*Crowds at County Convention.
THREE new officers have joined the Executive of Clare GAA with a new President also announced.
Hotel Woodstock was the setting for Tuesday’s County Convention of Clare GAA. What was the last Convention during Deirdre Murphy’s term as Head of Operations saw no contests for any of the positions on the County Executive.
Bishop Willie Walsh’s death in February left the position of President of Clare GAA vacant. Vice President, Willie Boland of Broadford was elected to the role at Convention. A stalwart within the East Clare club, he won a Junior A championship in 1958.
Joining the Executive are Cathal Kilmartin of Newmarket-on-Fergus as Treasurer, Fintan Leamy of the Clooney/Quin club is the new Coaching Officer while Kilmurry Ibrickane’s Leah Talty joins the committee as Irish and Cultural Officer.
Talty’s predecessor Joe Garry is now a Munster Council delegate alongside two-time National League winner John Callinan. Bernard Keane’s five-year term concluded but he is now seeking election as PRO of Munster GAA.
Brian Fitzpatrick who had been Treasurer since July 2023 has stepped down from the role.
Returning unopposed to their positions were Michael O’Connor (Vice Chairman), Deirdre Chaplin (Asst Secretary), Seán Chambers (Asst Treasurer) Aaron Carroll (PRO), Robert Frost (Central Council delegate).
Bord na nÓg Iomáint secretary Pat Gavin and Inagh/Kilnamona delegate Paul Gannon proposed and seconded the election of the officers.
Appointed positions approved on the night included Amrbose Heagney (Safety & Facilities Officer), Joan Crotty (Children’s Officer), Paddy Smyth (Planning & Training Officer) and Neil O’Brien (Demographics Officer). Their appointments were proposed by Michael O’Regan of Ruan and seconded by Parteen/Meelick’s Kieran O’Halloran.
Chairman Keating told the meeting that Heagney had agreed to stay on despite expressing reluctance about his position in the past.
Addressing the Convention, new Treasurer Kilmartin said he has been working on Clare GAA’s finance committee for the past two years. “There are a lot of exciting opportunities, we’ve Caherlohan, Ballyline, Cusack Park and Clareabbey. Hopefully I can continue the work of Brian (Fitzgerald) and his committee to push Clare GAA to a better position”.
Thanking Clooney/Quin for nominating him, Leamy told Convention he has been involved with Clare squads for the past eight years, with his home club Tulla at intermediate level for the last two seasons and with Clooney/Quin for eleven years. Schools, clubs and county squads will be the three stools he will primarily work with in the new role, Fintan outlined. “I am a coach at heart and I want to make sure all young fellas play as many games”.
Planning and training officer with An Clár as Gaeilge, Talty said, “this is my day job so I’m looking forward to continuing it with this new role”. She praised the “fantastic work” of Joe Garry and thanked her club for proposing her.
Clare GAA Officers 2026:
President: Willie Boland (Broadford)
Head of Operations: Ann Marie Moran (Corofin)
Chairman: Kieran Keating (Naomh Eoin)
Vice Chairman: Michael O’Connor (Crusheen)
Asst Secretary: Deirdre Chaplin (Cratloe)
Treasurer: Cathal Kilmartin (Newmarket-on-Fergus)
Asst Treasurer: Sean Chambers (Cooraclare)
Communications Officer: Aaron Carroll (Cratloe)
Irish & Cultural Officer: Leah Talty (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
Coaching Officer: Fintan Leamy (Clooney/Quin)
Central Council Delegate: Robert Frost (O’Callaghans Mills)
Munster Council Delegate: John Callinan (Clarecastle)
Munster Council Delegate: Joe Garry (Cooraclare)
National Congress Delegate: Michael O’Connor (Crusheen)
National Congress Delegate: Gabriel Keating (Naomh Eoin)
National Congress Delegate: Michael O’Regan (Ruan)
Munster Convention Delegate: Des Farrell (Coolmeen)
Munster Convention Delegate: Robert Frost (O’Callaghans Mills)
Munster Convention Delegate: PJ McGuane (Cooraclare)
Munster Convention Delegate: One Committee representative to be appointed
Safety & Facilities Officer: Ambrose Heagney (Corofin)
Children’s Officer: Joan Crotty (Scariff)
Planning & Training Officer: Paddy Smyth (Éire Óg)
Demographics Officer: Neil O’Brien (O’Callaghans Mills)
