No bull as All-Ireland winning Clare hurler enters enemy territory for GAA preview night

All-Ireland winning Clare hurler Patrick Donnellan will cross into enemy territory later this month for a GAA fundraiser with a difference.

There will be no bull spoken at the Bruff Bord na nÓg senior hurling championship preview but you could win a Hereford bull calf!

The event featuring Limerick greats Richie Bennis, Ciaran Carey, Davy Clarke, Clare’s Patrick Donellan and Tipperary’s Shane McGrath takes place in Bruff GAA Club on Friday, April 12 at 7.30pm.

The County Limerick club's own All-Ireland and Fitzgibbon winning coach, Seoirse Bulfin, will be the MC.

Donnellan, an O’Callaghan Mills club man, made his senior championship debut for Clare against Cork in 2006 and went on to captain his county in 2013 when they won the All-Ireland championship. He also won an All-Star award that year at left half-back.

Commenting ahead of the preview night, Francis O’Dwyer, chair of Bruff Bord na nÓg, said it promises to be a fantastic night of discussion and insight into this year’s championship.

Tickets are limited so book on Eventbrite by searching Bruff Bord na nOg or contact 087 9753594 or 087 9051755.

Along with superb analysis and debate, there will be a fantastic raffle featuring a Hereford bull calf, or the value of, as top prize. It has been kindly sponsored by local farming legend Roger Mulqueen and his mum Bridie.

A video was made by Bruff Bord na nÓg to promote the raffle. The video, available to watch on the Bruff GAA Club Facebook page where you can also buy raffle tickets, has been going down a storm.

“The video has got an unbelievable reaction. It’s good craic,” said Roger.

It all centres around a secret potion. The star of the video is young Ronan Hayes, of Bruff Couriers, who goes on a mammoth journey in his toy John Deere and trailer.

He picks up the secret potion in Nagle’s Eurospar (in Bruff) and rushes to the Mulqueen farm in County Limerick where Bridie is eagerly awaiting its arrival.

Sheamie the calf gets a vigorous rub with the secret potion which turns out to be Brylcreem!

“My mother always puts Brylcreem on the calves before they go to the mart to put a shine on them. Her secret is out now so we’ll have no more secrets going to the mart,” laughed Roger.

“Look at the shine on him - he’s got more muscles than Sean Finn,” exclaims one young Bruff hurler in the video. Then Bruff’s own Del Boy and Rodney pretend to take off with Sheamie in the back of their Trotters Independent Traders bright yellow three-wheeled van.

“This time next year we’ll be millionaires,” said one of the young lads.

READ MORE: PICTURES: Clare winners at the Munster Regional Irish Restaurant Awards 2024

You won’t be a millionaire if you’re a farmer or if you win in the raffle but there are some fantastic prizes apart from Sheamie the calf. Tickets are just €2 each.

They include a training session for your club team with Sean Finn, a four ball in Charleville Golf Club and bed and breakfast in the Woodlands, to name just some of the brilliant prizes on offer.

To top off the night, there will be an auction for a signed Limerick jersey.

Liam MacCarthy will also be present as he returns to the birthplace of his mother Bridget Dineen to oversee proceedings. For more information on how to purchase tickets see the Bruff GAA Club Facebook page.