Park-Ratheniska GAA Club has been chosen winners of the Laois County award in this year’s Texaco Support for Sport initiative.
€5,000 has been presented to the club to help further develop its grounds and clubhouse facilities in Ratheniska.
The club caters for hurling and football for all ages of males and females up to adult, with over 200 players and some 300 plus members.
Now in its third year, the Texaco Support for Sport initiative – organised by Valero Energy (Ireland) Limited, the company that markets fuel in Ireland under the Texaco brand – sees a fund of €130,000 set aside annually for allocation in equal amounts of €5,000 to successful applicants chosen on a county-by-county basis.
Previous Laois winners were Laois Cricket Club (2021) and Portlaoise Panthers Basketball Club (2022).
Congratulating the winners, James Twohig, Director of Ireland Operations, Valero Energy (Ireland) Limited referred to what he called ‘the important contribution’ that sports clubs make within their communities and throughout Irish society as a whole.
“Our initiative provides vital funding to clubs that have an important place in, and seek to enhance their contribution to, their local communities.
“Since its inception, we’ve distributed almost €400,000 to a wide variety of sports clubs throughout the country which has greatly helped them to continue to play an essential and positive role in their communities, something of which we are very proud,” Mr. Twohig added.
Overseeing the judging process was Texaco Support for Sport ambassador, former Irish rugby international and broadcaster, Donncha O’Callaghan.
Commenting, he said: “As adjudicator, the most uplifting aspect of the Texaco Support for Sport initiative is that it gives clubs rare access to funds which are not linked to popularity, membership size or success.”
Describing the Laois club as ‘a very deserved winner’, he went on to add: “Through its success, Park/ Ratheniska GAA is to be congratulated on its ambition to further improve its facilities for the comfort of its members and all those who visit its grounds.”
Entries for the 2024 Texaco Support for Sport initiative will open in the Autumn.
