The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
Three Miltown Malbay women, aided by Mary O’Loughlin from Mullagh, combined earlier this year to establish Clonbony Ladies GAA Club in Wembley, north London.
Caroline Rynne, Sheila and Bernie Sexton from Miltown, linked up with Mary to put Clonbony on the map in London as well as in the Miltown Malbay parish. Their home ground is located on Pellat Road, Wembley.
The team is managed by Conor Sexton, who is probably better known for his affiliation to the small ball having previously won a county championship with Kilmaley.
The club has a panel of 25 plus, with girls hailing from all over Clare and Ireland. The club name derives from the founding member’s former affiliation to West Clare and the Clonbony club with five of the team and the manager all one-time Clonbony players.
Finishing in the top four of the London championship this year, the club aims to capitalise on its success and the strength of its panel. They also participated in the provincial championship, competing against teams in Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham. The ethos of the club is to get girls involved in the game and its promotion in north London.
Earlier in 2009 ,the club held its inaugural Garden Fete on Pellatt Road. It was attended by the Mayor of Brent, Corkman Jim Sullivan, the chairman of the provincial GAA board and local residents.
The club has also just undertaken a club trip to Munich where they played the Munich Ladies GAA team there. Including the backroom staff, a total of 24 Clonbony members attended.
“We aim to repeat this next year with a team trip being planned to play the ladies GAA team in Vienna. We will also be taking part in the 2010 London St Patrick’s Day parade to promote our club,” Sheila Sexton explained.
With a sizeable Clare contingent on board, the club is asking any girls who are moving to London, currently living there or know of someone looking to play them if they are interested in GAA. The club can be contacted by email on clonbony@ymail.com or call Caroline on 0044 7531640609.
