Central to the ongoing Limerick hurling success story has been the unstinting financial support of JP McManus and family, Martinstown.
Now the McManus Charitable Foundation has surpassed itself on the sporting front by gifting an incredible €1 million to each county across the island “to be evenly divided and distributed” among the hurling, football, camogie and ladies’ football clubs within their bounds.
The generous windfall represents a huge boost to clubs across the country, coming at a time of the year when they are struggling to raise funds to meet insurance and registration costs. Many clubs will earmark the money to go towards improvements to facilities.
The extent of the McManus family’s generosity extends far beyond the G.A.A., with a whole raft of worthy causes in the Mid-West benefitting from the family’s benevolence.
The J.P. McManus Pro Am in 2022 raised €141 million, from which many worthy charitable causes stood to benefit.
Mr McManus and his family are long-time supporters of the G.A.A. and he is a former officer of his club, South Liberties.
Association President Larry McCarthy and its Director-General Tom Ryan thanked the McManus family for “yet another remarkable gesture of support”, one that eclipses tenfold the €100,000 donated to each county in a similar gesture five years ago.
“We would like to place on record our sincere gratitude to JP McManus and his family for yet another remarkable gesture of support,” the pair stated.
“Clubs across the island benefitted greatly from the generosity of JP and his family in 2018, and we know that the funds were put to very good use.”
Limerick Chairman Séamus McNamara said, “We are delighted with the news from JP and Noreen McManus and family and their exceptionally generous donation. The clubs are the bedrock of the GAA and this will help at a time when costs are increasing for clubs. We are exceptionally grateful for this fantastic donation.”
In Limerick, each club will receive upwards of €10,000.