Daly welcomes American Boxing Team to Athy

Leas Cathaoirleach of Athy Town Council, Cllr Richard Daly, this evening received members of the American Elite Boxing team to Athy on the eve of International Boxing Competition in the Arch Centre, Athy.

“On behalf of Athy I would like to welcome our American friends who do us great honour by visiting us for this historic sporting event. Athy and boxing have become synonymous with St. Michael’s club producing several boxers who have represented uc on the national, international and Olympic stage.

Our town is further honoured that since 2000 the President of the Irish Amateur Boxing Association is our own Dom O’Rourke and we are delighted with his presence here this evening.

I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate local boxer Eric Donovan who last week made a triumphant return to the national boxing scene by winning a national senior title

I also welcome Paddy Barnes, our Olympic Bronze medallist, of whom we felt so proud during the Beijing games”

Cllr Daly outlined the host of other events in the social and sporting calendar which will attract large numbers of people to the town this year including the TriAthy, The Kildare Count Show, the Bluegrass Festival and the National Ploughing Championship.

A pewter plate commemorating the event was presented to the American team and a cheque from the Town Council was presented to Dom O’Rourke.

Daly welcomes new all weather pitch in Woodstock, Athy

Speaking at the official opening of the all weather pitch in Woodstock Cllr Richard Daly paid tribute to the FAI and the local authority for jointly delivering this project to the community.

“On behalf of Athy Town Council and the RAPID AIT I am delighted to be present on this significant day for the development of sport in our community. Today is another good luck story in the fortunes of our town.

From the point where we stand today one can see the new swimming pool which represents an €8 million investment in the town and the locality and the Townspark Remedial Scheme where two complete blocks of houses are being restored and renovated.

We now have this €70,000 all weather pitch which will offer wonderful sporting opportunity for the young people in the locality. This has been jointly funded by the Town Council and the FAI and will benefit hundred of young people and adults.

Both the members of the Town Council and the RAPID AIT are determined to see the rebirth of Athy in all aspects both commercially and socially and the provision of this pitch advances our agenda. Through sport communities can be helped to regenerate and develop community spirit which was never more needed than in these uncertain times.

I welcome in particular John Delaney and Packie Bonner of the FAI here today and showing their interest in developing sport in our community and I thnk then on your behalf for taking the time out to visit us”

Shackleton’s example could be a model for today’s leaders – Daly

Accepting two volumes of the account of one of Shackleton’s expedition to the Antarctic, Cllr Richard Daly, leas Cathooirleach of Athy Town Council, spoke of how Shackleton’s example could be inspirational in today’s world.

Cllr Daly thanked Ram Doraiswamy for his kind gesture to the town of Athy in donating two first edition volumes of “The Heart of the Antarctic” to the Athy Heritage Centre.

“Mr Doraiswamy’s gifty to Athy is more than just two volumes of history. In times of adversity it is a text book of hope and leadership. World and national leaders would be well advised to study the leadership qualities of Earnest Shackleton, our local Antarctic explorer, who travelled the dangerous waters and frozen landscape attempting to reach the South Pole

The story of Ernest Shackleton is not simply one of an explorer but of a man who made things happen and who engendered th same belief in others. Among his many exploits Shackleton is best remembered for the expedition on the “Endurance”which presented his party with severe adversity.

When hope was at its lowest and when fortune seemed to have turned its back on him Shackleton galvanised the strengths of his team and fought incredible odds to ensure that his full company made their way home.

Today this leadership quality is needed more than ever. It is easy to be a great leader in favourable times. As we face uncertain and challenging times in our country and locally it is important that we remember the life threatening challenges of Shackleton who turned disaster into great fortune and who saw that everybody was rescued.

In our community we should take this message to heart and ensure that 2009 is a positive one for the town. Opportunities present themselves amid the gloom and it is important that we have enough optimism to grasp them.

Cllr Daly accepted the volumes on behalf of the town of Athy and repeated his thanks to Ram Doraiswamy, an Indian lawyer, who was donating the books in memory of his recently deceased mother