CHAIRMAN, CO. GALWAY G.A.A. COMMITTEE

At the announcement of a new Sponsorship Partnership with Supermacs Ltd.

In Galway, on Monday, January 28^th. 2013.

At the outset, I wish to warmly welcome everybody to this very important occasion.  I welcome all of the Members of our Association, including Officers, Players, Managers, Delegates and Patrons.  I am delighted to share this occasion with the Managing Director of the entire Supermacs Group, Mr. Patrick J. McDonagh, with his wife Una, their Family, Management, Staff and many Customers.

I am also delighted to announce here this evening that full and final agreement has now been reached, between the Galway County G.A.A. Committee and Supermacs Ltd., on a new Sports Sponsorship Partnership, for the next five years.

The new Agreement, which we have jointly concluded is the largest and longest Sports Sponsorship in the history of Gaelic Games and indeed any other Sport in County Galway.  This Sponsorship includes for the very first time, both Gaelic Football and Hurling.  The Agreement, which is legally binding on both Parties provides, Sponsorship by Supermacs Ltd. for each and all of our inter-County Football and Hurling Teams, from Under-14, right through all of the Grades and Competitions, up to and including our Senior Inter-County Football and Hurling Teams.

The Sponsorship Agreement is decent and generous and confirms Supermacs as the Sole Official and Main Sponsor of all County Galway G.A.A. Inter-County Teams, at both Adult and Youth levels, for a half a decade ahead.

This announcement is being made on a very historic day for the G.A.A. in County Galway.  We have restructured our entire Association at County level over the past few months.  Tonight, our new revamped County Committee holds its inaugural meeting, at which every affiliated G.A.A. Club in County Galway will collectively participate for the very first time, in our long history.  The new County Committee will have over one hundred Delegates and Officers and looks forward with confidence to a new era in G.A.A. administration and governance, throughout this great County.

2.

Consequent on those changes, this new Sponsorship Agreement is very timely and a major boost for all of our Inter-County Teams, as we commence Official National Competitions, next week-end.  Galway play Derry in the National Football League in Pearse Stadium, Salthill, at 2 p.m. on Sunday next February 3^rd.  and our Senior  Hurlers will play either Dublin  in the Walsh Cup Semi-Final on Saturday next also.  I am pleased to confirm that T.G.4 will televise the Football Game and Galway Bay F.M. will broadcast both of those Games also.

Again, that will be another historic day, because for the very first time, both of our County Teams will wear the same new standard maroon Jersey with one County Crest thereon and both Teams will proudly carry the name of a Single Sponsor, i.e. “Supermacs”, for the very first time also.  This will bring a unity of purpose and a new passion and vigour to all of our Teams.  It will also bring clarity and a new sense of pride to and for all, of our many loyal Supporters.

There are many benefits in this new Sponsorship Partnership for the Association throughout the City and County of Galway.  The “Supermacs” Brand is the best known Sports Sponsorship Brand on this Island.    We want to rapidly establish a new “Brand Galway”  – Jerseys and Kit and Teams with Passion, Skill and Style.  There is no better way to achieve this than to partner with a powerful indigenous Galway Company, whose Brand is synomymous with quality, service and success, both in its core business and its external interests, including long term Sports Sponsorship.

As an Association, this new Inter-County Teams Sponsorship gives us an assurance and certainty, that for the next five years, all of our Inter- County Teams can be well resourced and supported in modern amateur Games, which should give much pleasure and satisfaction to both Players and Patrons alike.

For Parents, Families and Supporters, this new all embracing single Sponsorship means  that from the start of this new year, there will be one single crested maroon Jersey available for sale to our many Patrons, Parents and Children and this new arrangement gives a minimum five year time line, on the procurement value of these attractive maroon leisure garments.

3.

This evening we have four role models wearing the new County Jersey in the person of our County Senior Football Captain, Finian Hanley from Salthill-Knocknacarra, who led his team to Senior County Championship victory just this past year, wearing number 3 for both Club and County. Alongside him is the man from Turloughmore, Fergal Moore, wearing number 4, who led our County Senior Hurling Team with such passion and style during 2012, and became one of Galway’s National All-Stars, in the process.  They are joined  by both Michael Meehan (Football) and Tony Óg Regan (Hurling).  We salute   those four wonderful young talented men and wish themselves and all of their Team colleagues every success in 2013 and beyond.  They are also joined here tonight by their respective Managers, Alan Mulholland and Anthony Cunningham.  We wish Alan and Anthony and their Management Teams every success in the year ahead also. We sincerely thank all of their Families for their constant support to all of them in their great work for Inter-County Gaelic Games in Galway.  Our gratitude and best wishes to all of our Management Teams at every level for your collective efforts at all times, for our beloved Maroon and White.

The Sponsorship Agreement which we have reached is in itself a graduated, progressive and incentivised Sponsorship.  There is a guaranteed base  line Sponsorship for each year, along with built- in bonuses for winning Provincial and All-Ireland Finals for our Senior Teams and for winning All-Ireland Finals for our respective Minor and Under-21 Teams.  This guarantees rewards for effort and success to all or our Players, Teams, Managers and Mentors alike.

We commenced negotiations on this Sponsorship earlier this month.  I want to thank our Sponsor’s negotiating Team of Mr. McDonagh himself, Mr. Lynch and Mr.  O’Dwyer.  They were fair, frank and forthright and the Agreement, which we will publicly sign later is balanced, detailed and equitable.  I also want to pay a special tribute to Mr. John Hynes, our C.E.O. and County G.A.A. Secretary, for his committed and dedicated efforts, which led to this final documented Agreement.

4.

Heretofore, Mr. Pat McDonagh and “Supermacs” have sponsored Galway Hurling for over twenty two years.  He also contributed handsomely to Galway Football at irregular intervals and also sponsors many other G.A.A. Clubs, Colleges and other teams, including the County Camogie Team.  Tonight, he commences the Sponsorship of both codes for the next five years.  This will make his Sponsorship of Galway G.A.A. Teams the longest running Sponsorship in Ireland, of any continuous unbroken Sports Sponsorship and should take him into the Guinness “Book of Records”.  Speaking of Guinness, he also has International interests in the U.S.A. with the Claddagh Pub Chain. Even President Obama asked to see him in Moneygall last year!

 Recently, the Media carried a story that he may go East to Australia to commence the establishment of a Supermacs chain there.  His main Competitors there are currently doing market research, to ascertain if they should change their brand name, before his arrival there.  If his expressions of interest in far away Australia can frighten his would-be competitors from afar, what impact should his dual Sponsorship have on Galway Players in 2013 and above all on the Teams, which Galway will face, in numerous Competitions, throughout the year ahead.

This evening is an occasion of positive celebration for all of us here in Galway, when we commence the enhancement of a new Gaelic Games Sponsorship and partnership  with Supermacs Ltd.  I thank and congratulate Pat and Una McDonagh, their Family, the Company Management and entire Staff, for agreeing to be our sole Sponsor.  I hope and am confident that we can build on past experiences and create a new dawn for the People of Galway, who continue to jointly support both all of our Teams and the Supermacs Group, in their thousands.  Our Customers and Patrons are also both Patrons and Customers of Supermacs Ltd..  I hope that this new partnership is rewarding and successful for all and culminates in our goal of Gaillimh Amháin, Gaillimh le Chéile agus Gaillimh go Deo.

Ar aghaidh le Muintir na Gaillimhe agus ar aghaid le Comhlucht “Supermacs” Teo. and le cúnamh Dé, beidh an BUA again le chéile, ins na blianta atá ós comhair amach.

Writer/Director Martin McDonagh talks to Garry Kelly about his new movie Seven Psychopaths, his directorial debut In Bruges, and his fond memories of Galway…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qu40LrQUIhc

Best International Short Film

All Hallows Week (Hiljainen Viikko)

Jussi Hiltunen

Finland

A film that manages to capture the trauma following a random act of violence. Highly authentic, showing guilt, hate and blame, all skillfully encapsulated within eighteen minutes.

Special Mentions

Ballet Story

Daria Belova

Germany

A film that carefully reveals a world of jealousy amongst young girls, with lyrical cinematography and a relaxed pace.

Premature (Prematur)

Gunhild Enger

Norway

A tragicomedy of discomfort and prejudice, and an interweaving of different perspectives, all told in one single take.

Cork Short Film Nominee for the European Film Awards

Morning

Cathy Brady

England, Ireland

A devastatingly nuanced drama, which mixes a power struggle alongside grief and ambition, with two superb lead performances, and shot in a minimalist and realistic style. Cathy Brady is an exciting new Irish talent.

International Jury: Per Fikse (Norway), Nicky Gogan (Ireland), Philip Ilson (England).

Best Irish Short Film

Left

Eamonn O’Neill

A film about two childhood friends who choose different paths, Eamonn O’Neill’s Left is a simple yet complex and mature animation with great depth of characters.

Special Mention:

A Removals Job

Nicholas Keogh

This film has a unique and creative approach, where the demolition of a building and the process of its reconstruction becomes a metaphor for the craft of cinema.

Claire Lynch Award for Best First-Time Irish Director of a Short Film

Two Wheels, Good

Barry Gene Murphy

This director uses a clever mix of style and form with live action and animation to portray an inspiring insight into different lives on two wheels.

Special Mentions:
Solitude

Sean Breathnach

This film displays a brave and accomplished attempt at creating a tensions experiences by both the audience and the lead character.

Buried In Light

Siobhan Perry

Perry’s film stands out for its difference in theme and its elegant yet form approach to its subject.

National Jury: Rita Figueiredo (Portugal), Liz Harkman (England), Danny McCarthy (Ireland).

‘Made In Cork’ Award for Best Short Film

Uisce Beatha

Shaun O’Connor

This is a film that showed panache, poise and sharpness, that had the freshness we were looking for, and a lightness of touch and a spareness, with no padding whatsoever. It also had a genuine warmth and engagement, and a subtle, gradual release of the information it was revealing. In short, it was a film, we felt, that could have been clichéd or clumsy in lesser hands. We are very happy to choose it and recommend it.

‘Made In Cork’ Jury: Pat Kiernan, Jane Lee, Matthew Sweeney.

Award of the Festival for Best Short Film

Oh Willy…

Marc James Roels, Emma de Swaef

Belgium

Audience Award for Best International Short Film

Rhinos

Shimmy Marcus

Ireland

Audience Award for Best Irish Short Film

Motion Sickness

John McIlduff

OutLook Award for Best LGBT Short Film

Next Door Letters

Sascha Fülscher

Sweden

Fülscher’s animation is a sweet and tender short that reaches audiences both young and old with its authentic message of unrequited love.

GALWAY HOOKER AWARDS:

Frank Stapleton

Isabelle Huppert

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30 Minute Film Festival Judges Award

Winner:  Alan Travers

Director: Stop Motion Biscuit Cake

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Winner: Here To Fall

Director: Kris Kelly

Producer: Evelyn McGrath

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The FICC jury awarded the Don Quijote award to Here To Fall for its high quality of animation especially in the facial expressions of the main character, the way its storyline leaves you in thought and its effective use of a strong score.

Special Mention: Learning to Fish

Director: Teemu Auersalo

Producer: Nicky Gogan

Learning To Fish is a simple story on the surface but with a deeper commentary on environmental and social issues, communicated through high quality animation.

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The Huston School of Film and Digital Media’s Cinema, Human Right and Advocay Award  is presented to the film that shows the importance of cinema as a means of raising awareness about human right issues presented by Dee Quinn

Winner: Give Up Tomorrow

Directed: Michael Collins

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The Donal Gilligan Award for Best Cinematography in a short film:

The Galway film Fleadh in association with the Irish society of cinematographers are proud to present an award commemorating the distinguished work of the Irish cinematographer Donal Gilligan

presented by :  Charlotte Sommers, Michael, Joe & Finn Gilligan

AND THE AWARD GOES TO: James Mather for The Hatch

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The James Horgan Award for Best Animation in association with Telegael

***Winner eligible to enter Short Film competition for Academy Award ****

Special Mention: Irish Folk Furniture

Director: Tony Donoghue

Producer: Cathal Black

Winner:  Fear of Flying

Director: Conor Finnegan

Producer: Brunella Cocchigila

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The Tiernan McBride Award for Best Short Drama in association with Network Ireland Television presented by Derry O’Brien

***Winner eligible to enter Short Film competition for Academy Award ****

Special Mention: Joy

Director: Colm Quinn

Producer: Neil Wallace, Emmet Fleming

Winner: The Girl with the Mechanical Maiden

Winner:  Head Over Heels

Director: Timothy Reckart

Producer: Fodhla Cronin O’ Reilly

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The Best First Short Drama in association with Mazars presented by Paul Mee

Special Mention: Off the Board

Director: Siobhan Perry

Producer: Roisin Linnie

Special Mention: Saving Turf

Director: Gearoid Hayes

Producer: Gearoid Hayes

Winner: The Hood and the Collar

Director: Paddy Hayes

Features Audience Awards:

The Best Irish Feature Award:

Second place: Stalker

Director: Mark O Connor

Producer: TJ O Grady Peyton

Winner: Good Vibrations

Director : Glenn Lyburn, Lisa Barros D’Sa

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Best International Feature

Second Place: Baikonur

Director: Veit Helmer

Winner: The Parade

Director: Srdjan Dragojevic

Producer: Biljana Prvanovic

The Best First Irish Feature

Joint award:

Winner: Citadel

Director: Ciaran Foy

Producer : Katie Holly & Brian Coffey

Winner: Earthbound

Director : Alan Brennan

Producer: Heidi Karin Madsen, Jacqueline Kerrin, Dominic Wright

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The Best International First Feature

In Second Place: In the Family

Director: Patrick Wang

Winner: Perfect Stranger

Directed: Toni Bestard

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Best Irish Feature Documentary

Second Place: Lon Sa Speir

Director: Sean O Cualain

Producer: Eamonn O Cualain

Winner: Natural Grace

Director: Art O Briain

Producer:Art O Briain, Aileen McDonagh

Best International Feature Documentary

Second Place: The Swell Season

Director: Nick August-Perna, Chris Dapkins, Carlo Mirabella-Davis

Winner: Four Horsemen

Director: Ross Ashcroft

Producer: Megan Ashcroft

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The Galway Film Fleadh Pitching Award

Winner: Hannah Patterson for RESISTANCE

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The Bingham Ray New Talent Award in association with Magnolia Pictures presented by Annabelle Ray

Winner:  PILGRIM HILL

Directed by: Gerard Barrett

Produced by: Gerard Barrett

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INTERVIEWS IN FULL

Sunday 15th July 2012

Managing Director of the Galway Film Fleadh, Miriam Allen, looks back on another successful six-day festival and gives some of her personal highlights this past week…

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After winning The Best First Irish Feature Award for ‘Earthbound’ as joint winner with Ciaran Foy’s ‘Citadel’, director Alan Brennan gave this reaction…

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After winning The Best Irish Feature Award for ‘Good Vibrations’ here’s the reaction from directors Glenn Lyburn & Lisa Barros D’sa and Producer Chris Martin…

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After winning The Bingham Ray New Talent Award for ‘Pilgrim Hill’ here’s the reaction from the director & producer Gerard Barrett…

Friday 13th July 2012

Director Seán Ó Cualáin tells us about his latest documentary ‘Lón sa Spéir – Men at Lunch’ which screens Friday July 13th at 1pm (Town Hall Theatre) and the discoveries they unveiled when investigation one of the world’s most iconic photographs…

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Director Ross Ashcroft discusses his first feature ‘Four Horsemen’ which screens Friday July 13th at 6pm (Cinemobile). The documentary  investigates how new economic paradigm into the world would dramatically improve the quality of life for billions…

Thursday 12th July 2012

Director Niccolo Bruna discusses his latest documentary ‘Dust’ which screens Thursday July 12th at 2:30pm (Town Hall Theatre) and tells the story of the great asbestos trial in Italy which ended with a 16 year sentence raising awareness of the lethal mineral…

Tuesday 10th July 2012

Chief Executive of Bord Scannán na hÉireann/The Irish Film Board (IFB), James Hickey, discusses his role at the agency and previews his personal highlights at this year’s Galway Film Fleadh….

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Here’s the immediate reaction from those who watched ‘Grabbers’ which opened this year’s 24th Galway Film Fleadh…

Afterwards I spoke with the Director Jon Wright…

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Director Konrad Begg & Actor Sean Maguire discuss their latest collaboration ‘Songs For Amy’ which screens on Wednesday 11th July at 9pm (Town Hall Theatre)…

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Director & Cinematographer, Keith Walsh, tells us about his latest documentary ‘Apples Of The Golan’ which screens on Thursday 12 July at 4pm (Cinemobile)…

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Put The Green Cape On – Jedward

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eParXVjkPI

The Rocky Road To Poland – Damien Dempsey, Bressie, Danny O’Reilly (Coronas) and The Dubliners (John Sheehan, Barney McKenna, Eamonn Campbell, Patsy Watchorn).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5aZjE15Ye0

Boys In Green – Rory Gallagher and the Island (ft. Sharon Shannon)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxHvoHilzLo

It’s Our Time – The Sneaky Ones

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmIno1dYxLM

Believe – Irish House Party

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFt7D3gg1NY

Trapp & the Lads – Brendan & the Blacksticks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwYdQ4TR0hA

Green Army – Johnny B

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MzlpNho92Y

We’re Ireland – Slim & Friends

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-M1_CgNeGfs

Come on Ireland – Buachaill Boys

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucrsKJQVRs8

The Boys in Green will conquer – Finnegan’s Hell

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSSw–kAYqk

Ireland All the Way – Andy Bennett & Keith Myers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFRoH9QSjqE

My Fair Land – Mickey Fluter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aLVXbYmyIo

Prep Time: 2mins
Cooking Time: 12mins

Ingredients:

200g of Grounded Almonds
85g of Almond Butter
1 zest of Orange
4 tablespoons of Honey
2 tablespoons of Orange Juice
1 tablespoon of Vanilla Essence

Accessories

Oven
Baking Paper
Wire Cooling Mesh or Spare Oven Tray

The Simple Process

(1) Pre-Heat oven (fan assisted 180c)
(2) Mix all six ingredients together to form a dough
(3) Flatten the dough into a rectangle on a cutting board
(4) Cut evenly into 14 squares (2 bites per day)
(5) Place them on a sheet of Baking Paper and place in the oven for 12mins
(6) After the 12mins, take out your bites & place them on a wire mesh or oven tray to cool.

After 30mins your Almond Bites, which are packed with protein & healthy nutrients, are ready to eat! Empty your Cookie Jar and replace them with these tastier bites. Try and stick to just 2 per day and use them as a healthy snack when visited by food cravings.

For those with a sweet tooth, you can melt 100g of Dark Chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of heated water & dip HALF of each Almond Bite into the bowl after the melted chocolate cools.