Bantry Blues Officially Open the “Sideline Garden” with GAA President Jarlath Burns
Bantry Blues GAA were delighted to welcome GAA President Jarlath Burns to Wolfe Tone Park this morning for the official opening of the club’s Sideline Garden — a new sensory space designed for the enjoyment of our entire community.
This fantastic initiative came to life thanks to the vision and energy of our Healthy Club Committee, with generous support from Cork County Council, the Club, and, above all, the incredible band of volunteers — around 80 in total — who freely gave their time, skills and enthusiasm to make this project a reality.
President Burns was full of praise for the project, describing it as a wonderful example of what can be achieved when a community comes together. He was ably assisted at the unveiling by some of our youngest club members, with whom he took time to chat and encourage.
The celebrations didn’t end there — the crowd were treated to a delightful display of dancing by Cait and Eoghan Minehane, whose talent added a joyful touch to the occasion.
Club Chair Arthur Coakley warmly welcomed President Burns, representatives of Cork County Council, Cork Sports Partnership, and of course the many community members in attendance — not forgetting our young players who put on a fantastic football display for the President.
In his address, President Burns spoke about the value of projects like the Sideline Garden in bringing people together and enriching local communities.
Healthy Club Chair Mark O’Donovan shared the story behind the garden, from Debbie Delaney’s first suggestion of the idea, to securing funding, to seeing the project through with the help of our dedicated volunteers.
As a token of thanks, President Burns was presented with a beautiful replica of the Bantry Boat — a fitting symbol of teamwork, unity, and shared purpose. This replicia is taken from a 1,000 year old standing stone, standing on a hillside in a field overlooking Bantry Bay, this ancient carving is held to celebrate St Brendan’s voyage in a curragh to America, several centuries before Columbus.
This image symbolises the power of a team pulling together, working for the same goal, striving to reach a common destination, is far greater than the sum of its parts.
It was a morning full of pride, positivity, and community spirit — a day that will be fondly remembered as another great chapter in the Bantry Blues story.
