Monaghan Harps Lotto: Numbers 11, 14, 20 and 25. Jackpot of €3,400 not won. Residual prizes: €100 Betty Clerkin c/o Séamus Treanor; €40 Colm Quinn c/o Brian O’Sullivan (Hurling Club); €40 Allison Treanor c/o Eileen McElvaney (Ladies Club); €40 Eugene Heaphey c/o Jim Dalton (Hurling Club). Jackpot for Sunday, November 30 is €3,500 and Dermot and Liz Brannigan are on duty. The Lotto plays an essential part in the running of the club and we ask for everyone’s continued support. Tickets can be left into the clubhouse from 7.45pm each Sunday.

 

AGM: The senior club AGM takes place this Thursday (November 27) at 7.30pm in the clubhouse. All members are welcome to come along and have their say. The agenda and secretary’s report are available on our website.

 

Juvenile AGM: Our Juvenile Club AGM took place in the clubhouse last Thursday night. After Martin Sheridan and Val Forde gave the Chairman’s Address and Secretary’s Report, where they outlined the main events of 2014 on and off the pitch, it was over to the juvenile managers to report on their teams’ progress. Una Forde reported on the Saturday-morning coaching, with Gerry Lynch doing likewise on the blitzes we hosted, while a run-down on the blitzes across the county from Finbarr Conlon was read out. There were also reports from Mel McMorrow on the U-10s, Jimmy Croarkin on the U-12s, Mel on the U-14s, Michael O’Donoghue on the U-16s and Gerard Clerkin on Scór. Club Chairman Seán McKenna also addressed the meeting, thanking the juvenile committee and coaches for their efforts throughout the year. We are grateful to everyone who volunteers their time on behalf of the young people in our club and our town. Special thanks go to outgoing chairman Martin Sheridan and secretary Val Forde, who have both served and continue to serve the club so well. The following committee was elected: Chairman: Damien Morgan; Vice-Chair: Martin Sheridan; Joint Secretaries: Una Forde and Aideen Flynn. We welcome Damien and Aideen to the committee and wish all involved the best of luck in 2015. A full report on the Juvenile AGM will be available on www.monaghanharps.gaa.ie.

 

Fashion Show: We will be staging a fashion show in the Hillgrove Hotel on Thursday, December 11, supported by local shops like Utopia, Diesel, Vero Moda, Jack & Jones and Name It. We will also have mulled wine, mince pies and spot prizes for attendees on the night. Tickets, costing €10, are available now from club members.

 

Scór: A great night’s entertainment was enjoyed by all who attended the Scór na nÓg semi-final in Ardaghey last Saturday night. Monaghan Harps had representation in seven competitions, of which five won through to next week’s county final. Rince Foirne: Well done to Áine Aughey, Ciara Veale, Dervla Tracey, Tara Gilsenan, Johanna Lynch and Laura Duffy, who danced a lovely six-hand reel but were unlucky not to progress. Well done to Tara Gilsenan, who will represent the Harps club in the Solo Singing competition in the county final. Congratulations to Danny Tracey on his hilarious recitation about ‘Foreign Foods’.  He had the audience in stitches laughing! Ceol Uirlise: Rossa Gilsenan, Danny and Dervla Tracey, Emma and Karla Clerkin. With two fiddles, a guitar, an accordion and a flute, this five-piece music group were excellent.  They looked and played beautifully, but were obviously not what the judges were looking for on the night. Dervla and Donna Tracey, Helen McCrystal, Leah Reilly, Dearbhla and Aisling Ní Ghallchóir and Eoin and Katie McCleary had no opposition in Léiriú, but they put on their enjoyable drama about ‘The curse of Macha’ and will be ready for the county final. Laura Drumm, Aisling Ferguson, Emma Clerkin, Annan Connor and Rebecca McAree entertained us with two lovely Irish songs which earned them a place in the Bailéad Ghrúpa final. Shane McMahon, Paul Peppard, Emma Clerkin and Danny Tracey (The brains of the Harps) finished the night for us in style when they secured their place in the Tráth na gCeist final. Comhghairdeachas to all the competitors, mentors and parents involved. Hope you all enjoyed the night. Best wishes to the five acts that go on to represent Monaghan Harps this Friday night in Corcaghan. Go n-éirí an t-ádh libh go léir.

 

Draw: Tickets for the GAA National Club Draw are out now and are now being distributed by Jimmy Croarkin. Tickets cost €10 and the excellent prizes include trips away with the 2015 All-Stars and packages for the All-Ireland finals.

 

Coaching: For anyone interested in taking up coaching, there is a foundation course in Cloghan at the end of November. There are also a number of coaching workshops coming up in the next few months.

 

Garda vetting: Club members who have received their Garda vetting clearance forms are asked to send a photocopy of same to Thomas McCabe.

 

Party: The club’s Christmas party will take place in the clubhouse on Saturday, December 6 and all members from all sections of the club are invited for a night of entertainment and music.

 

Well done: To St. Macartan’s College, who won the Rannafast Cup Final for the first time in 37 years last Friday night. Our own Ben Kearns-Flynn, Thomas Croarkin and Nathan O’Donoghue were on the Sem panel. Good luck to Éimhín, John, Darragh, James, Shane and the Sem’s MacRory Cup team in their play-off against St. Michael’s, Lurgan in Garvaghey on Friday.

 

Harps Mammies Night: Takes place in the clubhouse this Friday from 9pm-11pm, featuring Christmas flower-arranging, food demonstrations, Aloe Vera stand, home-cooked cakes and buns, Pollocks’ Pickles, raffles and more. Admission is €3. This is being organised by our own Mary White, who is raising funds for her volunteering journey to Mexico next year. Also keep free next Thursday night, December 4, for a table quiz.