Celebrity Bainisteoir (season 1)
Encyclopedia
The first season of Celebrity Bainisteoir
was broadcast in Ireland
on RTÉ One
from 23 March 2008. It was won by the radio and television presenter Marty Whelan
who replaced Fianna Fáil
TD
Mary O'Rourke
as bainisteoir
of Maryland, County Westmeath
, during the series. Whelan's team beat solicitor
Gerald Kean
's Cork
team, Mayfield
, in the final at Parnell Park
on 16 May that year.
The other six bainisteoirí were television presenter Bazil Ashmawy
, model Glenda Gilson
, comedian Jon Kenny
, journalist and civil rights campaigner Nell McCafferty
, panellist Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin
and politician-turned bookmaker Ivan Yates
.
RTÉ later described the first series of Celebrity Bainisteoir as having "brought the worlds of celebrity and GAA club football crashing together", citing the unexpected early departure of Mary O'Rourke, Nell McCafferty's speech in which she informed her team that the roads were "lined with coffins" when they were young due to the violence in Northern Ireland
and Gerald Kean's request for help from celebrity clients who flew in on helicopters as memorable events from the series. The series was produced by Animo Television's Jean Devlin.
is an actor and co-presenter of the RTÉ Two
programme, How Low Can You Go?
and is described as having "behaved badly" in several international cities.
is a model and television presenter described as having one of the most recognisable (and photographed) faces in Ireland. Constantly photographed for newspapers and magazines, she is one of Ireland's most well-known faces. Gilson described the show as her "most daunting experience" ever, saying she nearly burst into tears on her first day.
is a celebrity solicitor and socialite who was born in Cork but studied law in Dublin. Known for his glamorous lifestyle, Kean interrupted his participation in the series to celebrate the confirmation of his eleven year-old daughter, Kirsten, and to buy her dresses in Los Angeles
. However, he also ensured his team were prepared, with yoga sessions, diets and talks with associates of his from the worlds of Premier League football and Gaelic games.
is an actor and comedian who formed D'Unbelievables
with Pat Shortt
in the 1990s. He has played a manager before; Timmy Ryan is a well-known character in Ireland.
is a veteran journalist, intellectual and civil rights campaigner. She is experienced in the politics of Northern Ireland
and of The Troubles
, having grown up in Derry
during the violent era of the 1970s and has won a Jacobs Award. McCafferty chose to take part in the show following a heart attack and because it was "a completely new [experience] to work exclusively with men, and for them it will be a completely new one working with a woman".
is a Fianna Fáil
TD
for the Longford–Westmeath constituency. She has been Ireland's Minister for Health
, Minister for Education
and Minister for Public Enterprise
and was the leader of Seanad Éireann
for five years. Her father and brother were politicians and two of her nephews currently are, including Brian Lenihan, Jnr
, Ireland's current Minister for Finance
.
is the 2005 winner of The Rose of Tralee
and a recurring panellist on the topical comedy show The Panel. She described the experience of managing " a gang of lads" as "daunting".
is a Fine Gael
TD-turned bookmaker. He was Ireland's Minister for Agriculture for seven years.
. They appeared in the RTÉ documentary, Green Fields, filmed in 1984 when the GAA was celebrating its centenary. During Celebrity Bainisteoir they were managed by Bazil Ashmawy, who was mentored by Kevin O'Brien
.
have been based in Dublin since 1970, playing both hurling and football. The team's clubhouse is located at Lorcan O'Toole Park on Stanaway Road. Crumlin's footballers were winners of the junior football championship in 2006. During Celebrity Bainisteoir they were managed by Glenda Gilson, who was mentored by Tommy Lyons
.
. Their players come from a maximum pool of 980 people. During Celebrity Bainisteoir they were managed by Jon Kenny, who was mentored by John Ryan
.
since 1888. During Celebrity Bainisteoir they were managed by Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin, who was mentored by Liam McHale.
in County Westmeath
. The team competed in the semi-finals of the Intermediate County Championship in 2007. During Celebrity Bainisteoir they were managed by Mary O'Rourke (later replaced by Marty Whelan), who was mentored by Dessie Dolan
. The team won the first series of Celebrity Bainisteoir.
have been based in Cork
since 1893. During Celebrity Bainisteoir they were managed by Gerald Kean, who was mentored by Dave Barry
. The team were finalists in the first series of Celebrity Bainisteoir.
have been based in Greysteel
, County Londonderry
since 1933. They purchased their stadium in 1982 and opened their new pitch in 1983. During Celebrity Bainisteoir they were managed by Nell McCafferty, who was mentored by Brian McEniff
.
. During Celebrity Bainisteoir they were managed by Ivan Yates, who was mentored by Billy Dodd.
The first episode featured the quarter-final draw and focused on the reactions of the individual teams upon discovering the identity of their bainisteoir. The second episode featured the first quarter-final between Mayfield, managed by Gerald Kean, and Crumlin, managed by Glenda Gilson. Gilson's preparations for the match include a dance class and a trip to the 2008 Meteor Awards
. Kean's preparations include sending for a number of celebrities, including association footballers Shay Given
and Gordon Strachan
, to fly into the training ground via helicopter. The match was attended by 4,000 people. The third episode featured the quarter-final between Galtee Gaels, managed by Jon Kenny, and St. Mary's Faughanvale, managed by Nell McCafferty. Kenny prepared for the match by recording a song for his team. The fourth episode featured the quarter-final between Kiltimagh, managed by Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin, and Taghmon-Camross, managed by Ivan Yates. The fifth episode featured the final quarter final between Ballymanus, managed by Bazil Ashmawy, and Maryland, due to have been managed by Mary O'Rourke. Ashmawy became heavily involved with his team but O'Rourke displayed less enthusiasm and eventually grew bored and left the show. O'Rourke was replaced by Marty Whelan who displayed a little more enthusiasm for his role as bainisteoir.
The sixth episode featured the first semi-final, contested by Kean's Mayfield and Ní Shúilleabháin's Kiltimagh. Kean's preparations involve a yoga session and training with established Cork players, James Masters
and Donncha O'Connor, in Páirc Uí Rinn
, County Cork
. Ní Shúilleabháin's preparations include pilates
and separate training sessions with John O'Mahoney and the Mayo
Ladies football team. The seventh episode featured the second semi-final contested between McCafferty's Faughanvale and Whelan's Maryland. McCafferty's preparation includes training sessions with the former Derry
footballer and hurler, Tony Scullion
and at the University of Ulster
Sports Science clinic. Whelan's preparations include a session with the former Offaly
manager Brendan Lowney and a t'ai chi session.
The eighth episode featured the Celebrity Bainisteoir final which was contested by Whelan's Maryland and Kean's Mayfield teams. The match was played in front of 4,000 spectators at Parnell Park on 16 May 2008 and televised two days later at 18:30. Maryland were leading early on in the first half; however, Mayfield added some points to leave them only two points behind their opponents at half time. The match was won by Maryland in the second half with a score of 2–09 to 1–04.
Celebrity Bainisteoir
Celebrity Bainisteoir is a prime-time reality programme produced for Radio Telefís Éireann, which was produced by Animo Television/Kite Entertainment...
was broadcast in Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
on RTÉ One
RTÉ One
RTÉ One is the flagship television channel of Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and it is the most popular and most watched television channel in Ireland. It was launched as Telefís Éireann on 31 December 1961, it was renamed RTÉ Television in 1966, and it was renamed as RTÉ One upon the launch of RTÉ...
from 23 March 2008. It was won by the radio and television presenter Marty Whelan
Marty Whelan
Martin 'Marty' Whelan is a Jacob's Award-winning Irish radio and television personality currently working for Raidió Teilifís Éireann. Frequently seen and heard on RTÉ radio and television, he has presented a variety of shows...
who replaced Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
TD
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
Mary O'Rourke
Mary O'Rourke
Mary O'Rourke is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. She is a former Teachta Dála for the Longford–Westmeath and Westmeath constituencies. She served as Minister for Education , Minister for Health and Minister for Public Enterprise...
as bainisteoir
Manager (Gaelic games)
In Gaelic games, a manager or coach is an individual involved in the direction and instruction of the on-field operations of a team. Managing, or coaching, entails the application of sport tactics and strategies during the game itself, and usually entails substitution of players and other such...
of Maryland, County Westmeath
County Westmeath
-Economy:Westmeath has a strong agricultural economy. Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar...
, during the series. Whelan's team beat solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
Gerald Kean
Gerald Kean
Gerald Kean is an Irish celebrity solicitor from County Cork. He is regularly the subject of social columns, particularly in the Sunday newspapers which have reported his lavish spending sprees and sun holidays involving his wife and other people, with The Irish Times once describing him as having...
's Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
team, Mayfield
Mayfield GAA
Mayfied GAA Club is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the Mayfield area of Cork city, Ireland. Teams are fielded in Gaelic football, hurling, and Ladies' Football. The club participates in Cork GAA competitions and in Seandún board competitions....
, in the final at Parnell Park
Parnell Park
Parnell Park is a Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in Donnycarney, Dublin, Ireland with a capacity of about 11,500. It is the home of the Dublin GAA hurling, football, camogie and ladies' football teams at all levels of competition...
on 16 May that year.
The other six bainisteoirí were television presenter Bazil Ashmawy
Bazil Ashmawy
Bazil Ashmawy , popularly known as Baz Ashmawy, is an Irish radio and television personality who appears on Raidió Teilifís Éireann. He is co-host of Weekend Breakfast with Baz & Lucy on RTÉ 2fm...
, model Glenda Gilson
Glenda Gilson
Glenda Gilson is an Irish model and television presenter.-Career:In August 2006, Gilson embarked on a presenting career, appearing as the face of Irish music channel Bubble Hits hosting the news and entertainment show Glenda's Showbiz Gossip...
, comedian Jon Kenny
Jon Kenny
Jon Kenny lives in Lough Gur and is one half of the famous Irish comic duo d'Unbelievables with Pat Shortt...
, journalist and civil rights campaigner Nell McCafferty
Nell McCafferty
Nell McCafferty is an Irish journalist, playwright, civil rights campaigner and feminist. In her journalistic work she has written for The Irish Press, The Irish Times, Sunday Tribune, Hot Press and The Village Voice....
, panellist Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin
Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin
Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin is an Irish schoolteacher, television personality, and singer from County Mayo, who won the 2005 Rose of Tralee contest. Ní Shúilleabháin graduated with a first-class honours degree in theoretical physics from University College Dublin in 2005 and won the Mayo Rose...
and politician-turned bookmaker Ivan Yates
Ivan Yates
Ivan Yates is an Irish businessman, broadcaster and former politician. He was elected as a Fine Gael Teachta Dála representing the Wexford constituency at the 1981 general election and at each election until his retirement from politics in 2002...
.
RTÉ later described the first series of Celebrity Bainisteoir as having "brought the worlds of celebrity and GAA club football crashing together", citing the unexpected early departure of Mary O'Rourke, Nell McCafferty's speech in which she informed her team that the roads were "lined with coffins" when they were young due to the violence in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and Gerald Kean's request for help from celebrity clients who flew in on helicopters as memorable events from the series. The series was produced by Animo Television's Jean Devlin.
Bazil Ashmawy
Bazil AshmawyBazil Ashmawy
Bazil Ashmawy , popularly known as Baz Ashmawy, is an Irish radio and television personality who appears on Raidió Teilifís Éireann. He is co-host of Weekend Breakfast with Baz & Lucy on RTÉ 2fm...
is an actor and co-presenter of the RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two is a free-to-air general entertainment channel operated by Irish state broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. RTÉ Two is available throughout the island of Ireland through digital terrestrial service Saorview, VHF and UHF bands, and is also available via satellite to Irish subscribers of...
programme, How Low Can You Go?
How Low Can You Go?
How Low Can You Go? is an RTÉ comedy travel television programme which runs on RTÉ Two. It involves actors, Michael Hayes, Bazil Ashmawy, and Mark O'Neill visiting various cities and attempting to find the lowest cost to get to and stay in a number of different cities...
and is described as having "behaved badly" in several international cities.
Glenda Gilson
Glenda GilsonGlenda Gilson
Glenda Gilson is an Irish model and television presenter.-Career:In August 2006, Gilson embarked on a presenting career, appearing as the face of Irish music channel Bubble Hits hosting the news and entertainment show Glenda's Showbiz Gossip...
is a model and television presenter described as having one of the most recognisable (and photographed) faces in Ireland. Constantly photographed for newspapers and magazines, she is one of Ireland's most well-known faces. Gilson described the show as her "most daunting experience" ever, saying she nearly burst into tears on her first day.
Gerald Kean
Gerald KeanGerald Kean
Gerald Kean is an Irish celebrity solicitor from County Cork. He is regularly the subject of social columns, particularly in the Sunday newspapers which have reported his lavish spending sprees and sun holidays involving his wife and other people, with The Irish Times once describing him as having...
is a celebrity solicitor and socialite who was born in Cork but studied law in Dublin. Known for his glamorous lifestyle, Kean interrupted his participation in the series to celebrate the confirmation of his eleven year-old daughter, Kirsten, and to buy her dresses in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. However, he also ensured his team were prepared, with yoga sessions, diets and talks with associates of his from the worlds of Premier League football and Gaelic games.
Jon Kenny
Jon KennyJon Kenny
Jon Kenny lives in Lough Gur and is one half of the famous Irish comic duo d'Unbelievables with Pat Shortt...
is an actor and comedian who formed D'Unbelievables
D'Unbelievables
D'Unbelievables are an Irish comic duo. The duo was formed in the late 80's by Pat Shortt and Jon Kenny in Limerick. Together they created characters which could be seen on every street corner and every pub in Ireland. They toured extensively all over Ireland for almost a decade until Jon Kenny was...
with Pat Shortt
Pat Shortt
Pat Shortt is an actor, comedian and entertainer. In 2007, he starred in the film Garage, directed by Lenny Abrahamson for which he won the Best Actor award at the 2008 IFTAs...
in the 1990s. He has played a manager before; Timmy Ryan is a well-known character in Ireland.
Nell McCafferty
Nell McCaffertyNell McCafferty
Nell McCafferty is an Irish journalist, playwright, civil rights campaigner and feminist. In her journalistic work she has written for The Irish Press, The Irish Times, Sunday Tribune, Hot Press and The Village Voice....
is a veteran journalist, intellectual and civil rights campaigner. She is experienced in the politics of Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and of The Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
, having grown up in Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
during the violent era of the 1970s and has won a Jacobs Award. McCafferty chose to take part in the show following a heart attack and because it was "a completely new [experience] to work exclusively with men, and for them it will be a completely new one working with a woman".
Mary O'Rourke
Mary O'RourkeMary O'Rourke
Mary O'Rourke is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. She is a former Teachta Dála for the Longford–Westmeath and Westmeath constituencies. She served as Minister for Education , Minister for Health and Minister for Public Enterprise...
is a Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
TD
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
for the Longford–Westmeath constituency. She has been Ireland's Minister for Health
Minister for Health and Children (Ireland)
The Minister for Health is the senior minister at the Department of Health in the Government of Ireland and is responsible for health care in the Republic of Ireland and related services.The current Minister for Health is James Reilly, TD...
, Minister for Education
Minister for Education and Science (Ireland)
The Minister for Education and Skills is the senior minister at the Department of Education and Skills in the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Education and Skills is Ruairi Quinn, TD...
and Minister for Public Enterprise
Minister for Transport (Ireland)
The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is the senior minister at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is Leo Varadkar, TD...
and was the leader of Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...
for five years. Her father and brother were politicians and two of her nephews currently are, including Brian Lenihan, Jnr
Brian Lenihan, Jnr
Brian Joseph Lenihan was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and barrister who served in the government of Ireland as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform from 2007 to 2008 and as Minister for Finance from 2008 to 2011...
, Ireland's current Minister for Finance
Minister for Finance (Ireland)
The Minister for Finance is the title held by the Irish government minister responsible for all financial and monetary matters. The office-holder controls the Department of Finance and is considered one of the most important members of the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Finance is...
.
Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin
Aoibhinn Ní ShúilleabháinAoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin
Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin is an Irish schoolteacher, television personality, and singer from County Mayo, who won the 2005 Rose of Tralee contest. Ní Shúilleabháin graduated with a first-class honours degree in theoretical physics from University College Dublin in 2005 and won the Mayo Rose...
is the 2005 winner of The Rose of Tralee
Rose of Tralee (festival)
The Rose of Tralee festival is an international competition which is celebrated among Irish communities all over the world. The festival takes its inspiration from a nineteenth century ballad of the same name about a woman called Mary, who because of her beauty was called The Rose of Tralee. The...
and a recurring panellist on the topical comedy show The Panel. She described the experience of managing " a gang of lads" as "daunting".
Ivan Yates
Ivan YatesIvan Yates
Ivan Yates is an Irish businessman, broadcaster and former politician. He was elected as a Fine Gael Teachta Dála representing the Wexford constituency at the 1981 general election and at each election until his retirement from politics in 2002...
is a Fine Gael
Fine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
TD-turned bookmaker. He was Ireland's Minister for Agriculture for seven years.
Ballymanus
Ballymanus are based in County WicklowCounty Wicklow
County Wicklow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wicklow, which derives from the Old Norse name Víkingalág or Wykynlo. Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county...
. They appeared in the RTÉ documentary, Green Fields, filmed in 1984 when the GAA was celebrating its centenary. During Celebrity Bainisteoir they were managed by Bazil Ashmawy, who was mentored by Kevin O'Brien
Kevin O'Brien (Irish football)
Kevin O'Brien is a former Irish gaelic footballer from Baltinglass in County Wicklow. O'Brien was part of the great Baltinglass team that dominated Wicklow football in the 80's and 90's, winning an All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship Title in 1990. He is also the only Wicklow recipient...
.
Crumlin
CrumlinCrumlin GAA
Crumlin GAA Club is a Gaelic Athletic Association club in Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland.-Origins of the game in Crumlin:As far back as the 1740s Hurling was to be seen in Crumlin. The village was bordered by an area of “Common Land”...
have been based in Dublin since 1970, playing both hurling and football. The team's clubhouse is located at Lorcan O'Toole Park on Stanaway Road. Crumlin's footballers were winners of the junior football championship in 2006. During Celebrity Bainisteoir they were managed by Glenda Gilson, who was mentored by Tommy Lyons
Tommy Lyons
Tommy Lyons is a retired Irish Gaelic football manager from County Mayo who has managed 2 inter-county sides in his time. He also managed club side Kilmacud Crokes to All-Ireland glory on St. Patricks Day, 1995. He also spent time as chairman of Crokes, until 2007. He is also a regular...
.
Galtee Gaels
Galtee Gaels are based in County LimerickCounty Limerick
It is thought that humans had established themselves in the Lough Gur area of the county as early as 3000 BC, while megalithic remains found at Duntryleague date back further to 3500 BC...
. Their players come from a maximum pool of 980 people. During Celebrity Bainisteoir they were managed by Jon Kenny, who was mentored by John Ryan
John Ryan (footballer)
John Ryan is an Irish football manager and former player.-Playing career:He made his League of Ireland debut for St Patrick's Athletic on the 4th of September 1988....
.
Kiltimagh
Kiltimagh have been based in County MayoCounty Mayo
County Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
since 1888. During Celebrity Bainisteoir they were managed by Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin, who was mentored by Liam McHale.
Maryland
Maryland are based between Athlone and MullingarMullingar
Mullingar is the county town of County Westmeath in Ireland. The Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act of 1542, proclaimed Westmeath a county, separating it from Meath. Mullingar became the administrative centre for County Westmeath...
in County Westmeath
County Westmeath
-Economy:Westmeath has a strong agricultural economy. Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar...
. The team competed in the semi-finals of the Intermediate County Championship in 2007. During Celebrity Bainisteoir they were managed by Mary O'Rourke (later replaced by Marty Whelan), who was mentored by Dessie Dolan
Dessie Dolan
Dessie Dolan is a Gaelic football player for Westmeath and Garrycastle. He won a Leinster Senior Football Championship medal with Westmeath in 2004....
. The team won the first series of Celebrity Bainisteoir.
Mayfield
MayfieldMayfield GAA
Mayfied GAA Club is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the Mayfield area of Cork city, Ireland. Teams are fielded in Gaelic football, hurling, and Ladies' Football. The club participates in Cork GAA competitions and in Seandún board competitions....
have been based in Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
since 1893. During Celebrity Bainisteoir they were managed by Gerald Kean, who was mentored by Dave Barry
Dave Barry
David "Dave" Barry is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American author and columnist, who wrote a nationally syndicated humor column for The Miami Herald from 1983 to 2005. He has also written numerous books of humor and parody, as well as comedic novels.-Biography:Barry was born in Armonk, New York,...
. The team were finalists in the first series of Celebrity Bainisteoir.
St Mary's Faughanvale
St Mary's FaughanvaleFaughanvale GAC
St. Mary's GAC Faughanvale is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Greysteel, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, in the parish of Faughanvale, nine miles from Derry City...
have been based in Greysteel
Greysteel
Greysteel or Gresteel is a village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies to the east of Derry and to the west of Limavady on the main A2 coast road between Limavady and Derry, overlooking Lough Foyle...
, County Londonderry
County Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
since 1933. They purchased their stadium in 1982 and opened their new pitch in 1983. During Celebrity Bainisteoir they were managed by Nell McCafferty, who was mentored by Brian McEniff
Brian McEniff
Brian McEniff is known in Ireland as being a successful Gaelic football manager.-Early Life:...
.
Taghmon-Camross
Taghmon-Camross are based in County WexfordCounty Wexford
County Wexford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wexford. In pre-Norman times it was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, whose capital was at Ferns. Wexford County Council is the local...
. During Celebrity Bainisteoir they were managed by Ivan Yates, who was mentored by Billy Dodd.
Tournament
The tournament itself involved four quarter-finals, two semi-finals and a final.The first episode featured the quarter-final draw and focused on the reactions of the individual teams upon discovering the identity of their bainisteoir. The second episode featured the first quarter-final between Mayfield, managed by Gerald Kean, and Crumlin, managed by Glenda Gilson. Gilson's preparations for the match include a dance class and a trip to the 2008 Meteor Awards
2008 Meteor Awards
The 2008 Meteor Music Awards ceremony was held in the RDS, Dublin on Friday, 15 February 2008. Nineteen awards were presented. It was the eighth edition of Ireland's national music awards. The event was later broadcast on RTÉ Two on Saturday, 16 February at 21:00...
. Kean's preparations include sending for a number of celebrities, including association footballers Shay Given
Shay Given
Séamus John James "Shay" Given is an Irish footballer who plays for Aston Villa and the Republic of Ireland national team as a goalkeeper. He won the PFA's Player of the Year in 2002....
and Gordon Strachan
Gordon Strachan
Gordon David Strachan OBE is a Scottish football manager and former player. He is currently without a club, having last managed Middlesbrough. Strachan played for Dundee, Aberdeen, Manchester United, Leeds United and Coventry City, as well as the Scotland national team. Prior to Middlesbrough,...
, to fly into the training ground via helicopter. The match was attended by 4,000 people. The third episode featured the quarter-final between Galtee Gaels, managed by Jon Kenny, and St. Mary's Faughanvale, managed by Nell McCafferty. Kenny prepared for the match by recording a song for his team. The fourth episode featured the quarter-final between Kiltimagh, managed by Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin, and Taghmon-Camross, managed by Ivan Yates. The fifth episode featured the final quarter final between Ballymanus, managed by Bazil Ashmawy, and Maryland, due to have been managed by Mary O'Rourke. Ashmawy became heavily involved with his team but O'Rourke displayed less enthusiasm and eventually grew bored and left the show. O'Rourke was replaced by Marty Whelan who displayed a little more enthusiasm for his role as bainisteoir.
The sixth episode featured the first semi-final, contested by Kean's Mayfield and Ní Shúilleabháin's Kiltimagh. Kean's preparations involve a yoga session and training with established Cork players, James Masters
James Masters (Gaelic footballer)
James Masters is an Irish sportsperson. He plays Gaelic football with his local club Nemo Rangers and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 2005 until 2010.-Biography:...
and Donncha O'Connor, in Páirc Uí Rinn
Páirc Uí Rinn
Páirc Uí Rinn is a stadium in Cork owned by the Gaelic Athletic Association . It was formerly Flower Lodge, a soccer ground home to several Cork teams in the 20th century, named after a Big House on whose grounds it was built.-Flower Lodge:...
, County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
. Ní Shúilleabháin's preparations include pilates
Pilates
Pilates is a physical fitness system developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates in Germany, the UK and the USA. As of 2005, there were 11 million people practicing the discipline regularly and 14,000 instructors in the United States....
and separate training sessions with John O'Mahoney and the Mayo
Mayo GAA
The Mayo County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Mayo GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Mayo and the Mayo inter-county teams.-History:...
Ladies football team. The seventh episode featured the second semi-final contested between McCafferty's Faughanvale and Whelan's Maryland. McCafferty's preparation includes training sessions with the former Derry
Derry GAA
The Derry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Derry GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. It is responsible for Gaelic games in the GAA county of Derry, which covers virtually the same territory as the former administrative county of Londonderry...
footballer and hurler, Tony Scullion
Tony Scullion
Tony Scullion is a former Irish dual player who played Gaelic football and hurling with Derry in the 1980s and 1990s. He is chiefly known as a footballer and was part of Derry's 1993 All-Ireland Championship winning side, also winning Ulster Senior Football Championships in 1987 and 1993...
and at the University of Ulster
University of Ulster
The University of Ulster is a multi-campus, co-educational university located in Northern Ireland. It is the largest single university in Ireland, discounting the federal National University of Ireland...
Sports Science clinic. Whelan's preparations include a session with the former Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
manager Brendan Lowney and a t'ai chi session.
The eighth episode featured the Celebrity Bainisteoir final which was contested by Whelan's Maryland and Kean's Mayfield teams. The match was played in front of 4,000 spectators at Parnell Park on 16 May 2008 and televised two days later at 18:30. Maryland were leading early on in the first half; however, Mayfield added some points to leave them only two points behind their opponents at half time. The match was won by Maryland in the second half with a score of 2–09 to 1–04.