Fancy winning a high-power tractor in Newport draw?

A milestone on the journey to provide a major enhancement of the training and playing facilities for Gaelic Games in the area will be marked this weekend.

A year-long fundraising campaign towards meeting the cost of the development will culminate with the drawing of the winner of a super powered tractor or €50,000 as a cash alternative on this Saturday night.

Tickets for the draw have been sold nationwide through 2024 with club members and supporters targeting several regional and national events in a major drive to fund the substantial cost of the proposed development.

Newly-elected Newport GAA Chairman, Michael Coffey, confirmed “there was a lot of work put into it, but the campaign has been very successful as a fundraiser and we are working on getting grant assistance toward the costs of implementing our plans”.

Michael explained that an opportunity to purchase 13.5 acres of land across the road from Newport GAA club’s current home in Lacken Park, which became available, had to be grasped in the interest of the future of club facilities development.

“We have launched ambitious plans to develop two additional pitches and club facilities to cater for the explosion in membership and playing numbers across all codes and in the local schools over the last 10 years,” he said.

The current facilities in Lacken Park cater for over 500 players each week from Tulach Sheasta GAA, Newport/Ballinahinch Camogie Club and Rockvale Rovers LGFA from under-fives right up to all adult teams. The facilities are also used by the local secondary and primary schools’ teams for training and matches.

“In conjunction with Samco, the Adare-based agricultural machinery specialist, a deal was done on a new Case 110 C Tractor and promotion plan on social media and online as well as a team of 40 volunteers physically selling tickets locally and at major sporting and agricultural events,” explained Michael.

Additional bonus draws were created to drive the promotion at various stages during the campaign, where lucky punters won All Ireland hurling tickets, international rugby tickets, Christmas gift vouchers and trips to Centre Parcs as well as many other fantastic prizes.

Bonus draws during the months were supported by The Workshop Gym and Alfie O’Brien, Mulcaire Financial planning for the October draw; Finucane’s Electrical for the November draw and Mulcair Vets and North Tipp Motor Factors for the December draw.

Sweeney's Spar, Centra, Arrabawn Co-Op and Lee’s Mart facilitated the promotion, and Denis Ryan of Ryan’s Fancy, now living in Canada, very generously supported. The many volunteers and hundreds of supporters have also been thanked by the club, without whose input the success could not have been achieved.

WINNING DRAW DETAILS

The draw takes place in Newport Community Centre on this Saturday, January 18, at 9pm. Tickets can be purchased up to 5pm on this Friday, January 17, from any committee member or from Sweeney Spar.

Online ticket sales can be made on www.winatractornewport.ie and this link will close at 6pm on Saturday, January 18.

Michael Coffey concluded: “Newport GAA has been a pillar of our community since 1886, fostering generations of players who have grown in skill, teamwork and spirit and who have gone on to be leaders in our community and beyond it is now the dawn of a new chapter.”