April 2016

Transcription

April 2016

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F O R N E W S , V I D E O S A N D F I X T U R E S www.gaa.ie
Football
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LAOCHRA - IT’S FINALLY HERE!
A
fter months of planning and
preparation, the countdown is
really on to April 24 at Croke
Park and the LAOCHRA show
which will follow the Allianz Division 1
and 2 football league finals and will mark
the GAA’s official commemoration of the
1916 Easter Rising.
It is also, however, the exact Centenary to
the day that the first shots were fired in the
Rising of 1916 in Dublin.
82,300 capacity and add to the sense of
occasion with audience participation set to
be a key element of the festivities.
And the events at Croke Park on April 24
will mark the GAA’s main contribution to
the national calendar of events to mark the
Rising.
It’s already shaping up to be a very special
day with Tyrone and Cavan meeting in an
eagerly anticipated Division 2 final as new
generations of Red Hand and Breffni stars
showcase their considerable talents.
Such is the scale and impact of the show
that a decision was taken not to try and
cram it into the interval between the
Division 2 and Division 1 finals.
A limited number of 1,916 tickets went
up for sale at a discounted price and were
snapped up and everything is on course for
a special day.
Tickets cost €35 for adults and €5 for
Under16s and are available from tickets.ie
Then we have the magnificent prospect of
a repeat of the All-Ireland final when Dublin
take on Kerry with Jim Gavin’s men looking
to win a staggering fourth straight league
crown and Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s Kingdom
eager to halt Dublin’s run of big match
victories over them.
And then there is LAOCHRA.
This is a specially commissioned 35 minute
show put together by the world-renowned
Tyrone Productions company and is being
billed as one of Croke Park’s ‘unmissable
events.’
Sunday, April 24 is already a big day in the
GAA calendar as it will be when the Allianz
football league Division 1 and 2 finals are
staged.
It will now take place after the Division 1
trophy has been presented and will feature
all four teams who play in Croke Park that
day along with a sizeable cast of performers
and musicians from here and abroad.
This is one of those occasions when being
there will be a special moment for those
lucky enough to get their hands on a ticket.
Hopes are high that it will be an occasion
to remember and rank alongside great
events in the stadium’s recent past like the
2003 Special Olympics opening ceremony,
the first floodlit match of 2007 or the
Dublin-Tyrone 125 celebration match of
2009 when the stadium was packed to the
rafters.
A rallying call is to be made for GAA fans
from every club in the country to be there
on the day and help fill Croke Park to its
Niall Kelly, left, Athy GAA Club, Co. Kildare, and Tony Kelly, Ballyhea GAA Club, Co. Clare,
with Irish Wolfhounds Aoife and Meabh at Croke Park for the launch of the Laochra show which saw the
GAA issue a rallying call to every club in the country to make an effort to be present on April 24
Football
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ARMAGH HERO RECALLS HIS STRUGGLE WITH GAMBLING AND
WARNS GAA MEMBERS TO EDUCATE THEMSELVES TO ITS DANGERS
by Cian Murphy
O
isín McConville was 14 years old
when he was in the bookies for
the first time to put a bet on a
horse in the Grand National. He
can’t remember now whether the horse
won or lost – but he knows from that
moment on he was hooked on gambling.
It was a different world. There was none of
the mod cons of today’s bookmaker shops
with their banks of flat screen TVs, shining
surfaces, comfy sofas and coffee machines.
Back then it was dark and secretive, the air
thick with smoke and carrying more than a
whiff of danger.
Yet, for McConville, that was where he felt
at home.
Oisín told the Club Newsletter: “There were
three guys in the bookies. Two of them
were putting on 50p and there was one guy
putting on cash and that’s who I wanted to
be.
“By the time I was 17 or 18 I was gambling
every penny I had and if I wasn’t gambling
I was thinking about it every minute of the
day.
“I was a compulsive gambler.
“For people who don’t suffer from it, it can
be hard to understand, but I’m not being
dramatic when I say that putting a bet on
was, for me, just like a drug addict getting a
heroin shot. To put a bet on would give me a
sense of relief. But that relief would only last
for the length of time that the race lasted.
If it was a two minute race it only lasted two
minutes and then I had the urge to bet again.”
Defeat brought denial. The next one was
always going to be the winner.
Looking back now McConville knows that
he actually wasn’t a good gambler and that
he lost more than he won. But long before
the end it wasn’t about winning or losing
because he had lost control and was serving
an addiction.
He added: “By the time I finished gambling
my debts were £100,000. I reckon I must have
gambled at least treble that amount if not
more in the years before. Every penny I ever
had, and there was a time in my life when I was
holding a half decent job and earning decent
money, I was gambling it.”
Of course, during this time McConville was
winning Armagh, Ulster and All-Ireland club
championship medals with Crossmaglen
Rangers and was the key man kicking the
frees. In 2002 he was a goal scoring hero in
their breakthrough All-Ireland final triumph
over Kerry.
However, behind the façade he
was suffering.
Oisín McConville, one of the greatest forwards of his generation, fought a private battle with a gambling addiction,
but has turned his life around and is now determined to help others do the same
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He says: “When Armagh won the All-Ireland
it was great. But through the celebrations
afterwards I was thinking ‘I’d love to get
away from here and put a bet on’. It’s a sad
reflection on the hold that gambling had on
me that I just wanted to get away.
“I’d say for the last five years I was gambling I
didn’t want to gamble, but it had a hold on me.
“Football was great because I’d go to training
and I’d have to leave the phone in the car for
two hours to go out and play and that was a
break away from it when I couldn’t bet and I
was free from it.
“Football saved my life. I had suicidal thoughts
asking myself what was I at and what was I
doing to my family. I’m not being dramatic,
unless I went for help I don’t think I’d be
around now.”
The breaking point for Oisín was October 12,
2005. The day before he turned 30.
He recalled: “On my last day of gambling I had
got a business man to go guarantor on a huge
bet of €10,000 on a horse and the horse was
beaten. I went out to the car and found six or
seven euro and went back in and had another
bet because I felt I could get my money back.
“Then I took out my phone and went down
through the names in my phone looking for
another ‘victim’ that I might be able to call
to get money and then I realised I couldn’t
because I had gone through family and friends
already.
“Over the next couple of days I broke down
and things started to come out. I was in
treatment a week later and was in treatment
for 13 weeks.
Oisín battles with Tomás Ó Sé in an epic battle in the great 2002 All-Ireland final triumph for the Orchard County
Football
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“I hadn’t cried in 16 years but I started to cry and to show emotions that I had locked
up for so long.”
From those dark depths Oisín has rebuilt his life. Today he has a successful career
as an Addiction Counsellor working with Smarmore Castle, which is a private clinic
based in Louth.
He is on the road, very often the first point of contact for gamblers or more likely their
friends and family who ring seeking help and seeking an intervention.
He will always have a gambling addiction, but the odds are that nowadays he will win
big at helping and indeed saving lives.
He is passionate about ensuring that Irish society and the GAA is aware of the
dangers of gambling – especially on young people.
The nightmare scenario of a betting scandal in Gaelic games is not something our
Association has faced and Oisín does not believe it is a threat – but he knows enough
to know that we cannot afford to be complacent.
He says: “There is a serious issue in society with gambling, there is a serious issue
with it in sport and the GAA is not immune to that.
“I’ve seen no hard evidence that there is a problem with it in the GAA on match
results but we need to work hard at educating young people about the dangers of
gambling.
“The GPA are doing work on highlighting the danger of gambling but they only cater
for inter county squads and that is only a group of 2,000 people in an Association the
size of the GAA so we need to think about all the other people in the GAA.
“We need to keep educating people and also let family and friends know that the one
thing you don’t do to someone with a gambling problem is continue to give them
money.”
The GAA is heavily involved in lobbying for changes to the gambling legislation that
will make it illegal to offer and take bets on sporting games involving Under 18s –
something that McConville supports.
In January 2014, Oisin McConville attended the launch of the GAA/GPA Gambling Guidelines
The fact he is busy meeting people through his new role convinces him we still have
a long road to travel but he feels if a focus on education programmes and support
systems is in place this is a race that we have a chance of winning.
Football
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THE GAA’S EFFORTS IN GAMBLING AWARENESS
by Colin Regan
W
hatever issues are
impacting on Irish
society across the 32
counties will also impact
on the lives of GAA members.
Recognising the growing prevalence of
problem gambling in Ireland, the GAA
and GPA, in January 2014, jointly issued
Gambling Guidelines and information
packs for their members. The basic
points of the guidelines are simple:
1. Never bet on competitions you or
your team are directly involved in
2. Educate yourself about the
dangers and symptoms of
problem gambling
3. Seek help early if you feel
gambling is impacting negatively
on your life
The increasing prevalence of
gambling in society is closely
linked to the ubiquitous access and
availability offered by smartphones
and computers in the modern
communications age.
Gambling and sport have long gone
hand in hand for many people.
There is significant increase in
commercial relationships between
gambling and sporting entities, while
gambling parlance has entered the
wider sporting lexicon (listen to any
radio sports show and count just how
many times the odds are mentioned).
Add to this the evidence that habits
within team sports especially (team
bonding, killing time on journeys to
away matches, macho group dynamics)
can foster a culture that encourages
and supports betting circles. All this
means persons involved in sport,
including GAA players, officers, and
members, may be at increased danger
of exposure to risk factors that may
contribute to problem gambling.
This is one of the reasons why a GAA
submission to the Gambling Control
Bill requests that the new Bill ‘include
provisions to prohibit any bookmarker
subject to its law from opening a book
on a sporting event involving minors
(persons under 18-years of age).’
If you or someone you know has been
affected by problem gambling please
call the National Problem Gambling
Helpline on 1800-753-753 (ROI) or
0808-8020-133 (NI) or visit www.
gamblingaware.ie for more details. You
can also access the full GAA Gambling
Guidelines at www.gaa.ie/community
Offaly’s Niall McNamee at the launch of the GAA/GPA Gambling Guidelines in 2014
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GAA’S NEW NATIONAL GAMES DEVELOPMENT CENTRE OPENS AT
THE NATIONAL SPORTS CAMPUS
T
he GAA has officially opened
its new National Games
Development Centre (NGDC) at
Abbotstown on the site of the
National Sports Campus.
Uachtarán Aogán Ó Fearghail and Ard
Stiúrthóir Páraic Duffy, along with members
of the GAA’s Management Committee,
Central Council and County Committees,
joined a number of invited guests to mark
the occasion. The facility will come into use
with immediate effect.
The recently completed project includes a
total of five playing pitches - four of them
full size and all of them floodlit - a 3G
pitch, a hurling wall and a pavilion which
houses 10 dressing-rooms, a reception
area and gymnasium, and associated
facilities for physiotherapy, referees,
meeting rooms and dining facilities.
A covered seated spectator area adjoining
the pavilion can cater for 400 people.
The Centre will seek to increase
participation and to improve the
performance of individuals (players,
coaches, administrators, personnel etc.)
within the GAA for the benefit of both the
Association and the individuals.
The primary focus will be on delivering
Games Development activities but the
2 April 2016; At the official opening of the GAA National Games Development Centre, from left, Michael Hasson, President, Ulster Council, John Horan, Chairman, Leinster Council,
Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Aogán Ó Fearghail, Ard Stiúrthóir Páraic Duffy, Jerry O’Sullivan, Chairman, Munster Council and Mick Rock, President, Connacht Council.
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centre will also be used to deliver
inputs in areas such as Child
Protection Health & Well-Being;
Officer Development.
In all €12m has been invested
in the 25 acre facility which is
situated adjacent to the National
Aquatic Centre and close to the
main entrance of the campus.
Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas
Gael Aogán Ó Fearghail said: “It
gives us great pleasure to unveil
this fantastic new facility and it is
right and proper that the GAA and
our native games have a presence
in a prime location within the
National Sports Campus.
“The facilities on offer to the wider
GAA family here rank alongside the
best anywhere and great credit is
due to all who have been involved
from the inception of the project
right through to its delivery.
“The real benefits of this
development will come to be seen
in the months and years ahead as
the Centre caters for teams of all
types fostering a sharing of best
practice that will enhance our
games and the experience of those
who play and coach them.”
High Hopes: Ard Stiúrthóir Páraic Ó Dufaigh and Uachtarán Aogán Ó Fearghail survey the glorious view
from the top of the new GAA campus at Abbotstown in West Dublin.
Ard Stiúrthóir Páraic Duffy
added: “It’s impossible not to
be impressed by the completed
facility and we are hugely enthused
by the enthusiastic response from
our various units regarding its use.
“The GAA would like to
acknowledge our partners in this
project including SSA Architects,
Prunty Contracts Ltd., S&K
Carey Ltd., and Tobin Consulting
Engineers. Together we have
delivered a facility to be proud
of and I have no doubt that the
new Centre will serve the GAA
well for many years to come in
the all-important area of games
development.”
The National Games
Development Centre will cater
for units across the countrywide
and international GAA family
from club to county, from
second level schools to third
level activity. It will also be used
by the Ladies Gaelic Football
and Camogie Associations and
there has been a full take up of
slots for the first full month of
operation.
Kieran Mulvey, Chairperson Sport
Ireland commented: “This new
Centre will be a fantastic facility
and one which no doubt will be
a great asset in the provision
of a range of development
programmes by the GAA and its
affiliates.
“The National Sports Campus
with all the ancillary services
and facilities it provides, will no
doubt prove the ideal location
for training, coaching and
development programmes to all
levels in the Association”.
Football
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ABBOTSTOWN
OPEN FOR USE AND OPEN FOR ALL
The GAA National Games Development Centre in
Abbotstown is open and ready to be used by all.
This is a state of the art facility and all units of the
GAA at national, provincial, county or club level are
welcome to use the facility which includes:
FOUR FULL LENGTH PLAYING PITCHES, THREE OF
WHICH ARE FLOODLIT, INCLUDING A 3G PITCH
A TRAINING PITCH
TEN DRESSING ROOMS
A GYMNASIUM
MEETING ROOMS.
A FLOODLIT HURLING WALL AREA
The facility is suitable for matches, coaching
sessions, courses or presentations and it is located
off the M50 at Exit 6 on the National Sports
Campus.
At present bookings can be made by
emailing Derry Enright, Operations Manager at
[email protected]
The phone number is 01-8610045.
Within a few weeks we will be in a position to take
bookings online. The facility will be available seven
days a week and timings are available from midmorning.
Football
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LÁ NA gCLUBANNA
In 2016 the GAA plans to celebrate the importance of your club in your community.
Lá na gClubanna will take place on Sunday, 8th May, 2016.
Every member of the GAA should mark this special day of celebration by participating at events in their Club… the
real driver and engine of the GAA.
For details on how to get involved and for ideas see here
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ASH DIEBACK AND THE FINE ART OF HURLEY MAKING
by Peter Sweeney
T
he GAA is at the forefront of the
fight against ash dieback disease
— the scourge that is threatening
to wipe out up to 90 per cent of
the ash tree population on the island of
Ireland.
required in Ireland every year. That’s a lot of
ash.
Ash has been used to make hurleys for
thousands of years — far longer than the
country of Ireland or the GAA have been in
existence.
“We were to be self-sufficient in ash around
2018 or 2019 – there was enough ash
planted 20 years ago for that to happen.
Other woods aren’t suitable for the job
as they aren’t as supple so without ash
the game of hurling could be changed
irrevocably.
It’s reckoned that Chalara Fraxinea, to
give the disease it’s latin name, existed for
centuries in eastern Russia and parts of
China.
Trees imported from those regions into
Europe brought the problem to these shores
and since 2012 it has spread through the
country’s ash plantations like wildfire.
It’s thought that 90 per cent of the ash
population in Denmark, one of the worst
affected countries, was wiped out by dieback
disease and there are fears that Ireland could
go the same way.
This is, of course, a cause for concern for the
GAA given upwards of 350,000 new hurls are
Croke Park has thrown its weight behind
research into ash dieback and alternatives to
all-wooden hurlers should the supply run dry.
Everyone was working to that scenario,”
explained GAA Director of Games
Development and Research Pat Daly, who is
deeply involved in the process.
“As it happens, 75 per cent of the ash used
for hurleys is imported. You can continue to
import, but the thinking was to have selfsufficiency.”
However, he warned: “The disease is
spreading; there is no ash being planted. If
it’s not imported, it’s not going to be here in
this country.”
Ash dieback disease, a fungal infection, came
to this country in infected saplings that were
imported to boost Irish stocks.
“The wind can carry it a long way so it can
spread from one plantation to the other
- it’s highly contagious,” said former Cork
footballer Noel O’Leary, who works for the
family tree surgery and sawmill business.
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“The wood essentially rots from the inside
out. Ash bark is light in colour, but once
it’s infected you notice it turn darker and
brown and the leaves die.
“The policy at the moment is to take out
all the trees in a population if one infected
tree is found. It’s terrible because it
changes landscapes. This is very serious.”
There are currently 15,000 acres of ash
being grown in Ireland, which doesn’t take
into account trees that grow wild or outside
of plantations and forestry projects.
It’s this country’s most successful broadleaf
tree, growing quickly all over the island,
with the main centres for cultivation based
in Tipperary, Kilkenny, Cork, Limerick,
Clare, Laois, Carlow and Wicklow. Around
50,000 trees per year are needed to keep
the hurley making business going.
The primary use of ash in Ireland is the
manufacture of hurleys, the rest going for
firewood as it burns well without having
to be dried out.
The problem with making hurleys is that
only the bottom part of the tree is used,
with the turn in the grain where the roots
begin to spread out naturally forming the
bas, or head, of the hurl.
Much of the GAA’s research is around
trying to use the whole of the tree to
make camáns while fibreglass and hybrid
hurls have also been considered and
tested.
Croke Park are represented on the Ash
Society alongside the likes of Coillte,
Teagasc and the Irish Guild of Ash Hurley
Makers.
Coillte are the state sponsored body that
manages much of the forests in Ireland and
they are heavily invested in saving Irish ash and by extension the hurley making industry.
The experience of other countries struck by
ash dieback is that around ten per cent of
native trees are resistant to the disease.
“There are about 300 full-time jobs
attached to this business. If there were
300 jobs in a factory under threat in a
town in his country everyone would be
falling over themselves to save them.
“This is our culture, our heritage and
our national game that we are talking
about. This is what we are.
They are waiting to find those Irish trees
that are immune and when they do they’ll
start breeding from them. It’s a long process,
though one which may ultimately work.
“This is arguably Ireland’s last
remaining indigenous cottage
industry,” said Power, who is a member
of the John Locke’s club in Kilkenny and
a brother of Cats’ All-Ireland winner
John Power.
“There are between 250 and 300 hurley
manufacturers, either full or part-time,”
explained Michael Power, Coillte’s National
Estate Risk Manager.
“There is a lot happening in the
background on this and the GAA are
very invested in the process. They are
trying whatever they can.”
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MICHAEL FITZSIMONS: MY CLUB & I
by John Harrington
Can you remember the first time you
walked through the gates of Cuala?
A: I went down and was in the nursery at
a young enough age until around the age
seven. Then I went away and played soccer
for a bit and got dragged back when I was
13 or 14 by a friend in my class, Ciaran
McAdam. He got me back, I stuck with it,
and made friends for life. There was a bit
more of a bond there than you would have
gotten in some of the soccer clubs.
Q: Did you take soccer quite seriously
from the age of seven to 13?
A: Ah no, not too seriously. I played with
Cabinteely who are now in the First Division.
I enjoyed the soccer, but I really got the
bug for playing Gaelic and hurling. Our two
mentors when I went back were just very
charismatic – Mikey Sheanon and John
Bailey, who’s a politician from the area. We
were going for early morning sessions and
runs before that sort of thing got famous.
Just doing all sorts that created a great
bond amongst that group of lads.
There’s around 10 to 15 lads who are still
playing from that age-group. We stuck
together, and it’s because we trained so
hard together and went on trips away. They
put a huge amount of effort into it, and it
was just something I hadn’t experienced
with the soccer in terms of going away to
places as a team. We would got to Offaly or
Wexford to play hurling, or up to Cavan to
play in football tournaments.
We’d stay a night and get a National
League game in. It was just class. There
was a great mix of lads from the different
parts of the club’s catchment area. Lads
from Sallynoggin, Blackrock, and Dalkey.
Just a great mix of lads going to all different
schools. It just really broadened my circle of
friends and circle of interests, so that was
very good.
Q: For people who may not know, can you
explain just how big Cuala’s catchment
area is.
A: It’s huge. We would draw lads as far
down as Shankill and Bray and as far up as
Glenageary and Sandycove.
Q: With such a large catchment area,
and with strong competition from rugby
and soccer in that part of Dublin, how
easy has it been for the club to form a
presence in the community? Have you
seen that develop a lot in recent years?
A: Yeah, there has been huge work done.
When I went down first it was the first year
of the nursery, and after that they set up
an Academy. They have gotten so many
parents involved from around the area
that it’s just huge now. I can’t remember
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the stats, but in terms of the numbers at
underage we’re one of the biggest clubs in
Ireland.
In terms of creating an identity, there
has been an awful lot of work done in the
schools around the area. One thing that
stands out when you’re going around with
trophies and stuff like that is the great work
the Games Promotion Officers are doing in
the schools. I think the other sports are a bit
behind us in that regard.
You’re helping the teachers out, getting
the kids out playing GAA, they enjoy it and
then join the club. Damien Byrne set up the
Academy and along with Denis Monaghan
sat down and came up with a strategy to
get people into the club and really coach
the kids in a good manner. You can really
notice the difference, because all of our
underage teams are just producing kids
who are smarter on the ball and more
committed because that’s how they’ve
been brought up.
It’s a proper community club and it’s
really well run. But we don’t own any of
our pitches (they’re owned by the Dublin
County Council), so that’s why there was an
initiative to get to Stradbrook, because we
wanted to own our own pitches. (Fitzsimons
is referring to the proposed ground-sharing
deal with Blackrock RFC at Stradbrook Road
that collapsed)
current set-up) might keep people closer
to the club. Every time we play in Dalkey
we get a great crowd. But when we play
in Shankill we don’t get as good a crowd
because it’s a little bit more away from the
actual hub.
Q: You went to Johnstown Boys National
School. Was there much of a GAA
presence there?
A: It felt like there was at the time. They
have not been as strong in recent years, but
it was the main sport when I was there.
Q: Then you went to Secondary School in
CBC Monkstown which is a famous rugby
nursery. Did you play much rugby?
A: I played for the ‘B’ and ‘C’ teams, nothing
major. I was probably a bit too light and I
wasn’t that good!
Q: Any Gaelic Football there?
won the U13 League and got to an AllIreland Feile in the hurling. Everyone played
both hurling and Gaelic then.
We had lost the Dublin Féile Hurling
Final, so we entered the Division 2 AllIreland Féile and got to a semi-final in
that and lost up in Belfast. Travelling up
there together really developed our bond.
Then we won U16 Leagues and the U16
hurling championship and eventually
went on to win the Dublin Minor football
championship.
Q: Was that the same group that also won
the Dublin U21 ‘A’ hurling and football
double in 2009?
A: Yeah, that was our final year together,
and it was a great way to finish up. We beat
Kilmacud Crokes in the football final and
wouldn’t have had anyone anywhere near
the Dublin senior football team at the time
whereas they had Rory O’Carroll, Kevin
Nolan, and Cian O’Sullivan. It was massive,
because they’re our nearest rivals and
would have been heavy favourites.
Q: How happily do hurling and football
coexist together at senior level in the
club?
A: At underage it was seamless. There was
never any hassle and the system worked
perfectly. At overage, there were one or
two years when both teams were getting
to Finals. We got to an intermediate final
which was big for the footballers, and the
hurlers got to the senior final.
That was 2012 and things got a little bit
difficult and messy because both teams
wanted the same players. But for the last
few years it’s been run fairly well. The
number of dual players has dropped a
bit, and that obviously makes it easier.
There’s definitely no tensions there. All
the footballers support the hurlers and
vice-versa. Socially-wise, we all get on well
together, there’s no divide. We’d like to
A: There was a private schools tournament
set up towards the end of my time there. So
we played the likes of Castleknock College
and someone from Cuala came up to help
out. But it wasn’t big at all in the school.
You might play two or three games a year
and that would be about it. And on a rugby
pitch as well.
Q: Does the club need a home like that?
Q: Did you have much success at
underage level in Cuala with that group
of guys you grew up with?
A: I think it would be nice, because we still
have to train in Bray and stuff like that. So
if we had our own facilities like that we’d
be able to save a lot of money. But it (the
A: I’m not sure how it was in the bigger
picture of Cuala, but I think we were one of
the first teams from the club that was quite
successful. In my first year back there we
Celebrating silverware with Cuala
Football
Hurling
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see Mark Schutte, Cian O’Callaghan, Colm
Cronin and Oisin Gough all play football
at some stage. It would boost our football
team massively.
Q: Cuala won the Dublin Minor ‘A’
Football Championship in 2013, so has
there been an influx of talented young
players onto the senior team that can
help that push?
Dave in his office when I was in first-year.
I didn’t think that Dave would care about
someone like me from Cuala because he
had so many good players in UCD at that
stage.
A: Yeah, Con O’Callaghan and Martin
Cahalane are Dublin U21s. Mick Spillane’s
young lad, Daragh, didn’t play minor for
Dublin but is on the Dublin U21 team in his
first year in the grade now.
I ended up playing an intermediate game
and Dave was at all of those matches and
got to know me and called me up to the
seniors. He straight away saw that Cuala
were an intermediate club so I could play
senior Dublin Championship with UCD.
Q: Do you play any hurling anymore?
A: I went back once or twice but it was hard
getting the touch back right. I actually
played a Junior Championship game
two years ago against St. Marks. I only
played because I wanted to mark Dotsy
(O’Callaghan). I’d know Dotsy because I
played with him in UCD. He didn’t even
notice it was me marking him until five
minutes into the game and asked me what
I was doing there! I just told him I fancied a
handy game of hurling. I got a point off him
that day and held him scoreless, so I was
happy enough!
Q: Cuala lost two Intermediate football
titles in a row in 2010 and 2011 before
finally winning it in 2012. That must have
felt like a big moment?
A: Yeah, that was huge. We had expected to
win it for a while with that group of players,
but we were a bit slow at getting up to the
required level. It was a bit disappointing
that it took that long, but it was a huge
relief to finally get up to the senior grade.
We still haven’t pushed on yet. I hope we
will, but it’s just been very slow each year.
It took us so long to get promoted to
Division 1. I felt we should have done it a
while back, but it’s just been little gains
every year. If we continue this way, then the
lads my age are running out of time if we
want to win a Senior Championship. We’re
hoping to up it in the next year or two.
Q: Someone like Con O’Callaghan has
been touted from a very young age. Your
own progression through the ranks was
not as predestined, was it? For instance,
you didn’t play minor for Dublin.
A: It’s all a bit strange. I think I was good
enough at a young age. When I came in at
U13 it went well for me. But then I think I
maybe got a bit tall and lost coordination
and that’s why I fell out of favour around
U16 level. I was on the Minor ‘B’ team in my
first year in the grade. By my second year at
minor I was still only a sub until they tried
me corner-back.
They were struggling then to find a fullback so then they tried me there and I sort
of took to it well enough. When I got a
chance with the senior team I got straight
into it more or less after a game or two and
it just sort of went from there. I found it
quite enjoyable, the challenge of marking
someone and trying to improve each game.
I played Dublin Junior under Mick Deegan
and that was my first step away from Cuala.
Playing with UCD helped as well. Tony
Fayne, who’s from our area and would have
known David Billings, told me to go visit
I wasn’t playing Sigerson, but I was playing
Senior Championship, and I didn’t feel out
of my depth, so that was good. After that,
Dave called me into the Sigerson team,
and that helped me as well. Cuala won
the Dublin U21 Championship around the
same time and Dublin were looking for
new players in the full-back line after 2009
and when I was given a chance I surprised
myself really and maybe a few other people.
were very close to beating Ballyboden and
getting to a Final. So, yeah, if we got a bit of
a run and built up a bit of confidence in the
group, then I think it’s a possibility.
Q: So you’ve lost your first-round
Championship match every year since
going Senior in 2012?
A: Yeah. We lost to Vincent’s the year they
went on to win it (2013, St. Vincent’s went
on to win the All-Ireland title). We were
three points down with five minutes to
go and I went on two runs and lost the
ball twice and we lost by five. We were
struggling to score and I just felt we needed
to do something towards the end, but it
didn’t work! We lost to Na Fianna by a good
bit in 2014, and then we lost to Ballinteer
last year when they scored a goal in the last
few minutes. We have St. Judes in the firstround this year, so we’ll see how it goes.
Q: Did seeing what last year’s County
Championship success by the hurlers
meant to the club make everyone
involved with the football team even
more determined to achieve something
big too?
A: It definitely did. You could see they had
some seriously good times after it, they
enjoyed it, and it was a great journey. I don’t
think anyone expects the footballers to do
that as well soon, but within the panel we’d
hope that we can do it.
We still haven’t even won a Senior
Championship game but anything is
possible if you get some momentum. We
all saw what Clontarf did last year. They
Michael Fitsimons lifts the Sam Maguire in 2013
Football
Hurling
Club
General
NEW RTE SWIPE TV AND GAA
GO GAMES SKILL CHALLENGES
N
ew GAA Go Games Skill Challenges have been developed. They are a set of
hurling/camogie and Gaelic football challenges for children aged approx.
7-12.
They are designed so that children can organise and carry them out, individually or in
pairs. See: www.learning.gaa.ie/gogamesskillchallenges
We have joined forces with RTE Swipe TV to promote the initiative. Two videos of intercounty stars doing the challenges will be released every Wednesday at 16.30 on RTE 2
Swipe TV until May 4.
Children are encouraged to download the SwipeTV app and upload videos of themselves
doing the challenges.
Participants will be randomly selected to play with GAA Superstars in a Go Games Blitz in
Parnell Park, Dublin in mid-May.
Football
Hurling
Club
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UACHTARAN’S BLOG – AOGÁN Ó FEARGHAIL
WE ARE FOCUSED ON IMPROVING THE LOT OF THE CLUB PLAYER
I
t has been a hectic few months,
but so much significant
work is being carried out
with the Championships fast
approaching.
One of the main items recently
was Congress which is a very busy
weekend. Our world units come
in first, Management and World
GAA meet on the Thursday. Then
on Friday we have Central Council
meetings. Of course we have
Congress itself, then you have the
outflow afterwards.
We have to make sure to see how
we can best implement what has
been passed and what has been
decided. Congress also gives us an
opportunity to check the pulse of
the Association. Even if a motion
isn’t passed, it is important that we
assess everything. Principally I mean
the Ard Stiurthoir, Páraic Duffy, and
myself. We sit down to assess where
the mood of the Association is on a
whole range of things.
Overall I was pleased with Congress.
I would have preferred if certain
motions were passed, but I’m happy
that everybody, even those who
were for and those who were against
certain motions, that they are all now
acknowledging that there is an issue
with the fixtures calendar. We have to
address it.
We have already made changes to
improve the lot of the club player.
That is what we are focused on. We
are trying to make sure all of our
decisions at Congress, at Central
Council, Management, and Provincial
level are improving the fixtures
calendar. Congress has made a
tremendous start - it will continue.
There was some disappointment
with certain motions didn’t receive
the required two thirds majority,
but that doesn’t mean it is finished.
We’ve almost 2,000 GAA clubs. On
the island of Ireland we have four
Provincial Councils, we have a Central
Council, we have 32 County Boards.
That is a lot of fixture making, a lot
of issues have to be addressed. We
have two major field games in Gaelic
Football and hurling, but we share
our facilities with Ladies Football and
Camogie. Very few sports would have
that complex nature.
We have a huge Schools Association,
particularly at second and third level.
There are a lot of competitions and
fixtures. It won’t all happen simply,
but there has been substantial
Football
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progress, and we will continue to
keep streamlining it as best we can.
Remember it is a challenge rather
than a problem. Some people are
describing it as a crisis, it isn’t a
crisis. Fixtures are always an issue
for any sport, but it is simply a fact
that we have more games and
teams than ever. The Association
is growing so it is a wonderful
challenge to have. It is a challenge
we are happy and pleased to try to
deal with it.
LÁ NA gCLUBANNA
So many things are happening
presently, but Lá na gClubanna is a
great place for clubs to showcase
their strength. We are having our
club day on May 8, I hope every club
really embraces it to showcase the
enthusiasm I see in the clubs. The
schools and clubs should all come
together to showcase what is best,
to invite the community in. It is a
big event, I am very much looking
forward to it. I hope clubs embrace
it.
1916
This year has been special. We have
been very much involved in many
events at national level with the
Government’s 1916 Committee.
Everything so far has gone well. We’ve
had a great lecture series with packed
out houses every night running through
the winter and spring period. We
launched our book on the GAA’s link
with 1916, but our main event, and it is
the showcase for the GAA is the April
24 event.
It is fortuitous the way it falls, on the
exact calendar date of the rebellion
that just happens to be our Allianz
Football League finals day.
We’ve always said that the best way
to commemorate is to play our Gaelic
Games. The Division One and Two
finals will be at Croke Park on April 24
followed by a spectacular show called
Laochra. I think people will in years to
come say that ‘I was there on that day’.
There is a cast of almost 3,000, it will
involve Irish song, music, dance. It will
be a lovely and spectacular event. It is
being carried live by TG4, and ticket
sales, I’m told, are booming. The
GAA family will gather on that date.
ETIHAD WORLD GAMES
I’m very fond of what I see
happening internationally. I always
knew the strength of the GAA
outside Ireland, but I didn’t realise
that the standard was as high. The
quality of play is incredible. At this
stage I’ve visited all County Boards
internationally in the seven units
around the world. We had a World
Games in Abu Dhabi and during
that competition I announced that
we would bring it back to Ireland
for 2016. It is happening now. We
have a great line up, we have more
than 80 teams.
It is important that people coming
from elsewhere that they know
that if they get to a final it will be
at Croke Park. People at home will
love it, they will realise how strong
the GAA is internationally. It will
also give them a chance to meet
with their friends and loved ones.
Aogán Ó Fearghail
Uachtarán
Cumann Lúthchleas Gael
Football
Hurling
Club
General
INSPIRATIONAL GAA MEMBERS HONOURED AT
PRESIDENT’S AWARDS
T
he GAA is pleased to
confirm the recipients for
Gradaim an Uachtaráin
2016 which were
presented at a special banquet in
Croke Park.
“A club family as wide and diverse as
ours would not be possible without
the enthusiasm of so many people
who take great pride and satisfaction
in being involved in what is a
movement of like-minded people.
The awards, organised with the
support of club championship
sponsors AIB and broadcast by TG4,
are staged annually by the GAA and
provide the GAA President with
an opportunity to acknowledge
outstanding commitment and long
service across the club, and county
network from people whose highly
valued contribution may not be
recognised on the national stage.
“Our recipients serve as an example
to the legions of volunteer members
who power the GAA. These people
follow in the footsteps of those
who did this before them and who
influence the generation that will
come after them. I laud each and
every one of them.
The awards are made on a province
and code basis and there are also
Gaeilge and International Awards in
addition to the presentation of the
Annual Dermot Earley Family Award.
Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas
Gael Aogán Ó Fearghail, said: “I’m
delighted to present these awards
this evening to incredible members
of the GAA, members whose tireless
dedication and commitment help
make the GAA what it is, the length
and breadth of the country and
indeed around the world.
“I would like to acknowledge AIB
and Denis O’Callaghan, Head of
Branch Banking AIB, for their ongoing
support of these awards.
“Their involvement this evening is
another tangible example of their
support of both our club and county
activity and this relationship will be
the fore in the coming weeks and
months with our club and intercounty championships commanding
our attention.
“Míle buíochas also to TG4 and to
Pól Ó Gallchóir for their assistance in
helping us to bring these awards to
the widest audience possible.”
The recipients of the GAA President’s Award for 2016 with Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Aogán Ó Fearghail, front centre
Football
Hurling
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Buaiteoirí Gradaim an
Uachtaráin 2016:
MUNSTER
Anne Ryan, Brickey Rangers GAA, Co.
Waterford
A founding member of the Waterford
Supporters Club in Dublin in 1992. She
became secretary of the club in 1995 and
held that position until 2012 when she
retired Anne Ryan has been a staunch
supporter of the Brickey Rangers club for
many years. On her return to Waterford
after her retirement Anne focused her
focus and dedication to Club Déise. Her
valiant efforts also saw her claim the Jack
Furlong Award in 2013.
MUNSTER
Denis Hurley, Sarsfields Hurling Club, Co.
Cork
Denis Hurley, a two-time senior county
champion with Sarsfields, has devoted
his life to the club and county. Having
served as a selector on All-Ireland-winning
senior hurling teams in four different
decades at county level (66, ’76, ’84 and
’90), Denis also proved a huge addition
to administration at club level and he has
served in every officer position in Sarsfields
for over 65 years.
CONNACHT
Joe McManus, Enniscrone/Kilglass GAA
Club, Co. Sligo
Upon his arrival in Enniscrone Joe
immediately became involved in the
running of the GAA club. He took up the
chairmanship role in 1965 and held the
position until 1977. Over this period, he
was central to the club’s success in a very
fruitful period which delivered a Junior
Championship in 1966, a first U16 title in
1973 and a second minor championship
in 1975, as well as a Senior Championship
final appearance in 1972.
CONNACHT
Liam Bracken, Kilbride GAA, Co.
Roscommon
Liam Bracken and the Bracken family have
played a huge role in the running of the
club for many years. Having held a number
of executive positions within the club Liam
also put great effort into the coaching of
underage teams in the club. Along with this
Liam also successfully started up a camogie
club which went from strength to strength.
His sons Mike, Timmy and James all played
and coached at various levels within the
club and have given life-long service to it
and his grandchildren are now playing at
underage level for Kilbride.
ULSTER
Sharon McGrath, Belcoo O’Rahilly’s, Co.
Fermanagh
Sharon has been involved with Belcoo
O’Rahilly’s all her life and was instrumental
in setting up Belcoo’s first Youth Committee
to give everyone an equal opportunity.
She has held roles within the club such
as Youth Secretary, Secretary, Assistant
Secretary, Assistant Youth Secretary and
Development Officer, while continuing to
coach and mentor Youth teams. Despite the
tragic loss of her 13 year old son Oisín, she
has continued to show her support for her
son’s team, despite the heartache. She has
been an inspirational figure in the club and
in the community.
ULSTER
Seán McGourty, Naomh Gall CLG, Antrim
Towards the end of his playing career Seán
focused his attention to the development
aspect of the club both on and off the
field. He introduced a juvenile section
that produced many fine teams, littered
with dual players. As a result St Gall’s won
13 county Senior Football Championships
in 14 years, and hurling championship
title at intermediate. It was no accident
that in 2010 St Gall’s contested the AllIreland club finals in senior football and
intermediate hurling, winning the football.
There were nine dual players on the teams.
LEINSTER
Ned Flynn, Castletown/Finea/Coole/
Whitehall GAA Club, Westmeath
Secretary of his club at the age of 18,
followed by roles as Chairperson, County
Board delegate and Secretary of the
Westmeath Minor/Juvenile board, Ned
Flynn has experienced a busy 40 years in
the world of GAA. He was renowned for
his work with the youth – not least in the
transportation of underage players from
venue to venue – and his encouragement
ensuring game time for so many children
down through the years.
LEINSTER
Paddy McMahon, Sean O’Mahony’s GAA,
Louth
For more than 50 years of sterling service
Paddy McMahon has worked with tireless
dedication for the GAA at club, county,
provincial and national level. He was always
a central figure on the field and showed a
leadership which he continued to display
off the field where he was involved in so
many crucial projects that put O’Mahony’s
on a secure footing. His expertise and
passion from football to poc fada, from
social initiatives to child protection and
health and safety, speak volumes about this
man’s contribution.
CAMOGIE
Mary Connor, St. Annes Camogie Club,
Co. Louth
Mary has been a loyal and committed
member of St. Anne’s Camogie Club for
51 years. She was inducted into the club’s
first “Hall of Fame” award at the club’s
50th Anniversary in 2014. She has served
the club in an exemplary fashion over
the years as player, coach, referee and in
administration. To add to her impressive
CV she has also been Chair of Leinster
Council and Vice President of the Camogie
Association.
HANDBALL
Vincent Brennan, Ballaghaderreen
Handball Club, Mayo
Vincent Brennan from the Ballaghaderreen
Club in Mayo has dedicated his life to the
game of Handball, in particular the code
of Hardball - the most ancient form of
Handball. Vincent currently hand makes
the Hardballs which is a skilled and time
consuming process each year for the AllIreland Championships and has done so for
over 20 years. He is widely credited as the
Football
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main reason that the game of Hardball
is still played in Ireland today.
LADIES FOOTBALL
Liam Shinnick, Cahir, Co Tipperary
Liam founded the Cahir Ladies Football
Club in 1997 and has been involved in
many volunteer capacities throughout
the years from coaching through to
fundraising. To celebrate his 60th
birthday last year he organised a
weekend of fundraising in Cahir with all
proceeds going to the local hospice and
Climb4Clare, a fundraising initiative
close to hearts of all members in LGFA.
ROUNDERS
Bernie Healy, Limekiln, Dublin
Bernie Healy has been involved with
the game of Rounders for the past 35
years. From the beginning she has
helped support all teams involved,
providing words of encouragement
to every single player no matter what
has happened on the pitch. She plays
a very special part in the community
by lending a hand, giving advice and
general support. When it comes to the
sport of Rounders she is a caring and
passionate person and a natural team
leader
INTERNATIONAL AWARD
Bernie O’Reilly
A native Cavan man, Bernie O’Reilly
has given almost 60 years of service to
the administration and development
of GAA games in the Boston area and
North America. The number of clubs
in the division has more than doubled
from when he first arrived, leaving
Boston GAA as one of the leading
divisions in North America in both adult
and underage levels. In 1967 he was
elected chairman of Boston GAA and
since then he has been involved with
the local and North American board in
many different capacities.
EDUCATION AWARD
Tom Fitzpatrick, St. Pats College,
Drumondra
After a long career as a primary teacher
Tom Fitzpatrick joined the staff of St
Patrick’s College as the GAA officer in
2001. He has helped to establish and/
or oversee the development of 11
College teams, involving 300+ players
each year across the four codes of
hurling, football, camogie and ladies
football. Over the past 15 years Tom
has been the face, heart and soul of the
GAA in the College for thousands of
students.
FAMILY AWARD
The O’ Dea Family, Na Fianna CLG,
Dublin
The O’Dea family have made a huge
contribution to Na Fianna GAA over
the last 20 years. Anne has been on
the Club Executive Committee, GPO
Steering committee and also has
served as Club Registrar. At County
Level she is currently Cathaoirleach of
Dublin Go Games Fixtures while also
serving on the County Bord na nÓg
Committee. Her husband John has
coached many juvenile teams from
nursery level upwards. John and Anne’s
three sons are also extremely active in
the GAA. Mark, Paul and Eoin have all
played both hurling and football for the
club as well as representing Dublin at
various levels and codes.
GAEILGE AWARD
Paddy Beag Gillespie, Naomh
Columba GAA Club
Ó 1970 ar aghaidh, d’athraigh baint
Paddy le Naomh Columba CLG go dtí
rudaí ar siúl as an bpáirc. Idir 1970 agus
1996, ghlac Paddy ról an-ghníomhach
ar Choiste an Chumainn cosúil le ról an
Chathaoirligh (seacht n-uaire) agus ról
an rúnaí (ceithre huaire) a dhéanamh.
D’oibrigh sé mar leas rúnaí an Chontae
freisin i 1988. Deirtear go raibh grá
Paddy don teanga an-soiléir an t-am
ar fad sa Chumann, agus bhain sé
dioplóma amach sa Ghaeilge in Ollscoil
na hÉireann, Gaillimh i 2006. Is stairí
aitiúla é Paddy faoi láthair, agus tá sé
cáilithe mar thuras treoiraithe freisin.
From 1970 onwards Paddy’s
association with Naomh Columba
also turned to off the field activities.
Between 1970 and 1996 Paddy was an
active member of the club executive
including serving as Chairman on
seven occasions and secretary on
four occasions, while also serving as
assistant secretary on the Donegal
County Board in 1988. Paddy’s passion
for the Irish language has always been
evident within the club. He received
a Diploma in Gaeilge from Ollscoil
na hÉireann, Gaillimh in 2006 and is
a local historian and a qualified tour
guide.
Football
Hurling
Club
General
GAA OFFICIAL GUIDES
Following GAA Congress in February, updated versions of
the GAA Official Guides are available to download.
Click on the Guides to view online.
Football
Hurling
Club
General
C LI C K
TO V IE W
Football
Hurling
Club
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DAVID GOUGH: A YOUNG REFEREE MAKING A BIG IMPRESSION
T
his year’s Hogan Cup final
referee David Gough commands
huge respect in the sport - he
still plays football with Slane
and is himself the proud holder of a
Hogan Cup medal with St Pat’s of Navan.
Gough won the post-primary ‘A’ medal
in 2001, to compliment a county U21 ‘C’
title with his club. The Slane man also
holds a Trench Cup medal and a Division
2 League title with St Patrick’s College in
Drumcondra.
a lot to the family obviously. The Hogan
Cup is such a brilliant competition. A
great breeding ground. You can see the
stars of the future coming through like
trains sometime and then other times, for
guys who don’t make intercounty teams
down the line, the Hogan Cup gives them
tremendous memories for the rest of their
lives.
the well-known Games Development
Administrator at Drumcondra and upon
leaving college began a refereeing course
in Meath before starting to officiate in
late 2007.
His first competitive inter-county fixture
was a 2011 O’Byrne Cup match between
Offaly and UCD on a wet Wednesday night
in Rhode but he received a high 95 per
cent from referee assessor Joe Moynagh
that night and hasn’t looked back. Gough
refereed the 2013 All-Ireland Under-21
Football Championship final between
Galway and Cork, the 2014 Allianz FL
Division 2 final between Donegal and
Monaghan, the final of the 2015 O’Byrne
Cup between Dublin and Kildare and the
2015 All-Ireland minor football final.
The year before he won at post primary
level, his brother Stephen was on the
Hogan Cup winners’ podium.
“The quality of the football is unreal
and games are played at a serious pace.
We consider it a serious honour to be
officiating at the Hogan Cup final and
again, for Stephen and I, it holds serious
meaning. The fact that we were both here
years ago ourselves is very poignant.”
“Yes, Stephen played corner back in 2000
for St Pat’s when they won the Hogan
Cup,” David says. “They beat St Mels in
the Leinster final, St Jarlaths in the AllIreland semi-final, and St Pats Armagh
in the final so no one can say they didn’t
deserve it.
A primary school teacher, Gough has
progressed through the refereeing ranks
quickly but throughout he has always
kept his backroom team tight and
familiar.
“It’s a family mafia business,” he laughs.
“All Goughs from Slane.”
“I was on the panel myself a year later in
2001 when again we beat St Mels, then
Colaiste Na Sceilige and eventually St
Jarlaths in the final. It was a great feeling
to win.
Along with Stephen, his other three
umpires are father Eugene, Uncle Terry
and cousin Dean, who have assisted him
with every game since he started.
“I play quite a high level of tennis. You
need to keep yourself as fit as you
possibly can because the higher up you
go, the tougher the games and the more
fit you have to be,” he says.
Gough has played football in his county
since the age of seven but is also by now a
very experienced as a top referee. He was
introduced to the art by Tom Fitzpatrick,
He’s been an ace in the refereeing
department for a while and we expect to
see more of him in the years to come as a
top GAA match official.
“Colm O’Rourke managed both teams. I
have great memories of that time and so
does Stephen. It meant and still means
David Gough with his team of umpires –
a real family affair of all Goughs from Slane
He’s also a keen tennis player at class two
level in Dublin; a member of Stackallen in
Meath and Glasnevin tennis club in the
capital.
David Gough is presented with his Allianz Football League D2 2014 referees’
medal by Pat McEnaney, Chairman of National Referee Committee, left,
and Frank Burke, Vice-President of the GAA
Football
Hurling
Club
General
2016 NATIONAL CLUB DRAW PRIZES & WINNERS
T
he GAA’S National Club Draw
2016 has been hailed as a major
success with more than €1.67
million raised through the draw
and with all funds retained by clubs who
took part.
Congratulations to all the individual
winners and the clubs themselves who
picked up additional prizes in the newly
introduced club specific draw - view
the full list below of winners, with more
information available on the National Club
Draw page here
National Club Draw Prizes and Winners
1. A NEW OPEL CORSA
Joanne McKenna - Derrygonnelly Harps
(Fermanagh)
2. TRIP WITH THE 2016 ALL-STARS
Mary Dowd - Emmet Óg (Longford)
3. TRAVEL VOUCHER TO THE VALUE OF
€1,500
Don Reynolds - Eslin (Leitrim)
4. ALL-IRELAND HURLING & FOOTBALL
FINAL CORPORATE PACKAGE 2016
Andy Moore - Round Towers Lusk (Dubin)
Danny McCloskey - Beragh Red Knights
(Tyrone)
John Keogan - Kilmainhamwood (Meath)
Callum Mairs - Ardmore St. Mary’s (Derry)
Joe Chambers - St. Michael’s (Galway)
9. SHOPPING VOUCHER TO THE VALUE OF
€1,000
Tom Geoghegan - Eire Óg (Carlow)
10. SHOPPING VOUCHER TO THE VALUE
OF €1,000
John Egan - Ballycumber (Offaly)
11. ALL-IRELAND HURLING FINAL
CORPORATE PACKAGE 2016
Marie O’Neill - St. Mary’s Ahoghill (Antrim)
12. ALL-IRELAND FOOTBALL FINAL
CORPORATE PACKAGE 2016
Deirdre Smith - Ballygunner (Waterford)
13. ALL-IRELAND HURLING FINAL
PACKAGE 2016
Margaret Fleming - Robert Emmets (Dublin)
14. ALL-IRELAND FOOTBALL FINAL
PACKAGE 2016
Killian O’Reilly - Mountnugent (Cavan)
CLUB SPECIFIC DRAW
€5,000 overall prize winners
1. Clonmore (Carlow)
2. Baileborough (Cavan)
3. Cloughbawn (Wexford)
€1,000 PRIZE WINNERS
Renvyle (Galway), St. Osnat’s (Leitrim),
Belmullet (Mayo), Elphin (Roscommon),
Western Gaels (Sligo), Ruairi Óg Cushendall
(Antrim), Corrinshego Thomas Davis
(Armagh), Baileborough (Cavan), Coleraine
Owen Roes (Derry), Naomh Brid (Donegal),
Teconnaught (Down), Devenish St. Mary’s
(Fermanagh), Drumhowan (Monaghan),
Beragh Red Knights (Tyrone), Newmarket
on Fergus (Clare), Nemo Rangers
(Cork), Ballyheigue (Kerry), Fr. Casey’s
(Limerick), Newport (Tipperary), Roanmore
(Waterford), Clonmore (Carlow), Naomh
Barróg (Dubin), Round Towers (Kildare),
Rower Inistioge (Kilkenny), Clonguish
(Longford), Seán O’Mahony’s (Louth),
Dunshaughlin (Meath), Camross (Laois),
Birr (Offaly), Milltown (Westmeath),
Cloughbawn (Wexford), Dunlavin (Wicklow)
€1,000 prize winners for the highest ticket
sales in each Province
Connacht: Davitts (Mayo)
Ulster: Shamrocks Loughgiel (Antrim),
Munster: Mungret St. Paul’s (Limerick)
Leinster: Na Fianna (Dublin)
For more details on the draw, visit gaa.ie/
news/national-club-draw/
GAA Vice President and Chairman of Leinster Council John Horan presents
Jennifer Connaughton, a niece of the winner Joe Chambers, St. Michael’s,
Galway, during the presentation of prizes to the winners of the GAA National
Club Draw. Joe won an All-Ireland Hurling & Football Final Package 2016
GAA Vice President and Chairman of Leinster Council John Horan,
3rd from left, makes a presentation to Davitts GAA Club, Ballindine,
Irishtown, County Mayo, members, left to right, Mick Roche, Frank Hyland,
Michael Waldron, Tom Carey and Laurence Daly, during the presentation
of prizes to the winners of the GAA National Club Draw
Football
Hurling
Club
General
GAA ANNOUNCES LIST
OF OFFICIAL CHARITIES
F
ive charities from around the
country and representing a range
of different causes were selected
by the Association to be charity
partners for this year.
The quintet were unveiled at a special
photo call at Croke Park earlier today. The
charities are The Cormac Trust; The Kevin
Bell Repatriation Trust; Shabra Charity
Foundation; Pieta House and Cliona’s
Foundation.
Each of the designated charities will receive
a €20,000 donation from the GAA.
This is part of an on-going GAA initiative
stretching back to 2010 that has seen the
GAA select a number of specific charitable
organisations and foundations each year
in a bid to assist them in raising awareness
about their work and also champion them
in their fund-raising efforts throughout the
coming year.
Aogán Ó Fearghail, Uachtarán CLG, said:
“We are immensely proud of the position
that the GAA holds within Irish society and
of the work that we do at enriching the lives
of our members and the communities in
which they live”.
“We take our role and responsibility in the
community seriously and a part of that
responsibility is in areas such as this where
the GAA can be a positive influence”.
“As people, the generosity of the Irish
in helping others in times of need is well
known. In the GAA we are an Association
with a big membership and a big heart”.
“The charities selected for 2016, like those
that have gone before them, are all in
their own unique way doing work that is
as phenomenal as it is inspirational in its
effort to make an extraordinary difference
to the lives of ordinary people”.
“We hope that through their link to the
GAA as one of our official charities in 2016
that their work gains more deserving
recognition and that their fundraising
efforts are also enhanced.”
The Cormac Trust
Established by the family of the late Tyrone
All-Ireland winning senior footballer
Cormac McAnallen, who died from sudden
cardiac arrest at his home in March of
2004 at the age of just 24. Since then
the Cormac Trust have done pioneering
work: To raise awareness of sudden
cardiac deaths in young people, and its
causes; To promote cardiac screening
for young people, especially for athletes;
To provide education and information to
raise awareness at government level and
among other authorities as to the value
of providing facilities for the screening
Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Aogán Ó Fearghail with Colin Bell, from left, The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust,
Bendan McAnallen, The Cormac Trust, Brendan and Terry Ring, Cliona Foundation, Rita Sha, Shabra Charity Foundation
and Brian J. Higgins, CEO of Pieta House, at the announcement that five charities from around the country and
representing a range of different causes were selected by the Association to be charity partners for this year
of young people; To provide automated
external defibrillators (AEDs) for sports
clubs in the local region, for the use of the
entire local community, and to train people
in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
and the use of defibrillators.
The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust
The trust aims to alleviate the financial
hardship of bereaved families repatriating
the body (or bodies) of a loved one (or loved
ones) who have died abroad in sudden or
tragic circumstances back to Ireland. It is
dedicated to the memory of Kevin Bell who
was a talented Gaelic footballer and Irish
dancing champion from Newry who was
killed in a hit and run incident in New York
in June, 2013.
Shabra Charity Foundation
Based in Monaghan, Shabra Charity was
founded by Rita Shah and the late Oliver in
Castleblaney in 1989. Their fund-raising
efforts go towards donating equipment for
heart and cancer research in Ireland while
they also support the children who are
orphaned by parents who died due to HIV
and Aids by building a suitable orphanage
and school facilities in Kenya and Nigeria.
To date they have donated over €600,000
to these needy causes.
Pieta House
Pieta House is a centre for the prevention
of self-harm or suicide and opened its
doors a decade ago in Lucan in County
Dublin the centre of operations. In the
intervening years they have helped over
20,000 people in suicidal distress or
engaging in self-harm, and established
eight subsequent centres, three in the
greater Dublin area - Ballyfermot, Tallaght
and Finglas and five further centres to cater
for the rest of the country in Limerick, Cork,
Tipperary, Galway and Kerry.
Cliona’s Foundation
In 2007, Terry and Brendan Ring created
Cliona’s Foundation following the death
of their daughter Cliona in 2006, who died
from an inoperable brain tumour. Terry and
Brendan founded Cliona’s Foundation as a
non-profit Irish charity to help keep Cliona’s
memory alive by helping families with
a child suffering from a life threatening
illness. To date Cliona’s Foundation has
helped over 280 families throughout
Ireland, raising over €1,000,000.
Football
Hurling
Club
General
ETIHAD AIRWAYS GAA
WORLD GAMES LAUNCHED
M
ore than 1,700 Gaelic footballers,
hurlers and camogie players
from 10 regions around the
globe are bringing Gaelic games
home to Ireland for the 2016 Etihad Airways
GAA World Games in Dublin this August.
A total of 87 teams from 20 countries will
travel to Dublin for a week-long festival of
Gaelic games activity between August 7 and
14 at UCD’s Belfield campus, with the finals
being played at Croke Park.
Teams from as far away as Australia, South
Africa, and Argentina will be present, as
well as teams from China, Canada, the
Middle East, the US, Europe, and Britain. It is
expected that as many as 7,000 people will
be involved in the Etihad Airways GAA World
Games festival in Dublin between players,
team officials, administrators, families and
supporters.
The GAA will host the visiting teams in a
grand opening ceremony at Croke Park before
the All Ireland senior hurling semi-final on
August 7, an event that will have a massive TV
audience through RTE, Sky, and GAAGo.
More than 500 games will be played over the
course of the week-long festival.
The visiting teams will also take part in a
major cultural heritage night and concert at
the Helix Theatre in DCU and a dedicated
coaching forum before a closing ceremony at
Croke Park at the end of the week.
Aogán Ó Fearghail, Uachtarán CLG, said: “The
success of last year’s Etihad Airways GAA
World Games in Abu Dhabi is still fresh in the
memory and everyone involved in the GAA is
very eager to see that we continue to develop
this exciting initiative.
“In the years immediately after the formation
of the GAA in 1884, Michael Cusack described
the growth and expansion of Gaelic games
activity as “being like a prairie fire.” This
event will showcase the extent to which the
passion and participation for Gaelic games
has now spread far beyond our shores and will
acknowledge the keepers of this flame.
“It is an event that simply would not
be possible without the support and
commitment of Etihad Airways which has
played an integral part in making the dream
of a GAA World Games become a reality.
GAA President Aogan O Fearghail pictured
with Tyrone footballer Colm Cavanagh and
Kilkenny hurler Colin Fennelly.
“It is also important to recognise the support
of Tony Towell and all in O’Neill’s for ensuring
that every team that competes here in August
will really look the part.”
Beatrice Cosgrove, General Manager for
Ireland at Etihad Airways, said: “Etihad
Airways is delighted to be a part of the
continuing success story that is the GAA
World Games. Through the Etihad Partners’
expansive network of routes we are constantly
reminded of the global reach of the Irish diaspora and of the integral part that the GAA
Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Aogán Ó Fearghail with Joan Flynn, Ard Stiúrthóir, Cumann Camogaíochta na nGael, left,
Beatrice Cosgrove, right, General Manager Ireland, Etihad Airways, with Colm Cavanagh, left, Tyrone, Colin Fennelly, right,
Kilkenny, and Bo Zhang, UCD student and member of the China Ladies Gaelic football team at the Etihad Airways
GAA World Games 2016 launch
and Gaelic Games play in the lives of the Irish
communities overseas.
“Just as our sponsorship of the GAA Hurling
All-Ireland championship is a chance for us to
be part of something special, we are excited
that the GAA World Games is a competition
that will grow and has the potential to be an
integral part of the GAA calendar.”
The scale of the 2016 Etihad Airways GAA
World Games represents a tripling in size of
the inaugural GAA World Games which was
hosted by Etihad Airways and successfully
staged in Abu Dhabi last summer.
It is planned to twin each of the visiting
teams with a host club from Dublin, Kildare,
and Meath which will enable them to forge
new links with Ireland and also gain expert
coaching while they are here. It will also
increase their support base.
This event is being held in Dublin this August
to highlight the phenomenal global expansion
of GAA clubs overseas with more than 400
GAA clubs now in existence outside of Ireland.
From Abu Dhabi to Zambia, the games that
are played in every corner of Ireland are now
being played in every corner of the world.
It means that the GAA now has an active
world-wide club presence from Montreal to
Madrid, Mullingar to Moscow and Melbourne.
A key feature of the 2016 World Games
event will be that the growing number of
new GAA clubs made up of non-native Irish
people who have discovered Gaelic games
and have made it their sport of choice.
Among others, this diversity will be evidence
by a native Chinese ladies football team and
a native South African men’s football team
who have confirmed that they will travel to
take part.
The GAA will support the event with a major
publicity campaign, as well as providing an
army of volunteers who will help run the
event over 10 pitches out in Belfield.
The finals will then be played at Croke Park
on August 11 in football, ladies football,
hurling, and camogie with eight finals
covering the four codes and with a decider
for Irish born and also non-Irish competing
teams.
Football
Hurling
Club
General
VETTING FOR UNDERAGE COACHES NOW COMPULSORY
T
he Dept of Justice and Equality
has announced that the National
Vetting Bureau (Children and
Vulnerable Persons) Acts will
commence on April 29, 2016.
Minister for Justice the National Vetting
Bureau, formerly known as the Garda
Central Vetting Bureau, will come into
being. The immediate issues that require
our attention in the GAA are:
The introduction of this legal requirement
means that any person who fulfils a role of
responsibility or as the Act states works in a
regulated position with children must be
vetted, prior to taking up this role. The
requirements of the Act also apply to those
who work with vulnerable adults.
1. The immediate vetting of any person
currently working with children
and who has not been vetted by the
GAA to date. This process is called
‘retrospective vetting’
2. Commencement of E Vetting by the
GAA on 1 May 2016 thus replacing the
‘paper’ vetting applications used since
2009
3. Vetting of any ‘new applicants’ i.e.
people who were not previously
vetted and are new to the role of
working with children
This measure will bring us in line with
current practices in the Six Counties and
with other European Countries.
When the Acts are commenced by the
GAA policy is that we will only vet people
over 16 yrs. of age.
While certain leeway has been agreed so as
to enable us retrospectively vet those who,
for whatever reason, are currently working
with children in the GAA and have not been
vetted to date, no such leeway exists for
new entrants i.e. people who seek to work
for the first time with children in the GAA
after that date.
Almost 75,000 people have been vetted by
the GAA since we first commenced Garda
Vetting in late 2009 and as we embark
on these three immediate tasks we will
gradually engage in the re-vetting of those
who were previously vetted by the GAA
prior to the commencement of the Act.
The provisions of the Act provide for all
persons that have been vetted prior to the
commencement of the Act to carry over
their vetting status under the new Act and
it shall be at the discretion of their own
Association e.g. the GAA to decide when
and how often they require to be re-vetted.
Given that vetting of those who work with
children in the six counties is already a
legal requirement what this effectively
means is that the GAA practice of vetting
personnel who work with children as part of
our voluntary good practice procedures will
now became a mandatory requirement on
the island of Ireland both North and South.
Apart from those covered by ‘retrospective
vetting’ any other person who has not
been vetted seek on our behalf to work
with children and or vulnerable adults after
the Act commences they will be in breach
of the law. Should we employ or recruit a
person to do this work who has not been
vetted we will also be in breach of the law.
What does the Act state in relation
to vetting personnel e.g. coaches of
underage teams
In accordance with the Act it is an offence if
we fail to vet a GAA nominated person who
subsequently works with children on our
behalf. Section 12 of the Act prohibits the
engagement of persons to do relevant work
or activities relating to children or other
vulnerable persons, unless that person has
been subject to the vetting procedures
under the Act.
Any person currently vetted by the GAA
is covered under the Act as their vetting
acceptance in essence transfers over
under the new Act. For the purpose of
clarification the National Vetting Bureau
Act in GAA terms applies to any person who
carries out a role of responsibility with an
underage player i.e. a person who is under
18 yrs. of age. This also applies to any
coach, manager, selector of a senior squad
if that squad includes a person under 18
yrs. of age. The Act also covers those who
work with vulnerable adults.
Football
Hurling
Club
General
E-Vetting replacing paper vetting
applications
On the commencement of the Act the
National Vetting Bureau will introduce
E-Vetting or a system of applying on line
for vetting. The E-Vetting system will be
limited to four organisations in the first
instance, one of whom is the GAA. The
GAA is pleased to have been one of the
four chosen organisations along with the
Teachers Council, Volunteering Ireland
and the DAA. The piloting of E-Vetting
by the National Vetting Bureau indicates
that we can get turnaround times for
the processing of vetting forms down to
a few days rather than many weeks as
experienced in the past. All interaction
with the vetting applicant will, following
completion of an initial identity verification
form, be done via email.
verification of a person applying for vetting
will be required at local level before the
applicant can access the vetting form and
submit it on to Croke Park for processing
with the National Vetting Bureau.
• May 1 2016: The GAA shall commence
E-Vetting and shall as a matter of
priority concentrate on retrospective
vetting and on the e-vetting of new
applicants.
Ending paper vetting in the GAA
As ‘paper vetting applications ‘ come to
an end the GAA will be required to wind
down that process in preparation for the
introduction of E Vetting as quickly as
possible after 29 April 2016. Once the
Association commences E Vetting we
will not be permitted to revert to ‘paper
applications’ by the National Vetting
Bureau.
Re-vetting of current GAA personnel who
have been previously vetted
To date the GAA has vetted almost 75,000
people through the Garda Central Vetting
Bureau.
What this means is that the GAA must
make itself ready and be in a position
to deliver on E-Vetting following the
commencement of the Act on 29 April
2016. This will be a challenge but as
we have proven in relation to player
registration in the past working on-line
is not an insurmountable task for our
Association.
• End of paper vetting: From 7 April
2016 the GAA ceased accepting any
paper vetting applications from
members and units of the Association.
As we move towards E-Vetting we will
utilise the services of both our Club and
County Children’s Officers to enable
this happen. For example identification
To enable us prepare for commencement
of this new service the following dates in
relation to vetting shall apply in the GAA:
• April 15 2016: The Garda Central
Vetting Bureau shall cease accepting
vetting forms from GAA in advance
of the commencement of E Vetting
on 15 April 2016. Any forms that have
been accepted by the Garda Central
Vetting Bureau up to and including
that date shall be processed.
We will not commence the E-Vetting of
persons previously vetted until later this
year as it is not an immediate requirement
of the Act. When the new E-Vetting
structures have been fully tested and
when necessary training at County level
has taken place we will then announce the
re-vetting of personnel in the GAA which
will take place on a County by County
basis. Each County will receive sufficient
notice and an agreed timescale in which to
complete the e-vetting of those who work
with children in the GAA.
To facilitate each Club in identifying
who has been issued with a GAA vetting
acceptance letter to date we shall issue,
via the County Secretary, a list of all
personnel vetted on a Club by Club basis
(as registered by them in their vetting
application form) in early May. This will
assist Clubs in each County to identify
who amongst their membership may still
require to be vetted due to their roles with
underage teams or personnel.
Briefing on E-Vetting for County
Childrens Officers
As part of our series of Child Welfare
Information Seminars, organised by the
National Child Welfare and Protection
Committee, the next Information Seminar
on 23 April in Croke Park, 10.30 am to 1.30
pm, will receive a detailed presentation on
the new E-Vetting system and how it will
operate in the GAA. Each County Children’s
Officer has been invited to this Information
Seminar and should they be unable to
attend please ensure that a substitute
delegate attends in their place. County
Children’s Officers from LGFA and Camogie
have also been invited to attend.
http://www.gaa.ie/the-gaa/childwelfare-and-protection/
Further information on the
new vetting procedures
may be obtained by contacting
the GAA National Childrens Office
in Croke Park or by emailing
[email protected]
Football
Hurling
Club
General
CLUB HEALTH AND WELLBEING OFFICER TRAINING
O
ver the last number of years
significant developments have
occurred within the Health &
Wellbeing Section of the GAA.
In the initial months, the establishment
of the National Health & Wellbeing
Committee was the first major milestone,
followed then by County Health &
Wellbeing Committees which created a
structure similar to other sections of the
Association.
In order to fully emulate parallel sections
however, and to achieve the ultimate
goal of the National Health & Wellbeing
Committee - make the Association a
healthier place for everyone to enjoy the next and perhaps most important
component of the Health & Wellbeing
structure is being developed.
As of this year, all clubs should have
appointed a Club Health & Wellbeing
Officer who will be tasked to help ensure
their club is a healthier place for everyone
to enjoy. This position, which has evolved
from the former ASAP Officer Role will be
supported by their Club Executive and their
County Health & Wellbeing Committee, the
latter of which has been offering training
to all Club HWO’s throughout February and
March and concluding now in April of this
year.
This training is being delivered by a network
Colin Regan is the head of the GAA’s Community Health and Wellbeing section, based at Croke Park
of over 50 specifically trained Tutors, from
25 different counties, who received their
training at the beginning of 2016. The
entire Training package, including the Tutor
training, has been developed by a working
group involving members of the National
Health & Wellbeing Committee as well as
interested members from our clubs who
were invited to become involved.
With training delivery period coming to
an end soon, we are encouraging all new
Club Health & Wellbeing Officers to avail
of training either in their own county
or a neighbouring county as may be
necessary. If you would like to find out more
information about Club Health & Wellbeing
Officer Training in your county, or when and
where it is taking place, please contact your
County Health & Wellbeing Committee at:
chair.hwc.[county name]@gaa.ie
More general information relating to
the role of Club Health & Wellbeing
Officer and the development and
provision of training may also be found
at gaa.ie/community or by emailing:
[email protected]
Football
Hurling
Club
General
DERMOT EARLEY YOUTH LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE CONTINUES TO
INSPIRE NEXT GENERATION
O
n the same week as thousands
of secondary school pupils
were presented with copies
of the national flag and the
Proclamation at a special event in Croke
Park in advance of the Easter Rising
centenary commemorations, 12 young
GAA members aged 15 – 18 years from
North Dublin clubs Craobh Chiaraín, St.
Vincent’s, Simonstown, Fingal Ravens,
Raheny, Lucan Sarsfields, Whitehall
Colmcille and Erín go Bragh presented
findings of their team research projects
conducted as part of the Dermot Earley
Youth Leadership Initiative.
The Dermot Earley Youth Leadership
Initiative, brought together by the GAA,
Foróige and National University of Ireland
Galway, commenced in September 2015.
This unique initiative evokes and honours
the values Dermot Earley Snr. epitomised
and aims to foster them in a new
generation of young Irish leaders.
Those who successfully complete all three
modules between September 2015 and
May 2016 – which involves 30 instructional
hours and 20 hours of community action
in total – will be eligible to receive a FETAC
level 6 Foundation Certificate in Youth
Leadership and Community Action from
NUIG.
Research projects presented on the night
centred on the topics of Mental Health,
Homelessness and Equality. The young
people from North Dublin gave fantastic,
thought provoking presentations on their
findings in front of a large audience which
included parents, siblings, members of the
GAA and Foróige, the Dublin GAA Health
and Wellbeing Committee and members of
the Earley family including Dermot Earley
Snr’ wife Mary and their two daughters
Anne Marie and Paula Earley.
One group in particular developed an
online equality awareness campaign called
#TogetherWeAreOne to get a particular
message across “Gender equality is not a
woman’s issue, it is a human issue. It affects
us all”. They hope it will have a domino
effect to get as many people as possible
aware of the issue.
Anne Marie Earley who sits on the National
Steering Committee said “My father would
have been very proud tonight. He had a
great belief in education and it is fantastic
to see you are educating yourselves
and others about these topics. He was
also a great advocate for teamwork and
teamwork is certainly something that came
across very strongly in your presentations.”
The night finished with a huge round
of applause for all the hard work and
commitment by the young people and
the adult tutors Stephen Maguire and
Dublin North Group at the DEYLI
Marc Gallagher who have facilitated
the programme with the group since
September. The young people have shown
fantastic leadership skills and are role
models for the other young people in the
GAA clubs. All participants along with 80
other GAA members will graduate from NUI
Galway this October with a FETAC level 6
Foundation Certificate in Youth Leadership
and Community Action.
For more information on the Dermot
Earley Youth Leadership Initiative visit
www.gaa.ie/community
Football
Hurling
Club
General
INVESTING IN LEADERS, INVESTING IN YOU!
A
major new and exciting training
programme for club officers
has now been delivered in 16
counties with over 850 different
club officers participating in training
since it was launched back in January.
The Club Leadership Development
Programme (CLDP) aims to provide the
principal officers in each Club - namely
the Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and
PRO - with an opportunity to gain the key
knowledge and skills to fulfil their roles in a
confident and competent manner. Sixteen
County Committees in conjunction with
their Provincial Councils have organised
the programme after their applications to
receive it were successful.
Uachtarán CLG, Aogán Ó Fearghail
launched the programme back in January
and remarked that ‘this much needed
initiative which will significantly help club
officers who require training, education and
continuous support to carry out their roles
effectively.’ Páraic Duffy, Ard-Stiúrthóir
CLG, sees the provision of continuous
support for club officers as one of the most
important priorities for the Association
over the next few years and he noted in
his Annual Report to Congress that ‘the
programme represents a milestone in
the training and development of club
officers, one that promises to strengthen
considerably the management of clubs.’
Since its launch, 83 modules have been
delivered in 16 counties with over 850
different officers taking part. As all
officers participant in several modules,
it can be noted that there have been
over 1,500 participants in the various
modules. Officers have learned from vastly
experienced Leadership Associates who
have completed extensive training last year
in Croke Park for delivery of training. Each
module ran for two hours and contained a
lot of learning activities to encourage idea
sharing, problem solving and networking
among club officers.
Continuous support for club officers is a
strategic priority for the Association at
present and while the CLDP represents a
major milestone in this regard, there is a lot
more coming in the near future.
To keep up-to-date with the latest
happenings, visit learning.gaa.ie/
administrator
ONLINE RESOURCES FOR CLUBS
Club Advice Manual
The Club Advice Manual is a resource for
all Club officers. It contains information
on many aspects of Club activity and
administration, such as:
• Mission, Vision and Values of the GAA
• Introduction to the Club Manual
• Club Activity Checklist
• Club Committee Structure
•
•
•
•
•
•
Role of the Club Chairman
Role of the Club Secretary
Role of the Club Treasurer
Role of the Public Relations Officer
Other Club Officer Roles
Property Ownership – Vesting of
Property and the Appointment of
Trustees
• Effective Club Meetings
• The Club Annual General Meeting –
AGM
• Coaching and Games Development in
the Club
• Communication in the Club
• Membership and Registration
• Financial Matters in the Club
• Insurance and the GAA Injury Benefit
Fund
• Culture and Heritage in the GAA Club
• The Inclusive GAA Club
• Volunteer Recruitment Toolkit
• GAA Fundraising Toolkit
Football
Hurling
Club
General
To access it, visit - www.learning.gaa.ie/
clubmanagement
IT Resources
A central library of supports and resources for the GAA’s IT
systems is available online. Resources are available for:
• Office365
• GAA Management System
• Yendo – The official GAA Club Accountancy Software
• Injury Benefit Fund Claims System
To access these resources, visit - www.learning.gaa.ie/
itresources
MEMBER AND PLAYER REGISTRATION
Membership Cards
Membership cards will not be available for Clubs to request
in 2016.  As part of the GAA Strategic Plan 2015-17,
the possibility of establishing a membership benefits
programme for all registered members is being explored
and good progress is being made on the initiative.  It is
hoped that the Association will be in a position to update
Clubs further on developments in the autumn of 2016.
 
Annual €2 Membership Fees
In accordance with Rule 2.2 of the Official Guide, each Club
must submit, through its County Secretary, an annual fee
of €2 for every registered Full and Honorary Member who
has paid his/her Club Membership Fee for the year.
Please note that only after 11 April will Clubs be able to
generate an invoice to calculate how much is owed for
every Full and Honorary Member.  Only an invoice has been
generated, please make a cheque payable to the GAA and
forward the cheque to your County Board. The County
Board will collect from all Clubs and forward to Central
Council.
Step-by-step guidance on generating an invoice can
be found here - servasport.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/
articles/203575948-Annual-2-Fees
E-mail and Telephone Support
Each Club will have access to the system either through their
Secretary or Registrar.  For any queries on access to the system, or
on the system functionality, please e-mail or call the Servasport
Helpdesk on:
Email: [email protected] 
Phone:  ROI: 04890 313 845
NI: 02890 313 845
International: +44 2890 313 845
 
Support hours until 31 March are as follows:
Monday to Friday – 9am to 10pm
Saturday to Saturday – 10am to 6pm
 
User Forums
The GAA Management System provides Clubs with functionality to:
• Add, view and register members and players
• Set-up teams, groups, committees and families for reporting
and communication purposes
• Communicate with these groups via bulk text message and
e-mail
• Generate team sheets in Irish and English
• Generate registration reports
• Pay and record fees
• Affiliate teams and pay Injury Fund subscriptions
• Request membership cards
• Create amalgamations
• Access resources and supports
A number of helpful online forums are available where you will find
User Guides and FAQs for these sections. 
Please visit - https://servasport.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/
categories/200193026-GAA-Management-System  or google
‘GAA Help Desk.’
  
Online Training Documents
The GAA Learning and Development Portal contains a GAA
Membership Training Manual and videos explaining the system. 
To access this information, visit - http://learning.gaa.ie/
gaamanagementsystem
Football
Hurling
Club
General
CORK’S CATRIONA CASEY IN FINE FORM
Robbie McCarthy of Westmeath
is the toast of Irish Handball after
winning his third consecutive Senior
Singles title, whilst Cork’s Catriona
Casey defied the form book to defeat
reigning Irish & World Champion
Aisling Reilly in the Ladies Final.
See more www.gaahandball.ie/news/
mccarthy-seals-treble-as-caseytakes-ladies-in-the-third
Football
Hurling
Club
General
THE GAA MUSEUM
T
he GAA Museum offers an
unrivalled state-of-the-art
visitor experience! The museum
celebrates Ireland’s unique
national games of hurling and Gaelic
football and features collections and
exhibits which illustrate the rich history
of these national games, highlighting
the significant contribution the GAA
has made - and continues to make - to
Ireland’s cultural, social and sporting
heritage.
The museum includes exhibition galleries, a
Hall of Fame, match footage, and a
magnificent new trophy display.
Visitors of all ages can also test out
their own hurling and football skills
in the interactive games zone – see
how fast they can react, check
out their passing skills, practice a
fingertip save or the art of the high
catch!
IN
W
IN
W
IN
W
IN
W
W IN W IN
WIN A FREE TOUR OF THE STADIUM
AND MUSEUM AT CROKE PARK
Many thanks to those of you who entered our competition last month for a free tour of the
GAA Museum.
The winner was Clair Hurley from Clonakilty, Co Cork who correctly answered that the
GAA Museum is located in the Cusack Stand at Croke Park. Send this month’s answer
marked ‘Competition’ to [email protected] before April 30.
As well as its permanent exhibitions,
the GAA Museum hosts a range of
temporary exhibitions.
Q: ON WHAT DATE WERE THE FIRST SHOTS OF
THE 1916 RISING FIRED IN DUBLIN?
Football
Hurling
Club
General
FOIRNE AR AN
MBEALACH AR AIS
Le Cian O’Connell
A
g tús mí na Nollag, 2013 sheas Colm Collins i lár Páirc na
nGael, Luimneach. Bhí An Chreatlach tar éis taispeánteas
bríomhar a thabhairt in aghaidh laochra móra Crócaigh,
Chill Airne. Chaill fir Chondae an Chláir i gCluiche Ceannais
Clubanna na Mumhan, ach d’fhág siad le rud éigin tabhachtach. Bhí
misneach acu arís.
Dhà bhliain go leith ina dhiadh an choimhlint sin beidh Condae an Chláir
ar ais i bPáirc an Chròcaigh. Tá áit bainte amach acu i Roinn 2 don Sraith
Allianz i 2017, ar bhealach tá sé cosúil le tús na nóchaidí arís nuair a bhí
John Maughan ar an taobhlíne. Ag an am sin, d’éirigh go maith le Condae
an Chláir, ar ndóigh bhuaigh siad Craobh na Mumhan.
Níl duine ag rá go bhfuil siad chun é sin a dhèanamh go luath, ach tá
feabhas ollmhór taghta orthu. Taithníonn an stíl ciúin agus éifeachtach
atá ag Collins le himreoirí an Chláir, agus tá éacht mór déanta acu an
séasur seo.
Anois tá deis acu i gcoinne foireann eile atá ag teacht ar aghaidh freisin.
Tá neart déanta ag an traenalaí Cian O’Neill le hiománaithe Thiobraid
Arainn, agus peiledóirí Mhaigh Eo agus Ciarraí. Faoi láthair tá Cill Dara
ag iarraidh céimeanna a thógáil iad féin. Rinne siad go maith i Roinn 3
agus tabharfaidh an ócáid seo seans eile do na leaids óga atá sa phainéil
cluiche a imirt i gCeannarás CLG.
Níl aon dabht go bhfuil painéil lán le himreoirí scilúil agus aclaí ag Cill
Dara, ach caithfidh siad samhradh maith a bheith acu. Sin atá uathu agus
déanfaidh O’Neill a mhíle dhícheall.
‘Sé an spreagadh atá ag Cill Dara ná a bheith ar ais ag an staid sin i mí
Iúil agus Lúnasa. Cinnte, tá Cill Dara ar an mbóthar arís, Condae an Chláir
freisin.
Dul chun cinn déanta ag an mbeirt acu, tá siad ag taisteal go dóchasach.
Cian O’Neill, bainisteoir Cill Dara
Football
Hurling
Club
General
KELLOGG’S GAA CÚL CAMPS 2016
LAUNCHED AT CROKE PARK
W
ith over 100,000 children
taking part last year, Kellogg’s
GAA Cúl Camps is Ireland
biggest summer camp and the
2016 programme was launched by David
Rawle, star of the TV hit series Moone Boy.
David joined an all-star GAA panel of Aidan
O’Shea, Ashling Thompson, TJ Reid and
Aimee Mackin for an impromptu training
session at Croke Park.
Kellogg’s GAA Cúl Camps are for children
aged 6-13 and involve an action-packed
week that focuses on acquiring new
skills, improving well-being, forging new
friendships and, ultimately, having fun whilst
participating in Gaelic games. The camps,
which started nine years ago, run from July
through to August and this is Kellogg’s fifth
year of sponsorship.
camp at €55 per child, all young participants
will receive a complimentary GAA zipped
training top, jersey and backpack.
In addition, one camp in each province will
receive a surprise visit from one of the four
Kellogg’s Cúl Camps’ GAA ambassadors;
Ashling Thompson, (Cork, camogie), Aidan
O’Shea, (Mayo, football), TJ Reid (Kilkenny,
hurling) or Aimee Mackin (Armagh, ladies
Football).
Each of the Cúl Camp’s ambassadors will join
in with the training and coach the children the
fundamental skills of the GAA games, making
sure they are put through their paces in a
fun and engaging way that may one day have
them playing at an All-Ireland Championship
at Croke Park.
Powering Play through nutrition
Moone Boy’s David Rawle is a Cúl Camps
enthusiast, having attended his local Co.
Leitrim camp in 2008, and according to David,
whilst his skills were somewhat questionable
his commitment and effort were legendary.
The camps offer training in all four disciplines,
hurling, camogie, football and ladies’ football
as well as rounders and in some camps,
handball. Not only do they take place in
Ireland but such is the popularity of the
camps they are now also organised in the UK,
Australia, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, the US,
Canada and across Europe.
Recognised as Ireland’s best-value summer
The benefits of Kellogg’s GAA Cúl Camps
extend beyond active play and research
amongst children attending last year’s camps
showed that 100% responded that they now
know that eating healthy food gives them
energy and helps them to grow. All children
surveyed also confirmed that they now
understood the importance of drinking water
and keeping hydrated when playing sport.
A key component of Cúl Camps is a nutritionbased programme, Kellogg’s Powering
Play, which was launched last year and
helps children understand the importance
of healthy eating and in particular, the
TV star Moone Boy, David Rawle, joined a host of GAA stars today at Croke Park to launch Kellogg’s GAA Cúl Camps 2016.
Pictured are Cork camogie player Aisling Thompson, Mayo footballer Aidan O’Shea, Kilkenny hurler TJ Reid and Armagh
ladies footballer Aimee Mackin, with children from Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire
importance of nutrition in fuelling physical
activity. All participating children will receive
packs with nutritional information to help
promote greater awareness for the food
choices they should be making to help power
their play, both on and off the pitch.
Speaking at the launch of the 2016 Kellogg’s
GAA Cúl Camps, GAA President, Aogán Ó
Fearghail said: “The Kellogg’s GAA Cúl Camps
are a huge part of community life in Ireland,
teaching children fundamental skills not only
in GAA but with a strong focus on improving
physical wellbeing and empowering them
with information on nutrition. Ultimately, the
camps are about encouraging friendships and
fun, which is what being a child is all about.
With more than 100,000 children attending
the camps in 2015, its popularity is increasing
year on year, and this year it’s going to be
even better with an action packed schedule
planned for all the youngsters.”
Kellogg’s Managing Director for Ireland Jim
McNeill said: “With over 500,000 members,
GAA is incredibly influential in Ireland and has
a particular relevance to local communities,
appealing to both adults and children.
Last year, Kellogg’s Cúl Camps attracted
more than 100,000 participants and we
are incredibly proud of our association with
this programme and the way in which it has
grown, year-on-year. Our ambition and hope
are that even more children will join us this
year and experience the fun and benefits of
Cúl Camps. The programme for this year’s Cúl
Camps really emphasises the link between
making healthy food choices to benefit
physical performance both on and off the
pitch.”
This year, Kellogg’s is giving families the
opportunity to win €5,000 worth of training
gear for their local club, plus a €500 family
voucher by purchasing special packs of
Kellogg’s cereal and snacks in-store. For more
information parents can log on to
www.kelloggsculcamps.gaa.ie
Football
Hurling
Club
General
MÍLE BUÍOCHAS
Our thanks to all of those who have played a part in the production of the
GAA Club Newsletter.
Produced by the GAA Communications Department at Croke Park and
edited by Cian Ó Murchadha, and designed by DBA, Blackrock Co Dublin.
Feedback welcome to [email protected]

April 2016

Transcription

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