Carrigaline Lions Club

A unique challenge for all levels of cycling enthusiasts!

Cycle around the magnificent Cork Harbour, the second largest natural harbour in the world, starting close to Fort Carlisle and finishing at Camden Fort Meagher Crosshaven, whilst raising valuable funds for the Mercy University Hospital Foundation, the Lions Club of Cork and Camden Fort Meagher Restoration.

See here for further information.

Fort2Fort 2015 – Routes

The Fort 2 Fort Charity Cycle Sportive will take place on Sunday 29th March 2015. Beginning at 10am at Trabolgan Holiday Village (close to Fort Carlisle and Roches Point) and finishing at Camden Fort Meagher, Crosshaven, this challenging and exciting cycling sportive gives Cyclists of all levels and abilities the option of taking a 60km route, a new 85km route or a 125km route (125km return route – finishing at Whitegate).  Whether you’ve been training hard, moderately hard, maybe feel you could be doing a bit more!, or maybe you are gearing up for your first sportive and you are ready to challenge yourself, kickstart your 2015 sporting calendar with Fort2Fort. It’s got 3 great routes to offer riders of all levels, abilities and ambitions a challenging and enjoyable day.

The Fort2Fort 60km Tour provides a rewarding experience and sense of achievement for all cycling enthusiasts, following a full loop of the magnificent Cork Harbour (via Cross River Ferry) and finishing at Fort Camden Meagher where cyclists can enjoy a well earned food-stop while taking in the stunning and breathtaking views of the entire Cork Harbour area from this lofty perch. The 60km Tour is ideal for those cyclists relatively new to sportive cycling, those taking on their first sportive, those with a few sportives under their belts and those cyclists who simply love cycling and all the benefits it has to offer – all looking to their first big challenge of 2015.

The Fort2Fort 85km Challenge is a new route on the Fort2Fort programme. The route takes the rider over a greater area of the Great Island and into Cobh with a few climbs to take on. The 85km Challenge is ideal for those that wish to progress on from the 60km route to test their capabilities further over a more challenging and progressive route. The 85km Challenge finishes at Fort Camden Meagher where riders can enjoy a well earned food-stop and soak in the atmosphere of a job well done.

The Fort2Fort 125km Ultimate has got everything to challenge the strength, perseverance and stamina of the experienced rider. It is a tough and challenging route with plenty of interesting climbs and “lumps” to test all your winter training and prepare you for your spring and summer cycling calendar. The 125km route has a food stop at Fort Camden Meagher with the return route finishing at Whitegate.

All routes will cross the River Lee, by Cross River Ferry, where cyclists and riders can momentarily relax, take stock and enjoy the buzz and excitement that is Fort2Fort. Enjoy the day, enjoy the challenge, you’ve worked hard to be here.

On behalf of the Members of Carrigaline and District Lions Club we wish to thank all those who have supported our Fund Raising activities so generously in the past year and we look forward to your ongoing support in 2015.

Fund Raising activities in 2014 included the Pink-a-Porter Fashion Show, Great Railway Run, Cycle Classic and our monthly Car Boot Sale as well as other smaller events.

We look forward to the opening of our new Youth Centre Project early in 2015. This will provide a major new facility for the young people of our town.

Wishing you Peace, Good Health and Happiness over the festive Season and in the New Year.

Patrick Coughlan
Club President

The St. Stephens Day Challenge match is by now a highlight on the fixture calendar for both Carrigaline United AFC and Carrigaline Hurling & Football Club. This event, now in its 9th year has raised over €21,000 with all monies raised on match-day going to the Local Carrigaline Lions Club and then distributed to local charities.

This year’s hosts of the St Stephens Day Challenge Match are Carrigaline United AFC on their grounds at Ballea Park. The line up for the day is as follows:

1. Kick-off in the ladies game is at 1pm.
2. Next up are the legends teams (Golden Oldies) which includes past and present players from both clubs.
3. The final match of the day will be between the Senior teams from both clubs, who will be joined by Cork footballing captain, Michael Shields; ex- Cork City now senior manager with CUAFC, Greg O’Halloran;  former CUAFC players Mark O’Sullivan now of Cork City FC and Kalen Spillane now of Sligo Rovers FC.

Off the pitch and in the clubhouse at 3pm for those of a younger age there will be Kids Bingo with prizes galore, along with other kid’s activities. There will also be live music in the bar from 4:30.

For the past few years we have incorporated a prize raffle draw. This year the main prize are two Munster tickets plus many more vouchers and hampers to be won. Lines cost €2 with the draw taking place on match-day…..

We would like to thank all our generous sponsors who include – Main Sponsor – Paddy Cronin of Rosie’s Bar, Carrigaline, KWP Print our print Sponsors and all media resources for covering this event and to all of the local business for giving prizes for the draw.

We would also like to sincerely thank all three Clubs – Carrigaline Utd AFC, Carrigaline Hurling and Football & Carrigaline Lions for their continued support of this event.

Providing a purpose-built facility for the youth of Carrigaline

Carrigaline & District Lions Club held a launch event for the new Carrigaline Lions Youth Centre Project on Thursday, 13th November in the Carrigaline Court Hotel. Over 100 people attended the event including representatives from a large number of clubs and organisations in Carrigaline, particularly those involved in working with youth. Guest of honour was Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney T.D. who spoke about this exciting development for Carrigaline. Other speakers included Cllr. Seamus McGrath representing County Mayor Alan Coleman; Chairman of SECAD, John Horgan; Chairman of Carrigaline Lions Youth Project, Sean Duggan and Lions Club President, Patrick Coughlan. The speakers were followed by a presentation from Kieran Barry of KJB & Associates which provided some insight into the design of the building and  included a virtual tour of the new facility. In keeping with the youth theme of the evening, it was great to have a group of young musicians from Carrigaline Community School called Melodramatix who provided the entertainment. Their final song Feeling Good with the line “it’s a new dawn, it’s a new day” was particularly appropriate.

The Case For A Youth Centre

Melodramitix from CCS

Carrigaline is a satellite town to Cork City which, in little over a generation, has developed from a village that had a population of circa. 1,000 people to a town of 15,000 people with a lack of developed facilities for its young people outside the realm of sport. Currently the youth of Carrigaline have no one location to safely spend time in, they are reduced to loitering in shopping centres, car parks or in Cafe’s which in turn can lead to antisocial behaviour, however minor. This problem is exacerbated during times of bad weather and short winter days.

A building for the next generation…

The Lions Club of Carrigaline believe that young people in our community deserve and need a dedicated building where they can spend time in a safe, secure environment that would also act as a conduit for educational programmes in areas such as mental health, music, entrepreneurship, nutrition and more.

The Carrigaline Youth Centre will provide state of the art facilities for the young people of Carrigaline. The project to build the Youth Centre was initiated and is being managed by the Carrigaline & District Lions Club. Over the past three years, members of the club have spent a great deal of time and effort in bringing the project to its current state. This included determining requirements, finding a site, getting funding, commissioning design proposals and obtaining planning permission. Construction started in June 2014 and the building is expected to open in Spring 2015.

The Challenge Ahead

Sean Duggan, Chairman of Carrigaline Lions Youth Project; Patrick Coughlan, Lions Club President; Simon Coveney T.D., Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Kieran Barry of KJB & Associates pictured with a model of the new Youth Centre

Over the next few years, the Lions Club will continue to work hard at raising the necessary funds to service the capital debt of almost €300,000 for the building through a combination of looking for corporate donations/sponsorship and raising funds from various charity events. An exciting array of upcoming events are being planned to raise funds for the project including a Carol Concert with the Cork Symphony Orchestra in the Church of Our Lady and St. John on Sunday, December 21st at 8pm. The Carrigaline Lions Club looks forward to the continued support of the residents and business community in the Carrigaline area together with the ongoing assistance of the industries based in the Lower Harbour.

In addition to fund raising, the Lions Club will work with partners such as Foróige and other interested groups to put in place a robust and responsive management structure for the new Youth Centre to ensure that its potential is maximised and that it caters for the needs of young people in Carrigaline.

Tags: Youth Centre

Pictured at the Presentation of funds from the proceeds of the recent Carrigaline & District Lions Club Pink-a-Porter Fashion Show at Cork Arc House Cancer Support Centre, were from left, Catherine O’Callaghan, Fashion Show Joint Co-Ordinator ; Prof. Seamus O’Reilly representing the Breast Cancer Liason Nurse Group at Cork University Hospital ; Patrick Coughlan, President, Carrigaline & District Lions Club ; Hilary Sullivan, Head of Fundraising, Cork Arc House Cancer Support Centre and Áine Dunleavy, Fashion Show Joint Co-Ordinator.

(Picture: Adrian O’Herlihy)

Tags: Fashion Show

The annual Carrigaline Lions Cycle Classic was held on Saturday 11th of October. The cycle started in Carrigaline and finished in Kenmare. On Saturday evening, cyclists and their guests attended a dinner at the Kenmare Bay Hotel followed by some well-earned refreshments later. Proceeds of the event will go towards Marymount hospice, the new Carrigaline Lions Youth Centre and other local charities.

See more photos here.
(Pictures: Adrian O’Herlihy)

Tags: Cycle

The next car boot sale will be held on Sunday 26th October in the Circus field, Carrigaline (beside Lidl). All proceeds will go towards the building of the new Youth Centre in Carrigaline. See here for more details.

Tags: Car Boot Sale

Online registration is now available for the Carrigaline Lions 2014 Cycle Classic.

Register now

More details can be found here.

Tags: Cycle, Cycle Classic

Further information can be found here. All proceeds are in aid of the Carrigaline Youth Centre which is currently under construction on Church Road.