Glencar/Manorhamilton GAA Club Notes 27/02/2019

Sympathy – Our club was plunged into deep sadness last Thursday morning as news broke of the passing of one of our dearest friends Fran Faulkner.  All weekend club activities were postponed as a mark of respect and our club members turned out in huge numbers over the weekend to bid a final farewell to one of our most loved, leading ladies.  She will be dearly missed and never forgotten.  The following is our tribute to Fran.

Words are hard to come by in times like this, as the Glencar Manorhamilton GAA Club attempts to cope with the news of the death of one of our leading and most popular members, Fran Faulkner.

Our immediate thoughts are with her husband Neil and her children Aisling and Jack, together with her extended Faulkner/Gilmartin/Devaney families. Whatever comfort or support we can offer the family will be very willingly forthcoming. For the moment, we join in the wave of sympathy being extended to them by the people of the Manorhamilton area and beyond, together with Fran’s very wide circle of personal friends.

Fran was a devoted wife and mother and despite her serious illness, took great comfort and pride in knowing that her daughter Aisling was honoured as The Glencar Manorhamilton Ladies Young Player of the Year at the recent club celebrations and presentations. This award, indeed the whole function, had a particularly poignancy, due to the fact that Aisling and her family could not attend, on account of Fran’s deteriorating health, but we are happy to know that we put a proud smile on the Faulkner family faces, even briefly that weekend.

The contribution of Fran Faulkner to our club has been immense and all her efforts were added to by her willingness to take up any task that would be of benefit to the club and its members and the whole community. A brilliant administrator; a mentor and coach to club teams, especially those in which her children were involved; a fundraiser with progressive and unique ideas; a loyal supporter of every club team and club activity; a person that would give advice, without ever enforcing her will; a leader and innovator, particularly in relation to the club development at Boggaun. Indeed, Fran’s input was central to the club’s decision to purchase and develop the new club grounds and her financial experience, through working with Allied Irish Bank, meant she could be the level head that would deal with the various grant applications and budgets for the development. How sad it is that this jovial, friendly, positive-minded lady, who was one of the heartbeats of the Glencar Manorhamilton GAA Club, will be absent and so sorely missed from the official opening of Boggaun and from the club’s planned historical events in August 2019.

Fran’s contribution to the saffron and blue is an extension of the work done by the Gilmartin, Devaney and Faulkner families over the decades. Indeed, her father Thomas was the first Chairperson of our club, her mother Anna had the distinction of being the first lady Club Chairperson in Leitrim County Board GAA. Thomas and Anna made their mark, just as Fran has done.  Tá Fran anois i measc na naomh, sonas síoraí dá anam uasal, dilís.

Leitrim Team – Well done to our county footballers who made it four wins from four in Limerick last weekend.  Next up is London who are the visitors to Pairc Sean this weekend. We wish the team and management continued good luck.

Fixtures – Adult football kicks off this weekend with our Division 3 team scheduled to play Melvin Gaels on Saturday at 4.30pm.  Check our Facebook Page for confirmation of venue. Please support. Our underage fixtures will appear on our Facebook Page.

Gaelic4Girls – Glencar Manorhamilton Ladies Club is delighted to announce details of an exciting new programme for our club called Gaelic4Girls. The aim of this programme is to allow girls aged between 8 to 12 years old, who are not currently registered with a Club, to get an introduction to Ladies Gaelic Football in a fun non-competitive environment. The programme will start on Monday 4th of March; 7pm to 8pm at St Clare’s Primary School Astro Pitch. The cost of the programme is €10, and all of the girls will be presented with a jersey and a certificate for their participation. Parents/Guardians are welcome to stay and watch the training sessions. For more information please contact Bernie McMorrow on 086 1234634 or email glencarmanorladies@gmail.com. Registration forms will be available in the local schools from this week.

5K Walk – Our 5k walk in association with Get Ireland Walking and Operation Transformation continues this Thursday night meeting at the Bee Park dressing rooms at 6.45pm.