The Official Launch of
Féile Peil na nÓg Cill Dara 2009
took place in St. Conleth’s Park, Newbridge
on Thursday, 21st May.
Some press coverage below. Checkout all Kildare newspapers for colourful photographs of event.
Fanfare and Fireworks for Féile Launch:
Checkout www.kildare.gaa.ie for coverage of spectacular launch of Féile Peil na nÓg Cill Dara 2009…..
Thousands gather for Féile Launch:
Tommy Callaghan, Leinster Leader wrote:
They came in their thousands, full of colour, enthusiasm, noise and lots of colour.
St. Conleth’s Park, Newbridge was the venue on Thursday evening last for the official launch of the National Féile Peil na nÓg, which will be held in Kildare for the first time in 21 years on the first weekend in July.
President of the GAA, Christy Cooney, who had toured schools throughout the county in the previous four days in advance of the Féile Launch, was present and addressed the huge gathering.
Mr. Cooney emphasised, not for the first time, that the Féile is not all about winning, it is about enjoyment, meeting new friends, competing and above all taking home memories that will last each competitor for the rest of their lives.
Syl Merrins, Chairman of the Co. Board, welcomed one and all and said that outside of bringing the Sam Maguire back to Kildare Féile was the next biggest occasion in the GAA.
Killian Whelan of KFM was MC for the evening and as usual did a fine job, introducing the guest speakers and the various entertainment acts.
Other speakers on the night included Pat Quill, President National Ladies GAA; Deirdre Kearney, Chairperson Kildare Ladies; Michael McGoldrick, National Chairman Féile, along with the legendary Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh.
The evening ended with a fire works display before the 3,000 plus youngsters went home happy and looking forward to Féile 2009 when between 8,000 and 10,000 players, officials and supporters will descend on Kildare in what is the biggest sporting occasions of the year.
Cooney stresses importance of social role at Féile Launch:
For more details from Independent.ie on Launch of Féile Peil na nÓg Cill Dara click on following link:
http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/cooney-stresses-importance-of-social-role-at-feile-launch-1747629.html
Hogan Stand: Féile Peil na nÓg 2009 takes centre stage in Kildare:
Féile Peil na nÓg 2009, which will be sponsored by Coca-Cola, returns to Kildare for the first time in 21 years on the first weekend of July and will be the largest underage sporting competition of its kind in Europe this year. More than 30,000 boys and girls across the country and in overseas units have competed for a place in this year’s finals, which will involve six divisions for boys and four for girls.
Clubs from visiting counties will enjoy the hospitality of a combined total of 83 boys and girls host clubs over the course of the weekend and Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Criostóir Ó Cuana, in the company of Uachtarán Cumann Peil Gael na mBan Pat Quill, will officially launch the competition this evening.
The GAA President lauded the excellent organisational skills that have been evident in planning for the event. He said: “It has been impossible to ignore the real buzz that is detectable around the county of Kildare over the course of my visits to schools and clubs in recent days and I think everyone lucky enough to be involved with the Féile weekend can expect a competition to rival any. The attention to detail shown and the success of the organising committee in harnessing so much goodwill in recent weeks and months means Kildare can expect a Féile Peil na nÓg competition organised to the highest standards.
This competition is about so much more than the games and the social interaction between the players and mentors with people from other clubs, counties and overseas units should ensure that this turns out to be a weekend to remember. I thank everyone involved, sponsors Coca-Cola and all parties who have supported this venture and I am confident that we will be treated to a competition that shows why this event is so firmly etched in the GAA’s calendar.”
Coca-Cola has sponsored the competition since 1993. They also sponsor Féile na nGael and have done so since 1971. This is the longest running sponsorship in the GAA or in any other sporting event in this country or even in Europe. Speaking at the launch Erica Roseingrave, Public Affairs and Communications Manager for Coca-Cola HBC Ireland said: "We're delighted to be sponsoring the 2009 Coca-Cola Féile Peil na nÓg finals in Co Kildare and are very much looking forward to an exciting festival of Gaelic football later this summer. We'd like to wish the local and national organising committees, officials, clubs, participating teams and everyone associated with the finals the very best of luck over the coming weeks.”
Féile Peil na nÓg 2009 will begin with the traditional parade on Friday July 3 in Newbridge. It will feature participating teams, eight bands, including The Artane Boys Band, The Defence Forces Brass Band, The Air Corps Pipe Band and The Garda Band.
Coiste Féile Chill Dara is delighted to announce that President Mary McAleese will be in attendance to review the parade while renowned broadcaster Michael Ó Muircheartaigh will act as MC and present each team as they parade past the review stand.
Coiste Féile Chill Dara and all the Kildare clubs extend a warm hand of friendship and hospitality to all the visiting clubs, demonstrating the true meaning of Féile, and hope that their Kildare experience is one of enjoyment, camaraderie in sport and a weekend that turns out to be a truly memorable event in their sporting lives.
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