NEWSLETTER:  JANUARY 2013 EDITION

A chairde,

Bliain úr faoi shéan agus faoi mhaise daoibh uile.  Tá Coiste Chumann Thír Chonaill ag súil go mór leis an bhliain 2013.

As we begin another new year we thank you for all your support in 2012 and we wish you every blessing for 2013. 

We are very excited about our 2013 events starting with the Announcement of the 2012 Donegal Person of the Year on Monday 21^st January and our Gala Dinner Dance in the Regency Hotel on Saturday 23^rd February.  See below for further information.

We look forward to meeting you at our forthcoming events.

Is muid, le meas,

Martin Mc Gettigan (Uachtarán), Sorcha Ní Dhomhnaill (Cathaoirleach).

Donegal Association Dublin Committee members 2012-2013          Back row (l-r); Hugh Harkin, Siobhán Shovlin, Finín Mac A Bháird, Niamh Walsh, Kevin McLaughlin, Elaine Caffrey, Ailbhe Nic Mhonagail, Marie Ryan, Peter Coyle, Emmet McCauley, Tony Dunlevy.

Front row (l-r): Peggy Stringer, Charlie McGinley, Martin McGettigan, Sorcha Ní Dhomhnaill, Hugh McGroddy, Marian Caffrey, Kathleen Sheerin, Joe Bonner.

DONEGAL ASSOCIATION DUBLIN – NOTICE OF UPCOMING EVENTS

• Announcement of 2012 Donegal Person of the Year
• Date:  Monday 21^st January 2013
• Venue:  Mansion House, Dawson Street, Dublin 2 at 7.30pm

The Donegal Association’s first event of 2013 will take place on Monday 21st January, when the 2012 Donegal Person of the Year will be announced.  This exciting event will take place in the prestigious Mansion House, Dawson Street, Dublin at 7.30pm.  The excitement is now starting to build as we approach this date and we hope that you will be able to join us for this very special event. Everyone is welcome!

• Annual Gala Ball
• Date:  Saturday 23^rd February 2013
• Venue:  Regency Hotel, Dublin 9

The Donegal Association Dublin will hold their Annual Gala Ball on Saturday 23rd February in the Regency Hotel, Drumcondra, Dublin 9.  This promises to be a very special event when the Donegal Person of the Year for 2012 will be honoured and presented with their award.  Tickets are limited so please reserve your tickets now. Tickets can be purchased by any committee member, online on our website at www.donegalassociation,ie/contact us or at the Mansion House on Monday 21^st January 2013.

Highlights of the Annual Mass & Fr. McDyer Lecture

The Donegal Association Dublin held their annual mass for deceased members of the Association and their families, on Sunday 18^th November at the Regency Hotel.  A large crowd attended the mass which was celebrated by Fr. Michael McCullagh.  Afterwards, the third Fr. McDyer Memorial Lecture was delivered by Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Mr. Richard Bruton, TD.

Minister Bruton began by saying how pleased he was to address the Donegal Association in this ‘Bliain speisialta do Dhún na nGall’!  He gave an excellent lecture on Fr.McDyer’s beliefs & qualities and how they can be leveraged in this current climate to help us progress into the future.  These beliefs included the importance of the community, leadership qualities, structure of educational system and the ability to work with your own resources to develop competitive advantages for local communities and help them succeed.  Fr.McDyer believed that the community should be at the heart of national politics. 

Mr.Bruton spoke of how we can learn from Fr.McDyer’s resourcefulness – how we can meet our challenges by being more creative with the money we have, using our assets to invest in our future and develop innovative funds to create opportunities. He also discussed the need to adapt our education system and align it to new openings that may evolve and that we could also help the youth deal with the different challenges that face them.

Minister Bruton answered challenging questions from the audience; some of the questions gave him ‘food for thought’ on how the government could develop our forgotten county!