Monthly Archives: January 2018

Sportswear brand O’Neills, Starbucks and Burger King have been added to the list of tenants at Marlborough Retail Park in Craigavon.

They join multi-national retailer Marks & Spencer which announced in September 2017 that it is opening a M&S Simply Food Store on the park.

Built by Turkington Developments, the former 80,000 sq ft B&Q site has drawn interest from a wide range of potential tenants ahead of the opening later this year.

The M&S store, which is set to create around 80 jobs, is on track for a grand opening in September along with O’Neills’ 14,000 sq ft store, which is due to open around the same time. Both the Starbucks and Burger King developments are subject to planning permission.

Stephen Thompson, O’Neills Sports said: “Celebrating 100 years in the sportswear business,O’Neills is proud to announce that one of the country’s most vibrant and dynamic shopping towns, Craigavon, is to be the location

“You are going to see a guy who will sacrifice himself for this team because he knows when it comes down to it, you are gonna do the same thing for him. That's a team, gentlemen. . .”

If you read the pundits, the life of the modern intercounty GAA players is a tale of ordinary madness. Over analysed, underpraised, over criticised, underappreciated. Pulling on that county jersey is still the pinnacle for every young Gael.

While most of us were polishing off the remainders of turkey from the Christmas fee, these lads, the footsoldiers of the GAA were out doing what they do. Dogging along, drilling, small sided games, doing their gym work. The spectre of an early national league start this week hanging over them.

Getting League Ready

And if they ever started to doubt their sanity, they only have to look right or left. Clowns to the left, jokers to the right and here they are stuck in the middle. But they know that deep

This year the National League gets underway before the end of January as part of the new look GAA Season. It’s a shock to the system. The earlier start and the shocking weather has the diehard league fan reaching for the O’Neills waterproof gear and County bobble hats to fend of the seeping cold and sweeping sleet and rain.

As ever Saturday night lights are part of the programme. With floodlit games now an integral part of the weekly schedule and part of the Eir Sport Saturday night offering its hard to believe that the first floodlit match in Croke Park was only 11 years ago on February 3 2007 when 81,678 fans witnessed Tyrone GAA defeat

GAA in Cambodia?? …Yes, you heard that right! One of the newest GAA clubs established in Asia is Cairde Khmer in Cambodia. More than ever the GAA overseas clubs provide a focal point for the Irish Abroad. And as with other international GAA clubs, the key to Cairde Khmer is the integration of local players and those from other countries. SO, in addition to Gaels from home, the Cambodian lads and lasses are drawing on players from England, America, Japan, Canada, France, Sweden, and Cambodia to take part in this beautiful game.

Gaelic games are well and truly alive and growing in popularity with new clubs springing to life in many major cities across the globe. With the introduction of the GAA World Games in 2015 and the growing network of International tournaments across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, North America and Australasia, this certainly has played its

TG4 All-Ireland ladies senior football champions Dublin will play two of their 2018 Lidl National League Division 1 fixtures at Croke Park during the forthcoming campaign – while also travelling to Castlebar for an historic showdown with Mayo.

Following on from the huge success of the Dublin-Mayo clash at Croke Park last March, the first time ever that the venue had hosted a ladies League tie, the Sky Blues will entertain Lidl Division 1 champions Cork there on Saturday, February 10, and Kerry on Saturday, March 3.

The February 10 date pits the current All-Ireland and League holders against each other in a mouthwatering showdown which will precede the men’s game involving Dublin and Donegal.

On March 3, Kerry are the visitors to Drumcondra, ahead of the men’s fixture between the two counties.  

Another huge game to look forward to takes place on February 24, when the Mayo ladies get the chance to play at Elvery’s MacHale Park, before