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Tommy Fit but Cha is laid low

Galway footballer Thomas Flynn’s outstanding u-21 campaign has earned him the 2011 Cadbury Hero of the Future award.

I’ve worked hard to convince friends that cycling is a tough sport and that those who compete at the highest level in the sport are mentally and physically superior to the average human being. I had a few of those friends with me last Sunday and Monday as we completed two stages of this year’s Ras. By now they need absolutely no convincing whatsoever that professional cyclists are as tough as nails. I don’t want to confuse the situation here by suggesting that I was riding with the professionals last Sunday and Monday. Far from it…those guys are in a different league.

I walked into Maughan’s bar last Sunday evening in Crossmolina and noticed that the Donegal v Antrim Ulster Championship match was still on. It was showing on the big screen, but to be honest it was a match that would have been more appropriate for a small black and white monitor such was the poor quality of football. Maybe it is too early in the year? I am not sure what the reason is, but it was awful stuff. I turned away after a few minutes of watching for no other reason than the fact that I lost complete interest in it. From what I could see there weren’t too many other patrons that interested either. Maybe people are not quite into championship mode yet.

In between managing his home town side Crossmolina as they build up their preparation towards another crack at the Moclair Cup this summer Mayo Advertiser columnist John Maughan will be taking on the Rás challenge later this month. The former Mayo manager is taking up the challenge to raise funds for the Irish Cancer Society and will be taking on two of the gruelling legs of the Rás. Maughan will be joining a number of well known GAA personalities on the challenge which is being organised by former Roscommon footballer Paul Early. “It’s for a great cause and it’s something I’m really looking forward to getting involved in. It’s going to be a tough challenge, but I’ve been putting in the training for it, each leg is about 100 miles so I know it’s going to be a tough event” he said.

Now in their second season in the League of Ireland, Salthill Devon were hoping to make some progress this year, but they have endured a disappointing couple of months. And it does not get any easier with Shelbourne the visitors to Drom on Saturday evening.

New design on membership card

From the frying pan into the fire would appear to be the Galway footballers’ lot this Sunday.

In one of the strangest ironies of fate that I ever heard was the day, early 2006, when the renowned Irish singer Eleanor Shanley called into Charlie Lennon’s Cuan Recording Studios in Spiddal. Eleanor, with her distinctive, rich lyrical voice, was looking for a new song. She talked to her friend Éamonn Goggin, a sound engineer at Cuan. Éamonn’s passion was music. He loved nothing more than sharing his knowledge with friends. He enthused about a song written by Mike Scott of the Waterboys and Anthony Thistlethwaite, called ‘Strange Boat’. It was written some years ago, but it was a great song, that just needed some updating, a new look. ‘ We’re sailing on a Strange Boat/ Heading for a strange shore/ Carrying the strangest cargo / That was ever hauled aboard....’ Éamonn said it was ideally suited for Eleanor’s voice.

Neil Delamere, the Edenderry native, is witty and charming, and from the very beginning of the interview he showed a kindness and generosity despite a busy schedule.