COISTE NA nOG IN CRISIS
Three officers tender resignations in turbulent week
COISTE NA nOg has been plunged into crisis following the shock resignation of three members of its officer board.
On Thursday news broke of the resignation of the long-serving Treasurer, Noel O’Keeffe, which sent shockwaves through the G.A.A. in the county.
And it was confirmed by a high-ranking official on Monday afternoon that the Chairman, Bobby Goff, and Secretary, Angela McCormack, have also tendered letters of resignation.
It’s believed that considerable pressure was brought to bear on the latter duo following a Coiste na nOg County Board meeting when the Secretary sought support for Goff and P.J. Howlin, the outgoing P.R.O., in their respective bids to be elected at adult Convention.
Delegates and some fellow officers at the meeting were left somewhat shocked with the development which came near the close of proceedings. Many now feel the officers stepped outside their remit which in turn led to their subsequent resignations, as their respective positions had become untenable.
O’Keeffe, who is also Vice-Chairman of the adult Board, tendered his resignation to County Chairman, Diarmuid Devereux, as the result of developments at the Coiste na nOg meeting.
Following this, a number of discussions took place involving various officers in the following days, while Goff also met with O’Keeffe in an effort to bring about an amicable solution, which ultimately failed.
At the Coiste meeting, Chairman Goff informed delegates that he might not be their Chairman next year as he was standing for the post of Coaching Officer at the adult Convention.
This, in turn, led to Secretary Angela McCormack calling on delegates to go back to their clubs and adult delegates to give Goff their support in his bid for Coaching Officer, while extending the appeal to include P.J. Howlin who is seeking the P.R.O. position.
Some minutes later, in what many in attendance said appeared to be an after-thought, delegates were also asked to support O’Keeffe who was nominated for several positions, much to the embarrassment of the St. Anne’s clubman.
A clearly upset Noel O’Keeffe spoke of his disappointment with the developments within Coiste na nOg.
‘Our Coiste P.R.O., P.J. Howlin, put up on the G.A.A. Facebook page seeking support for Derek Kent as Chairman. I have been sitting on the under-age committee with him, but then at the meeting they came out seeking support for Bobby (Goff) for Coaching Officer, and P.J. (Howlin) for P.R.O.
‘This support was sought by Secretary, Angela McCormack, and it was just an after-thought that I was mentioned.
‘With colleagues like that who would need enemies? Later that night and the following day I thought about it and went into a rage. There’s no bit of straightness or honesty involved here. This was totally outside the Coiste na Og remit and should never have happened,’ he claimed.
‘We as an under-age board should not exploit our privileged position and seek out individual support for any candidate at adult level.
‘It’s also outside P.J. Howlin’s remit what occurred, and the reasoning behind it or who pushed him I do not know.
‘Reluctantly the post was removed from Facebook. All of this is bad form, and it leaves a totally sour taste,’ he added.
‘I’ve given my life to the G.A.A. I do the work and I don’t swan around with a suede coat on me, turn up on the big days for the big boys.
‘As a result of all this I’m not running for adult Chairman as my family is not happy about it.
‘They feel it would be too much of a strain on me, so I will not go against my family’s wishes,’ O’Keeffe said.
‘Hopefully I won’t be lost to the G.A.A. as it’s my life, something I’ve worked so hard for at club, schools, under-age and adult levels. I am standing for Leinster Council so hopefully delegates will see fit to support me and show their appreciation for the amount of work I’ve put in over the years.’
Coiste Secretary, Angela McCormack, was contacted on Wednesday morning regarding developments at the meeting on Monday and said she had ‘no comment’ to make.