Club Notes: 5th November 2019

Post date: Nov 06, 2019 1:36:47 AM

Notaí CLG Tulach an Iarainn sponsored by McGrath's chemist.

Following months of planning and organising,the date of Friday 25th of October had arrived and on a rain sodden Friday we set off by bus at 12.30pm from Pairc Eamon De Paor to Dublin airport. The bus was full of high spirits and joviality, the bus back would be the complete opposite.

43 of us descended on Prague on Friday evening where we were met by Clive Allen, the Chairman of Prague Hibernians, our hosts for the weekend. Thinks got off to a worrying start as the bus departed without our own chairman who had separated from the group to collect the hurleys from oversize baggage. Obviously hurling was not high on the list of priorities at that moment.

Prague Hibernians ran their annual open day on the Saturday, where they try to promote GAA games in Prague. This is their first year having a hurling team so they were only more than happy to have us there to put on an exhibition. And our lads did not disappoint. After an half an hour or so where the lads had a puck around to blow off the excesses of the night before, we decided to put some structure to the day's events. While our lads divided into two teams, a few of our elder statesmen carried out a coaching session with the newcomers to Prague Hibernians. These included some Czechs, Slovaks, Australians and Irish from Donegal and Roscommon. After that our Tallow teams played an exhibition game among themselves for ten minutes a side to show off the various skillsof the game. After that we divided both Tallow and Prague players into 4 teams and played a round robin. Competitive natures came to the fore and some of the tackles on display would even have had Brian Cody blowing the whistle in those famous Nowlan Park training sessions. But our referee Luke adopted a free flowing approach. We took a break after the hurling where we were introduced to the Irish Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Cliona Manahan, who explained to us that her family had roots in Waterford but she was not sure which part. After this we carried out the same format in football. All in all we were on the playing field from 10.30 to 4pm. The longest training session we've had with these lads in many a year.

That night our hosts graciously held a function for us in "The Down Under" bar where we had drink, food and entertainment laid on for us. Awards were presented to some of our players for their performances on and off the field during the day and a few even took to the microphone to serenade those who were left in the wee hours. This was a great night and we really appreciated the effort made by Clive and his committee.

Like God himself we rested on Sunday and many took in some sightseeing (even if the amount of steps involved was a source of complaint) and others enjoyed the breakfast in McCarthy's Irish Bar. Typical that we went all the way to Prague and still ended up drinking in McCarthy's Bar.

We left our hostel on 8.45 am on Monday morning and arrived back in Tallow at 7pm. Tired, emotional but full of spirit with plans of grandeur to go even further afield next year.

Many thanks must go to the organisational skills of Kieran Geary without whom this would never have gotten off the ground. We have a proud history of GAA tours within this club but our last trip was to Budapest in 2010 and without Kieran's input it may have been a few more years before we left the shores again.

We would also like to thank Tallow Area Credit Union for help with the currency, Longs Coaches for the transport and Lenihan Sports for the tour jerseys. Along with our tour sponsors James Clancy of Clancy's Bar & Guesthouse and Eoin Condon of ECON Electrical.

Finally we would like to thank Clive Allen and Prague Hibernians for the hospitality shown to us and all their assistance in the organising. While trips like these can be seen by some as nothing more than a lads weekend away it is important that we make sure that there is always a strong GAA element to these trips.

Tallow Jersey : We are in the process of getting new jerseys for next year and because of this our current jerseys will be taken off the O'Neills club online shop. Further details to follow on this as Ter is in negotiations with high class fashion designer.

Coimisinéir: to the Shamrocks on their junior defeat.