*Prominent local referee Jim Hickey. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
CLARE GAA will be holding a referee information evening this coming Monday as they bid to increase the amount of whistle blowers in the county.
An information night is planned for this Monday in The Temple Gate Hotel at 8pm. A four-part foundation course has been organised for the coming weeks, two of the sessions will be held online with the first on course to be held at the end of next week while the final one will be an online exam.
Clare Foundation Referee Course
Info night Mon 27th @ 8pm in Templegate.
Schedule as follows:
1st session online, last week of Feb
2nd session inhouse Mon 6th Mar
3rd session in house Thur 9th Mar
Final session online week 13th Mar
In house sessions in the Templegate pic.twitter.com/2pe8puBlbn
— Clare Gaa (@GaaClare) February 23, 2023
Referees administrator with Clare GAA, Seanie McMahon told The Clare Echo, “this is a great opportunity for any GAA person to develop a career as an upcoming new referee”.
While open to all individuals putting their hand up to become a referee, the Newmarket-on-Fergus man said he was keen to reduce the age-profile of referees in the county, “the ideal candidate would be in their early twenties, not playing for their club or an official of their club, refereeing can offer these people a new career and perspective on their GAA activities”.
Without referees, the club championships would be in jeopardy, McMahon flagged. “The purpose of gaining extra referees in 2023 is to help existing refs by doing matches which will reduce their workload and also doing linesman or fourth official”.
Last year, over 2,000 fixtures were officiated by referees in Clare this year including 520 in Bord na nÓg Peil, 587 in Bord na nÓg Iomáint, 385 in adult football, 460 in adult hurling plus ties for development squads, post primary and Cumann na mBunscoil.
