Help support your local GAA club with the help of Opel Ireland's 'Kit for Clubs'

Monday May 21, 2012

Opel Ireland has launched the 2012 “Kit for Clubs” initiative and is calling on all sporting enthusiasts across the country to support their local GAA clubs. GAA fans are encouraged to collect points to earn free sports kit and equipment for their local GAA club through the initiative. Opel Ireland is proud to announce that this year’s Brand Ambassadors are Colm Cooper (Kerry), Jackie Tyrrell  (Kilkenny), Joe Canning (Galway) and Liam Rushe (Dublin) 

Páraic Duffy, GAA Director General said, "The advantages of being involved in a scheme such as this are obvious and the provision of training and playing gear is a welcome payback to our members and clubs who look to Opel for their motoring needs. It is also encouraging to see some of our top players supporting this scheme and lending their profile to help raise awareness about what is an excellent initiative.”

GPA CEO Dessie Farrell added: “This scheme connects club and county in a practical way with the county player ambassadors helping to raise awareness for an initiative that has real tangible benefits for club volunteers. We are delighted to support Opel Kit for Clubs and once again thank Opel for their wonderful loyal support of players and Gaelic games.”

Commenting on Opel “Kit for Clubs” Dave Sheeran, MD Opel Ireland said: “This initiative further underlines our commitment to GAA players and clubs across the country. The Opel “Kit for Clubs” initiative is about supporting clubs at a grass roots level in a practical way by providing them with much needed quality training gear – for free”

Now in its fourth year, Opel Irelands “Kit for Clubs” has 550 GAA clubs registered on the programme, who accumulated 51,890 points in total in 2011. That is the equivalent of 10,378 sliotars!

For every car service (10 points), test drive (10 points), or Opel purchase (200 points) made through the Opel Dealer Network, your club is awarded points which can be built up and redeemed against high quality kit for your club. It’s that simple.

GAA clubs can choose from an extensive range of kit which includes everything from sliotars (5 points) to footballs (10 points) and from goal posts (100 points) to tackle bags (100 bags). New to the programme this year is the addition of juvenile club jerseys (800 points) and senior club jerseys (1,000 points) , provided by MASITA, official supplier of the GAA.

So log onto www.opelkitforclubs.com, "like" the Opel "Kit for Clubs" facebook page or visit your local Opel dealer today to register your club and start building your GAA club’s points.

GAA/GPA All-Stars Sponsored by Opel

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

The GAA/GPA All-Stars sponsored by Opel are delighted to announce Colm O’Neill (Cork) and Eoin Larkin (Kilkenny) as the Players of the Month for National Leagues in Football and Hurling respectively marking their outstanding performances during the 2012 spring campaigns.

Both selections, chosen by the inter-county playing body, reflect the consistently high standards set by both counties. The first monthly awards of the year mark the launch of the GAA/GPA All-Stars sponsored by Opel 2012.

O’Neill, who returned to action this year following a cruciate knee ligament injury last season, capped a memorable Football League Final performance with his fourth goal of the campaign, helping Cork to their third successive title.
Larkin delivered a man-of-the-match performance in Kilkenny’s Hurling League final destruction of Cork in Semple Stadium as the Cats sent out a stern warning to the chasing pack in advance of the Championship.

Commenting on the announcement, Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael, Liam Ó Néill said: “I congratulate both of our award winners who both excelled during the respective campaigns. Being selected by your peers is a special acknowledgement and I believe we will see both players have a major bearing on the championships in the weeks and months ahead. I look forward to honouring similarly impressive displays from both footballers and hurlers with the GPA and Opel as the summer unfolds.”

Dessie Farrell, CEO of the Gaelic Players Association added: “Congratulations to both players on their awards which reflect their outstanding performances during the National Leagues. Colm O’Neill’s dedication in overcoming serious injury is truly inspirational and he proved again what a devastating finisher he is during the spring campaign. Kilkenny’s consistency for over a decade is unrivalled and their League Final display was incredible with Eoin Larkin leading the way, a performance which was particularly significant in the absence of Henry Shefflin and Richie Power. Thanks to all the players who voted, to our loyal sponsors Opel and good luck to all our members in Championships 2012.”

Commenting on the announcement, Dave Sheeran, Managing Director, Opel Ireland, said, “It is fantastic to see our first GAA/GPA All-Stars sponsored by Opel Awards go to two such deserving winners. We are delighted to reward Cork’s Colm O’Neill and Kilkenny’s Eoin Larkin for their efforts in helping their respective counties win a 2012 National League title. I wish them and their counties the very best of luck for the upcoming Championship season.”


Monthly Award Winners:

Each month, between May and October, a Footballer and a Hurler are awarded for their performances in the Provincial and All-Ireland Championships. Players are short-listed by members of the All-Stars Steering Committee and the winners selected by the county playing body. Each winner receives €1,000 and a trophy.

Pictured at the PwC/Localise fundraiser 'One Minute to Save a Life', with the help of the GPA are: Back row (l-r): Cian O'Sullivan, PwC and Dublin footballer; Ciarán Lyng, Wexford footballer; Rónán Murphy, PwC Senior Partner; Eamon Fennell, Dublin footballer and Fiona Claffey, PwC and Westmeath footballer. Front row (l-r): Patrick Hartford (aged 12), St Laurence O'Toole's CBS; Cody Hanlon (aged 12), St Laurence O'Toole's GNS and Jonathan Anene (aged 12),  St Laurence O'Toole's CBS.

May 11, 2012

GPA partners PwC, together with Localise , a youth development organisation, today hosted a Gaelic football  fundraising event ‘One minute to save a life’ with the students from local school, St Laurence O'Toole's, Seville Place, Dublin 1.  In support of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS), the event raised funds for a defibrillator  for local GAA  club St Joseph’s/O’Connell’s  Boys.

County football stars Eamon Fennell (Dublin), Ciarán Lyng (Wexford) and PwC’s Cian O’Sullivan (Dublin) took part together with a large number of PwC people and students to score as many goals as they could in one minute.

PwC and Localise and the students from local school, St Laurence O'Toole's, Seville Place, Dublin 1 have worked together for the past four years. As part of this year’s programme a team of 12 volunteers from PwC has been working together with 35 children from the local school since February 2012. Together with Localise representatives, they have worked on designing a ‘Caring for the Community’ project. The aim of the Localise project is to develop the children’s skills and talents and to help them understand the importance of teamwork and how to plan, manage and implement a project.