FUNDRAISING WEEKEND IN EFFIN WEEKEND FOR CANCER CARE

Effin GAA Club along with volunteers in the parish are running a fundraising weekend this weekend, starting tomorrow Friday June 1st until Monday June 4th to support Milford Hospice and Marymount Hospice. A series of fundraising events, Pub Quiz, 9 a side Hurling and Camogie Blitz and 3 Ball Hurling Scramble will take place over the weekend in the parish.
There is not a single house in the country that has not been touched by cancer. All proceeds raised will be divided between Milford Hospice in Limerick and Marymount Hospice in Cork who have given tremendous support to those battling cancer and to their families supporting those going through a difficult time. These organisations rely on donations and support from the local communities to continue to provide the quality and type of service they provide.
On Monday evening Martin Condon, Managing Director of Cavanagh’s of Charleville presented the Cavanagh Cup back to the club and a sponsorship cheque towards the €1000 1st prize for the winning hurling team during the blitz. The cup recently re-surfaced having last been seen in 1969 – almost half a century ago! The cup was presented by Dr Tom Cavanagh back around 1968/69 with the general intention that a hurling game would be played annually between Cork and Limerick, or the senior champions of both counties. Martin Condon of Cavanagh’s recalls photos being taken at the time with various parties alongside the cup until it was put into storage in anticipation of its inaugural outing. That was the last time the cup was seen until Patrick Kennedy of Effin GAA Club discovered it recently when he was going through some items in the family home after the untimely passing of his mother Anne Kennedy. Patrick’s late father, Paddy, was the Service Manager at Cavanagh’s for many years up to his untimely death in April 1981 and it was in his home that the cup was stored – unbeknownst to everyone, including Paddy.
Breda Quaid presented the Quaid Cup and this will be played for in the Camogie Blitz. In 2002 Charleville Credit Union presented the Tommy Quaid Perpetual Cup to the Quaid family to remember and honour Tommy who had excelled as a hurler for Limerick for over 23 years. Tommy at the time was manager of the Limerick intermediate team that went on to win an All-Ireland shortly after Tommy’s untimely passing as the result of an accident. The Effin GAA club approached Limerick County Board to invite the Limerick senior hurlers to a tournament. However, the chair of Limerick County Board at the time suggested that it would be more appropriate to invite the Limerick under 21 team who at that time went on to win three-in-a-row All-Ireland titles. The cup was played for from 2002 to 2009 and the last time it was played was in the under 21 challenge between Limerick and Dublin in 2013.
Breda Quaid (wife of the late Tommy and mother to Nickie Quaid, current Limerick goalkeeper) said “the cup has helped her family stay in touch with GAA friends from around the country and it was lovely to see her three sons, Thomas, Nickie and Jack playing for Limerick in different years. Nickie captaining one of the winning Limerick teams and having the cup back in the house for a year. The Quaid family are now happy to see the cup take on a new lease of life as the winning cup for the Camogie blitz. Tommy’s cousin Joe Quaid was one of Limerick camogie successful managers. An action packed weekend comprises of:
Friday 1st June
Brainiest Effin Pub Quiz will take place in the two pubs left in the parish of Effin, Davy’s Bar and The Idle Hour. The quiz will take place on Friday night at 8pm in both pubs, with patrons being asked the same questions to fight it out for the brainiest Pub in Effin. The current holder of the title of the ‘Brainiest Effin Pub’ is The Idle Hour, who are anxious to keep the title. Seán and Gretta Kenny have claimed it’s the higher altitude and air up in Ballymac that improves brain cells. However, there is a rumour that Tom Carroll and the patrons in Davy’s Bar have been swatting hard over encyclopaedias to get the title back down to Newpark.
Sunday 3rd June
In Effin GAA Sportsfield over 150 players from 12 different clubs from the south Limerick and north Cork will take part in a 9 a side Hurling and Camogie Blitz. Throw in for the first game is 11am and two new teams will take to the pitch every 20 minutes which will make for an exciting format and fast pace. The nineteen games of hurling will be refereed by some of Limerick and Cork’s well known referees, Mike Sexton, Donnacha O’Callaghan, Dave Copps and Michael O’Kelly (Camogie) will have the task of keeping games flowing on the day.
The camogie blitz will also take place during the day in between the hurling games. All teams will play each other in a round robin system which is a popular format at the moment in GAA circles.
Hurling teams from Banteer, Ballyhea, Charleville, Effin, Kilmallock, Granagh-Ballingarry, Dromin Athlacca and Garryspillane will compete for the Cavanagh Cup and first prize of €1,000.
There will be two groups, A and B, of four teams with the top two teams playing off in final. The final is fixed to take place at 5.40pm.
For the Camogie Blitz clubs, from Milford, Ballyhea, Ballyagran and Granagh-Ballingarry will compete for honours, promising an exciting contest between these great teams Cork and Limerick clubs. The winning team will receive a cheque of €600 kindly sponsored by Crown Furniture and the Quaid Cup.
Refreshments and food will also be available on the day at the pitch side for teams and supporters.
Monday 4th June
For those who want to do something on Bank Holiday Monday, there will be a 3 Ball Hurling Scramble. This is like a long puck and is a cross between hurling and golf with teams of three players hitting every second shot and they have to hit targets placed between Davey’s Pub Cross and the Idle Hour Crossroads.
The organising committee would like to thank the local business who have come in to support and sponsor this weekend event in particular Cavanagh’s of Charleville, Crown Furniture, Effin, Lees Centra Charleville, SuperValu Kilmallock, The Farm Gate Charleville, SuperValu Charleville, JJ’s Craft Beers, Davys Pub and The Idle Hour.
Please support the Effin community as we gather together to help raise some funds to support Cancer Care in our region. It promises to be a great weekend of hurling and fun for a good cause.