The Ulster Bank GAA Force Roadshow travelled to Castlebar Mitchels GAA Club on Wednesday night, where some 250 Mayo GAA fans took part in the evening’s activities. The event featured a panel discussion and questions and answers session with RTÉ pundit and Kerry GAA legend Pat Spillane, former Mayo players Liam McHale and Martin Carney, and current Galway stars Joe Bergin and Finian Hanley. The event was MC’d by Newstalk sports commentator David McIntyre.
The roadshow, which coincides with Ulster Bank’s sponsorship of the GAA All-Ireland Football Championship, is travelling across Ireland to celebrate the return of Ulster Bank’s GAA club initiative, ‘Ulster Bank GAA Force’, following its nationwide success in its inaugural year, in 2011. Almost 400 GAA clubs entered Ulster Bank GAA Force last year. The initiative supports local GAA clubs across the country by giving them the opportunity to refurbish and upgrade their facilities.
Speaking at Wednesday night’s event in Castlebar, Liam Farrell, director of business banking, Ulster Bank, north-west, said: “We are delighted to have brought the Ulster Bank GAA Force Roadshow to Castlebar – particularly this week with the county rallying behind the Mayo footballers. Mayo GAA fans turned out in their droves to meet our fantastic panel. The roadshow is about creating awareness of Ulster Bank GAA Force. The initiative gives local communities across the country the opportunity to come together and improve their club’s facilities. I would encourage all clubs to enter through our dedicated Ulster Bank GAA website, www.ulsterbank.com/gaa ”
One lucky GAA club will receive the top award including support worth €25,000, and four runners-up (one from each province ) will receive a support package worth €5,000 each. Club members and volunteers from the winning clubs’ communities will then get together to carry out improvements to their GAA club facilities during the Ulster Bank GAA Force Winning Weekends. The initiative is open to GAA clubs across the island of Ireland. Clubs can register for Ulster Bank GAA Force until October 5 at www.ulsterbank.com/gaa, where there are also downloadable tools and guidance on how to build a team of volunteers to help renovate your club during the winning weekends. The first 100 clubs to register for the initiative will also receive a support package worth €100.
For more information and to access behind the scenes footage and analysis of the 2012 GAA Football All-Ireland Championship, go to www.ulsterbank.com/gaa or find Ulster Bank GAA on Facebook and Twitter.
