CLARE GAA have yet to fill the vacant position of Public Relations Officer.
Michael O’Connor’s election as Vice Chairman of the Association defeating Éire Óg’s Paddy Smyth resulted in the Crusheen man finishing his four-year term as PRO.
An update on the vacancy was sought by Lissycasey Chairman, Justin Griffin at the January meeting of the County Board.
Chairman of Clare GAA, Kieran Keating explained, “it’s gone from a one-person role in general terms”. Particular times of the year such as the round-robin series of the adult championship are very busy for an individual trying to hold down a full-time job. “The PRO role isn’t doable by one person,” Keating believed.
Efforts are ongoing to appoint a PR/Marketing committee in February, he confirmed. “We haven’t had a committee and we should have had, our focus has been on asking a few people to come onto that committee”. He was hopeful one member of this group would agree to be appointed PRO.
Wolfe Tones delegate, Dermot O’Donnell said changes in how fixtures are advertised must be introduced in 2022. “The current process is to wait for the local newspaper on Thursday, three days after the fixtures committee know the exact information for their own club”. He noted that an unconfirmed schedule appears in The Clare Champion a week in advance but maintained, “the present format is workable in this day and age”.
O’Donnell proposed that clubs be issued with the fixtures no later than 3pm on Tuesdays while this would be deferred to a Wednesday on Bank Holidays.
Keating confirmed that similar discussions had been held among the County Executive. He suggested that the CCC could potentially meet on Sunday nights and produce the fixtures on a Monday morning, “that could be an option so we won’t take a proposal tonight”.
