Danske Bank renews sponsorship

Danske Bank renews Ulster Colleges GAA sponsorship

Danske Bank has renewed its sponsorship of Ulster Colleges GAA for a further five years. The sponsorship which includes support for 50 competitions was welcomed at a launch event at The Dub in Belfast last week.

The launch was attended by over 70 guests including GAA Director General Paraic Duffy and Danske Bank Chief Executive Gerry Mallon.

Speaking at the event, Paraic Duffy said: Each year, Ulster Colleges GAA delivers a fantastic programme of games and I have no doubt that this year will see them excel with another season of exciting and engaging matches. With a leading local partner in the form of Danske Bank, I am certain that the future of Gaelic games in schools in Ulster is in safe hands.

Gerry Mallon, Chief Executive, Danske Bank, added: “Our partnership with Ulster Colleges GAA is one of which we are immensely proud and this five-year deal is testimony to that. This is a partnership all about investing in local communities and promoting and supporting youth sport. It is fantastic to see more and more schools taking part in an already extensive programme of top quality football and hurling, thanks to the hard work of the team at Ulster Colleges. We are all looking forward to another exciting season ahead.”

Over the next nine months 1,600 games will be played across Ulster, and the number of schools involved now stands a record high of 83.

The main senior hurling competition, the Danske Bank Mageean Cup, begins next week and current holders Cross & Passion College Ballycastle will be hoping to triumph again this year after also winning the All-Ireland in April.

Meanwhile, the opening rounds of the Danske Bank Casement, McNamee, Rannafast, Rafferty, O’Hara and Faul Cups have already been played, and the under 14 competitions are due to begin next month.

However, most interest in the Ulster Colleges GAA scene will be on the Danske Bank MacRory Cup, which begins in the second week of October. Once again there are 12 schools in this iconic competition.

Representatives from some of the 500 teams that will be competing in this years Ulster Colleges competitions with Gerry Mallon, CEO Danske Bank and Paraic Duffy, Director General GAA.

L-R Tiernan Butler from Cross and Passion, Ballycastle, holders of the Danske Bank Mageean Cup with Cathal McMullan, St. Louis Grammar School, Ballymena; Gerry Mallon, CEO Danske Bank; Paraic Duffy, Director General GAA; Aodhan Dugan, St. Mary’s CBS, Belfast and Antrim Senior hurler Arron Graffin at the launch of 2015/16 Danske Bank Ulster Colleges competitions.

Tiernan Butler from Cross and Passion, Ballycastle with Gerry Mallon, CEO Danske Bank and Paraic Duffy, Director General GAA.

Mr. Rafferty and Keyonis Crozier, St. Paul’s High School, Bessbrook; Gerry Mallon, CEO Danske Bank; Mr Gormley and Patrick Murdock, Abbey Grammar School, Newry; Paraic Duffy, Director General GAA; Kevin Muldoon and Mr. McGleenan, St. Patrick’s Grammar School, Armagh