The stylish, hard-wearing tops, hats and jackets are from an Irish company and will look good at a match, training or around the village. Full details are available below:

Details and images of each design available below (Beanie Hats also available at €8)……all items will display Ranelagh Gaels club crest.

Rain Jacket (€37) - half zip jacket, hood rolled into collar, zip pockets

Windcheater (€27)

Fleece Jacket (€42) – full zip jacket, fleece lined inside

Please contact barrycoogan@gmail.com if you wish to place an order stating your size (S, M, L…) and the product you wish to buy.

On Monday nights we will be back at Clan na Gael Fontenoy‘s pitch in Ringsend, where there are floodlights and full dressing-room facilities. We are grateful to our neighbours for letting us use their facilities.

Training will start at 8.30 SHARP each week and for directions to the club click here.

On Thursday nights we will be on the beach at Sandymount from 8.0.

Players meet up at the car park closest to the roundabout at the end of Sydney Parade, in sight of the Esso service station.

For directions, click here.

All new players or anyone just looking to train with a club in Dublin are more than welcome to join in.

For further updates on training or any changes of times or venues, keep an eye on the website. If you have any further questions about training or fees contact info@ranelaghgaels.ie.

Details of ladies for the year ahead training will be posted soon.

Thank you for your support throughout the year and we look forward to seeing you all in 2012.

Nollaig Shona agus Bliain Ur faoi mhaise daoibh go léir agus do chlainn.

Gaels Abú!

Over the last few years the players have taken the training sessions and the likes of Enda, Colm, Conor and Brian have done a brilliant job.

But for 2012 we would love to have a trainer to work alongside manager Liam O’Hagan and anyone interested
should contact the club on the following email – ranelaghgaelsmail@gmail.com

The men’s team play in AFL Division 8, made the Junior C Championship semi-final this year and won the Murphy Cup.

At the start of this year the Gaels brought in Jimmy Trimble as trainer of the women’s team in what turned out to be a brilliant move and a similar success story with the men’s team would be great.

Both lads and ladies have had some important fixtures over the past year but this is just as momentous!

Throw-in is at 4.0 in Devitts on Camden St this coming Saturday, December 17th.

A weary gang of Gaels is expected to reach the promised land of Smyths, Ranelagh around about 10.15 pm – for those interested in joining along the way, here’s where we’ll be….

If you have a Ranelagh Gaels polo shirt or jersey lying around you are expected to don it, otherwise your best Christmas jumper will do the job.

Previous year’s highlights include cross-dressing, romantic walks, obscene rugby chanting, search parties for jackets and blood spilt for the cause.

We expect the same and more this Saturday.

See you then.

Though the attendance was smaller than hoped, it proved to be an extremely worthwhile meeting.

Everyone that attended contributed and several good ideas which will help the club into the future were floated.

The election of club officers was held and the main move saw Enda Marren step down as Secretary and take over as Treasurer from John Parsons, who will remain on as assistant to assure a smooth transition.

Maria O’Neill, who has been a valued committee member for the past two years, was voted in unopposed as Secretary, where she will be working closely with Barry Coogan, who was returned as Chairman.

Several new faces will be involved next year and it’s great to see different Ranelagh Gaels members volunteering to help out.

One of the main topics of discussion was the possibility of bringing in a coach from outside the club to train the men’s team.

Jimmy Trimble became involved in this manner with the ladies team this year and everyone was pleased when he confirmed that he would be staying on for 2012.

Anyone interested in getting involved with coaching with the men’s team should contact info@ranelaghgaels.ie

A finance committee will also be set up next year to explore avenues for raising additional revenue for the club and anyone who feels they have something to contribute can get in touch.

All departing committee members are thanked for their voluntary contriubtion to Ranelagh Gaels.

Ranelagh Gaels Committee 2012
President: Dick Morrissey
Chairman: Barry Coogan
Secretary: Maria O’Neill
Treasurer: Enda Marren
Assistant Treasurer: John Parsons
Registrar/Assistant Secretary: John Daly
PRO/Assistant Secretary: Peter Sweeney
Club Development Officer: Conor Fingleton
Ofig na Gaeilge/Leas OCP: Cathal Mac Suibhne
Ladies Team Representative: Louise Donoghue
Committee Members: Denis Doolan, Brian Fitzgerald

The venue is the Community Hall on Mountainview Road and proceedings get underway at 8.0.

All club members are encouraged to attend as the AGM is where we make plans for the year ahead and address any issues that may have arisen during 2011.

A good turn-out is expected because this is one of the most important dates in the club’s calendar.

For directions to the Community Hall, click here.

This is only the second year that the event has been run, but already it is a firm fixture in the calendar.

Players from the men’s and ladies team plus other club members packed a room at Doheny and Nesbit on Baggot Street for what turned out to be a great night.

The men’s team won the Murphy Cup this year and though the Dublin County Board hadn’t got their medals ready in time for last week’s function, they did have the cup ready for presentation.

The ladies team picked up their medals for making the Junior D Championship final, a remarkable achievement considering they only won the E title last year in their first season in competitive action.

The main prizes on the night though were for the two players of the year and the club person for 2011.

Liam O’Hagan faced a difficult choice in picking his number one player for the season, but in the end he went for corner-back Denis Crehan.

The Mountbellew man had another great season and he was a more than deserving winner.

Karen Coughlan was the ladies player of the year and she was one of the stand-out performers on a team that put together a remarkable series of wins during the campaign.

The last award was voted for by all of the players and members who attended on Thursday night and Denis Doolan was the overwhelming winner of the Ranelagh Gaels Club Person of the Year.

Denis, who now falls into the veteran category, still plays a key role for the men’s team and he is also involved in running the ladies team with Jimmy, Brian and Cathal.

He is a member of the committee too and rarely ever misses a meeting. Denis is always ready to lend a hand and he was a hugely popular winner on the night.

Murphy Cup Final
Ranelagh Gaels 1-8
Ballinteer St Johns 1-7

They were the sentiments of Murphy Cup winning manager Liam O’Hagan in the aftermath of his Ranelagh Gaels side’s nail biting win in Glencullen on Sunday. The Gaels came out the better in a dogfight where work rate and honesty of effort won the day. 

It was a great end to a long, tough year for Ranelagh; training for almost 11 months solid the lads richly deserved their silverware after having had a great championship run and another encouraging finish in the league.

 
The Gaels started the brighter and with the wind at their backs got into an early four point lead, Conor Harnett and Johnny Conlon doing the damage. The gap was narrowed after a contentious Ballinteer goal; a square ball went unnoticed by the umpires and it undid a lot of the good early work from the men in blue.

Enda Marren kicked over a crucial score just before the half time whistle to nudge the Gaels further in front, 0-6 to 1-1 at the break.

The performance of the defensive unit has been one of the key reasons for Gaels success this year and they produced a master class in the second half yesterday. Against a stiffening breeze, the ball was rarely out of the Gaels half of the field but the defence stood firm. The full back line of James Galvin, Denis Crehan and Martin Egan were outstanding throughout.

Between the posts, Laois net minder Conor Fingleton pulled off two wonderful second half saves to keep the lead intact.

With the cup looking to be heading to D6, Ballinteer emptied their bench, bringing on their imposing cavalry and reeled off a couple of quick scores. With the clock hitting the 60 minute mark the sides were level and extra time looked to be on the cards.

The Gaels weren’t finished yet though and summoned up the courage and the energy to launch one last attack up field. Eamon Courtney managed to hold onto possession near the touchline and the ball was worked into the on-rushing Harnett and he showed composure in slotting over the winner.

It was another emotional day in the history of Ranelagh Gaels, Manager O’Hagan summed it up in his address to the players – “I’m so proud of you lads…we’re a group of brothers”.

And that was the story of the Miracle of Glencullen. Maith sibh lads.

Post Game Interviews
Liam O'Hagan on today's performance.
Enda and Alan after the game.
Enda and Alan Blooper.

Ranelagh Gaels ended their 2011 Division 8 League campaign with a comfortable win at Bushy Park on Sunday morning. A league programme that began in February was wrapped up in early November with the Gaels lying 4th in the table.

The home side did all the running early on, winning plenty of breaks around the middle and feeding the hungry forwards. Some fine scores were taken with Enda Marren notching three from play while Barry O’Brien registered a brace of points.

The backs repelled anything Josephs threw at them, conceding only one point in the first half and Liam O’Hagan’s side had a healthy half time lead, 0-9 to 0-1.

The visitors threw caution to the wind after the change of ends and while they got some early points they couldn’t make a serious dent into the Gaels lead. The defence werent giving much away, with Denis Crehan and Martin Egan among those winning plenty of ball in the second half.

After weathering the storm, the Gaels extended their lead with Johnny Conlon tagging on a couple of points. Conor Harnett had the final say with two scores in as many minutes; his 1-1 putting the seal on a routine win.

The match served as a good warm for the upcoming Murphy Cup final, which will be the Gaels’ last assignment of 2011. Details of the fixture to follow….