Féíle Dhoire 2010 - Primary School Visits

What a week we've had visiting all the different centres for the primary school visits with an Uachtarán Cumann Peil Gael Na mBan Pat Quill and Uachtarán Cumann Luthchleas Gael Christy Cooney.We started Monday morning with Christy and Pat in Foyleview and Belmont Special School's before moving to Templemore Sports Centre where 300 children got to meet the president's and get their photograph's taken. After lunch it was off to Brooke Park leisure centre where 200 children turned up.
On Tuesday Christy had to go to Dublin so Aoghan Farrell, Ulster GAA President stepped in for him and done a tremendous job at Roe Valley Leisure Centre Limavady and the University of Ulster Coleraine. Approximately 400 children were present between the two centres. Tuesday night was the Under 14 7's football blitz with 700 players taking part in what was a superb night of football.
On Wednesday Christy was back with us for an early morning visit to Kilronan special school before going across the road to Meadowbank Sports arena where 400 children from Magherafelt district council met the men. The ladies under 14 footballers had their blitz on Wednesday evening at Owenbeg.
Thursday was the Gaelic football festival for primary school children from all over the County to take part in boys and girls football. 700 children arrived and demonstrated their skills to Pat and Christy to a very high level. Each school that attended were presented with a special signed certificate to mark the occasion. The final event of the week was the official launch in the Guildhall Derry on Thursday evening. The cultural show piece was a remarkable night and a fitting launch to what is a superb competition. Only one month to Féile Dhoire 2010, it's going to be good!!

Primary Scools Feile Programme Design Competition

Primary Scools Feile Programme Design Competition

Following an invitation to Primary schools to take part in the Feile Art Competition to Design the front cover of Feile Dhoire 2010 official souvenir programme, over 100 entries were received (top 3 from each school) and after great deliberation the Judges Mr Liam Horner and Mr Aidan Hegarty chose the top 25 entries.

The twenty five finalists were all invited to the prize ceremony in Owenbeg last Wednesday, where all their entries were displayed. The event was attended by members of Feile Dhoire Committee and officers of Derry County Board, along with parents and teachers.

Schools’ coordinator Peter Donnelly welcomed all the attendees, and after giving an excellent presentation to the children detailing the importance of feile, he declared the toughest job was choosing the final three winners.

The successful winners announced were: 1^st place Owen Martin St Columbas P.S. Kilrea who receives a Doire kit, along with £150.00 voucher courtesy of Richmond Centre Derry, as well as an invitation to attend the official launch of Feile Dhoire 2010 in the Guild Hall in Derry on Thursday 27^th May 2010. His design will also be used as front cover of Feile Dhoire 2010 programme, and viewed nationwide.

Joint second place winners were Caoimhe Reynolds, Termoncanice PS Limavady and Meghan Mc Gillian, St Mary’s PS Draperstown, who each picked up a Doire kit and £75.00 voucher courtesy of Richmond Centre Derry including an invitation to the official launch of Feile Dhoire 2010 in the Guild Hall in Derry on Thursday 27th May 2010.

Thanking the judges and all for attending the event, Peter Donnelly concluded proceedings by commending the schools in Doire for their continued efforts to promote Gaelic games.

Winning designs can be viewed @ www.feiledhoire2010.ie

The full list of finalists were

Maebh Doherty Annahorish PS
Mary Mullan St Patrick’s & St Joseph’s PS Glenullin
Kate Bradley St Patrick’s & St Joseph’s PS Glenullin
Helena Nugent St Mary’s PS Bellaghy
Dearbhla Mc Callion St Mary’s PS Draperstown
Meghan Mc Gillian St Mary’s PS Draperstown
Sarah Mc Guckin Derrychrin PS
Lisa O’Neill Loup PS
Jack Mc Gilligan St Mary’s PS Glenview
Orlaith Convery St Mary’s PS Glenview
Aidan Hughes St Mary’s PS Glenview
Fintan Bradley St Brigid’s PS Mayogall
Caoimhe Mullan St Brigid’s PS Mayogall
Aimee Loughery St Canice’s PS Feeny
Nora Mc Ilvenny St. Canice’s PS Dungiven
Cabrina Farren St. Canice’s PS Dungiven
Owen Martin St Columba’s PS Kilrea
Aaron Mc Erlean Holy Family PS
Brianna Mc Nicholl Holy Family PS
Eireann Hickey St Anne’s PS Derry
Jordan O’Kane St John’s PS Derry
Caitlin Smith Termoncanice PS Limavady
Caitlin Harron Termoncanice PS Limavady
Caoimhe Reynolds Termoncanice PS Limavady
Caoimhe O’Neill St Mary’s PS Greenlough

Derry Ladies Feile Coaching Day 6th and 7th March

Derry girls were out in force at the weekend in preparation for the up coming Feile Competition.

Over 200 girls, affiliated to various club teams, took part in a coaching day held in three areas around the County.

Ballymaguigan were hosts to Ballinderry, Ardtrea, Castledawson and Moneymore. Owenbeg were the hosts to Dungiven, Craigbane, Banagher and Glen. Faughanvale hosted Ballerin and Steelstown.

The coaching days involved the girls being put through their paces by club coaches and ended with a few matches. All the girls that participated fully enjoyed the day and hopefully took with them a few skills that will help them in their league fixtures.

Many thanks go to the clubs that participated and also to Ballymaguigan, Faughanvale and Owenbeg for the use of their facilities. Each area was very well organised and there has been nothing but good feedback from the coaches involved.

It is hoped that another coaching day will be held before the end of the month and all clubs that are to participate in Feile will be represented on this occasion.

Under 13 Girls Football Development Day

As I’m sure many of you are aware Coiste Chontae Dhoíre will be hosting the All – Ireland Féile Peile na nOg in 2010.

The Féile Peile na nOg is a national festival of football for boys and girls under 14 years of age and is based on the GAA club unit. It is sponsored by Coca-Cola Bottlers (Ire) Ltd. since 1971. This is the longest running sponsorship in the GAA or of any other sporting event in this country or even in Europe.

Each year some 25,000 boys and girls take part in this festival in all 32 counties. London and Warwickshire also participate. When the preliminary competition is completed in each county, the winning club then travels to the host county (Derry) where they are hosted by families and engage the host club in football games. Since 1971 over 1 million boys and girls have participated in this great festival.

Féile Peile na nOg is a national movement with the primary objective of facilitating and enabling the personal, social and cultural development of young people. It also emphasises cultural and community activities, leadership and training through sport. It is recognised by the GAA as a major festival of great importance for the promotion of football among the youth of our country. Féile Peile na nOg places great emphasis and importance on proper participation, presentation, punctuality and sportsmanship. It reaches through the nation involving the whole community - clubs, schools, social and cultural groups, bands, civic and religious authorities and families. It helps to bond communities, forge friendships, provide educational opportunities and unearth new leaders.

The Derry county board, ladies football county board and the Féile organising committee are all keen to get as many girls playing football from Derry at the Féile Peile na nOg as possible. Currently we feel there are girls within the County who would like to take part in ladies football but who aren’t for whatever reason.

We are planning an Under 13 girls football development day on Saturday 3rd October in Owenbeg. We would like to invite any girls who aren’t currently playing for a team to come and take part at the development day which will involve some coaching and a blitz.

If clubs can register if they will have a team at the blitz that would be great. If any club has maybe 9 or 10 girls who would like to participate in Féile Peile na nOg but obviously don’t have enough to make a full team, register the girls who would like to participate and we can look at amalgamating teams for Féile.

This is a great opportunity to get more girls involved in ladies football, as already highlighted one of the main objectives of Féile is to forge long lasting friendships, lets everyone get behind it and make it an experience the girls will never forget.

Slaughtneil All Ireland Football Feile Campaign

Well done to all the players and everyone involved with Slaughtneil at the Feile Na nOg in Kildare over the weekend. To get knocked out in the semi finals against Ballyboden from Dublin who went on to win the competition is dissapointing I'm sure for the players, but when you consider the size of Ballyboden compared to that of Slaughtneil parish it put's the scale of the task into perspective and you give it one hell of ago by all accounts. You've done Derry proud lads

Ballerin G.A.C. who were also in Kildare over the weekend also done their club proud going on reports, so well done as well!