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https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2025/1205/1547491-garda-trial-limerick/

This is all a bit dodgy.

More gardaí related than anything else.

Honestly didn't expect to see Derry so low down. But maybe I should have, with participation in the city.

Add into that half the County wouldn't even be too GAA friendly, still wouldnt have thought it'd be so low
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It's all about quality, rather than quantity.

Funny I was checking the BBC ni website yesterday and there was 2 stories side by side.

1. Woman trying to hold back the tide in reference to the Irish language policy in BCC.

I think she is the woman who was offeded by the Palestine flag going up in at City Hall the other day.

*checks notes* Judge says she couldn't be offended as she was away on holiday when it was up.

Is that not f"&king embarassing?

2. As above poster mentioned, the lad, bombs and EB GAA.

The cultural war on anything Irish continues in late 2025. 

You need minimum of ten years contributions to qualify for a partial pension. Between 16 and finishing school you'll have received credit, so I imagine like me you'll get 3 qualifying years.

You can choose to voluntarily pay contributions like a lot of us did a few months back to make up the shortfall, although you can now only go back six years and they're closing the loophole where you can pay a cheaper class.

Did the one close in April?

It can't be re-visited again now?

Before April you could buy back years 2006-2019, which I did. But you can still go back 6 years.

Ahh, ok. Thanks.

And what would that get you roughly?

Although it's starting in under 2 years, and a lot can change in between, England look to be in a very strong position with their group and their knock out fixtures.

Need to define what exactly happens at the end of the match with the hooter.
I would say if the hooter sounds while a kick is being attempted or the ball is mid-flight, those shots are allowed.
Likewise any deadball situation where an attempt at a score is being taken, they get to take their kick.

Yep, those last 2 lines are exactly what has been defined.  Although in both those cases the scores only count if no other player from the attacking team touch the ball in flight after the hooter. A free, 45 or sideline awarded before the hooter can be taken but must be scored directly.

So a bit like an U11.5 "unoffical" tournament.  . If it's a free and whistle then goes, a point can be scored directly from the free. 

You need minimum of ten years contributions to qualify for a partial pension. Between 16 and finishing school you'll have received credit, so I imagine like me you'll get 3 qualifying years.

You can choose to voluntarily pay contributions like a lot of us did a few months back to make up the shortfall, although you can now only go back six years and they're closing the loophole where you can pay a cheaper class.

Did the one close in April?

It can't be re-visited again now?

24/1 Meath Croke Park 3pm
31/1 Tyrone Home 6pm
14/2 Kildare Away 6.30pm
21/2 Offaly Home 6pm
1/3 Cork Home 1pm
15/3 Louth Away 1.30pm
22/3 Cavan Home 1.15pm

Not sure what our home venue is, looks to be Celtic Park, hearing something different every day. 4 at home and a kind of neutral venue is alright

That's not a bad price for the Tyrone game.

31/1. 

Might have a £5 on that.

https://ulsterschoolsgaa.com/competitions/macrory-cup-25-26/

That's as good as you're getting, it's not great

Thanks Benny.

There's a place in Newtownabbey iirc.

Can't remember the name of it.

Any recommendations for a laptop for older kids....

Make....specification....etc...

Main use for course work and limited gaming..

SF

Spec wise I wouldn't go below i5/i7 512Gb SSD, 16Gb RAM for a general machine. If you need gaming power you'll probably need something beefier.

Agreed, try Back Market, Stone Refurb etc.. I haven't bought a new laptop in years, always go with the refurbished

Ebay another one. I got a refurbished Huawei matebook for £200 (less than half RRP) last year and it's still great. Looks like it was a store demo one or something. Just stick to the business sellers and not your one off sellers.

Id say i7 or Ryzen 7. If they're using it for heavier games maybe 32gb ram, otherwise 16 GB will be good. Graphics card will be a big thing here too, 20XX series for lighter games, 30XX for heavier.

Add Morgan Computers to the list. Bought a couple of business PCs off them today, good spec, v good price

Where are they based at JoG2?

[Gogames to full pitch 15 a side games - it's a big jump.]

Seen a thing on facebook/instagram outlining the underage structures across the country with the majority of counties (20) using even ages, 5 using odd ages & 7 using a mix.  Just wondering if its accurate.

Derry's structures are
U7.5 (p2&3), U9.5 (p4&5) & U11.5 (p6&7) for go-games
Then u14, u16 & u18

You have 3 years at u14 if you've a "good" birthday.

In Derry there was an u12.5 league last year, mostly clubs with bigger numbers, to give players just out of u11.5 competitive football - not sure if it will be scheduled for the 2026 year group.

The U12.5 league in Derry was organised by the clubs, there was no county board involvement. It was a series of challenge games, mostly 13 a side on shortened pitches with the option of playing 15 if numbers allowed. No scores kept (though all the lads playing always know the score, same as gogames). It did tend to be the bigger clubs, think there were around 10 clubs involved, who had enough to field a team of mostly first years. Worked pretty well to give those lads who weren't ready for U14s some football and as a bridge from 9 a side Gogames to full pitch 15 a side games - it's a big jump. Apparently the Derry youth officers are looking at the U11.5-U14 situation at the moment.

That's an issue alright.

15-a-side and big goals. Compare that to Go Games.

Now granted, only a few may make that jump in the first year but they seem to adjust ok.

For the other lads, they play on a 'B' team or the younger age team and it isn't as fast and furious. So maybe tht's a good introduction for them.

But the goalie gets its tight in the big goals and kicking it out. Although the keeper in the younger team can kick from his hands. 

Final round of group games this week (with sone groups already done) & the first play off round next week. It seems an awful pile of effort to get down from 18 to 16 teams tbh but there's still a bit of jeopardy about. If Armagh lose to Abbey they'll drop from 1st to 3rd and end up travelling to Colmans in the play off round instead of a relatively handy homer.

Are the current group tables available anywhere?

Yeah, it should be an interesting Ulster championship. More entertaining than the other 3.

However, the thing is now progression further in the All Ireland series/TC. Teams, when knocked out will be looking at that.

All good to hae an Ulster title but teams will be looking at the bigger picture later in the year.

Yeah, there are no winners in this.

What he done was brutal. No doubt.

But there are flaws to every charcter but he went beyond everything. When he was in, it must have been that he couldn't stop.

There's a bit of Christainity (if that's the correct word these days) in us and I find it sad in a way too.

His downfall has been swift. But it's old news now and people move on.