Barna GAA Club Social a Success

The selfless hard-work and unrelenting dedication of Gráinne McDonagh was recognised at the weekend when she was named as the ‘Club Person of the Year’ at Barna GAA Club’s annual social, which was held in the Connemara Coast Hotel.
More than 100 people attended the social on Saturday night, which was a huge success again this year, including special guest, Galway senior football manager, Alan Mulholland.
Mulholland, in a short speech, joked about the irony of a Salthill man being the special guest at the social of his club’s neighbours and nearest rivals, Barna, and he quipped that he hoped it was the start of a long peace breaking out between the two clubs.
On a serious note, Mulholland praised the work being done in Barna GAA Club to promote football in West Galway.
North Galway and Tuam may be the home of football in Galway but Mulholland highlighted the need for club’s like Barna, and city clubs Salthill/Knocknacarra, St Michael’s and St James’, to be strong and competitive in order for the game to flourish.
Barna GAA Club Chairman, Johnnie Flaherty, sincerely thanked Alan Mulholland for attending the social on the eve of what was a very important match for Galway, in the National League against Wexford in Pearse Stadium the following day.
And Mulholland appealed to those in attendance to go along to Pearse Stadium to support Galway.
The former Galway player also presented runners-up medals to the Barna ladies’ football team earned during their excellent campaigns last year. Ladies club chairman, Betty Kilbane confidently predicted that the team would go one better this year and would be crowned county junior champions in 2013.
Sineád McCormack was honoured with the ladies club player of the year accolade while senior players, Eoin McDonagh and Brian Conneely won special awards for their part in helping the club retain its senior status after a relegation battle in the 2012 championship campaign.
Vice-chairman, Niall McDonagh, in presenting the Club Person of the Year award, highlighted the dedication of Gráinne McDonagh, who has been working hard for the club, and particularly the ladies section, for more than a decade.
Chairman Johnnie Flaherty thanked everyone involved in organising the social and also local businesses who sponsored prizes, including Donnelly’s Bar, who sponsored the awards trophies, and Liam Codd of West Coast Cycles who donated a mountain bike for the raffle, which was won by senior player John Gannon.