*Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
CLARE GAA turned in “a small profit” following the decision of the ‘Win A House’ in Ennis winner to take a cash prize instead of the property while county officers have committed to continuing to canvass strongly to oppose a change to the seeding of the Munster senior football championship.
On Tuesday evening, the July meeting of Clare GAA took place in Clareabbey when a number of team managements for 2026 were ratified. The controversial proposal to bring back seeding for the Munster senior football championship was again aired before Tuesday August 12th was set as the date for the next meeting.
House sale leads to “a small profit”:
Last year’s ‘Win A House in Ennis’ fundraiser for Clare GAA was a big success, delegates were reminded this week.
Danny McAlinden of the St Joseph’s Miltown club was pulled out as the winner last January and he opted to take a cash prize of €330,000 instead of the Roslevan property.
As a result, Clare GAA put the property up for sale with Chairman Kieran Keating informing delegates the house had been sold.
When asked what the sale had realised, he replied, “it turned in a small profit”.
Later in the meeting following a query from Corofin delegate Fergal Neylon regarding the exact figures, the Chairman said it was sold “for around €400,000” having been put on the market for €360,000. He went on to thank contractor Dermot Custy for his assistance.
Speaking previously, Head of Operations with Clare GAA, Deirdre Murphy said it would be “comfortable” to calculate the fundraiser returned a profit in excess of €700,000.
Seeding for Munster football:
A decision on the controversial issue of seeding teams for the Munster senior football championship will be made at the next meeting of the provincial council which is set for July 31.
“Since the last meeting we have been making representations to other counties and to other officers while the chairman sent a thought provoking letter to the Munster Council but we will need to keep the pressure on if we are to achieve what we want to achieve”, delegate Bernard Keane told this week’s meeting.
He went on to say that a lot of people “have come back to me to say that this proposed change is not good for Clare football at this time. We have to try and take heed of that and protect what we have”, he said adding that “some of the other counties are not taking this as serious as we are at this time”.
Chairman Kieran Keating noted that “Limerick manager Jimmy Lee came out strong on this as well. We have to keep canvassing and make sure we get them all talking about it in their counties. Kerry and Cork are probably very happy to have seeding introduced and that is a selfish view of things”.
Keane went on to note “it’s unusual that this wasn’t raised over the last five or six years when Clare were ranked he second team in Munster. All of a sudden now it’s been raised. We owe it to those who went before us and fought to break up that monopoly to fight it tooth and nail”.
John Hynes tournament:
Ennistymon hurling club have been given permission to stage the John Hynes memorial hurling tournament. Junior teams from Inagh/Kilnamona, Kilkee-Bealaha, Clonbony and Ennistymon will compete for the trophy at the end of July.
The Ennistymon club has sought permission to again stage the final in Cusack Park. It is hoped to have the final on July 30.
Head of Operations Murphy said “Cusack Park will be made available if fixtures allow”.
Corporate Trustees:
Permission was unanimously granted at this week’s meeting for Clare GAA to transfer moving to corporate trusteeship for all of the board’s properties. The proposal was made by chairman Kieran Keating and was seconded by planning and training officer Paddy Smyth.
Astro first project for Caherlohan:
Planning permission for further development at Caherlohan was granted by Clare County Council, chairman Kieran Keating reminded delegates.
The project last November benefited from €3.2m in State funding from the Government’s Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund to develop the Centre of Excellence. The scheme for the county’s elite hurlers and footballers – includes the construction of a 1-2 storey extension to the existing Clare GAA Centre of Excellence building accommodating additional player welfare facilities including new dressing rooms, a gymnasium, dining and administrative areas.
It also includes two new full-length playing pitches, the construction of a new all-weather synthetic playing pitch, the construction of a new hurling ‘ball-wall’ and the construction of a new covered spectator stand serving Pitch 3.
“In fairness to the planners they didn’t throw anything in front of us that is going to cause us particular problems. We thank Clare County Council and their planning department for their professionalism in dealing with this”, the chairman told the meeting.
“We can start the astro and that is the first thing and we will be starting to get tenders done”, he added.
Continuing he said “Cusack Park is getting prepared for the county championships and it’s in very good order. There was a Zimmer Biomed blitz for under 9’s, hurling and camogie last week and it will be for football next week. That was part of their deal, to have use of it for days like this”.
Head of Operations Deirdre Murphy told the meeting that the board’s pitches at Clareabbey, Caherlohan and Ballyline are available to them if they need same.
Scariff/Ogonnelloe tournament:
Permission has been granted to the Scariff/Ogonnelloe minor hurling club to run a minor hurling tournament in conjunction with the Scariff Harbour Festival on Sunday August 3rd.
Handball:
Chairperson of Clare Handball, Tommy Hegarty congratulated Munster winners from Clare. In minor Clooney’s Matthew Coughlan and Kilkishen’s Martin Bon will now play Kilkenny opposition in the All-Ireland semi-final having won the Munster title.
Masters winners Shane Walsh from Tuamgraney and Mike Baker form Kilkishen will play Offaly opponents in the All-Ireland semi-final.
“The singles grades are starting this week” he pointed out. He went on to congratulate Toonagh on winning the All-Ireland division 2 Féile title.
Munster finances up:
Munster GAA have had a very successful year financially, Bernard Keane told this week’s board meeting. “One of the beauties of the Council being successful financially is that they put the money back into the clubs”. He went on to advise clubs to have their affairs in order if they are applying for grants from the Munster Council.
Sympathy:
Sympathy was extended to the Liddy and Keane families, Cooraclare, to the Roche family, Kilmurry, Sixmilebridge, the Casey family Sixmilebridge, to the Fahy and Brennan families Ennistymon, the O’Meara family Scariff, the Lennon and Murphy families Shannon, the Carigg family, Collins family and McMahon family Newmarket-on-Fergus, the McInerney family Doonbeg and the McMahon family Kilmaley on their recent bereavements.
