Community notes May 2nd

Official Opening of Walks

This May Bank Holiday Week-End will be one of celebration for the progressive Seven Heads Walks Committee. The official opening of the upgraded walks which have received official sanction from Sports Ireland will take place on Saturday, May 2^nd. at ButlerstownCommunity Centre at 2pm. Minister of State at The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Christopher O’Sullivan will be present to do the honours.Light refreshments will be served. A full programme of events is scheduled throughout the week-end and an open invitation is extended to all to participate in the many walks that are organised. On Friday, May 1^st. a guided amble along The Fuchsia Walk will begin at 7pm at The Trailhead Courtmacsherry Rowing Club. On Saturday, May 2^nd. The Dunworley Loop Walk will begin at Trailhead ButlerstownCommunity Centre at 11.30am. On Sunday, May 3^rd. it is back to Courtmacsherry for The Barreragh Walk which begins at 11.30am at Trailhead Courtmacsherry Community Centre. On Sunday afternoon there will be another opportunity to do The Fuschia Walk, beginning at Trailhead Courtmacsherry Rowing Club at 3pm. On Monday, May 4^th. walkers will have an opportunity of enjoying The Inchybridge Walk which begins at Trailhead Timoleague Abbey at 11am. The hard-working committee have put together a full action-packed programme and will be on hand to welcome everybody to the area over the week-end.

Winning Debut for Ben

Munster’s recent scrum half signing Ben O’Donovan made a winning start at Thomand Park on Saturday last. He was introduced from the bench late in the game and was deprived of the honour of scoring a try with time almost up by an accidental obstruction offence by a team-mate. Last week I mentioned the fascinating Timoleague connection with the family. Back in the late 1940’s a young man named Dan O’Donovan, affectionately known locally as Foxy Dan, left the Ahawadda area with four other young men and emigrated to Australia. The four lads returned but Dan stayed and journeyed on to New Zealand where he settled down and prospered. His son Mike immersed himself in the rugby culture of the country playing on the wing with Christchurch, The Marist Albionclub and Linwood. On retirement from playing he made an immediate impression in the coaching field and coached at the above- mentioned clubs, before being appointedas a selector and coach with the New Zealand under 20’s (Baby Blacks). His son Danny followed in his footsteps both as a player and coach. He journeyed back to Ireland and played with Suttonions for some time. While in Dublin he met Ruth, the daughter of the club president. They married and their son Ben was born in Dublin. Ben never lost the connection with Ireland and often wore the Munster jersey as a young lad much to the annoyance of his Dublin mother. The family returned to New Zealand and Ben soon followed in the footsteps of both father and grandfather. He excelled on the rugby field with Crusaders and played with the All-Black under 20’s in the World Championship in 2024. The pull of the paternal ancestral home was too much for Ben to avoid and when an opportunity to play with Munster presented itselfthere was only going to be one outcome.

He is wished well and all the O’Donovan clan can be extremely proud of Ben wearing the Munster singlet. His great grandfather Dan might not have known much about rugby when he left Timoleague but no doubt that changed in his adopted home in the southern hemisphere where rugby is a religion.

Nyah Kicks On

Nyah Burns, daughter of Val and Stuart was crowned All-Ireland Kick Boxing Champion at under 50kg category in Cavan recently. This is a great achievement for Nyah who is a new comer to the sport. This multi-talented young girl has also been called up to the Cork under 14 camogie panel. She is wished well in both sports in the future.