Sport « Thurles Information

Thurles Special Olympics Basketball Club AGM.

Annual General Meeting, 2025, Thurles Special Olympics Basketball Club.

Mr Enda Bourke (Chairperson) Reports:-

Thurles Special Olympics Basketball Club held it’s AGM in the Anner Hotel on April 1st.
A good attendance received reports from Mr Enda Bourke (Chairperson). Ms Mary Ryan Maher (Secretary). Ms Carmel Sammon (Treasurer), Ms Marian O’Regan (Safeguarding Officer) and Mr Dennis Jordan (Medical Officer).

The athletes were represented as always by Ms Maureen O’Shea, a winner of two silver medals at the Special Olympic World games in Newhaven, Connecticut in 1995.

The Chairperson thanked all those associated with the running of the Club and complimented all the athletes for their dedication to training every week at the Presentation Sports hall, mentioning especially their parents, family members and carers, for their assistance and support over the past year. He also welcomed a number of new Volunteers who have joined the Club at the start of the season last September.

The following were elected to serve at the AGM for the coming year: Chairperson – Mr Enda Bourke; Secretary – Ms Mary Ryan Maher; Assistant Secretary – Ms Catherine Reynolds; Treasurer – Ms Carmel Sammon; Medical Officer – Mr Dennis Jordan; Safeguarding Officer – Ms Marian O’Regan; Athlete Rep Ms Maureen O’Shea; Coaches Mr Enda Bourke and Ms Marian O’Regan; Club Membership Ms Mary Ryan Maher and Ms Carmel Sammon; IT Officer Ms Breda Sammon.

Thurles CBS Triumph In Croke Park Thriller.

On a bitterly cold St Patrick’s Day, Thurles CBS produced an amazing comeback in the final 20 mins to overcome Presentation College Athenry in the All Ireland Colleges Senior Hurling final to win the Croke Cup and warm the hearts of their followers.

Trailing by 8 points, after Athenry scored a crucial 2nd goal in the 40th minute of the match, the Thurles boys regrouped and diligently set about chipping away at their Galway opponents lead. Remarkably Thurles CBS out scored their opponents by 12 points to 3 in the last twenty minutes.

Thurles CBS started the match very strongly and were dominating all over the field and led by 6 points to 1 point after 14 minutes. This prompted some changes and an early substitution by Athenry who managed to draw level by half time, after an opportunistic free by Aaron Niland, was deflected to the net against the run of play.

Thurles started the 2nd half very positively with an excellent Kieran Rossiter score – the Durlas Og player would end up with 4 points from play and a deserved player of the match accolade. However with Athenry gaining superiority in the middle sector and their forward line led by the rampaging Jason Rabbitte, Athenry went into a deserved 2-14 to 0-12 lead, with twenty minutes to go.

However, in a testament to the character of the Thurles CBS panel, led by manager Niall Cahill of Urlingford Emeralds, there was no panic and Thurles CBS fought for every ball, and set about eating into the Athenry lead. Hard running, dominant defending and excellent stickwork were the keys to the fightback with finishes from Rossiter, Cillian Minogue, the imperious Euan Murray and substitute James Butler, adding to the free taking of Cormac Fitzpatrick and the all round workrate of every single player in the Blue and Gold of Thurles CBS.

The winning score came from a free by Cormac Fitzpatrick after Kieran Rossiter was tripped bearing down on goal. The final whistle brought scenes of jubilation from the travelling Thurles support. Holycross-Ballycahill’s Robbie Ryan had the honour of lifting the Croke Cup after his hardworking display on the field, and he delivered a passionate and rousing speech, thanking all those who helped this special group of young men in their journey to Dr. Harty Cup and Croke Cup successes.

A Song For A Sunday.

You’ll Never Walk Alone.

Lyrics: American lyricist, librettist, theatrical producer and director Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II and American composer Richard Charles Rodgers, (Rodgers and Hammerstein).
Vocals: English beat group Gerry and the Pacemakers (Group formed in 1956)

You’ll Never Walk Alone.

When you walk through a storm,
Hold your head up high,
And don’t be afraid of the dark.
At the end of a storm,
There’s a golden sky,
And the sweet silver song of a lark.
Walk on through the wind,
Walk on through the rain,
For your dreams be tossed and blown.
Walk on, walk on,
With hope in your heart,
And you’ll never walk alone.
You’ll never walk alone.
Walk on, walk on,
With hope in your heart,
And you’ll never walk alone.
You’ll never walk alone.

END.

The Day Leitrim Played In Croke Park.

“The Day Leitrim played in Croke Park”, by the award-winning writer, director and actor from County Leitrim, Seamus O’Rourke.

In all, Leitrim have played in Croke Park six times during their overall history.

New Licencing & Regulatory Framework For Gambling Set To Commence.

Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland established effective from 5 March 2025.
Seven members to be appointed to independent authority, including chairperson Mr Paul Quinn.

An order for parts of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024, enabling the Authority to become operational to establish Údarás Rialála Cearrbhachais na hÉireann, the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland, on a statutory basis, will now commence.

Seven members of this new, independent Authority, will be appointed and commence their roles with effect from tomorrow, March 5th, 2025. They will be the members of the Authority which will be responsible for regulating and licencing all gambling providers in the State and which will have wide ranging powers to regulate both in-person and online gambling, gaming and most lotteries.

Mr. Paul Quinn has been appointed as chair of the Authority and the other newly appointed members are named as follows:-
Ms. Celine Craig.
Ms. Marion Kelly.
Ms. Rita Purcell.
Mr. David Hickson.
Mr. Michael McGrath.
Dr. Colin O’Driscoll, (Ordinary Member).