80th Post. Trading Places.....

A mix of  League players and casual players enjoying the balmy weather under an interested, watchful eye!

 The League Table standings, as of Sunday 13th June is as follows -

Both Groups are reduced to 14 players with 13 games to play.  The Donnellans have completed their compliment of games with identical scores except for the scoring averages!  The tables will adapt over the next couple of weeks.  So that we may restart group play in early July it is envisaged that the singles Competition will be complete before  Monday July 5th.  It would be ideal to be able to play the final on Sunday 4th July.

Gerry and Ciaran served up a wonderful, closely-contested game that was in the melting pot to the end, early on Sunday morning.

Games are being played throughout the week in this improving weather and the mix of players and the opportunity to meet new competitors is a welcome distraction outdoors in these Covid-restricted times.

Hopefully we are coming to the end of compulsory masks as most players should be doubly vaccinated by early July.

As a matter of interest a Thursday Morning Boules Group has started in St. Anne's in the past fortnight.  The group of 16 is almost full already with a mix of current and new players.  With the proposed redevelopment of the pistes a Tuesday Group will probably start in the near future. 

Last Thursday a large group from the Donaghmede Men's Shed arrived to play, all in their purple polo shirts! They only had one piste available to them unfortunately.  As Thursdays is their normal day for activity we have re-offered the 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Alden until their own facility in Donaghmede Park is open within a couple of years.

https://menssheds.ie/sheds/donaghmede-mens-shed/

Last Saturday the IPA Irish Doubles Competition was held in Bushy Park, Terenure.  There were over 30 players from around the country, North and South, taking part.  The gravelled, open space was  laid out in eight or so parallel  pistes identified by highly-strung borders.  I only got to see one game as it was their lunch time.  The standard was very good without being exceptional or intimidating though I didn't see the eventual winners competing. [ the first three photos courtesy of IPA Facebook page.]

The following photos give you a sense of the facility.  You can't see the boundary strings but you can see the nature of the terrain and the trees within the play area.  They have access to the toilets and coffee shop in the tennis pavilion alongside, Covid permitting!

The sculpture / art installation is due to commence in late June.  We may need some volunteers to assist with digging some post holes for the Re-Imagined Standing Stones.  I'll keep you informed.

All local houses were notified by leaflet months ago and a permanent notice has been central to the park.  The recycled sheet below is similar to the materials from which the 'stones' are being manufactured by the artist Eoghain Phelan.