Punchestown Banishes Recession Blues

Over 500 hundred people attended the seventh annual Kilmacud Crokes Hurling Corporate Race Day at the Punchestown National Hunt Festival on April 20th 2010.

 

 

Held in the refashioned and hugely impressive Punchestown Pavilion located just next to the last fence the scene was set from early on set the tone. Seven buses ferried many of the guests from the City Centre and Glenalbyn. The day was expertly and excellently “MCed” by Kilmacud Crokes hurler and Newstalk presenter Oisin Langan.

Among the tipsters dispensing their insights and wisdom were top jockey Andrew Lynch, Haley O’Connor from Ladbrookes, trainers Tom Taaffe and Conor O’Dwyer, former Galway hurling manager, Cyril Farrell and his Sunday Game colleague Michael Lyster. There were draws for valuable prizes. Winner of the main draw prize, a holiday in Turkey, was Debbie Blakeman.

 

One of the high points was the auction, run in spellbinding style by Galway Auctioneer, Michael Regan. Headline item was a Punchestown race naming and entertainment package which was knocked down to Paul McKeown of Hogan & Associates for €2,400.

 

Later in the evening a snack was served while, throughout the day, the Liam McCarthy and Leinster Championship Cups, courtesy of the Kilkenny County Board and chaperoned by Denis Cody did the rounds.

 

The photographs, courtesy of Seamus Fearon, taken will shortly appear on www.kilmacudcrokes.com/hurling  

 

For Kilmacud Crokes Hurling the day was a resounding success. We are particularly grateful for the generous contributions of those who took tables or seats or who in any form supported the Race Day. The proceeds will go towards the development of hurling within the club and will assist in clearing the debt on the €500,000 Hurling Arena at Glenalbyn, providing a full time hurling coaching service and funding Winter training facilities. These are all necessary measures as we aim for best practice and strive to develop hurling among young people and within the community. Especial thanks must go to the energetic Paul Gorman and his organising work group and also to all the helpers on the day and everybody who assisted in any way. We are also particularly appreciative of the help from the staff at Punchestown – headed by Dick O’Sullivan, Liam Houlton & Louise Keane – and Mike O’Donovan and the Dobbins team.

 

Remember now is the time to put Punchestown 2011 in your diary!