches, there was still an awful lot that happened in the club throughout the year. While most years the main focus of the AGM is the matches played, the trophies won and the celebrations had in the club over the year, this year the focus was on how the club and community came together and helped each other get through 2020. The club set up a community support volunteer group which was organised and ran by Mary Hassett who along with 80 volunteers helped numerous amounts of people in the community during the year. We want to thank Mary wholeheartedly for running this fantastic initiative it was so greatly appreciated by all.
When it was time to get back on the field, it wouldn’t have been possible without all the Covid Supervisors especially all the Bord na nOg Covid Supervisors who gave their time so generously to ensure that our underage got back out on the field. It was another very successful year for our underage and although they haven’t gotten to complete all their championships it was great to see such great numbers down at training each week. Huge thank you to all their mentors and to Mary Hassett (Chairperson) and Linda O’Connor (Secretary) for their immense work and time that they have given this year in what was a year like no other. A special mention to Evan Enright, William Brennan, Ciaran Barry and David Kennedy who are all adult players with the club who gave up their time to come down and help out with training the underage teams.
When we look back at the year we can count it as another successful year for Ahane GAA. At minor level this year we saw our Minor footballers bring the Minor B County Championship back to Mackey Park after a hugely successful championship campaign which saw they win all their games. Our Minor hurlers were unfortunate to lose out to Garryspillane which meant they had to beat Cois Laoi Gaels by five points to advance to the quarter final. The lads did well but only came away with a draw meaning their championship journey ended there.
At U21 level we started the year very well beating Garryspillane and Ballybrown to get to a Quarter Final which wasn’t played until 19th July a whole four months after we had beaten Ballybrown to get there. Unfortunately Patrickswell proved too strong in the LIT Gaelic Grounds and we bowed out at the Quarter final stage. Ollie has been at the helm of our U21 teams for the last five years and has decided to step away from it this year, Ollie has gotten the club to 4 semi finals and a quarter final during his five year tenure and the work he has put into the club at not only this age group but in all the age groups is unbelievable and the club is in a much better place because of it.
At Senior level this year we maintained our Premier Senior status and we won the East Championship by beating Murroe/Boher in the final. We were drawn in the toughest group this year but the lads improved in each game and their last game saw them beat Adare to remain at the top table in Limerick which was a huge achievement and positive for the club. The lads gave 110% all year and did the club and the jersey proud. We want to thank Eamonn Meskell, Conor Quirke, Sean Madden and Darren Harrington for guiding and managing the team through this year. We want to wish Conor Quirke and Sean Madden the very best of luck in the future as they step away from senior management. Thanks to both lads for all they have done for the club this year and all their time and hard work during the year.
This year saw our Junior A hurlers put in some great performances throughout the year. They managed to play five games and came away with two draws and three losses. The junior team is a great opportunity for the younger players to get a taste of adult hurling and it was great to see so many of our younger players get the chance to play. Our Junior A football team had a stop start year like all teams this year and due to the club being closed for two weeks in August they had to play their three championship games within six days which was a huge ask but they played the three games and gave some good performances.
On behalf of the club we would like to thank all the management teams of all the groups mentioned above. We appreciate the amount of time and effort you put into managing, coaching, and working with your teams and how much it benefits the club as a whole.
All in all a successful place year for the club that we hope will be built on in 2021 which we hope will be a far more normal and smoother year for everyone!
We thought that we might not get any opportunity to fundraise this year but due to the hard work of our lotto collectors and committee headed up by Mike Murphy we managed to run our lotto this year. There are still four draws to take place this month, but we want to thank all our lotto supporters as without your support of the lotto we would not be able to run the club.We also ran our Annual Golf Classic in August and the second day in September. Huge thank you to all the teams and all who helped out to make it such a success. A huge thank you also to all our sponsors who have stuck with us and supported us fantastically throughout this year. Big thank you to Unity Credit Union who sponsor our Senior Team and are always great supporters of the club and community.
On a hugely positive note for the club this year we laid our 3G surface in our wall balls and we purchased a robotic mower which has improved the playing pitches massively. It is fantastic to see the wall ball being used and to see all the teams in the club getting such enjoyment out of it! Huge thank you to everyone who was involved in getting both projects completed.
Huge well done to all our players who represented the club on inter county panels, school’s teams, and college teams. You represented yourselves, your families and the club so well!
Unfortunately this year the club was hit with a number of bereavements, we lost our President Willie Keane, our Vice President Arthur Graham and most recently we lost Bernie Quirke who was a stalwart of the club. We send our condolences, thoughts and prayers to all those in the club who have lost someone this year.
Finally, we want to thank all the volunteers in the club who keep the show on the road, our Senior committee who put in hours of work each week to keep the club running, all our players who give so much time and work so hard throughout the year and do the jersey proud. Huge thank you to all in Bord na nOg for your continued dedication and hard work it is so appreciated! Thank you to all our outgoing officers for all your hard work, time, dedication, and effort you have given to and put into the club.
Officers for 2021 are as follow;
President: Louie Quirke
Vice President: John Ryan
Vice President: John Meskell Snr
Chairperson: Colm Barry
Secretary: Tony Harnett
Treasurer: Carol Condon
Vice Chairperson: Jim Hackett
Assistant Secretary: Ann Ryan Carey
Assistant Treasurer: Denis O’Leary
PRO: Emer Kenny
Registrar: Gina Horrigan
Child Welfare Officer: Aoife Quigley
Health and Well-Being Officer: Sean Carey
Irish Officer: Denis Kelly
Bord na nOg Officer: Mary Hassett
Coaching Officer: Phelim Macken
A special word of thanks to Ollie Moran who is our outgoing coaching officer. Ollie has done so much for the club in this role and throughout his time as coaching officer he has always been a support and a constant help to the mentors and is always looking for ways to keep players involved and playing in the club. He is always trying to get the best out of the players and the mentors so that the club reaches its full potiental. Thanks to our other outgoing officers; Mairead Hussey, Laura McCarthy Fox, and Jimmy Feerick who has our football delegate.
We now look forward to 2021, with the hope that it will be a far more normal year that will bring more success to the club! Thank you all for your continued support of the club it is greatly appreciated!
