By Christy Parker | Photo: Michael Hussey (YoughalOnline.com)

Seanie Ring, Chairman, Ken Bulman, Vice Chairman, John Parker Project Chairman, Michael Sheehan Project Secretary, with main sponsors Deborah Foley and Sinead Donoghue, Richard Byrne, Justin O’Sullivan and Sean Treacy

Sponsors, supporters, greyhound track officials and members of Youghal GAA convened at Club Aras last weekend to launch next month’s Night at the Dogs fundraiser. Ten races of sublime quality will fill the card, with the main event an open class race worth €1,000 to the winner.

A dog’s dinner of a race is also distinctly possible as four teams of three from the U-16′s. Minor, Camogie and Adult squads will hand on a sliothar in a novel relay race round the circuit. The winners will get new flea collars.

Club chairman Seanie Ring said the “cost of training teams in an era when sport is ‘professionally’ approached, is immense, with personnel, equipment, transport and insurance” costs combining to create heavy financial demands. The race night’s proceeds will help the club’s underage, camogie and adult sectors “to compete on an equal footing,” he said before adding, “Even more importantly the money will help us to purchase two defibrillators, which every progressive club should have nowadays.”

Track project chairman John Parker apportions much responsibility for rising running costs on “an expanding compensation culture” in Ireland. “It costs €1,100 to insure each affiliated team at the start of the year,” he explains. “Our estimated insurance bill is now €12,000 per annum, up from under €3,000 five years ago.” The “nation’s rampant claim culture” means companies constantly raise premiums,’ he elaborates before estimating the annual running cost of Youghal GAA for its approximately 400 members, at barely short of €70,000.

All ten race sponsors were present so gratitude was personally bestowed on John Dineen, Justin O’Sullivan, Eric Ryan, the Parker family, East Cork Oil, Youghal Credit Union, Ger Twomey, Con Spillane, Ger Motherway and Richard Byrne.

John Parker also thanked those who had thus far nominated a greyhound for the night and reminded that further canines await nomination the a €50 note bestows. He further stressed that the club well understands that “Youghal businesses are being hammered” for sponsorship and that some had little choice but demur this time round. Gate money on the night will benefit Bord nag Con, but when the optional, advanced admission tickets are added to the sponsorship revenue, the GAA hope to amass close to €20,000.

Rounding off his address, John Parker depicted pride that Youghal has several great players, not least Senior Cork hurler Lee Desmond. However, such was distraction of alternative lifestyles and pursuits that many more were “dropping out of sport” long before their peak was achieved. This, he said, was occurring across all sports and “you can virtually rule out Sunday mornings now for some team fixtures.” Neither does Youghal GAA, he proceeded, “takes joy from hearing that a rugby or soccer side couldn’t field a side for a fixture. Its bad for the town when that happens”, he advised, before urging everyone to “encourage young people to play sport whenever the opportunity is presented.”

Youghal GAA Race Night is on Friday May 2nd. Details and dog nominations from committee members, including John Parker and Mick Sheehan or telephone (086-8212341.