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see


http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/ebay-5-off-10pm-using-paypal-1322255


Not spam, hottest deal ever on hot uk deals.
But you've got to act quickly. Expires at 10pm. Pass it on.

I just stumbled across this enthusiast's guide to buying cheap UK to Ireland rail fares.
I thought I might be useful to quite a few given that its getting harder to find cheap air fares now.  One to bookmark and share.

http://www.seat61.com/Ireland.htm#Fares

Fair play to the author for having written up this guide

Fed up with flying?  More volcanic ash on its way?  It's time to swap stressful flights or cramped coaches on eyesore motorways for a relaxed train ride through the English countryside and along the beautiful Welsh coast, then by luxurious superferry across the Irish Sea, see the journey in pictures below.  £38 (€40), any day, any date, buys you a 'SailRail' train & ferry ticket from London or any rail station in Britain to Dublin (plus a small fee for online booking).  It's the traditional way to reach Ireland, an environmentally-friendly alternative to a flight which can reduce your CO2 emission by up to 73%.  In fact, you can buy a SailRail ticket between any station in Britain and any station in Ireland, one-way or return in either direction, at these amazingly cheap prices, covering train travel to the port, the ferry to Ireland & onward trains in Ireland, all on one ticket.  Just use the online booking form on the right.  If you live in Ireland, you can buy SailRail tickets to any rail station in Britain online at www.irishferries.com.  Bring a bottle of your favourite wine along (try doing that on Ryanair), sit back with a good book and enjoy the ride...

London to Dublin for £38 or €40...
London to Cork, Limerick, Waterford,
Sligo, Tralee, Galway for £55.50 or €60
Fixed price, any day, any date, one-way in either direction, train & ferry all on one ticket, no baggage fees or weight limits, no airport taxes, no costly train fare to the airport, children under 5 go free, under 16's half price.  From any other rail station in Britain it's the same or less:

Manchester or Liverpool to Dublin = £33
York, Leeds, Birmingham or Hull to Dublin = £34
Oxford, Cardiff or Little Kimble to Cork or Galway = £53.50
Little where???  Exactly. Any station in Britain to any station in Ireland. Even Little Kimble.
Book by 18:00 day before travel, a small fee applies to online bookings.  Fast ferry +£5

http://www.seat61.com/Ireland.htm#Fares

Just a thought.

I've just read that the UK budget is introducing a 10% discount on inheritance tax for people leaving 10% of estate to charity.

This strikes me as a great opportunity for the GAA to set up its own development charity to  support gaelic games development, eg coaching, ground development, purchasing equipment, etc.

For those caught by inheritance tax, you would have a choice of giving at least 10% of your money to gaelic games rather than the UK treasury.

The GAA could also set up one of those will writing services where you get a cheap will and in return you're expected to leave some money to the charity concerned.

Free Competition!

3 pairs of tickets for the Cork-v-Dublin semi at Croke Park this Sunday. Just post what you think the score will be below and the three people with the most "likes" will win them. Closes at 12.30pm today and winners then announced

http://www.facebook.com/CulGreen

Airtricity are to start offering electricity supplies to residential properties in Northern Ireland next month. They claim that they will be 14% cheaper than NIE.

See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8702519.stm

In England, where competiton is long established, these companies pay referrers a decent commission per customer signed.  I think its in the region of £30 to £40.

The GAA's network of clubs offers a great marketing route for this sort of thing.
As long as the tariff is cheaper than NIE's (and it has to be or there's no point), it's a win - win for both the GAA and the consumer.

Airtricity will be keen to sign up as many as possible, as quickly as possible, to make this exercise  feasible.

Does anybody know if the GAA in Ulster have approached Airtricity, or vice versa?
I think this could be a really good fund raiser - way better than the gaelic telecom.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/magpies-marty-clarke-heads-home-to-ireland/story-e6frf8w6-1225779189364




BREAKING NEWS: MARTY Clarke has walked out on the Magpies, citing homesickness and a "burning" desire to be a teacher.

The Irish-born onballer has spent three years at the Lexus Centre, but he said he missed his family too much, and so was leaving immediately to return to his homeland.

"My decision to return home was not an easy one. But I simply miss my home and the people close to me too much," Clarke said in a statement on the club's website.

"I also have a burning desire to be a teacher and I want to start that stage of my life as soon as possible."

After a stunning first year in the league, Clarke has struggled to cement his place in the side and said today his homesickness had affected his play.

"The latter stages of this year were forgettable ones on a football level. I suppose the uncertainty in my mind didn't help," he said.

Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
Related Coverage

    * NFL punting: Rocca to take punt
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End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.

Clarke, who was a star in underage Gaelic football, said he looked forward to returning to his native game.

"I am also looking forward to playing Gaelic football again. I strongly believe my best moments of my sporting life are ahead of me and at this stage and I want to show them on the GAA stage," he said.

Clarke, who turns 22 in November, played 46 games with the Magpies.



He made his AFL debut in round 12, 2007 against Sydney after being temporarily elevated to the senior list due to a long-term injury, and earned a permanent spot on the senior list for the 2008 and 2009 seasons.



Clarke's last AFL game was against Sydney in Round 12 this year and he was named as an emergency for the preliminary final against Geelong.

[and to the local GAA who also gave sponsorship.]

Sounds strange, but that's what's being reported here

http://www.westmeathexaminer.ie/news/mullingar/articles/2009/07/22/389717-rochfortbridge-youth-soccer-tournament/

Rochfortbridge youth soccer tournament

The first ever youth soccer tournament that involved over 200 young people from all areas of Rochfortbridge turned out to be a great success.
.
.
Speaking about the five-day soccer fest, organiser Elaine Kavanagh said the week was a great success and was enjoyed by all involved.
.
.
Elaine would like to thank all those who helped out during the soccer tournament, with a special thanks to Rochfortbridge Tidy Towns Committee who sponsored the four perpetual trophies, and to the local GAA who also gave sponsorship.

http://www.derryjournal.com/3911/Gaelic-fan-wants-fair-.4979058.jp

Published Date: 13 February 2009

As a local gaelic games follower I have closely monitored the sports coverage offered by Radio Foyle in 2008 due to a perception that local gaelic games and clubs do not get the local coverage deserved from a local Radio station.
This is no longer a perception, there is now no doubt that Radio Foyle is failing local gaelic sport.

While local cricket clubs, local soccer clubs and the local rugby club all received live updates and/or commentaries from various games during the year, there was not one live commentary, or even live update that I heard from any gaelic match, club or county. Many commentaries come from the Brandywell and rightly so.

Not one live commentary from Celtic Park during the whole year, club or county.
No reports from the games of local clubs in the Derry League or Championship - Steelstown, Dolans, Faughanvale etc.
The exploits of Faughanvale were left to Nell McCafferty and RTE.
Brian Dooher, the Tyrone Captain who lifted the Sam Maguire Cup for a second time this year is from the Clann na nGael Club, which is in the Radio Foyle's catchment area. Ever hear his club mentioned in sports reports from Radio Foyle?
However, I have heard reports from matches involving Donemana Cricket Club.

It's important to state here that I fully agree with the local coverage by a local Radio Station of local soccer, cricket, rugby etc.
I enjoy many sports, it's just the case that gaelic games are under-represented. Since I am a regular listener to Radio Foyle, enjoying many of its programmes, I don't really want to have to tune in to other stations to get the coverage gaelic games deserve.

Maybe I'm biased? Okay let's put it to the test.
Derry are the current National League Champions.
Let's hear how many live updates and/or commentaries come from their Division 1 games this year against Kerry (H), Dublin (A), Tyrone (A), Galway (H), Mayo (A), Donegal (H) and Westmeath (H). Some big matches there, but are the away ones too far away? Not when compared with live coverage during the year from Derry City's away matches in Dublin, Cork etc. Could we even have one game?

Tyrone are the All-Ireland Champions and part of the county falls within the Radio Foyle 'catchment area' as does part of Donegal by the way. Cricket reports and live updates/commentary in the last year have taken the local listeners as far as Strabane at least. Let's listen for how many live updates/commentaries there are of Tyrone's National League matches for local fans, including local Derry gaelic fans who have an in interest in Tyrone's progress and even more interest in the lack of progress!!

Let's hear how many times in 2009 the progress of the main gaelic clubs in the city are mentioned, including the hurling clubs of Na Magha and Burt. Remember Radio Foyle is a local Radio Station. In 2008 you were more likely to hear of Everton and Sunderland. All that local gaelic followers ask for is a fair coverage and profile as the gaelic games season starts to build momentum. Can I also state that I'm not a member of any club mentioned in this letter, nor do I represent the views of these clubs.

Fair play, Doire.
NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED

Good to see the Belfast Telegraph promoting a gaelic football competition in their "GAA Pick The Score Game."
Who knows, their back page might one day even lead with a GAA story.

Their new found enthusiasm for GAA doesn't hide their lack of knowledge however.
Somebody should tell them that a gaelic football squad comprises of more than 13 players.
I would have expecteed their prize of a team kit to contain at least 15 jerseys, not 13.

Have a look at the banner at the following page

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/gaa/article3730619.ece

Idiots.

[School's gaelic plan kicked out]

Depressing Stuff.

Given the enthusiasm of Limavady Grammar's head to become the first NI state school to competively play gaelic games, we can only assume that his praiseworthy efforts have been thwarted by darker forces there.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7401104.stm

School's gaelic plan kicked out 

Plans to introduce gaelic games to Limavady Grammar School have been dropped after objections from teachers and parents, according to the GAA.

Chris Collins from the Derry County Board said he was to meet pupils on Wednesday, but it had been cancelled.

Mr Collins said he was "disappointed that people aren't living in the 21st century and moving forward a wee bit".

However, principal of Limavady Grammar School Sam McGuinness said he would like to see gaelic games at the school.

Assembly member John Dallat said he had met Mr McGuinness twice to discuss the provision of gaelic games at the school.

He said he was "disappointed" the issue had not been resolved, and said he has asked for another meeting.

"I hoped the matter would be dealt with and Limavady Grammar school would meet the sporting and cultural needs of all its pupils," he said.

http://breakingnews.iol.ie/sport/story.asp?j=227990698&p=zz799y4x4&t=gaa

Tickets still available for Dublin v Derry
10/08/2007 - 11:40:02 

The GAA has confirmed that some tickets for the Dublin v Derry, Bank of Ireland football championship quarter-final at Croke Park tomorrow, have been returned from county sources.

These tickets will be available to purchase from 2pm today from the GAA website www.gaa.ie, from Ticketmaster outlets nationwide and in the Croke Park area from the GAA Ticket office at 526 North Circular Road and Mc Caughey's Shop on Clonliffe Road while stocks last.

["Worthington set to be NI managerNigel Worthington is to be unveiled as the new Northern Ireland manager on Friday, BBC Sport understands. "]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/default.stm

"Worthington set to be NI manager
Nigel Worthington is to be unveiled as the new Northern Ireland manager on Friday, BBC Sport understands. "

How the f**k can a new manager of a team that attracts no more than 15000 fans be the lead news item?
The over reporting of NI soccer is already ridiculous in their sports section, but to make it headline news just shows how far removed BBC NI is from reality.

The nature of the coverage is unbalanced as well - they always report on insignificant NI soccer crap like a twat getting transferred from Linfield to Larne, whilst GAA matches get cursory treatment.

Time for some bright media student to chart how much coverage each sport gets on UTV / BBC NI in relation to its attendances.

Does anybody else think that now would be a good time to look at a municipal joint gaelic games / soccer stadium, ie have one stadium, that could be used for both sports, say with a proper 10000 seater stand?

Something alonmg the lines of what tallaght should be?, ie publicy funded, and available to all sports, not just soccer?

------------------

Former GAA President to spearhead Derry City project!

http://www.derrytoday.com/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=3422&ArticleID=1972770

Derry City Football Club has appointed former GAA President, Peter Quinn, to front the 'Candy Stripes' bid to take over and develop Brandywell Stadium, the 'Journal' can confirm.

The Fermanagh man, a former leading light within the Gaelic Athletic Association and a former member of the N. Ireland Parades Commission, will lead Derry's bid to secure grant funding to develop the Derry City Council owned facility.
Mr. Quinn played a pivotal role in securing funding to develop Dublin's Croke Park, the main GAA Stadium in the country which boasts in excess of 80,000 seats.
Having been approached by Brandywell Properties Trust., the organisation charged with upgrading the stadium on behalf of the club, Mr. Quinn's consultancy agreed to take on the role and it's believed he will seek funding from both the British and Irish Governments, plus the various lottery and sporting agencies, in an effort to raise as close to the anticipated £15 million costs as possible.
While work has been continuing over the past few months towards obtaining and developing the stadium on behalf of Derry City F.C., it has since become clear that, following on from a submission to the City Council, there would also be a submission to the government.
Brandywell Properties Trust confirmed details of the move in a statement to the "Journal".
The statement read: "The standard required for such a submission is such that the Trust felt it needed to appoint a consultant who was experienced and familiar with the standards required.
"The Trust is delighted to have appointed Peter Quinn Consultancy to front the production of our Business Plan which will be presented to Derry City Council in the near future and to Government in the early Spring of 2007.
"Peter Quinn Consultancy will produce an economic appraisal which will be to 'green book' standard to be presented to both the government and the City Council.
"In the meantime, the Trust appreciates and is grateful to the patience and forebearance shown by Derry City Council which has been awaiting this report for some time and we hope to reward that patience and forebearance with our business plan within the next six weeks."

The statement was jointly signed by the Brandywell Properties Trust chairman, Mr. Jack McCauley, and Derry City Chairman, Mr. Hugh McDaid.

From the Bray People

http://www.unison.ie/bray_people/stories.php3?ca=37&si=1752681&issue_id=15093

Why I'm reminded of the man with the digestives

Next, a parable. When Final Whistle was in college many years ago, there was one chap I knew (friend would be too strong a word) who could never get his act together to get himself somewhere to live.

So as a result he was always doing the rounds, looking for a couch to sleep on here, a free dinner there. Now of course you couldn't turn the poor chap away, he was in a fix. But he became so accustomed to freeloading that he started to take it for granted that he could just show up unannounced, with maybe a packet of digestive biscuits he'd shoplifted as some sort of token of civility.

And sure enough there came a point, when he started calling round and within one minute asking to have a shower, that not answering the door became the most desirable solution and that was the end of that.

Listening to certain soccer fans giving out about Lansdowne Road after that last game, about how it was a kip anyway and how they never had any real connection to the place, before they set off across the city to squat on somebody else's couch, I was reminded of my old college mate. Lansdowne is a kip but beggars can't be choosers.

Then we had Steve Staunton criticising the FAI over their refusal to give the Irish soccer team access to Croke Park for training purposes. Steve well knows that this is a sensitive issue in the GAA and shouldn't be pushing it one way or the other, especially as he could find himself sneaking up behind George Hamilton at home matches in Cardiff. For this, the Final Whistle 'Do You Mind If I Have A Shower Award 2006' goes to Steve again.