CARBERY GAA will bring the curtain down on what have been memorable centenary celebrations with the upcoming Centenary Gala Ball on Saturday, November 29th in The Westlodge Hotel, Bantry.
This black tie event will have a drinks reception at 6pm, with tickets for the event at €50. Guest of honour is GAA President Jarlath Burns, while MC for the night is RTÉ Sports presenter Jacqui Hurley, a Ballinhassig native. The Irish Weavers will provide the music.
‘We’ve prepared an occasion that’s befitting the centenary celebrations. It’s a black tie affair, a gala ball at the superbly appointed Westlodge Hotel,’ Carbery PRO Tim Buckley explained on The Star Sport Podcast.
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‘Our guest of honour on the night will be none other than GAA president Jarlath Burns. He is well documented as being a supporter of the small parish. The minute we contacted him and told him about Carbery GAA, he was immediately attracted to our project and wanted to learn and know more about it. He has been back and forward to us over the last couple of months. He is really looking forward to coming down to West Cork.
‘Jacqui has local connections, too. Once she was approached, she was in straight away and loves coming to West Cork,’ Buckley added, as Carbery GAA ramps up its preparations ahead of an important milestone for the division.
‘What makes it unique really is that you’ll have the 26 clubs of the division. We are going to have all of our sponsors there. We are going to have our invited guests from the Cork County Board, the Munster Council, the local council,’ the PRO explained.
‘On top of that, you’re going to have people that meet normally at matches or through their association with the GAA. It’s going to be a social night out and I think it’s really important. It will bring the curtain down on our centenary year.’
On reflection, Buckley is pleased with the activity throughout this memorable season, as Carbery GAA celebrates 100 years in existence.
‘When we set out our plans for the centenary year, we were very anxious to include everybody. We started as far back as December 2024 where at the annual convention, we had the plaque unveiling in Bandon to commemorate the founding members in Bandon GAA club being one of them,’ Buckley said.
‘It will finish up this December with our convention with a further unveiling of another plaque in Kilbrittain. In between, all along we have included every man, woman and child in this division in our celebrations throughout the last 12 months,’ he added.
