Mar 23

Strictly Come Fundraising

Talking Balls Comments
Dermy and Shielah at the Rhumba in Cappagh
Fifteen years and more ago it was the Big Ticket Draw, the shoe fada mór and shoe leather worn out tramping the length and breadth  of the country up country lane and down dell, selling three tickets for fifty quid or whatever. To whatever hoor would part with his cash to buy them.

Then came the era of the Corporate Dinner. Black tie, plunging necklines, fake tan spray job, table sof ten, €1000 per table, feed of fan of melon, beef or chicken (or both if you go to the Tullyglass) and profoteroles and then listening for the fifth time to the ramblings of Joe Brolly, Jarlath Burns, Micheal O Muircheartaigh or Pat Spillane through a fog of cheap house wine.

Then the coup de grace, a bit of drunken Russian Roulette-esque bidding on some piece of GAA memorabilia and when you get home picture and no sound from the wife as she realises the weekend away in Barcelona was spent on a Kilkenny jersey covered in forged signatures.

Now, the latest craze to hit a GAA club near you is the Stricktly Come Dancing. Killyclogher in Tyrone have blazed a trail with two glitzy affairs, the most recent attended and compered by the one and only Evanne Ni Chuilinn of RTE fame, herself a fan of Squareball’s gear by the way. The highlight of the night was local businessman Cormac Cunningham exploding out of a box in an elaborately choreographed entry. Other competitors included Tyrone senior player Dermot Carlin who actually won the event with his partner Shielah Molloy. Dermy missed Tyrone’s clash with Cork to take part in the Dancing Extravaganza.

Antrim GAA are the latest to unveil their plans with competitors facing their chances including camogie All Stars Jane Adams and Derry’s Gráinne McGoldrick and  Antrim footballers Micheal McCann and hurling captain Colm Cunning.  Could be the beginning of some wonderful relationships.

It ticks one of the basic boxes of fundraising -  give the punters a good night out and they will part with their cash. The main point of the evening of craic, not hurling, football or camogie. If you want details on how to go about it, give us a shout and we may be able to give you some pointers.