Mods, I know that there's another thread about this but I'd really like people to know about this and I'd hate the club's magnificent efforts to be overlooked. So, if possible, I'd be very, very grateful if you could make an exception in this case, please.
City in the Community's visit to St. Gabriel's School, Limerick, 13/2/12:
Firstly, if I'm honest, when we in the Limerick OSC suggested that, during their visit here, City might bring the cup to some place in town where we could share the day with those less fortunate than ourselves, we did so, fully in the knowledge that we were probably pushing our luck a little bit. They had already commited to two free coaching schools for up to 180 kids and a function that evening and we would have completely understood if it was too much trouble and the club had said no.
They didn't though. They sat back figured out how they could make it work and threw themselves into it with genuine enthusiasm. So much so, that when Patrick Vieira heard about it, he gave up a rare day off to come over and support us.
I was privileged to be one of the small party from our supporters club which accompanied, Paul Lake, Patrick (& some of City's unsung heroes like Sarah McBriar, Chris Neild & Damaris Treasure) on the visit to St. Gabriel's (a local school which looks after kids with special needs), yesterday morning.
I'm honestly not spoofing when I say that it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. The reception that we were afforded was astonishing, overwhelming and humbling. I can tell you that not one of us, Lake and Vieira included, didn't come away enriched and inspired by the experience. I swear to you that I never thought that any City experience would top Dickov's goal but this really was on another level again.
Imagine being the only kid in your school to have supported City and then thirty years later to walk through a school bedecked from top to bottom in City colours. That wasn't the whole of it though, to see how embracing City, learning the history of the FA Cup and painting City crests and blue moons had enriched the lives of not just those lovely but unfortunate children but their entire families was awe-inspiring. And that was before the heart-felt rendition of Blue Moon, too! (To do it all whist your own happy and healthy three year old was busy running around the place, doesn't half put your troubles inperspective, either).
Paul Lake and Patrick Vieira are quite simply both thorough gentlemen. They interacted wonderfully with the staff and kids of St. Gabriel's, making time for everybody and making sure everyone's day was memorable. Even some of the journalists present remarked to me that they were blown away by the emotion of event. It was that special an occasion.
It hardly seems important, in a way, but it also put City on the news pages of every national newspaper in Ireland this morning (front page of the very well respected Irish Times, no less). Every word of the coverage was glowing with well-deserved praise. In a week that further cutbacks in healthcare were announced over here, it gave the school a huge boost in profile.
We are all very, very lucky with the club that we support. Don't ever forget that.
Somebody posted a little bit of it here:
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtMrZiqqSHo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtMrZiqqSHo</a>
PS:
The soccer schools at Fairview Rangers went fantastically well with Paul and Patrick again proving invaluable ambassadors for the club. The supporters night in the Castletroy Park Hotel (great place!) was a roaring succes - both of which are excellently covered on the club's site.
PPS: Howeideblue, it was a pleasure to meet you.
City in the Community's visit to St. Gabriel's School, Limerick, 13/2/12:
Firstly, if I'm honest, when we in the Limerick OSC suggested that, during their visit here, City might bring the cup to some place in town where we could share the day with those less fortunate than ourselves, we did so, fully in the knowledge that we were probably pushing our luck a little bit. They had already commited to two free coaching schools for up to 180 kids and a function that evening and we would have completely understood if it was too much trouble and the club had said no.
They didn't though. They sat back figured out how they could make it work and threw themselves into it with genuine enthusiasm. So much so, that when Patrick Vieira heard about it, he gave up a rare day off to come over and support us.
I was privileged to be one of the small party from our supporters club which accompanied, Paul Lake, Patrick (& some of City's unsung heroes like Sarah McBriar, Chris Neild & Damaris Treasure) on the visit to St. Gabriel's (a local school which looks after kids with special needs), yesterday morning.
I'm honestly not spoofing when I say that it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. The reception that we were afforded was astonishing, overwhelming and humbling. I can tell you that not one of us, Lake and Vieira included, didn't come away enriched and inspired by the experience. I swear to you that I never thought that any City experience would top Dickov's goal but this really was on another level again.
Imagine being the only kid in your school to have supported City and then thirty years later to walk through a school bedecked from top to bottom in City colours. That wasn't the whole of it though, to see how embracing City, learning the history of the FA Cup and painting City crests and blue moons had enriched the lives of not just those lovely but unfortunate children but their entire families was awe-inspiring. And that was before the heart-felt rendition of Blue Moon, too! (To do it all whist your own happy and healthy three year old was busy running around the place, doesn't half put your troubles inperspective, either).
Paul Lake and Patrick Vieira are quite simply both thorough gentlemen. They interacted wonderfully with the staff and kids of St. Gabriel's, making time for everybody and making sure everyone's day was memorable. Even some of the journalists present remarked to me that they were blown away by the emotion of event. It was that special an occasion.
It hardly seems important, in a way, but it also put City on the news pages of every national newspaper in Ireland this morning (front page of the very well respected Irish Times, no less). Every word of the coverage was glowing with well-deserved praise. In a week that further cutbacks in healthcare were announced over here, it gave the school a huge boost in profile.
We are all very, very lucky with the club that we support. Don't ever forget that.
Somebody posted a little bit of it here:
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtMrZiqqSHo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtMrZiqqSHo</a>
PS:
The soccer schools at Fairview Rangers went fantastically well with Paul and Patrick again proving invaluable ambassadors for the club. The supporters night in the Castletroy Park Hotel (great place!) was a roaring succes - both of which are excellently covered on the club's site.
PPS: Howeideblue, it was a pleasure to meet you.