Shoot for the Stars!
On Saturday afternoon 12th of October2021 in White’s Cross, not alone did we Shoot for the Stars, instead we shot to Infinity and Beyond! It was a fantastic afternoon of scoring from our young members . The only pity is that we didn’t set a timer on our target because this achievement must surely have been one for the Guinness Book of Records!
A massive thanks to everyone involved in the organisation and running of today’s event, which was 12 months and more in the making. This project has various facets to it and today was the culmination of a lot of hard graft and grind from the committee lead by the likes of chairman Mike O’Flynn, secretaries Ciara Cashman and Kevin O’Callaghan, Katie Flynn, Finbarr Pyne and many others. Thanks to everyone who played their part on the day and the various elements of this ambitious project.
We must also say a special MÍLE, MÍLE BUÍOCHAS to everyone who has supported our fundraising efforts . It is fair to say the aforementioned members putting in the hard yards took great energy from the extraordinarily generous financial support we have been receiving. Thank you so much for your generosity as we seek to deliver an amenity that will allow us to have our facilities open for business for young and old all year round, even through the darkest and dreariest days of winter.
Finally our BIGGEST SHOUT-OUT goes to all our young members, both girls and boys, who shot us just not to the stars, but to infinity and beyond! This is a project that will benefit them above all others as it will be there for them to train and play for decades to come – it was fantastic to have them involved in such an integral way.
Turning the Sod
White’s Cross GAA officially turned the sod on our astro-turf development, and when it came to this job there was one man cut out for the gig! The recently appointed White’s Cross GAA Club President, Con Delaney, officiated at his first function and it was most fitting that his task was to turn the first sod on the project – never a man to shy away from hard work, there is no better around with a shovel in his hands!For this task Con had plenty able and willing assistants as the youngest cohort of players in White’s Cross GAA, the girls and boys from our Future AllStars programme, joined forces with Con and they too brought their shovels to turn the sod on this exciting development. Given that these players, with their long playing careers in front of them, have the potential to benefit most from this project, it was most appropriate that they were involved at the beginning of this work – after-all this astro-turf will prove an outstanding facility for them and all our players for decades to come. Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí…
Con was also accompanied on the evening by his daughters; Esther, Catherine, Deirdre, Marion and Cora; and members of the extended Delaney family – proud to see their father / grandfather taking up this honorary role in White’s Cross GAA. In the first known photo of a White’s Cross team that we have on record, Con is pictured as a young player in the then fledgling club. Here’s hoping that in another sixty years time when people look back on the photos of this sod-turning in White’s Cross GAA that there will be people in it still active in the White’s Cross GAA of 2081, in the way Con has been from the late 1950s to this day! Indeed some of them will hopefully have enjoyed long careers benefiting all the way through from this amenity that we are commencing work on.
Also in attendance on the evening were the officers of White’s Cross GAA including Chairperson Mike O Flynn, Secretary Ciara Cashman, Communications Officer Paul O Donovan, Treasurer Katie Flynn, Juvenile PRO Finbarr Pyne and members of the committee. On hand too were members of the project development team including Brian Harte, Pat Casey and Darren Quinlan. Hourihan Sports Field Development & Civil Engineering, based in Ballinora, are the primary contractors for the project. Having recently completed equivalent projects in Glanmire Community College and Glenville GAA Grounds we look forward to welcoming them on site very, very soon.In the meantime all members of White’s Cross GAA, from our Future AllStars right up to our eldest members have been tasked with fundraising as we shoot-for-the-stars! There are 9,096 stars visible in the night sky from planet Earth – on Saturday, October 9th all members in our Club will help us to score 9,096 points at a fun event in White’s Cross GAA Grounds. We hope that these members will bring their shooting boots on the day but even more importantly we hope in the meantime they will get your support for this most ambitious and exciting fundraising project. Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine.
Shoot for the Stars
There are 9,096 stars visible in the night sky from Planet Earth. On October 9th 2021 at White’s Cross GAA club players of all ages will undertake the challenge of scoring 9,096 points as we shoot for the stars!
In 2021, White’s Cross GAA will complete a milestone project with the construction of a state-of-the-art Astro pitch. This will be a fantastic all-weather amenity which will be used year-round by all groups for the benefit the whole community. We have been fortunate to receive a significant grant through the Sports Capital Fund and are very grateful for this. However, to access the grant we need to complete the project and we will need to raise €168,000 through fundraising…and we need your help!
You can help by sponsoring our members €10 to achieve our goal of scoring 9,096 points as we shoot for the stars. There will be lots of other activities on the day including a raffle. All people that sponsor/donate €10 will be entered into the draw!
If you are in a position to donate a little bit more , we have a very beneficial revenue approved scheme to maximise contributions to White’s Cross GAA. The club can then claim additional tax benefits on this donation. This is because an approved project by the department of Transport, Sport & Tourism. The donation can be either a once off amount or a standing order.
For example, a monthly amount f €50 from July-December will initially benefit us to the tune of €300. The club can then claim an additional amount from Revenue. If you are a 40% taxpayer this comes to an additional €200 to the club while if you are 20% taxpayer then the club will benefit with an additional €75.
If you have an queries on how the donations/tax benefits can be maximised, please contact us and we will be very happy to provide further details.
Mail: wxastroproject@gmail.com
Phone: 086 8564009