*Photograph: John Mangan
DEVELOPMENT of an astro-turf pitch at Caherlohan will commence next week, Clare GAA officials have confirmed.
Michael and S Boland Civil Engineers were awarded the €1.5m contract to develop the facility at the Clare GAA Centre of Excellence. The synthetic pitch will have floodlighting, fencing, a perimeter walkway and associated site services.
Tom McNamara and Partners handled the tender process for Clare GAA.
Replying to a query from Ennistymon hurling delegate Kieran Harvey, Clare GAA chairman Kieran Keating said it is hoped to have the facility ready by October.
“We will have to do another win a house fundraiser to proceed with further development at Caherohan which will include the building of a stand, lighting pitches 3 and 4, and extending the building”.
Ten hurling league divisions in 2026:
With the domestic GAA leagues due to get underway next month, the ratification of the fixtures calendar for 2026, ratification of isolated player applications and transfers and the draw for Divisions 1A and 1B in the Clare Cup were all dealt with at the February meeting of Clare GAA at Clareabbey on Tuesday evening.
Ratification of the competition regulations will take place at the March meeting which will take place a week earlier than normal, on Tuesday March 3.
For the first time ever, there will be ten hurling league divisions in Clare in 2026. Division 1 for the Clare cup is divided into two groups of eight while Divisions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 will each have eight teams. Currently Division 10 has nine teams.
Board chairman Kieran Keating welcomed the news of the additional division. The meeting gave permission to Ballyea, Corofin and Kilmaley to seek bulk re-grading to allow them to enter an additional team this year. The CCC will adjudicate on who is eligible when the clubs submit the names of those seeking re-grading.
Clarecastle through their delegate Tommy Guilfoyle expressed an interest in seeking bulk re-grade and said he would confirm to the board during the week if they will be proceeding with this.
The idea of copying what they do in Cork in allowing up to nine substitutes in the lower division leagues was raised. Chairman Kieran Keating said they would return to this at the March meeting after being reminded on support for a motion from Clonbony at the structures meeting back in November.
They had proposed that Divisions 4 to 7 (inclusive) be graded at a higher level to Divisions 8 and 9 and that a player who starts two games or more at the higher level shall then become ineligible to play at the lower tier for the remainder of that league campaign. On that occasion it was pointed out by a number of delegates that the proposal could not be implemented and that meeting agreed that the proposal would be considered by the CCC with a view to finding a solution.
Isolated players and transfers:
A total of 298 applications, 79 in underage hurling and 219 in football for isolated players were approved at this week’s meeting.
Loans approved:
Permission was given to four clubs for loans for development work at their clubs. Banner GAA are drawing down a €50,000 loan for work on the development of an astro facility while Moy (pitch development), Cooraclare (floodlights upgrade and pitch development) and Newmarket-on-Fergus (dressing rooms and pitch development) are each borrowing €100,000.
Newport tournament:
Smith O’Briens GAA club were granted permission to take part in a tournament at Newport on February 14, 21 and 28
Sanction was given to Parteen/Meelick to host an Easter hurling camp.
Sympathy:
Sympathy was extended to the families of the late Pat Begley from Ennistymon who played all grades of football for Clare before going on to serve as Clare senior football manager.
Sympathy was also extended to the family of the late Michael Meaney, Ruan and Crusheen, to the families of the late Fr John Morrissey, Paddy Eustace and Lourda Conway from Cooraclare, to the family of the late Colum Flynn, Ennis, the family of the late Tom Kirby from Tuamgraney and New York, the family of the late Ita McSweeney, Kildysart and the family of the late Louise Lynch (nee Shannon) Sixmilebridge and Corofin.
Demographics:
Reporting on the work of the demographics committee (Neil O’Brien, Andrew Monahan, Bernard Keane, Ciaran Lynch, Dominick O’Shea, Michael Rouine, Paul Hogan and Therese McMahon), the demographics officer Neil O’Brien said “there have been a number of challenges but they are all challenges that with the help of the clubs we might be able to get there. One of the biggest challenges is to try and get populations along the old roman catholic boundaries.
“The CSO don’t do populations along parish boundaries, they do them along town boundaries which can be interfered with. Some of the Ennis boundaries come out to Barefield and Clarecastle which affects numbers there. We are currently working with the CSO on this. When you go out to the rural areas it’s done along the DED’s. There is a DED in Clare which is in three different parishes and there are three different clubs involved. We will be in touch with clubs to determine where boundaries are”.
Continuing he said, “we need to get the help of a liaison person in every club” and he asked delegates to speak to their clubs about this. He added that “every school is being currently surveyed. There are approximately over 100 national schools in the county with 88 of them competing either on their own or in amalgamations in Cumann na mBunscoil competitions. About 40% of them have replied to us”, he stated when appealing to all to complete the surveys and return them to the committee.
Strategic plan number 2:
Work is now beginning on the drawing up of strategic plan number two for Clare GAA, Paddy Smyth, planning and training officer told the meeting and he appealed to all clubs to complete the survey which they will receive in the coming weeks.
Committees:
The following committees were ratified at this week’s meeting:
Cultural committee: Leah Talty (Irish officer), Domhnall Ó Loinsigh, Donal Ó hÁiniféin, Padraig Mac Mathúna, Joe Garry and Teresa Ryan.
Youth: Eoghan Hanley, Colm Madden, Brendan Bugler, Anna O’Brien, Tim Crowe, Paddy Smyth, Vincent Delaney.
Coaching and Games: Fintan Leamy (coaching officer), Declan Moloney, Terence Fahy, Micheal Duffy, Paul Reidy, Brian Conway, Peter Casey, Marc O’Donnell, Brian Culloo.
Finance matters:
Treasurer Cathal Kilmartin presented a financial report covering the period from October to December. “The positive news is that we have a surplus of €290,000 for the quarter. This was €206,000 lower than the same time last year. On the income side we had €724,000, lower by €269,000 from last year. Commercial income has a difference of €35,000 because of a change in our TV streaming contracts and the timing of events. Fundraising income is €179,000. Last year we had sales of commemorative jerseys and the framed photographs which we hadn’t this year”.
Continuing he said there was €163,000 less on the expenditure side from the same period last year. “Team expenses are down as we had the team holiday for the hurlers last year. Our bank balance is €2.4m”.
Commenting chairman Kieran Keating said “the downside is that this quarter is our county final quarter, We don’t have much expenses as our county teams aren’t starting until November. This is the best quarter of the year. Quarter 2 now will see all money going out and little coming in”.
Continuing he said, “The Caherlohan project is set to start next week and that €2.4m won’t be resting in our account for very long. Lots of other parts in the Caherlohan project will be commencing later in the year”.
Footballers need support:
Before the business of the meeting concluded Ambrose Heagney appealed to all “to make every effort to travel to Enniskillen to support the Clare footballers in round 3 of the Allianz league on Sunday. Manager Paul Madden and the team need all the support we can give them”, he said.
Munster champions:
Congratulations were extended to the St Joseph’s Spanish Point senior ladies team on winning the Munster A title, to St John Bosco, Kildysart on winning the Munster junior girls football title and to Rice College on winning the Munster division 4 boys football title.
Corporate Trustees:
Seven clubs in Clare have made no move in relation to changing to corporate trusteeship for their properties, Munster council delegate John Callinan informed this week’s board meeting.
More gate checkers:
Head of Operations Ann Marie Moran asked delegates to check within their clubs if any members would be interested in joining the gate checkers group in Clare. “We are anxious to increase the numbers and this is something that might suit students”, she said.
League tickets:
The sale of tickets for admission to national league games is controlled by Croke Park and Clare GAA has no input”, Head of Operations Ann Marie Moran told this week’s board meeting. “We cannot take cash or operate a tap system. Patrons must have purchased their ticket in advance and these can be purchased at Centra outlets”, she said.
Lamenting this Cooraclare delegate P.J. McGuane said “the spontaneity of going to a game is gone in rural Ireland”.
Pointing out that some patrons won’t be able to decide until late if they can go to a game he regretted that one can’t go to the game an pay to get in. “I am technology illiterate at 85 and will stay that way. My option is to stay at home”.
“At championship time everyone has to have a ticket beforehand and it should not be that difficult to get one before going to a game”, commented board chairman Kieran Keating while Naomh Eoin delegate Gabriel Keating said “I’d hate to see people being turned away from games”.
