*Clareabbey.
CLARE GAA’s headquarters in Clareabbey is to be officially opened later this month while clubs across the county are to be asked to continue paying a levy to the County Board for another five years.
Caherlohan was the venue for the October meeting of Clare GAA on Tuesday when many issues were discussed.
Delegates were informed that clubs will receive correspondence in the coming week asking for nominations and motions for the upcoming convention which will take place on December 11. The November meeting of the board will take place on November 12 while a date for the annual structures meeting will be confirmed soon.
Programme money:
Monies from the sale of match programmes over two years ago has yet to be paid to the programme producers DBA, according to Clondegad delegate Seamus O’Reilly.
Raising the issue for the third successive county board meeting, the delegate wanted to know “where was that money”.
Board chairman Kieran Keating responded “if your club has a query, let them write in to us and we will check it out. I don’t know the details but I am satisfied it was dealt with prudently from our side”.
“Who held that money which is due to DBA since 2022 asked O’Reilly. “Our monies from shop sales, programme sales etc are lodged weekly”, replied the chairman. “Where has that money being held”, O’Reilly again asked adding “the man that could provide some answers is absent again tonight”, referring to board Vice Chairman Michael O’Connor.
Responding Head of Operations Deirdre Murphy said “Michael O’Connor is working tonight, it’s a very busy time for third level education”.
Clooney/Quin delegate John Skehan asked “is this the correct procedure. Would it be best to deal with this with a letter”.
Keating told O’Reilly, “Get your club to write in please” to which the Clondegad delegate replied, “This is a matter arising from the minutes of the previous meeting which I am entitled to raise and I am saying that Michael O’Connor who was PRO at the time may know where the money was lodged”.
Repeating that “Michael O’Connor is working tonight”, Head of operations Deirdre Murphy also informed the delegate that apologies had been received from Sean Chambers (assistant treasurer) and Joe Garry (Irish officer).
Clareabbey official opening on October 26:
The official opening of the renovated Clare GAA headquarters at Clareabbey is set for October 26. Informing the delegates at the October meeting of this, Head of Operations Deirdre Murphy said “GAA president Jarlath Burns and Munster council chairman Ger Ryan will be in town for the shinty and the official opening is set for 5.30p.m”.
Clubs asked to extend levy:
Chairman Kieran Keating informed the meeting that he will be writing to clubs in the coming week to request that they agree to continue paying a levy to the board for a further five years. “This levy was introduced ten years ago and it means about €60,000 to the clubs each year. I will be asking clubs to continue paying this levy for another five years. It will be up to the clubs to decide”.
Fundraisers:
“Great work is being put in with regard to the various fundraisers currently taking place”, Deirdre Murphy told this week’s meeting.
“One hundred and thirty four photographs (All-Ireland winning Clare senior hurling team) have been sold, 1,400 tickets for the match on November 3 have been sold while 425 signed souvenir jerseys have been sold. To date €77,000 has been raised”.
Sympathy:
Amongst those to whom sympathy was extended at the October meeting of Clare GAA were Munster Council delegate John Fawl on the death of his wife Brid; the Sexton family and Ogonnelloe GAA on the death of former club secretary and county board officer, John A Sexton, the Killeen family Dublin and Cooraclare on the death of Betty Killeen; the Daly family Kilrush and Kilmurry Ibrickane on the death of Tom Daly; the Hickey family Cratloe on the death of Bridget Hickey; the Cleary family Miltown; the Nealon family Tipperary on the death of Nuala, a member of the staff at the Munster GAA council
Elected representatives thanked:
Welcoming the sanctioning of €478,000 in grant aid in Sports Capital funding, board chairman Kieran Keating expressed thanks “to all our public representatives who all made calls on our behalf”.
Scór:
The Clare Scór na nÓg finals will take place on Saturday week, October 19 at Cois na hÁbhna.
Club development grants:
Sixteen clubs have applied for development grants from the Munster Council, Clare delegate to the provincial body Bernard Keane told this week’s board meeting.
