Nationally, €2.9m has been raised for
Grassroots GAA to date by Gaelic Telecom &
its Customers
Today (Thursday 3rd April) in Croke Park,
Down fans and players were acknowledged for
raising €44,370.11 during 2007!
This is the amount generated by Gaelic Telecom
and its Down customers for local GAA Clubs
and Schools in the county. Nationally, €2.9m
has been raised over the past three years
for Grassroots GAA. Down took 12% of the Ulster
payout with neighbouring county Armagh edging
past them with 14%.
GAA President, Nickey Brennan and Sean Bolger,
Chairman of the imagine Telecommunications
Group and owners of Gaelic Telecom were also
in attendance and revealed that during 2007
alone, €1.4m was raised nationally and
this was up by 35% on the previous year. Nickey
Brennan welcomed the ongoing investment in
grassroots GAA and wants the GAA Community
to sign up in even greater numbers to Gaelic
Telecom so that even more funding can be achieved
for local GAA Clubs and Schools.
As well as giving customers significant savings
on their phone and broadband bills, the Gaelic
Telecom initiative sees 15% of call costs
being donated back to customers’ nominated
GAA Clubs or primary schools. Gaelic Telecom
issues funds twice a year to GAA Clubs and
Cumann na mBunscol Primary Schools.
All Provinces showed great growth and while
Galway, Dublin, Cork and Donegal earned the
highest amounts in their respective provinces,
Tyrone, Galway, Wexford and Cork showed the
highest percentage growth by province. The
Gaelic Telecom partnership has grown from
strength to strength in the Republic and the
6 Counties have earned 60% of the total Ulster
payout and 27% of the National payout for
2007. Down GAA Clubs and primary schools have
already been presented with the €44,370.11
raised during 2007.
Nickey Brennan, President of the GAA said,
“On behalf of all our members, I would
like to express our sincere appreciation of
the ongoing investment in grassroots GAA by
Gaelic Telecom and its customers. I would
ask all GAA members and supporters to seriously
consider signing up to this initiative and
continuing their ever-increasing funding support
for our Clubs and Schools nationwide.”
Sean Bolger, Chairman of the imagine Group
(owner of Gaelic Telecom), said, “As
the official telecoms partner to the GAA,
Gaelic Telecom is delighted and very proud
of the amounts raised by our customers around
the country. Local clubs and schools are enjoying
ongoing and ever-increasing funding so they
can invest in the present and the future.
And it’s a very practical and easy way
for supporters and members to give financial
and moral support to their own GAA community.
All of us at Gaelic Telecom are delighted
to facilitate this funding at no cost to our
customers, but with the added benefit to them
of savings on telephone and broadband costs!”
Art McCartan of Glasdrumman commented, “through
working with Gaelic Telecom the club received
two cheques in the past twelve months. This
was a great boost for the everyday running
of our club. Gaelic Telecom does all the work
so it is easy for the club to benefit. This
initiative is an excellent opportunity for
both the club and supporter and we would recommend
everyone to get involved".
