Write a commentSeamus Walsh Chairman of County Down GAA was the main speaker at the Down County Convention in the Canal Court.
Uachtarán, Oifigighi, Ionadaí na clubanna agus a dhuine uaisle mar Cathaoirleach Coiste Chontae an Dúin ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur rombhaibh uilig go dtí a comhdail bhliaintúil seo anocht.
President, officers, club delegates, ladies and gentlemen as Chairman of Coiste Chontae an Dúin it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to our 2012 convention here in the Canal Court Hotel this evening.
Tonight we will reflect on the year just past, take stock of the health of the GAA in the County at present and we will set the direction in terms of personnel and policies for the year ahead.
At the outset I want to thank those people who support me as County Chairman – a great deal of work goes on behind the scenes so this is an opportunity to acknowledge both the work and the people.
Firstly I want to thank Seán Óg McAteer for his dedication and his unstinting work on behalf of us all and I know that every club represented here tonight will have reason to be grateful for the work done by Sean Óg and not forgetting of course Martina, Debbie, Mary and Grainne, the staff of the County office, over the last 12 months.
I also want to thank our Cisteoir and Leas-Cisteoir team of Seamus Ryan and Brendan Fitzpatrick who tonight complete 5 years in their respective posts.
In his tenure Seamus has brought structure and clarity to the finances of the County giving us a solid platform to move forward. He has not been afraid to “think outside the box”, to draw upon the expertise of others within the county and to explore different ways of raising finance in what are difficult times; the Down Clubs Draw is a fitting testament to that work.
On the subject of the Clubs Draw £305,000 went back directly into the clubs with £79,000 going to the county. It has proved a great success and indications to date suggest that the 2013 draw will be even better.
This can be a great fund raiser for clubs in times when money is hard to come by so I encourage you to re-double your efforts over the next two weeks.
Brendan has provided admirable support not least in organising the gates for the All-County championship fixtures. I don’t believe Brendan has quite solved the problem of 17, 18 and 19 year- old juveniles who come to our games but he has managed to solve the problem of the 70 year-old grannies that turn up with player passes. Go raibh maith agaibh, Séamas agus Breandán.
The Core Finance Committee, Club Down and our Supporters Club contribute greatly to our finances and their contribution to the cause of Down GAA is immeasurable.
All down the years we have had great support from our sponsors.
The Canal Court have for the last 13 years been our main sponsors and we thank both John and Paddy McParland for that support.
Morgan Milk provide sponsorship for our Senior Championship in hurling and football while Around-a-Pound continue to back our Intermediate and Junior Championships.
O’Neill’s have for a long time gave their backing to our leagues while the Irish Daily Mail and Balloo Hire provide much needed sponsorship in Páirc Esler.
We have numerous other pitch side sponsors and others who donate unanimously to Down GAA.
All of these deserve our sincere thanks and support.
The reason we are here tonight is because we love our Gaelic games and it is the Competitions Control Committee under the chairmanship of William Smith and with Paul Blaney as Secretary who organise and administer our all-county leagues and championships including for the first time in 2012 an all-county U-16 league. I thank you both and all the members of CCC for the efficient way in which our extensive league and championship programmes have been run. I would like to thank the Divisional Boards, Coiste Oirthear an Dúin chaired by Sean McCashin, Coiste Deisceart an Dúin led by Michael McArdle and Coiste Iomána under the stewardship of Gerard McShane for the work they do in the administration of our juvenile programmes.
I also want to thank the various officers of the County for the work they do on their own sub-committees, on other sub-committees and at Provincial or National levels. I want to mention a few examples:
Paul Rooney and the work of the PR committee. The standard of our match programmes, the way we have embraced Facebook and Twitter (I’m afraid I haven’t got to grips with them just yet) and once again our County Year book which is a wonderful celebration of life in Down GAA in 2012. I want to take this opportunity to commend the committee for their imagination in looking at new ways to promote and publicize our Games.
We can’t play our games if we haven’t got the facilities and structures in our clubs and in commending our clubs for their ambition and hard work I want to acknowledge the support given by Maureen O’Higgins as Planning and Physical officer and her committee in terms of Officer training, advice and lobbying done on our behalf to Ulster Council and beyond.
As you will see from the Treasurer’s report after our County teams our biggest expenditure is on Games & Coaching.
Our Coaching Officer Seamus Ennis oversees a programme that includes Coach education, Primary Schools coaching, Development Squads in Hurling and Football, and Cúl Camps. There is a comprehensive report in the Convention booklet and in thanking Seamus and his committee I would also place on record my thanks to Conor O’Toole our Games manager and to Mickey McCullough the Regional Hurling Development Officer and to our County Coaching staff as well as our DENI coaches. Both Marcus Miskelly and Sarah Doran have moved on from the coaching staff to pursue University studies and I wish them both well.
There are also many people from Down working at Provincial and National level.
Sean Rooney as well as being our Central Council delegate has been working on the sub-committee looking at Trophy presentations after All-Ireland finals.
Our Cultural Officer, Paula Magee has been appointed to An Scór Náisiúnta, the National Scór committee in Croke Park, while work on language and culture continues to grow with the contribution to scholarships to the Gaeltacht, the sense of occasion and dignity that Scór competitors bring to our games with their singing of Amhrán na bhFiann not to mention the contribution that Gareth Johnston of that committee has made behind the mike.
Diarmuid Cahill, as well as being our Ulster Council delegate and IT officer, he has been appointed to chair the national Féile committee, a combination of Féile na nGael and Féile na nÓg, looking into the running of Féile in the future.
John Devaney represents the universities at Central Council, Down at Comhairle Uladh and he also finds time to serve on the management committee there as well as on hearings in Croke Park.
Dan McCartan chairs the Central Appeals committee and Kevin Bell sits on the National Hurling Development Committee and hopefully in time that will bear fruit for hurling in Down.
So as you can see there is a tremendous amount of unseen work going on by Down people on behalf of the county and the clubs and I thank them most sincerely for that.
I would also thank our panel of referees who are so vital to our games programmes and I thank them for the way they have come on board with the Referees Administration structures.
I congratulate those of our referees who have done so well at inter-county level. Could I especially congratulate Ciaran Brannigan and Kieran Rice in football and Paul Braniff in hurling on their appointment to the National Referees panel for 2013?
My wish for 2013 is that our referees will be able to emulate us administrators, managers, players and spectators who seem to get every decision right and who never make a mistake.
Sean Óg has given a comprehensive report on the year but I would like to take a few minutes to reflect on different aspects of the year 2012 for our County teams. I know that most of you will not remember what I said in my address last year but I had the benefit of being able to look back at the text.
When I spoke last year I posed a number of questions for 2012 – First of all let’s look at football.
Question 1: Will we still be in Division 1 of the National Football League?
What an achievement to not only stay in the most competitive of Leagues but to make the League semi-final? In my book that was a successful campaign! And my question and challenge for 2013 – will we still be in Division 1 of the National Football League?
Question 2: Can we make the most of what on paper is a favourable Ulster Championship draw?
I don’t think any of us envisaged the drama of the game against Monaghan and the fight back by Down in the second half of that game. So we made the Ulster final and ran up against a Donegal team who were the outstanding team of the year in 2012. We managed to get past Tipperary a week after the Ulster final but we came up short against Mayo in the Quarter-final. So my question and challenge for 2013 is to target the Ulster final and at least the last eight of the All-Ireland series.
Question 3: Can we build on the good work that is being done at schools, underage and club levels?
Disappointingly the answer in 2012 was no and we exited the U-21 championship in the semi-final against Tyrone and the Minor football championship at the hands of Monaghan in the semi-final. We continue to produce highly talented underage players so the same challenge awaits us in 2013 i.e. to build on the good foundations we have.
In hurling 2011 saw the end of the An Dún Theas project and a 2012 County senior panel more widely representative of the county. 2012 saw the county relegated to Division 2B of the National League campaign while the Christy Ring campaign ended in a defeat by London after a replay. In the Ulster Championship we were well beaten in the Ulster semi-final by a Derry team who in turn suffered a heavy defeat by Antrim.
Last year I commented that a severe gap was opening between our underage hurlers and those in Antrim, Armagh and Derry. I have already referred to Seamus Ennis and Games & Coaching and the work done on Development squads. In 2011 they tried a different tact with U-17 Hurling Development. Sean Óg pulled the administrative strings and Mickey McCullough brought his coaching influence to bear on a combined Down schools team. It would be fair to say that the exposure of more players to A Grade competition and top class coaching helped prime the players to win the Ulster minor hurling title - the only inter-County title to come to Down in 2012. Whereas in recent years Down underage teams had turned up at Casement Park hoping they might win this team turned up to the final knowing they could win and to the replay confident that they would win. Later in 2012 the combined team lost in a high quality Mageean Cup final while St Patrick’s Downpatrick won their first schools senior title by winning the Casement Cup. I am pleased that a sustainable strategy is emerging for our underage hurling.
I would also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to our Colleges, our Vocational schools, our Primary schools, to their Principals and staff for the support they give to our Gaelic games. You are aware of the partnerships arrangements we have with St Patrick’s, Downpatrick and with St Colman’s College and the Abbey Grammar in Newry. We have access to magnificent facilities and we look forward to these arrangements lasting for a very long time.
I see our County teams at close quarters and even though results might not always go the way we would like them there is no doubting the effort and commitment put in by our players, coaches and management teams from U-14 Development squads through to our Senior Football and Hurling teams. I think we have good people in place with all our teams and I would particularly like to welcome Dr Niall Moyna and Eamon Burns to the Senior Football set-up with James McCartan and Paul Flynn to the Senior Hurling set-up alongside Gerard Monan.
The senior football management team will also take charge of the U-21’s with Eamon Burns acting as manager.
Go raibh maith agaibh go leir.
On the club front Kilcoo, Warrenpoint and Portaferry went all the way to provincial finals where they represented our county with determination and skill but unfortunately could not make that final step. Unfortunately Dundrum in junior football, Portaferry in minor hurling and Warrenpoint in minor football fell short.
Bredagh did manage to make that breakthrough with aplomb and collected the Ulster Junior Hurling Championship and we wish them well in the All Ireland semi-final.
Congratulations to all our clubs who represented us at Provincial level.
In handball Brian Havern, Sean McNally, Lorraine Havern, Pat Havern and Stephan Digney each won All-Ireland titles this year. Winning an All-Ireland title is a great achievement but to collect 5 All-Ireland titles is something special.
The senior camogie girls lost out to Meath in the All-Ireland Premier Junior final but the minors won the All-Ireland C title.
On top of that Sara Louise Carr and Karen Tinnelly won Soaring Star awards.
Less than 2 weeks ago at the Ulster Presidents Awards night St. John’s received an Ulster Grounds award while Brendan Rice was recognised for his Services to the GAA through education.
Again our county is at the forefront of all that is good about the GAA.
One of the problems with the Chairman’s address is that it doesn’t appear in the Convention booklet so I suspect when you are asked what did I, as chairman, say beyond saying it was wonderful and didn’t last very long you would struggle to remember much of the content. But there are some points that I want the incoming County executive and the clubs of this County to take on board and I will keep the references simple in case you want to make a note of one or two words:
Respect and Integrity
At National level during 2012 we had a situation where a high profile player moved from his home club and county to another and it seemed that while rules may not have been broken the spirit of them was certainly well bent.
High profile players have escaped punishment for indiscretions on the field by using “GAA experts” to fight their corner.
But before we start pointing the finger at others we need to take a good look at ourselves here within our own county. Are our hands completely clean when we come to dealing with our own affairs?
The people in this room are the leaders of the GAA in this County and as leaders we must set the standards at all levels in our County.
Is it not hypocritical of us to put “Respect” bibs on our children and then tolerate or even worse take part in the abuse of referees?
It is not acceptable for the door of a referee’s room to be kicked in after a game.
It is not acceptable for a player to get his face busted off the ball and his own club not bring forward the evidence to allow us to discipline the player who did it.
It is not acceptable to get involved in “sledging” or any other type of abuse should be that verbal or physical.
It is not acceptable to poach players from other clubs. Certainly we are all loyal to our own clubs but we have a responsibility to every other club in the County.
It is not acceptable to manipulate our excluded player’s lists in order to strengthen our reserve teams.
It is not acceptable to lobby to have our juvenile teams placed in B or C grade competitions so as we can win competitions at the expense of nurturing and improving the skills of our players.
It is not acceptable to leave a host club standing on a near empty field with one – yes one - visiting club for an U-10 blitz while the Down clubs who were supposed to be there are supporting games in Armagh or Tyrone or even further afield.
It is not acceptable to seek to postpone games because your “star” player has measles or is at the Gaeltacht or is otherwise unavailable.
Your responsibility is to the other players in your team and to your opponents.
In recent times evil people have been trying to stop one of our clubs, Ballymartin, playing Gaelic games; isn’t it ridiculous to think that at times we ourselves stop our young people playing our own games?
In 2013 let us pledge ourselves to respect each other both on and off the playing fields.
Let us pledge ourselves to operate with honesty and integrity at all times and at all levels.
Why do we play our Gaelic Games?
If you look through the Convention booklet and through the Down Year book you will see many pictures of the young boys and girls who play our games. One photograph in particular struck me and that was of a young boy from the Tullylish club. His father sent the photograph to the County after his son had finished his Cúl Camp – his father simply said that here was a photograph of a very proud and happy young boy.
I suspect that he doesn’t know anything about tactical fouling, I would be pretty confident that he doesn’t know how to abuse a referee or a fellow player, and by the by the look of him I don’t think he would be into operating the blanket defence.
Leaving the first two aside maybe in years to come he will learn about the blanket defence but for now what does the GAA mean to him. It is about having fun by playing our games with his friends in a safe and secure environment.
That’s why we play our games!
You know it does concern me that as our players move up through the age levels some of the fun and enjoyment is lost. We have a responsibility to look after our players at all ages and at all levels. When we look for success we also have to remember the level of commitment we expect our players to give.
When you look for commitment from your club or county players is it a level of commitment that you yourself have given or would be prepared to give?
It’s easy to say that such and such a County did this and our players should do the same but I would ask you to remember that our players are amateurs; they have jobs and families; and we shouldn’t place the same demands on them as would be placed on professional sportsmen.
Remember we are the leaders and we set the standards!
Helping each other:
Our world gets smaller and smaller as time passes and our young people have more opportunity to travel than ever before.
And there are also those, who because of the economic downturn, have had to leave our shores to seek employment abroad; some may never come home except for the occasional visit.
We need to do whatever we can to try and keep our young people at home and in employment and I implore everyone to help where they can and when they can.
Our association comes into its own when we are faced with adversity and difficulty. We can be immensely proud for the way we gather round and help all our members both here and abroad.
Ours is a truly genuine and enriching tradition – a tradition which we all, both home and abroad – can be rightly proud of.
The GAA is a great community. We organise our gaelic games to energise our people, to teach them to cherish our culture and our heritage, to teach them what it means to be Irish and to foster our pride of place.
Despite emigration and difficult financial times I see the GAA thriving in so many places and in so many ways and I am proud to be part of Down GAA playing a leading role in the Association at home and indeed with a presence and influence all over the world.
Our Departed friends and fellow Gaels:
In the convention booklet we have recorded the names of our fellow Gaels who have passed away in the past year; some known across the county and perhaps further afield; others working quietly in the background and unheralded outside their own club.
Just today we buried another of our members, Ryan Doyle from Liatroim in Australia 3 weeks ago.
I have to commend the Liatroim club and our GAA community for the way you have rallied round to support the family of Ryan Doyle.
The response from our clubs and our community has been outstanding and you can feel rightly proud of yourselves.
I wish to convey my condolences and those of all the gaels in Down to the Doyle family in their tragic loss – a loss made all the more tragic in that it was so far from home.
I would like to briefly mention two people who have made an immense contribution at all levels within the Association:
Matt Fitzpatrick – Matt lived and breathed the GAA. A player, an administrator, a reporter and a fan. He served Coiste Oirthear an Dúin and Coiste Chontae for over 40 years. His dedication to reporting on schools games especially was terrific.
Jerry Quinn: Jerry was Iar-Cathaoirleach Coiste Chontae an Dúin. A committed and dedicated servant to Down GAA at all levels. Again, like Matt he served his club, Coiste Deisceart an Dúin and this county for close on half a century.
Personally I find it very poignant to be standing here just a few days after saying our last farewell to Jerry.
Could I ask you to join me in a minutes prayerful reflection in memory of all members who have gone to their eternal rest since this time last year.
Ar dheis lámh Dé go raibh a anam.
Earlier I mentioned our committees and sub-committees and the great work they do but from a personal angle I thank the other 3 senior officers William, Séan Óg and Seamus for their continued support and help.
Also we must never forget that all those who leave the house to go to a committee meeting, all those who take teams, all those who cut the grass and mark the pitch, all those who wash jerseys, all those who make tea and sandwiches, all those who fund raise; they all do so because they care, because it matters to them.
When you look at the Convention booklet and you reflect on the amount of activity that takes place in the county it is nothing short of amazing.
The U-12s from nearly every club in the county who graced Croke Park
The games programmes at Divisional and County level from U-8 to adult in blitzes, leagues and championships.
Over 3000 children at our Cúl camps
Our Scór and other cultural activities
Féile na Gael agus Féile Peil na nÓg
The completion of our county ground, Páirc Esler
The hundreds of young men who are part of our Development squads.
Our charitable work
Our community work
There are always things that we can do better and there are always ways in which we can improve but I would invite you to give yourselves, the Clubs of Down, a great pat on the back in recognition of the great work that you do.
Finally can I take this opportunity to wish you and your clubs well in 2013? I wish you a successful year ahead, however you measure that success and I hope that you have a very holy and enjoyable Christmas and a happy new year and come January we will all be re-energised and ready for the year ahead.
Go raibh mile maith agaibh go leir.
The following were elected to represent Down GAA in 2013:
UACHTARAN
President
Paddy McFlynn (Tulach Lis)
CATHAOIRLEACH
Chairman
Seamus Walsh (Dun Droma)
LEAS CATHAOIRLEACH
Vice Chairman
William J Smith (An Glas Drommain)
CISTEOIR
Treasurer
Brendan Fitzpatrick (Ath Bhriain)
LEAS CISTEOIR
Assistant Treasurer
Seamus Ryan (Clann na Banna)
LEAS RUNAI
Assistant Secretary
Paul Blaney (Bredach)
OIFIGEACH FORBARTHA
Development Officer
Maureen O'Higgins (Liatroim)
OIFIGEACH OILIUNA
Coaching Officer
Seamus Ennis (Baile Crann)
OIFIGEACH GAEILGE AGUS CULTUIR
Irish and Culture Officer
Paula Magee (Droichead Mhaigh Eo)
OIFIGEACH CHAIDREAMH POIBLI
Public Relations Officer
Paul Rooney (Droichead Mhaigh Eo)
TEACHTA COMHAIRLE ULADH
Delegates to Ulster Council
Diarmuid Cahill (An Riocht)
John Devaney (Bredach)
TEACHTA ARD COMHAIRLE
Centerial Council Delegate
Sean Rooney (Droichead Mhaigh Eo)
TEACHTAI don CHOMHDHAIL ULADH (6 to be elected)
Delegates to Ulster Convention
Paul Blaney (Bredach)
Brendan Fitzpatrick (Ath Bhriain)
Sean Og McAteer (Mistelligh an Iuir)
Sean Rooney (Droichead Mhaigh Eo)
William J Smith (An Glas Drommain)
Seamus Walsh (Dun Droma)
TEACHTAI don CHOMHDHAIL NAISIUNTA (4 to be elected)
Delegates to GAA Congress
Pol de Bleine Paul Blaney Bredach
Diarmaid Ó Cathail Diarmuid Cahill An Ríocht
Breandan Mac Giolla Phadraig Brendan Fitzpatrick Ath Bhriain
Liam S Mac Gabhann William J Smith An Glas Drommain
TEACHTAI OIGE CHOMHDHAIL NAISIUNTA
U21 Delegate to GAA Congress
Niamh Ó Muirí Niamh Murray Cluain Daimh
OIFIGEACH na bPÁISTÍ - Appointed
Children's Officer
Kate Woods (Cill Chua)
