Site launch on Tuesday last.

County Chairman launches new Shelmaliers website.

Shelmaliers launch new website.

A new GAA website www.shelmaliers.ie covering all the gaelic games activity in the parish of Castlebridge was launched by county Chairman Ger Doyle in Hotel Curracloe on Tuesday last. The site encompasses the activities of the four GAA clubs in the area, mainly the Shelmalier GAA Club, Shelmalier Ladies Football Club, St. Ibars/Shelmalier Camogie Club and Castlebridge Handball Club.

Speaking at the launch Ger Doyle complimented the clubs on their cooperation and hard work in bringing this site to fruition and he said that it was a great example what can be achieved when people work together towards a common goal. In an age that demands instant access to relevant information and in the way that people, particularly young people, have embraced this new form of communication, it is imperative that all clubs in the county follow the lead of the Shelmaliers. He would encourage clubs to consider setting up such sites in the future and that county board would give as much help and assistance as possible.

ICT committee Chairman Seamus O Leary complimented all the members of the committee and the personnel in the various clubs on their trogon work in setting up this site. In particular he thanked Joe Breen for his invaluable technical and creative skills in getting the site up and running. He hoped that the site would do justice to the efforts and achievements of all the clubs and that all visitors to site would find it both a helpful and an informative experience. He said that the site is set up to act as a two way form of communication, as it should not only highlight club activities, but it should also provide a platform for people, no matter where they are in the world, to submit interesting suggestions, comments and information.

Shelmalier GAA club Chairman Noel Ryan said as the clubs are currently embarked on a major Hollymount development entitled ‘Project 2010’ he was delighted that this site was up and running. He could see the enormous advantage to all the clubs in highlight their activities and in attracting new players and members to the clubs. Ladies Football chairperson Brenda Fox said the site would be a great means of keeping people informed of what is happening not only in their respective clubs, but would also help promote greater cross communications between the clubs involved. Kathleen Dooley on behalf of St. Ibars/Shelmalier Camogie Club said she could see the great enjoyment and satisfaction that players and members could get from the site in seeing their exploits exhibited in this way, but warned that the challenge for the future was to continue gathering this information and this entailed as many members as possible regularly submitting information to the site.

The site currently has over one hundred articles, comments and reports covering a wide range of topics. The respective pages of each club have full match reports on all their teams and a wide ranging photo gallery supplements these reports with pictures from most matches.  The visitor can click on any date in the year in the fixture calendar and obtain details of matches, times and venues for that date. The impressive history of all the clubs is extensively covered dating back to 1880s and beyond. A detail of the ambitious development plans at Hollymount is also covered with an up to date report on how the project is progressing. Duel inter county star Brian Malone is interviewed on his career so far, the demands of the game and his advice to younger players who hope to follow in his path. In order to emphasis and reinforce the community base of the site a community section open to all organizations in the parish, details other events and activities in the general area.