Ferns St. Aidans GAA Club

Vote for ian...and josie too

Ian Byrne and Josie Dwyer are both up for awards in the Glen Fuels/Wexford Players of the Year scheme for 2013, and you can help them out by voting online.
Just click here or on the picture alongside.
The awards night will take place on Friday February 14, so let's hope at least one of the Ferns players has a Valentine's to remember!

U-21 Hurling championship

- Posted on January 28 at 5.11 p.m.
The draw for the U-21 hurling championship has been made, and Ferns are in the premier grade. We have a bye in the first round and will play Buffers Alley in the quarter-final. The first round is down to be played on St Patrick's Day, but there's no date yet for the quarter-finals.

CHAMPIONSHIP DRAWS

- Posted on January 22 at 9.19 p.m.
The draws for this year's county championships have just taken place, and here's how things have shaped up for us:
Senior Hurling Group B
Ferns St Aidans, Faythe Harriers, Buffers Alley, Rapparees, Glynn/Barntown, Cloughbawn
Junior Hurling Group B
Ferns St Aidans, Faythe Harriers, St Mary's (Rosslare), Taghmon/Camross, Gusserane, Tara Rocks
Intermediate Football Group B
Ferns St Aidans, St James's (Ramsgrange), Craanford, St Mary's (Rosslare), HWH-Bunclody, Ballyhogue

In senior hurling, our opening game will be against Faythe Harriers, followed by Buffers Alley in round two, then Glynn/Barntown, Cloughbawn, and Rapparees.
In junior hurling, it's Tara Rocks first, and then Gusserane, St Mary's (Rosslare), Taghmon/Camross, and Faythe Harriers.
In intermediate football, the opener is against St James's (Ramsgrange), followed by Ballyhogue, Craanford, St Mary's (Rosslare) and HWH-Bunclody.
The football championship is expected to begin on Easter weekend (April 19/20/21) and the hurling championships are likely to start on the weekend of May 9/10/11.

American tea party

- Posted on January 22 at 4.55 p.m.
Our next 'Strictly Come Dancing' event will be an American Tea Party, to be held in the Community Centre on Saturday February 1.
The event is being hosted by members of the club committee, of the camogie club committee, and selected others, and entry will cost €10. There will be musical entertainment and a raffle on the night.

OUR WEXFORD WONDERS

- Posted on January 22 at 4.51 p.m.
There was not one, not two, not three, but FOUR Ferns men on the Wexford senior side on Saturday, as NUIG were comfortably seen off in the first round of the Walsh Cup.
Ian Byrne (pictured here) was top scorer on the day with 1-5 (0-3 from frees); Paul Morris and Benny Jordan weighed in with two points each, and James Tonks had a solid game at wing back. It's great to see such representation on the county side, and we hope that all four retain their places throughout the year.

Seana Ghael awards

- Posted on January 22 at 4.46 p.m.
There were three Ferns recipients of Wexford Seana Ghael awards this year, in the shape of Tommy Hawkins, Sean English and Jack O'Brien.
Tommy ('Ducker') is still well remembered by many people of that generation as one of the most lethal forwards around - despite lacking a little in stature! Sean English (who has been living in Nenagh in County Tipperary for many years) was a true history maker in the club when he became the first Ferns man to win an All-Ireland Senior Hurling medal as he was a sub on the Wexford 1960 team, while the well-known GAA official Jack O'Brien - associated with Buffers Alley in more recent times - also had a spell with Ferns in his younger days, and indeed came on as a sub in the 1969 senior county final.
Congratulations go to all three of them - all are worthy winners.

Meet the sporting stars

- Posted on January 19 at 6.22 p.m.
Our friends in Kilanerin are giving a great opportunity to two young Ferns players to meet sporting legends Sean O'Brien, Brian Cody, Jack O'Shea and Brian Kerr at a 'Talking with Giants' event they are holding in the Amber Springs Hotel on Thursday February 13.
They want to give two tickets each to a young GAA player and a young camogie player (one for the player, and one for a parent or guardian) to go along to the event and get autographs and photos with the stars. If you would like the chance to win those tickets, please just e-mail us at fernsgaa@gmail.com with the name, address and age of the young player, and name and telephone number of the parent/guardian. We'll do a draw ourselves on Sunday February 9, and let the winners know that night.
If anybody else would like tickets for the night, they cost €15 each and can be bought directly from the Amber Springs Hotel or ordered from Seamus Hughes of Kilanerin at (087) 2331235. All money raised will go towards developing sports facilities in Kilanerin.

Underage agm

- Posted on January 19 at 6.17 p.m.
There was an encouraging attendance at our underage AGM on Friday night, where another generally successful year was reviewed.
Special congratulations went to our minor hurling team on their County Championship success, while thanks were sent to all team managers, mentors, parents and others who helped out during the year, as well as Colm O Tiarnaigh and other staff in all the Ferns parish schools, for their continued help in promoting gaelic games.
All three underage officers (Chairman Pat Murphy, Secretary Trish Nolan and PRO Colm Lambert) were re-elected for another term, while other committee members are Des O'Neill, James Breen, Rodelle Cowman, Teddy Byrne, Pat Kinsella and Sean Dwyer.
Managers appointed (who will also sit on the committee) are: Minor, Pa Byrne; U-16, Padraig Dunbar; U-14, George Warren & Nick Stafford; U-12, Edward Cullen.
Vacancies exist at U-8 and U-10 level, and anybody with suggestions for managers or who is willing to take on a role themselves can contact any of the club officers.

Transfer news

- Posted on January 19 at 6.14 p.m.
Two adult transfers into the club were sanctioned by the County Board this week, and so we say 'welcome on board' to both Sean Walsh (joining us from the Volunteers) and Martin Kehoe (joining us from Davidstown/Courtnacuddy). We hope both go on to make valuable contributions to the Ferns cause in the years ahead.
Meanwhile, another transfer has gone the other way, as Conor Swaine has moved to Horeswood. We wish him all the best there.

Football manager

- Posted on January 19 at 6.12 p.m.
Nominations are still being accepted for the position of football manager for our Intermediate and Junior 'B' teams for the coming year. Please contact the club chairman Alan Murphy or secretary Colm Lambert if you wish to put yourself forward or suggest somebody suitable.

Committee meeting

- Posted on January 19 at 6.10 p.m.
Agendas have now been distributed for a committee meeting that will take place in the clubhouse this Thursday night, January 23, at 8 p.m.
We ask all committee members to please attend as there are some very important items up for discussion.

Gaeltacht scholarships

- Posted on January 7 at 8.10 p.m.
The Wexford County Board is this year again offering a number of scholarships to the Gaeltacht area for young hurlers and footballers. The closing date for applications is January 31 and the scholarships will be awarded by means of a draw to be held at the February meeting of the Board. Details are available by clicking here and anybody interested in applying can contact George Murphy at (086) 2231756 to register their interest.

Congratulations galore!

- Posted on January 5 at 5.16 p.m.
It seems love was really in the air at Christmas, as news came through of player after player popping the big question to their loved ones - and getting the answer they wanted to hear!
So, hearty congratulations on their engagements to Tommy Dwyer and Mary O'Neill; Derek Thorpe and Georgina Moore; Liam Murphy and Lisa Harte; Thomas Dwyer and Elaine Binnions; Pat Nolan and Laura Earle; and Jerry Davitt and Therese Kennedy.
Congratulations too to Conor Swaine and Paula Quinn, who were married on December 30, and all the best from all in the club for many happy years together.