Latest news with #Whelan
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Conor Whelan urges Galway to take ‘massive opportunity' in Leinster final and bounce back from All-Ireland setbacks
CONOR WHELAN'S decade in maroon has flown by. The 3 Conor Whelan has been starring for Galway for ten years Credit: Stephen Marken/Sportsfile 3 He got to the All-Ireland final in his first year in 2015 Credit: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE 3 He won Liam McCarthy in 2017 Credit: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile And the Kinvara ace enjoyed a dream start — scoring 1-2 against the Rebels in Thurles. He then racked up 0-2 in a 0-26 to 3-16 semi-final victory over Tipperary at Two years later, Whelan become an All-Ireland champion under Micheál Donoghue — and he was an All-Star that year too. The 28-year-old is now captain and into his 11th campaign at senior inter-county level. Read More on GAA But the Tribes have not made an All-Ireland SHC final since That was also the last year they claimed glory in Leinster — having lost three provincial finals on the spin in 2020, 2022 and 2023. Whelan is determined to make up for lost time in tomorrow's provincial showpiece against Kilkenny at But he admits forging special bonds is more difficult than before. He said: 'It's gone very fast. I think the years where you get knocked out early in particular are definitely accelerated. Most read in GAA Hurling 'If you play only five Championship games in the year, you feel like 'Jesus, I never got going really at times'.' Galway bowed out of the Championship in 2019 in the Leinster round robin — just as they did last year. Tipperary GAA star 'had to do live apology on RTE' the day after cursing during All-Ireland interview - They also exited in the second round of the qualifiers in 2021. And Whelan admits those setbacks felt like missed opportunities for the county. He added: 'Last year, 2021 and 2019 — those three years feel like they accelerated faster. 'It goes very fast and there's less opportunities for the group to spend time together with the way it is condensed. 'I don't think we've been on a night out since the start of the year because of the nature of the league and Championship. 'When you have lots of fresh faces coming in and spending time together, it's a massive part of it. 'We missed out on that an awful lot during Covid as well. 'There's something to look at around the structure of it. Even if you give players two weeks between certain games, just to have that down time and spend some time together. 'When you were there and part of the old system, you had two or three weeks until your next game. It feels like it goes faster now.' SPECIAL BOND Whelan's bond with Donoghue will always be special thanks to that 2017 All-Ireland triumph. But the Clarinbridge man left under a cloud after their 2019 Leinster round-robin loss to summer . Galway suffered the same fate against the Sky Blues last summer with Donoghue in charge of their opponents as former boss But two-time All-Star Whelan always knew his former supremo He said: 'We had fond memories with Micheál, so it's always nice to have him and his management team back. 'Micheál always brings a very high standard of what he expects and he's very good at moulding a group and bringing people together. 'He's experienced and brings a familiarity and standard. It has been positive. 'I always felt he would be back and he would have had a very close connection with the players from the first time. I knew that would always draw him back. 'I thought he'd leave it another couple of years until a good few of us were finished. But I always felt that he'd be back.' Seven long years have passed since Galway's last piece of Championship silverware. The Cats clawed them in the 2020, 2022 and 2023 finals and are going for six in a row tomorrow. Kilkenny's 3-24 to 0-21 first-round win on April 19 was a rude awakening for the Tribes. But they won their next four games against And Whelan hopes they can end their hoodoo against Derek Lyng's men and seal their place in the last four of the All-Ireland series. He said: 'As a group and individual, you have to look internally after a result like that and take what you need from that to understand that that's not the level. 'The group responded and we've been fortunate to turn it around but we haven't won anything yet. 'It's fairly prestigious to pick up a Leinster medal and put yourself in a great position, then moving forward heading into the last four. 'That's something we haven't done for the last couple of years. 'It's a massive opportunity from a silverware perspective and from the prize of going through the front door.'
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
With Whelan motoring out the field, Galway have chance to right previous wrongs
How do you measure progress? Galway began their Leinster campaign with a 12-point hammering at the hands of Kilkenny. They bookended their Leinster round-robin campaign with a comfortable five-point win away to Dublin. It was a game they'd led by 12 with six minutes remaining. That's collective progress, though. What about individual progress within the five-week window, how could that be measured? Conor Whelan's headway, as it turns out, is very easily scored and depicted. Whelan began Leinster as a muted and struggling-for-form inside forward. He left the round-robin behind as a puckout-winning, point-scoring, turnover-hungry half-forward. In the county's aforementioned opening round spin to Nowlan Park, Whelan had two clean possessions in the entire first half. And this a first half where Galway had the elements. The beginning to his second half saw him foul Mikey Butler at one turn before, not long after, letting fall a delivery and then running out over the sliotar. The Galway captain had just five possessions to his name when moved out to half-forward on 64 minutes. And there he has stayed and swollen his influence. Compare the five possessions across 64 minutes at Nowlan Park to the five he had in the first 15 minutes of their de facto Leinster semi-final against Dublin last time out. He won two Galway puckouts, a free, and assisted a point. His five possessions in the 18 minutes after half-time saw him claim another puckout, which led to a point, raise three white flags of his own, and then force a turnover of Ronan Hayes that ended with a Tom Monaghan point. 'In terms of where we were and what we needed, we needed that leadership and that responsibility there. No better man. He's leading the line really, really well at the minute,' said manager Micheál Donoghue of the move to wing-forward. And what of the man himself. What's he made of moving out the field to reprise a role he very briefly held during the premierships of Henry Shefflin and Shane O'Neill. 'After a defeat like [the Kilkenny game], you have to change a few things, and I played there for my club all last year and we got to the county intermediate final. The way the game has gone now, you probably try and turn the middle third into more of a battleground really. That's just where it's at,' said Whelan. 'At this level, you have to have the skillset and adaptability to be able to adjust and move around. It's not that different, I'm still fairly close to goal and just happy to help the team in any way you can and contribute to trying to be successful.' It was at wing-forward that an 18-year-old Whelan was sprung from nowhere for his first championship appearance and start in the 2015 All-Ireland quarter-final against Cork. He marked the debut and marked himself out with a 1-2 contribution. Donoghue assumed the reins for the following season and moved him into the corner. It was at corner-forward he won an All-Ireland and All-Star in 2017. The now 28-year-old, in an unprompted admission, always expected Donoghue to return for a second stint in the maroon bib. 'Probably always knew that he'd come back at some stage, just wasn't sure when. Happy to have him back. I did always feel that he would be back as he would have had a very close connection with the players the first time. I knew that would always draw him back in over time. I thought he'd probably leave it another couple of years until a good few of us were finished. 'Micheál always brings a very high standard of what he expects and he's very, very good at moulding a group and bringing people together, even down to the amount of players he's tried in the league, over 40, and 30 or so in the championship.' Whelan, who is currently finishing up a PhD at ATU Galway in Elite Gaelic Games Student Athletes, is among the minority of current Tribesmen who own a Leinster final. They've lost three - all to Kilkenny - since the 2018 replay triumph. Unsurprisingly, 2023 rankles the most. Galway, if requires reminding, had one hand on the Bob O'Keeffe Cup when Cillian Buckley stole the result, the silverware, and the works with a 76th minute goal. 'Any time you lose a game like that, it's challenging. Ultimately, that's the nature of sport and you never have it won until you're across the line. No two finals are the same thankfully, so we'll be looking forward to the challenge that lies ahead. 'Winning as a group and being successful, that's very important. A Leinster title is a major part of that and I'm fortunate enough to have two, and feel that I should have more. We went up there a good few times expecting and we've had our fair share of disappointment. That just shows you how difficult they are to win.' With an in-form Whelan lifting in his new home, they're odds of faring better with this latest attempt are much healthier than if he'd been left to wither inside.
RTÉ News
03-06-2025
- General
- RTÉ News
Whelan: Unpredictable Dublin can take out a big-hitter
Dublin may not be the force of old, or even a likely destination for Sam Maguire this year, but former player Ciarán Whelan still feels the Boys in Blue are capable of taking out an All-Ireland contender. After opening the All-Ireland series with a win in Salthill, Dublin fell to a five-point defeat to Armagh in Croke Park to reinforce the notion that the Metropolitans are some way off the kind of form that would suggest a tilt at Sam. In a game where the Orchard County looked in control for the majority, Dublin's 17 wides over the course of the 70 minutes contributed significantly to their downfall. They hit the woodwork twice and dropped several more point attempts short too while three separate breaches of the 4/3 rule in the second-half resulted in three easy points for Armagh. The Dubs still occupy second place in the group ahead of the their final-round clash with Derry, yet most bookmakers have Kerry, Armagh, Donegal and Tyrone ahead of Farrell's side in the pecking order for ultimate honours in 2025. Speaking on the RTÉ GAA podcast, Whelan says Dublin inconsistent displays all year were brought to the fore against the All-Ireland champions. "Dublin have had some hot patches, but there have been portions of games where they have been overran," he said. "That's been a trend all year. "They had the chances, and the chances were easy enough. Armagh stood off them and they weren't kicking wides under pressure. "In the second quarter they lost their way on the kickout. There has been a lot of responsibility played on Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne, who has been playing very well, but I don't think he has the same level of support across the middle. Armagh were then able to take over." The two-time All-Star, however, did take some solace from a Dublin side that was shorn the services of captain Con O'Callaghan. Acknowledging that the strength in depth that served the Dubs so well during their recent dominance of the football championship is no longer there, Whelan still feels they can "Could they still be dangerous? Absolutely. I still think when they perform, there is a performance in them. They could still take a team out as there is an unpredictability about them. "Do I see them winning the All-Ireland? No, but they can still be dangerous, particularly if they get Con back. He makes such a difference, he is their leader."
Irish Independent
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Over 50 Mayo children's books to be showcased at Cruinniú na nÓg
June 7 will see the launch of The Children's Books of Mayo Map in the National Museum of Ireland, Turlough Park, Castlebar at 2pm. Led by Mayo County Library and Mayo County Council's Culture and Creativity Team, with the support of local authors, illustrators, publishers, and booksellers, the map aims to celebrate the unique literary landscape of Mayo and inspire children to visit their local libraries, discover new books, and explore the places that inspired these books. Local artist Melanie Whelan was commissioned to design and illustrate the Children's Books of Mayo Map. The launch of the map will include an exhibition called 'Islands of Imagination' showcasing the characters created by children during a series of workshops held across Mayo in the lead-up to the launch. Ms Whelan, who led the workshops, described the Children's Books of Mayo Map as 'a dream project'. Austin Vaughan, County Librarian and Creative Ireland Coordinator, Mayo County Council, described the project as 'a great way to celebrate the stories inspired by Mayo, and talent from Mayo'. Cruinniú na nÓg is a national day celebrating the creativity of young people, with events taking place around the country. A range of other creative activities and book readings will take place at in the National Museum of Ireland at 11.30am to 4pm to coincide with the launch of The Children's Books of Mayo Map. The Children's Books of Mayo Map features a diverse selection of books, ranging from illustrated storybooks to graphic novels, available in both English and Irish. A complete list of the featured books is provided on the back of the map.
Irish Independent
03-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
St Catherine's in Wicklow still waiting for €16m to expand disability services
The IIP offered investors and their families residency visas, called immigration permissions, in Ireland in return for investing large sums of money in projects. The programme opened in 2012 and mostly consisted of Chinese investors. The fund was closed in February of 2023. In June of 2022, St Catherine's Association received planning permission for the construction of a two-storey administration centre, single storey adult day centre, respite centre incorporating four accommodation units at lands associated with the Holy Faith Convent in Kilcoole. However, they still can't access the IIP which was due to cover the cost of the works. Chair of the St Catherine's Association, Brendan Whelan, said: 'It's holding everything up and the irony is we are putting in facilities that the state should be putting in place anyway, and an organ of the state, the Department of Justice, are taking no accountability on the speedy delivery of the fund.' He said in his opinion 'to treat some of the most vulnerable people in society this way is scandalous'. Initially, St Catherine's Association put in an application for the IIP project so the Department of Justice could determine if they met the criteria. The overall fund pot of €16 million, which was due to be scheduled in two phases, starting with around €5.5 million for phase one, followed by the remainder in phase two, involving up to 40 donors. St Catherine's Association have so far received just €400,000 in October of 2023, which was spent on preliminary works, such as the cost of architects. In February, the Department of Justice requested some information from St Catherine's Association over an audit they were due to carry out, and were furnished with bank balances and invoices. 'It was all very straight forward and we provided all the information on February 26, detailing how we had spent most of the €400,000. From our interaction with the department, it doesn't seem that they have accessed the audit yet,' added Mr Whelan. He added: 'We have big plans for St Catherine's Association. The adult day care centre will give an opportunity to train and upskill adults who have finished school. We also have plans for a training and admin centre, as we currently operate out of the old nurses houses in the psychiatric hospital in Newcastle, which isn't ideal. We also plan to construct a respite centre just to provide some form of respite for local families. "There are also plans for a brand new school, which is separate and funded by the department. We aren't the only project being held up but it is becoming increasingly frustrating the longer every thing drags on.' Deputy Jennifer Whitmore has lent her support, and raised the issue with Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Deputy Colm Brophy, during a Dáil Éireann debate on Thursday. Deputy Whitmore stated: 'A charity in my home constituency of Wicklow, St. Catherine's Association, does incredible work. It is a voluntary association and has worked with children and young adults with intellectual disabilities for many years. It is an invaluable service for hundreds of families across and outside the county. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more 'It ensures that each child and young adult can meet their full potential and are fully included in and feel part of their community. The work the association does is so important. 'It is trying to expand its functions. It has planned and has approval for building an adult day centre, an administrative and training unit and four respite homes. This will increase the valuable services it provides. 'It applied for immigrant investor programme, IIP, funding in April 2022 and, three years later, still has not received it. As the Minister of State can imagine, that is causing huge difficulties for the charity. It has done all of the work and has the plans and designs in place. Planning permission has been granted. The diggers are ready, the land is available but the association has still not received any information from the department on when the funding will be provided. 'In July last year, the association was told it could finally access the donor funds, which is quite a significant sum, in the hundreds of thousands. Despite being told that, there is still no sign of the money. The association is becoming very worried at this point. 'There are 250 children and their families relying on St. Catherine's for services. It provides a function that in most countries would be provided by the government. Because of this we should absolutely pull out all the stops to make sure it can provide the best service that it can, with all the support it requires from the state.' In reply, Deputy Brophy said: 'In general terms, I can inform Deputy Whitmore that my department does not receive or hold funds at any stage in the IIP process, nor does it have any role in the administration of an approved project or investment fund. This is a private matter between a potential investor, or investors, and a potential project concerned. 'Approval of an application under the IIP is not an endorsement of a particular project. What it means is that the investor has been approved and the investment meets the objectives of the IIP. "The applicant in the IIP process is the investor and not the project owner. The State has no responsibility for the performance of an investment under the programme. This is a matter for the project owner to ensure delivery of an approved project within the timeframe set out in its business plan.' Deputy Whitmore labelled the response as 'incredibly disappointing'. She stated: 'It is also very confusing. In one part the Minister of State said it is a private matter between a potential investor and the project concerned and that, essentially, he has nothing to do with the administration of it. In another part, he said the immigrant investor programme was first introduced by the government and directed us to the department's immigration service website for information on it. "Clearly there is a role here for the government. Clearly the government set it up and facilitated it. The government has a responsibility to those charities which, as I said, are providing a service that the government is unable to, or will not, provide to ensure those charities, which applied in good faith for this programme under the auspices of the government, get the money they are due.'
