'Please God, the future is bright' - Donegal GAA enjoy fundraising breakfast

Donegal GAA held a fundraising breakfast morning - in association with Donegal Hospice - at Letterkenny’s Clanree Hotel.

Donegal senior team manager Jim McGuinness and team sponsor Donagh Kelly of Circet were the guest speakers, with Galway comedian Aidan Tierney keeping the large crowd of 27 tables in attendance entertained with a range of impressions of GAA personalities and politicians.

“We try and pull everything together,” McGuinness said. “People here, in London, in Dundai, they are our group. We’re trying to find a way to create consistency behind the scenes, consistency on the pitch and then consistency with the Academy. We have to keep getting players through, so we can constantly bring players through. We have the raw materials here, we have a big county, a passionate county and the players, so we can't add that next level, that’s why I’m so thankful as the manager.

“A lot of problems are being solved. Please God, the future is bright. You have to keep finding ways to be better. That’s the reality. Nothing is neutral; everything in this world is either going backwards or going forward. We want to keep raising money for our future. We don’t want to go backwards. That’s the reality.”

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Chairperson Mary Coughlan thanked all who attended and helped with the fundraiser.

“Thanks to each and every one of you,” she said. “Thanks to Donagh, our main sponsor, and Jim, our manager, and to Aidan, our comedian. Thanks to the hotel here and Michéal Naughton, Oisin Kelly for MC and all the media for helping us get our messages across. We work as a team in Donegal GAA, our volunteers, and thanks to all of them. We’re delighted to be a partner of Donegal Hospice, we’re delighted to be associated with you and the councillors, and we might be chatting to you in due course!

“It’s great to be here together. Our teams - football, hurling, underage, camogie and LGFA - are doing well and we look forward to having excellent championship seasons. We’re also running a fundraiser at the Centre of Excellence in Convoy, with a prize of €250,000 for a new gym. We’re always proud of our team and we will continue to work together.”

A signed Donegal jersey was sold in the auction for €1,020, a Seamus Coleman signed Everton jersey fetched €600, while two bottles of Red Silike Whiskey, sponsored by MCM, were sold for €400 apiece, with a four-ball at Lahinch Old Golf Course, sponsored by Declan Gallagher, going for €1,200. Four tickets for Donegal’s Ulster SFC quarter-final against Down on Sunday at O’Donnell Park in Letterkenny made €1,800. A raffle also made €6,007.25.