KILDARE: Monasterevin Blueway Kayaking Club wins award in Texaco initiative

ABOVE: The Texaco Support for Sport presentation to Monasterevin Blueway Kayaking Club chairperson, Pat Hickey (centre) and fellow club members, was made at Moore’s Lock, Monasterevin. Pictured with them were Texaco dealer, Teresa Fitzpatrick, New Lodge Service Station (centre left) and Valero Area Sales Manager, Sinéad Fox (second right).

Monasterevin Blueway Kayaking Club has been chosen as winners of the Kildare County award in this year’s Texaco Support for Sport initiative. EUR5,000 has been presented to the club to help fund the purchase of new training equipment, improve club facilities, and increase membership.

Founded in just 2019, Monasterevin Blueway Kayaking Club now has some members almost at instructor level. The club is committed to its community and aims to make kayaking accessible to all levels and abilities, including younger members, through the creation of a juvenile section.

Now in its third year, the Texaco Support for Sport initiative – organised by Valero Energy (Ireland) Limited, the company that markets fuel in Ireland under the Texaco brand – sees a fund of EUR130,000 set aside annually for allocation in equal amounts of EUR5,000 to successful applicants chosen on a county-by-county basis. Previous Kildare winners were Leixlip United

AFC (2021) and Kilcock Celtic FC (2022).

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. “Our initiative provides vital funding to clubs that have an important place in, and seek to enhance their contribution to, their

local communities.  Since its inception, we’ve distributed almost €400,000 to a wide variety of sports clubs throughout the country which has greatly helped them to continue to play an essential and positive role in their communities, something of which we are very proud,” Mr. Twohig added.

Overseeing the judging process was Texaco Support for Sport ambassador, former Irish rugby international and broadcaster, Donncha O’Callaghan. Commenting, he said, “As adjudicator, the most uplifting aspect of the Texaco Support for Sport initiative is that it gives clubs rare access to funds which are not linked to popularity, membership size or success.”

Praising the Kildare club as ‘a deserved winner’, he went on to add: “Monasterevin Blueway Kayaking Club is a very inclusive club, catering for a wide range of ages and abilities within its local community. Through its success, one can see how focused the club is on pursuing its goals and improving facilities for its members”.

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