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This is just a brief look back at the historic visit of an FAI delegation to West Cork in 2008. CEO of the FAI, John Delaney along with Technical Director Packie Bonner visited Clonakilty as part of a whislte stop tour of West Cork based Clubs. the Clonakilty AFC committee gave a breif presentation to the FAI delegation and outlined their plans for the Club's future.

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Ger. McCarthy
 

Members of the Football Assocation of Ireland (FAI) visit Clonakilty AFC

 

Image of FAI visit to Clonakilty AFC
(left to right: John Buckley - West Cork League, Noel Walsh - Clonakilty AFC, Packie Bonner - FAI, Chris Connors and James O'Hea - Clonailty AFC)
 
CEO of the FAI, John Delaney, visited Clonakilty last week as part of the FAI's soccer grass-roots tour of West Cork. Mr. Delaney was joined by former Republic of Ireland goalkeeping legend Packie Bonner for a presentation in O'Donovan's Hotel by members of the Clonakilty AFC Soccer club Fundraising Committee.
FAI visit Clonakilty AFC
(left to right: Paddy McCarthy - Clonakilty AFC, Stephen Driver, Packie Bonner and John Delaney - FAI, Noel Walsh and Chris Connors - Clonailty AFC)
The presentation outlined the club's hopes for the future including details of the proposed pitch development in Inchydoney. Clonakilty AFC are 40 years in existence and yet are still without a permanent home, a point not lost on Mr. Delaney. The CEO of the FAI commented on his delight at the progress being made both on and off the pitch by a progressive Clonakilty club and also mentioned potential FAI funding for the club in the future.
FAI Visit ClonakiltyAFC
(left to right: Noel Walsh- Clonakilty AFC, James Tobin - Munster Senior League, John Delaney, Packie Bonner, Stephen Driver - FAI and Chris Connors - Clonakilty AFC)
 
Mr. Delaney was delighted at the club's recent success in raising funds through the successful Club Members Draw and praised the hard work of the fundraising commitee. Members of the delegation received a brief demonstration of the Cloankilty AFC web site (www.clonafc.com) and were astonished to see the site has received nearly 16,000 hits in it's short existence.

(left to right: Noel Walsh- Clonakilty AFC, John Delaney and Packie Bonner - FAI)
Mr. Delaney and his colleagues also visited Lyre Rovers, Skibbereen FC and attended the monthly West Cork League meeting in Dunmanway later that evening where they outlined their hopes for further developing the game of soccer in West Cork.