Windfall benefits Longford Tennis Club

Longford Tennis Club have earmarked a €5,000 windfall for the continued development of their Demesne Lane facilities. Moira Mahon, who co-chairs the club along with Catherine Kane, said the award under the Texaco Support for Sport is a timely boost.

“It's very welcome as we are re-developing our courts,” Moira told the Leader, “We have two completed. We got sports grant funding for that, but there is an obligation to come up with a percentage of grants.”

The money is of great assistance to the club: “The plan is to continue that development. With this €5,000 that becomes more possible. We are delighted to have been awarded the funding. We have to extend particular thanks to Claire Mulcahy who entered us for the funding. It's a small club so it will be used well to develop the facilities.”

Moira says the poor weather of the last month has not impacted the schedule of the club: “We had fantastic weather for six weeks. We had a wet July, but we managed to have two summer camps. We held the junior and senior opens, and no match had to be cancelled. Some people had to play when it was raining, but we have great members who just got on with it.”
The local tennis club was one of twenty-five Irish sports clubs to benefit from a €125,000 funding initiative under this year’s Texaco Support for Sport initiative.

In its third year, the scheme is hosted and organised by Valero Energy (Ireland) Limited, the company that markets fuel in Ireland under the Texaco brand. The judging process is overseen by former Irish rugby international and well-known broadcaster, Donncha O’Callaghan.
Of the clubs receiving funding this year, €50,000 will be divided amongst six clubs devoted to GAA sports and four soccer clubs. In addition, a further €25,000 is shared equally amongst three basketball clubs and two tennis clubs.

Further disbursements will see €50,000 being divided amongst 10 additional clubs whose disciplines include archery, athletics, bowls, cricket, handball, hockey, gymnastics, kayaking, rugby and sub-aqua – all receiving €5,000 each.

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.

Entries for the 2024 Texaco Support for Sport initiative will open in the Autumn.