Pool league racks up €1,400 for Carlow/Kilkenny home care team

The game of pool is thriving right now in County Carlow as reflected in a pub tournament that attracted over 50 keen players to take part.

Players from local pubs battled against one another in a league-style format, raising €1,400 for Carlow/Kilkenny Home Care team in the process.

The final of the league was held in Ballinkillen Lorum community centre at the beginning of January, with the team from Maher’s of Goresbridge coming out on top against Kearney’s of Fenagh.

Following the final, team captains John Quinn and Willie Kearney, alongside Ballinkillen community centre chairperson Eileen Farrell and league organiser Richard Ryan, presented a cheque worth €1,200 to Joan Jenkinson of the Bagenalstown branch of Carlow/Kilkenny Home Care team.

A further €200 was donated as a result of punters from pubs involved in the league buying raffle tickets, bringing the total money raised to €1,400.

In total, seven teams of eight players from different pubs in Carlow took part, with games being held over the course of three months.

The teams came from Jimmy Dees in Bagenalstown, Kearney’s of Fenagh, the Hunters Rest in Fenagh, Mahers of Goresbridge and Ballinkillen Lorum community centre.

Organiser Richard Ryan initially set up the league as a way to raise some money for Ballinkillen community centre after he noticed a strong appetite for such a league from the locals in Ballinkillen.

For last year’s tournament, the prize for the winners and runners-up was the return of the entrance fee of €120; however, it was proposed that this year all the money would be donated to a local cause or charity.

This idea proved to be extremely popular and each team agreed that the money would go towards Carlow/Kilkenny Home Care team.

Organisers of the league would like to thank all those who participated and the owners of the pubs involved for their generous donations.