Syls Junior Ladies Footballers Finish 2014 with visit to Aspire Clara
This sponsorship came about on the night of the Ladies All Ireland 7's when the Junior Team were back in Syls's watching the replay of the All Ireland Hurling Final. Evelyn Lambe approached Seamus (who has already generously sponsored our successful Senior Hurlers) and asked if there was any chance of sponsorship for the Junior Ladies Team. Seamus from Belfast agreed to sponsor a set of jerseys and also training gear. We really wish to thank him for his huge generosity in relation to this.
The team was kitted out in the training gear when they travelled to Aspire on Saturday 22 November 2014. The weekend activities started on Saturday at 10.00 and ended on Sunday at 14.30. During this time the team participated in several activities including Cooperative Games, Orienteering, Obstacle Course, Mini Olympics-Series of Mentally & Physically Games, Raft Building, Kayaking and Archery. They became expert at Foozball which is a life-size Table Soccer Game. Some photographs show the many activities. The women young and not as young took the tests seriously and they participated in everything. The food was excellent and included full lunch (a dinner) on Saturday and a full dinner in the evening. There was also full breakfast on Sunday Morning. And Erin supplied free cocktails in the Back Door Bar on Saturday night. Graine Walley from Syls. supplied a great range of cheese, crackers, grapes, & chutneys for Saturday night.
The music session on Saturday night was a great bit of Craic & slagging between the Dubs & Offaly locals with songs such as "The Offaly Rover" & "There was 14 on and 14 off". Pat Flanagan the new Offaly Football manager even got up to sing "The Town I Love so Well". After the music session there was a disco in the bar for an hour. What happens in Clara stays in Clara, and there is no truth in the rumour that a pair of underpants from "Strictly Come Dancing" with Syls printed on the back has not returned to Malahide. It is also untrue that Martin Treacy & Orla Moynahan are taking the lead parts in a sequel to "Saturday Night Fever" This was a great way to relax after all the hard work during the day, though everyone had to be up early Sunday morning for more activities.
There was a talk and question and answer session with a Nutritionist on Sunday after-noon. This whole weekend was great fun very useful for Team Bonding, Team Building, Training and a lot more. I would strongly recommend it to any team. Joe Quinn a former Offaly County Player has been involved more recently in Training County Teams such as Westmeath & Offaly Hurlers. Aspire has hosted many County Teams & Club Teams male & female. It is a great value weekend at €99 a head, but don't take my word for it. The photographs will tell the story better than I can. I will post some Photographs to the Syls Facebook Pages.