Martin O’Brien and Deirdre Murphy. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
MARTIN O’BRIEN has withdrawn his bid to contest Joe Garry and John Callinan for a position on the Executive of Clare GAA.
O’Brien who is part of Brian Lohan’s backroom team with the Clare senior hurlers and has a number of business interests in Ennis was nominated for the post of Munster Council delegate alongside Cooraclare’s Garry and two-time All Star Callinan.
Head of Operations with Clare GAA, Deirdre Murphy confirmed in correspondence to clubs that O’Brien who is affiliated to the Coolmeen club was no longer putting his name forward for the vote at County Convention next month.
She stated, “Martin O’Brien has withdrawn his name from the conest for Munster Delegate. Therefore there will be no vote required and John Callinan and Joe Garry will be the two sole nominees for the two Munster Council Delegate positions to be ratified at Clare GAA Convention on Dec 16th in Hotel Woodstock at 6:30pm”.
Bernard Keane’s five year term as Munster Council delegate concludes this month which has created a vacancy where both Garry and O’Brien were nominated alongside the sitting Callinan for the two positions.
Former Clare U21 football manager Garry is swapping the role of Irish and Cultural Officer for the Munster Council delegate post after four years.
With the decision of O’Brien to withdraw it means there will be no contests for any of the positions on the County Executive. Cathal Kilmartin (Treasurer), Fintan Leamy (Coaching Officer) and Leah Talty (Irish & Cultural Officer) will be the only new additions to the Board for 2026.
