€100,000 Festival of Football boost for Meath soccer clubs

Officials from Meath soccer clubs were told that cash grants of €100,000 would be dispensed during club visits next month from the FAI.

Club officials attended a meeting tonight at the MDL in Navan where details of the forthcoming FAI Festival of Football were outlined and the grants will handed out during the scheduled visits to each club (see schedule of events below).

This year for the first time the FAI will host its annual general meeting in Meath and as part of that process, in the week leading up to the event, all Meath clubs will be visited by a delegation from the governing body.

The annual meeting will take place on Saturday 27th July at Knightsbrook Hotel, Trim and that will be culmination of a week-long series of events that will start at Dunboyne Castle on Saturday 20th July with the FAI Women's Football Convention.

Officials from 38 clubs in Meath will receive visits from FAI management, former internationals and coaching staff next month and a number of Fun Days are also in the schedule for Navan, kells and Mosney that will be open to the public and specifically children who are not currently members of any clubs.

Apart from the €100,00 in grants, clubs will also benefit from coaching assistance as Meath becomes the 13th host of the Festival of Football which was launched in 2007.

The event will be supported by Meath County Council and the Meath Local Sports Partnership and there will be a civic reception in Navan on Thursday 25th July.

Later that evening there will be a visit to Kilmessan and specifically to Thornes Lounge where the Mid_Meath League was established in 1980 and held all its weekly meeting there for more than a decade.

National Football Awards will be presented at the delegates dinner in the Knightsbrook Hotel while 250 delegates from each affiliated League and Divisional Association will attend the annual meeting.
 
This will be a major event in Meath and will be particularly important for the North East Football League, originally the Mid Meath League that was established in 1980. 

The Meath Schoolboys League was established in 1985 with current FAI Director of Communications Cathal Dervan one of the members of the original committee.

The Meath Schoolboys League later became the North Eastern Counties Schoolboys’ League in 1991. 

Of the 38 clubs in Meath, the majority play in the NEFL with others in the LSL and the AUL.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
SATURDAY 20th JULY 
FAI Women's Football Convention - Dunboyne Castle 10.00 - 16.00
SUNDAY 21st JULY (9am - 7.15pm) 
MDL - 09.00 - 10.30
Navan Town Cosmos - 10.35 - 11.25 
Robinstown - 11.35 - 12.25.
Bohermeen Celtic - 12.40 - 13.30.
OMP Utd - 15.00 - 15.50
Torro Utd - 16.00 - 16.50
Johnstown - 17.15 - 18.05
Parkvilla - 18.20 - 19.15
MONDAY 22nd JULY (9.30am - 7.15pm) 
Raistin Rovers - 09.30 - 101.5
Fordrew Rovers - 10.30 11.15
Oldcastle Utd - 12.00 - 12.45
Kells / Blackwater - 14.30 - 15.15
Newtown Utd - 15.55 - 16.45
Electro Celtic - 17.00 - 17.45
Castle Villa - 18.15 - 19.15
TUESDAY 23rd JULY (9.30am - 7pm) 
Cloghertown Utd - 09.30 - 10.15
Balrath FC - 10.45 - 11.30
Kentstown Rovers -11.45 - 12.30
Ratoath Harps - 13.00 - 13.50
Ashbourne Utd -15.15 - 16.15
Killegland FC - 16.30 - 17.15
Dunshaughlin Youths - 17.45 - 18.45
Skryne / Tara - 19.00 - 1950.
WEDNESDAY 24th JULY (9.30am - 6.30pm) 
Slane Wanderers - 09.30 - 10.15
Rossin Rovers - 10.30 - 11.15
Duleek - 11.30 - 12.15
Donacarney Celtic - 12.30 - 13.15
Laytown Utd - 14.45 - 15.30
Stamullen FC - 14.50 - 15.40
East Meath Utd - 1600 - 17.30
Dunboyne - 18.30 - 19.30
THURSDAY 25th JULY (9am - 4pm)
Ballivor FC - 09.00 - 09.45
Enfield Celtic - 10.15 - 11.05
Park Celtic Summerhill - 11.30 - 12.20
Trim Celtic - 12.40 - 13.40
Trim Town - 15.00 - 15.40
Athboy Celtic - 16.00 - 16.50
Civic Reception - Meath Co Council - 19.00
Kilmessan FC - visit to Thornes 21.00
(where the Mid -Meath League was established in 1980)
FRIDAY 26th JULY 
FAI delegates tour - Newgrange and Slane Castle.
Football exhibition, Knightsbrook Hotel, Trim, open to the public, one day only.
FAI Delegates dinner and awards - Knightsbrook
SATURDAY 27th JULY 
FAI annual general meeting, Knightsbrook, Trim.