The Saffron Gael

Among the guests received by Deputy Mayor, Councillor Breanainn Lyness, at an event to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the All Saints club were several founder members including current club president, Denis Martin.

In 1975 the club took its first tentative steps towards providing Gaelic games in Ballymena. Fast forward five decades later and the impressive club facilities on the Woodside Road are testament to the success of that decision.

Deputy Mayor, Councillor Breanainn Lyness with founder members of the All Saints GAC club at a reception to celebrate their 50th Anniversary in the Town hall on Thursday night. Seated: Deputy Mayor Breanainn Lyness, All Saints Prtesident, Dennis Martin. Back Row: Sean O’Reilly, club chairman Jim Brady, Sean Gallagher and Brian McCambridge

Councillor Lyness paid tribute to the contribution the club has made to the local community particularly for young people and pledged the future support of Council for their work.

In return club Chairperson, Jim Brady, offered thanks to Council for a range of financial support provided over the last 20 years including the floodlight programme at their Quinn Park pitch and their latest capital project – a gym, ball wall and 3g floodlit training facility. The latter is due to open during 2025 and Mid & East Antrim Council has provided £50k towards the overall £550k cost of the project.

**Members of All Saints GAC with Deputy mayor, Breanainn Lyness at a reception to honour the 50th Anniversary of the club on Thursday night**

to view more pics from the reception click on the link below

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THE 2024-25 EOS IT Solutions All-star camogie team received their awards at a gala dinner on Thursday evening in the Elk Restaurant.

The All-star awards were presented by double All-Ireland senior club medallist and former Offaly All-Ireland junior winner Tina Bradley. Rosemary Hughes-Merry, representing Ulster Camogie, presented the senior winning captains with their trophies while Emer Rafferty, chair of QUB Camogie, presented the Player of the Match awards from the various senior finals on behalf of the sponsor QUB GAA.

Also in attendance were Sean McGourty representing Ulster schools’ GAA, while the All-Ireland winning teams from the province were recognised – St Patrick’s Maghera (All-Ireland sevens and All-Ireland Junior Corn Gobnait) and St Dominic’s Belfast (All-Ireland Junior Corn Úna).

The All-star panel of 24 players was drawn from 13 schools across the province with Erin O’Hara, Leah Cassidy and Fiadhna Loughran accepting awards for the second year in a row.

Goalkeeper O’Hara is one of six players from Cross & Passion Ballycastle in the selection. Three of the six are younger sisters of previous All-star recipients. Mary McArthur is following in the footsteps of Cassie (2022) and Ceala Dobbin bridges a ten year gap back to Caitrín while Marie Laverty has equalled the achievements of two older siblings Ciara (2020) and Orlagh (2022).

Another north Antrim school and beaten Corn Uan Uladh finalists for the third year in a row, St Killian’s Garron Tower, picked up four awards, all of them members of the Ruairí Óg Cushendall club that has been so successful at under-age level in recent years. Eva McNeill’s older sister Abi was selected two years ago while the other awards go to Laura Black, Kady McNeill and Amy McAlister.

Leah Cassidy from St Patrick’s Maghera also collected a second All-star award and added more Ulster senior medals to her collection alongside Katie McCloskey and Caoimhe Chambers first time All-star award winners. Katie, from Ahoghill, was also the QUB Player of the Match in the Corn Uan Uladh final in the Dub in January.

Ceala Dobbin with her sister Caitril who won her All Star ten years ago.

The third double All-star is Fiadhna Loughran a member of the Granemore side that won the All-Ireland Junior club title in 2023. She is a student in St Patrick’s Keady along with Eimear McGeary.

There are no fewer than nine schools in the selection with a single player picking up an award. Amongst those are St Patrick’s Dungiven who have picked up their very first All-star through goalie Aoife McAteer.

Staying in the north Derry town and Niamh Nig Uiginn became just the second student from Gaelcholáiste Dhoire to catch the eye of the selectors. Niamh was also player of the match in the Rosina McManus Shield final in January.

In total there are 24 players named in the squad, with half of them having represented Antrim at under-age level. Six are from Derry clubs, while four come from Armagh with Catherine Moohan from Edendork and Erin Daly from Bredagh completing the panel.

Fiadhna Loughran and Erin Daly finished the event by making acceptance speeches on behalf of the All-stars while the evening opened with each of the senior winning captains bringing in their trophies:

Rosina McManus Shield: Shield Maisie Quilton – Aquinas Grammar Belfast

Rosina McManus Cup: Caitlin Nic Eocháin – Gaelcholáiste Dhoire

Senior Medallion Shield: Grace Draine – St Conor’s Kilrea/Clady

Fr Davies Cup: Caitriona McArdle – St Patrick’s KeadyCorn Uan Uladh: Eimear Murray – St Patrick’s Maghera

In addition, the Players of Match in each of the senior finals picked up their awards, presented by Emer Rafferty, chair of QUB Camogie:

Rosina McManus Shield final: Katie McKavannagh from St Bridget’s club and Aquinas Grammar

Rosina McManus Cup final: Niamh Nig Uiginn from Sleacht Néill agus Gaelcholáiste Dhoire.

Senior Medallion Shield final: Ellie McCartney from Swatragh and St Conor’s

Fr Davies Cup final: Fiadhna Loughran from Granemore and St Patrick’s KeadyCorn Uan Uladh final: Katie McCloskey from Ahoghill and St Patrick’s Maghera