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Lads, lassies and AN Other...

I'm due to be going out in Belfast this Easter Sunday and now I'm told that there could be a rip of places closing early?? Could anyone enlighten me as to where will be staying open late (bars, nightclubs etc)

We can leave that whole reasons behind closing early for another time....

Just got my hands on an Android phone for the first time and I'm looking for some GAA related Apps to download and waste loads of time rooting at!!

I already have the Official GAA one and the EasyTag Dartfish one...

Any coaching related ones which are any good - even from the dirty foreign sports such as Association Football??

I'm just taking a notion and gonna start making smoothies - try to improve my consumption of fruit (can't see me throwing any veg into them) and to try something different for a change.  I've never really had too many smoothies, homemade or otherwise...  Any advice?

Main things seem to be..

• Fruits
• Thickener
• Liquid of some description

Gonna try to keep them as healthy as possible - all suggestions welcome!

Dundrum Shopping Centre flooded.... Gonna be massive damage!

http://video.l3.fbcdn.net/cfs-l3-ash4/344334/127/10150503726203776_2091.mp4?oh=f7c6126007676fd156f8d

Well lads and lassies, looking to set up a Nursery/Gaelic Start Programme in our club for the Junior & Senior Infants (Under 6s) in the next couple of weeks....

Has anyone any information or advice for setting up and running one of these?

I know we have the Ulster GAA Gaelic Start Manual http://ulster.gaa.ie/coaching/resources/ and there's a few things on the Dublin GAA Coaching website which may be useful http://www.dublingaagamesdevelopment.ie/resources/books

Does anyone have anything to add??

Lads, lassies and everyone else, I'm just looking into all these Friends of / Cairde / Clann initiatives that a fair few clubs seem to running these days.  Most schemes seem to involve weekly clotto, private draws and memberships and I think it's fair to say that Ulster clubs seem to be leading the way on this this one.

Do of the members here have any experience in setting these up in your clubs?  Do you know what has worked well in attracting people to buy into your scheme/initiative?

Any other little nuggets of wisdom for any club setting one up?

Anyone else getting a slap of TV Channels on Sky which they haven't signed up or paid for?  Yesterday and today for whatever reason, I seem to be able to watch 3e, Sky 1, Dave, Comedy Centtral, MGM Movies etc....

Lads and Lassies, just looking for some information about the Cú Chulainn Awards which were the forerunner to the All-Stars.  Just from looking at Wikipedia, they ran from 1963 to 1967 but has anyone any more information on them?? What they looked like, was there a judging panel, who was on it etc??

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GAA_All_Stars_Awards_Past_Winners_(Football)#1963_C.C3.BA_Chulainn_Awards

Lads and lassies, just throwing together a thread regarding coaching where we can throw any ideas back and forth...  Suppose the best place to start would be a few sites which I have found useful enough.

The Ulster GAA website is a great starting point, hard to go wrong from there http://ulster.gaa.ie/coaching/

Few others aren't too bad
http://www.dublingaagamesdevelopment.ie/
http://www.gaa.ie/coaching-and-games-development/
http://gaelcoach.gaa.ie/main.html

The Moy club website is meant to be good too.

I'd love to hear if anyone has used any AFl, soccer, basketball drills when training their team and which ones...

Also, was at a course recently and Terence McWilliams (Ulster Council) was going on about a football coaching book he had coauthored a couple of years ago - would love to get my hands on a copy of it.  Can anyone help me out here??

Lads and lassie, knocked out of the championship on Saturday evening (thanks very much Boojangles) still as much angry as I am gutted at the minute but I'm afraid depression is well and truly sinking in...  Nothing to do, no football training to go to, no job or college and bugger all money to go drinking... I think that sick feeling in my stomach is going above and beyond the normal effects of a 2 day binge and can't sleep right at all 

any suggestions to help me sort my life out will be greatly appreciated...

Cricket coming to Croke Park

20 May 2010

History will be made next month when the Australian cricket team will train at Croke Park.

The GAA has given permission to the Australian squad to train at the Jones' Road venue ahead of their One-Day International against Ireland at Clontarf on June 17.

The training session was approved as a part of the GAA's Croke Park marketing strategy to showcase the stadium, which opened its doors to rugby and soccer for the first time following the relaxation of Rule 42 in 2005.

Croke Park stadium director Peter McKenna said in the Irish Independent: "The Australian cricketers were aware of Croke Park from watching their international rules and rugby teams playing there and were keen to have a run-out on the pitch.

"Central Council agreed to permit it as a special event. Anything that gets the Croke Park brand out there in the marketplace is important. We're in a very competitive space right now."

[Parliamentary chaos as Ukraine ratifies fleet deal]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8645847.stm

Parliamentary chaos as Ukraine ratifies fleet deal

Chaos has erupted in the Ukrainian parliament during a debate over the extension of the lease on a Russian naval base in Ukraine.

The chamber's speaker had to be shielded by umbrellas as he was pelted with eggs, while smoke bombs exploded and politicians brawled.

But the debate continued and the chamber ratified the lease extension.

Kiev has prolonged the lease on the Sevastopol base by 25 years in return for cheaper supplies of Russian gas.

   
ANALYSIS
David Stern
BBC News, Kiev

Relations between Kiev and Moscow have taken a 180-degree turn since Viktor Yanukovych became president.

Under his predecessor, Viktor Yushchenko, ties were at times openly antagonistic. Mr Yushchenko wanted to close the Black Sea Fleet base in Sevastopol, and was a staunch supporter of Georgia during its 2008 war with Russia.

But the speed of this Ukrainian-Russian reconciliation under Mr Yanukovych has surprised many.

As well as the Black Sea Fleet agreement, Ukraine has announced that Russian and Belarusian forces will join the country's 9 May Victory Day parade - the first time foreign troops will have marched in the event since Ukraine became independent 19 years ago.

But the rapprochement has also enraged Ukrainian nationalists, who believe their country is once again falling under the dominance of its former colonial master.

The deal, which came amid rapidly improving ties between Russia and Ukraine following the election of Ukraine's pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in February, has been bitterly opposed by Ukrainian pro-Western opposition politicians.

The clashes in parliament broke out as MPs debated ratification of the agreement, which was made by Mr Yanukovych and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev last month.

Opposition MPs hurled eggs at the speaker, Volodymyr Lytvyn, who had to be protected by two aides holding black umbrellas.

Deputies were seen throwing punches on the floor of the chamber, and covering their faces with handkerchiefs to protect themselves from the smoke.

Thousands of demonstrators gathered outside the building.

Despite the chaotic scenes, the debate continued and the deal was backed by 236 out of 450 members of the chamber.

'Black page'

Ukraine's Prime Minister Mykola Azarov pointed to the boost the lower gas price would provide to the budget as the country struggles to secure a loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

"The budget means agreement with the IMF, the possibility of getting investments," he said. "It is a programme of development for Ukraine in the future."


But opposition leader and former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko said the day would "go down as a black page in the history of Ukraine and the Ukrainian parliament".

The Russian lower house of parliament approved the fleet extension deal shortly after the Ukrainian ratification, with 410 members voting in favour and none against.

On Monday, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visited Kiev, where he announced offers for wide ranging co-operation on aircraft manufacturing, shipbuilding and the generation of nuclear power.

"We are talking about creating a large holding which would bring together joint power generation, joint power station construction and the fuel cycle," he was quoted as saying.

He said the controversy over the base deal was "to be honest, unexpected".

The price Ukraine had asked was "beyond all reasonable limits", he said, and the gas subsidies would cost Russia $40-45bn (30-34bn euros, £26-29bn) over 10 years.

Map showing Sevastopol

But he added that the deal was "not just a question of money".

"Military co-operation, without a doubt, increases trust between two countries, gives us an opportunity to do work full of trust in the economic and social and political spheres," he said.

"This is in fact the main thing."

One of the protesters outside parliament, Igor Derevyanko, accused Russia of "financing anti-Ukrainian projects".

"This is a permanent threat to Ukraine's territorial integrity because the Black Sea fleet is the outpost of the Russian state in Ukraine," he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency.

CERN's Large Hadron Collider turned on, smashing particles properly

Live now on RTÉ.ie

http://www.rte.ie/live/index.html

I heard about this at the weekend, it seems after the GAA paying out big time in the last couple of years on Physios' bills, they have decided to change the policy.  The GAA will not now cover pre-op Physios visits and post op Physios visits are only now covered in the new scheme and only to a maximum of €320.

What sort of an effect is it going to have on your club?  I know some clubs in Cavan now have a policy of you can't go to the Physio without getting written permission from the club secretary.  Most clubs will have to seriously reduce the amount of Physio visits otherwise they will be left with a serious bill at the end of the year

[Glasgow club fears arson was anti-Irish incident]

Glasgow club fears arson was anti-Irish incident

Tir Conaill Harps Gaelic Athletic Club is to ask Strathclyde Police to investigate the torching of its minibus in a Glasgow street as a racist incident.

The 17-seat Renault and thousands of pounds worth of sporting equipment were burned beyond use after the attack, which took place in Glentanar Road, Lambhill, at around 2.30 in the morning of Monday, February 22nd.

The minibus was parked outside the yard of North Area Community Transport, where a club volunteer was to sit a minibus driving test later that morning.

Club officials estimate some £3,000 worth of sports equipment, including hurling helmets, sticks and sliothars, was destroyed. A DVD and audio system on the minibus also went up in flames. A compressed gas cylinder was found in the wreckage.

There appeared to have been no attempt to remove kit from the minibus before it was set on fire.

A club spokesperson said: "We will be asking the police to investigate this attack upon our minibus as a racist incident.

"All of the hurling gear and the DVD player were left in situ. There was no attempt to remove it and, as far as we are concerned, this is an arson attack against us because we are a Gaelic sports club and have community connections with Ireland and Irish people.

"If the police can provide us with another motive I'd be delighted to hear about it. In the meantime, we hope for the best and prepare for the worst."

The definition of a racist incident was provided by the Macpherson Enquiry Report into the death of Stephen Lawrence and has been adopted by the Association of Chief Police Officers of Scotland. It says that "a racist incident is any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person".

The most immediate impact of the loss of the minibus is that Tir Conaill Harps will not be able to play its part in a hurling tournament organised by Langside College and planned for this Friday, February 26th. Players from seven primary schools will take part and the club had volunteered a loan of equipment for the event.

Young players at Tir Conaill Harps community clubs in Townhead, Scotstoun and Shettleston, who rely on both the hurling equipment and the minibus to travel to training, will also be affected by the incident.

"This is a major challenge for the club," the spokesman added. "However, our reputation and work for young people from all backgrounds and cultures will ensure that a stronger club will emerge from this set-back .

"We have had a fantastic relationship with many Glasgow businesspeople in the past and we would hope that they will come to our aid to help get us back on the road again.

"We have also had offers of help from some of our partner schools and the Gaelic sports community in Ireland has offered to help replace the equipment."

[Man crashes plane into Texas building]

Man crashes plane into Texas building

Thursday, 18 February 2010 18:43

A Texas man has deliberately crashed a small plane into a building containing a federal tax office Thursday after setting his house on fire.

Two fighter jets were scrambled out of a nearby airport in response to the incident, which an official said does not appear to be linked to terrorism.

The plane struck the second floor of the seven storey building in Austin, Texas about 10.00 am (4pm Irish time) and burst into flames in a massive explosion that forced people to flee out of the windows, witnesses and officials said.
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North American Aerospace Defense Command launched two F-16 fighter aircraft from Ellington Field in Houston, Texas to conduct an air patrol in response to the crash.

'This response from NORAD is a prudent precaution and consistent with our response to recent similar air incidents,' said NORAD spokesperson Jamie Graybeal.

Two people were taken to hospital and one person was unaccounted for, but fire officials said they believed everyone else had been safely evacuated from the building.


All joking aside, fecking hell that would be scary...

[Motion of no confidence in O'Dea]

Motion of no confidence in O'Dea

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny has told the Dáil he intends to put down a motion of no confidence in Defence Minister Willie O'Dea.

Following a five minute explanation read to the Dáil by the Minister, Mr Kenny said questions were raised by the explanation, and therefore he would be bringing forward a confidence motion.

The Fine Gael motion has been submitted and is expected to be debated during the party's private member's time next Tuesday and Wednesday.
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In his statement, Minister O'Dea insisted that he had not lied on oath, but admitted he had made a mistake.

He said that as soon as he discovered his mistake, he had moved to rectify it and had corrected his affidavit on his own volition.

Mr O'Dea said his evidence he had given had been mistaken, but that evidence and testimony is regularly corrected in courts without allegations and assertions of lying and perjury being levelled.

Labour's Pat Rabbitte suggested that Minister O'Dea had 'a cheek' to claim he had forgotten what he had said.

He said he hoped that Green Party leader John Gormley would revert to his high moral standards when the no confidence motion came before the Dáil.

Earlier, Taoiseach Brian Cowen told the Dáil he does not believe that there were 'any breaches' of laws or codes of conduct by the Minister O'Dea.

Mr Cowen said that when the matter was brought to his attention, he spoke to Mr O'Dea and he was satisfied that his personal explanation would clear the matter up.

Last summer, Minister O'Dea made a sworn statement in connection with a High Court case taken by Sinn Féin local election candidate Maurice Quinlivan.

While he accepted making comments about Mr Quinlivan which were published in a local newspaper, he denied making other, unpublished, comments which figured in the court case.

It later transpired that he had in fact made the comments - Mr O'Dea said he had forgotten making them, and apologised.

This apology, and a sum in damages, was accepted by Mr Quinlivan.



I wonder will Willie ask Enda to step outside to settle this??   

Tyrone have been stunned by the intercounty retirement of attacking ace Colm McCullagh.

The 32-year-old Dromore clubman won All-Irelands with the O'Neill County in 2005 and 2008 and was a leading threat for Tyrone last year, picking up an All Star nomination for his assured performances.

However, Mickey Harte has confirmed that he's now planning without the man who landed 1-21 in last season's SFC:

"Colm has been a great servant to Tyrone football and he has made his decision and we have to respect that."


Bit of a surprise there surely or was it to be expected? 

Lads and Lassies, just a though to start a thread where we could put up regional or local radio stations which might be covering NFL games at the weekend. 

Most local radio stations will cover away games but sometimes not in full (or in the case of Northern Sound it is just too hard to listen to) so an alterative radio station would be a welcome solution.

For example, what Roscommon radio station would be picking up the Roscommon - Cavan game on Sunday?  Is it available on the web?

Anyone heading to this one on Saturday in Cookstown?  Or at a previous one, what did you make of it?


http://ulster.gaa.ie/2010/01/19/coaching-conference-2010/

The 6th Ulster GAA Coaching and Games Development Conference will take place on Saturday 30th January 2010 in the Glenavon House Hotel in Cookstown.

This year's conference targets coaches who are working with youth players from 13-18 years. It builds on a successful Conference in 2009 where we targeted children's coaches.

The Conference consolidates the coach education work that is ongoing within the County programmes and the Provincial Coach Development Programme.

Ulster coaches are constantly refocusing and challenging their coaching practices and the speakers this year will again challenge the coaches to raise the bar.