A phone call I received from my brother John as I arrived in Rasharkin to cover their division 2 football league encounter with Sarsfield’s reminded me that the Saffron Gael was five years old on Sunday.
John had just covered the first half of Glenravel v Glenavy which had an earlier start and was on his way to Dunloy to cover their game with Ardoyne. Other reporters and photographers were on their way to games throughout the county and as we headed to bed late on Sunday night-Monday morning we had published extensive coverage of quite a number of those games
I had to pinch myself to take in the magnitude of producing an on-line forum that covers Gaelic games extensively within the county and indeed further afield for that period of time. When we made our first publication five years ago we were unsure just how it would have been received.
We have covered the All County leagues in football hurling, ladies football and camogie throughout those five years and endeavoured to bring you coverage of all the championship games played within those five years.
The Saffron Gael has brought you extensive coverage of college’s games in Ulster and coverage of Cumann na mBunscol tournaments and blitz competitions and all these events have attracted extensive readership.
We have followed our county teams at all levels throughout Ireland and again have brought our readership unrivalled coverage of all those games. On Saturday John was down the Ards peninsula covering the Antrim v Down division 1 camogie game and had a reporter with him while I was in Carrick on Shannon covering Antrim’s defeat to Leitrim in the inaugural Tailteann Cup game.
With the new season well under way and the Saffron Gael heading into year six of publication we again make an appeal for financial assistance.
We have covered all of Antrim’s McKenna Cup and National football league games and all the county’s hurling games to date as well as Antrim ladies National football league games and all camogie national league games to date.
The coverage of these games comes at considerable expense as well as being time consuming! In any given weekend or mid-week we have had up to eight photographers and reporters working and all need paying for their time and travel expenses.
Views on the Saffron Gael site reached 8 million two hundred and twelve thousand this weekend so it is obvious by viewing figures and indeed by what you tell us that it is extremely popular with Gaels within the county and much further afield.
Clubs have been very generous in providing annual financial support but unfortunately some clubs have continued to ignore our appeal for financial help. We thank all clubs who have already made a donation this year and appeal to all clubs in Antrim for financial support again this year.
If you think this venture is worth your support please have a word with your club and ask if they have donated.
We are fortunate to have some excellent sponsors. Some who have been on board from day one and others who have put their hands in their pockets as the site has grown and without them we could not have been able to continue but we still need more and if you feel your business would like to sponsor us go to the link on the site or contact John on 07885226348 or at john.mcilwaine@yahoo.co.uk or Paddy on 07511111378 or at ptrckmclwn@yahoo.co.uk
You can also make a personal donation through the link on the Saffron Gael site and all donations are gratefully appreciated and needed.
We look forward to seeing you at a game or an event linked to the GAA or Irish culture in the coming weeks and we will endeavour to cover as many events as possible as we continued in our quest to promote and develop Gaelic games and culture within the Saffron County.