The Thomas Devlin Shield was presented for the first time to Owen Mc Connell following the Club Gala on June 24 2006 which was held in the Grove Swimming Baths in Belfast. The Club Gala also raised over EUR 400 for the Thomas Devlin Fund.

Thomas learnt to swim when he joined the club at three years old. His older brother and sister also learned to swim with the club. Thomas was a good swimmer especially at back stroke and he participated in numerous galas and other swimming events. He also swam for the Boy's Brigade and won a medal for back stroke.

Donegall ASC has a learn to swim class for young children who want to learn to swim as well as a lifesaving class.

An evening of comedy and music was organised by John Gallagher, a member of The Newpoint Players, with a huge amount of help from Mark Hughes of the Arts Centre, on June 8 2006 in Newry, Co Down in support of the Thomas Devlin Fund.

The Newpoint Players presented a reading of the adult comedy 'Bouncers' which was followed by music by 'The Backbone Blues Band' and '4 The Funk'. The Newpoint Players are an amateur drama group based in Newry.

The audience had a really good time and thoroughly enjoyed the reading and the music. Over £500 was raised for the fund.

Pupils from BRA have raised over £4000 for the Thomas Devlin Fund in their annual sponsored walk held in June 2006.

The cheque was presented to Penny and Jim, Thomas's Mum and Dad at the end of year school assembly and was gratefully acknowleged.

Pupils at Thomas's old school, Belfast Royal Academy have raised over £36000 during the past year for charity, a new record and they should be proud of their achievement.

The other charities to benefit from the sponsored walk were the Teenage Cancer Trust and a charity which was building a hospital clinic in Tanzania.

Mark Kalinaukas, an old friend of Penny and Jim, did the Iron Man event in Austria in July 2006.

This event involves swimming 2.5 miles in a lake, followed by cycling 112 miles and then running a full marathon. Mark managed to do all three in 15 hours and 20 minutes which is very respectable, especially as he cut his foot during the swim.

Mark has been training since last October and has run the odd marathon before! However he excelled himself with this event and we are all very impressed with his will power and tenacity. Shirley ,Mark's wife has been very patient with the training regime which involved very long cycle rides on Sundays as well as early morning runs, but it was all worthwhile for Mark'sown personal achievement and the Fund.

Mark raised over £2000 in sponsorship for the Thomas Devlin Fund.