Burns has drive and the vision to shape our future
...but integration costs will be massive test
LAST WEEKEND was interesting and eventful. I was at the GAA’s Annual Congress last Friday and Saturday, in Newry as well for the Offaly senior footballers against Down, and then down to Nowlan Park on Sunday for the hurlers. So I got a fair flavour of hurling and politics and sport overall. The highlight was witnessing Jarlath Burns being officially installed as GAA president. I would have met Jarlath when running against Larry McCarthy and I thought he made a lot of very interesting comments. First time around, he said he talked a lot. The second time around he said he listened a lot. He is so enthusiastic, has so many ideas for his three years in the role that I’m very excited about his presidency.
I think he’s very genuine. Of course Congress is where the main decisions are taken but he has the ability to shape the Association. As a player, he captained Armagh to an Ulster football title but he also spoke passionately about the One Club model. About not getting the opportunity to play hurling himself. Being very proud that his sons did and seeing them win medals.
As a school principal, he fully understands the value of participation.
Then there’s his whole background. Growing up in Northern Ireland in difficult times, he has that devotion to the Irish language, to Irish culture. He’s still secretary of his club Silverbridge and he intends to stay on in the role to keep himself grounded – as well as travelling the world to pass on his message.
He outlined some of his vision. Trying to curb spiralling intercounty finances which now total €40million per year is going to be a challenge.
But I sense an appetite there now amongst county board delegates to do that.
In his role as GAA finance director, Ger Mulryan’s report outlined how five or six counties are receiving financial support. I know myself in Offaly how we are relying on the goodwill of sponsors and supporters to keep providing.
I think there is a general realisation that the costs are unsustainable. Of course we want to maintain standards but it’s now about setting tighter parameters. Like around the amount of times we train. The player charter is estabThe lished but may need to be controlled. Same with limiting the size of backroom teams.
The other discussion was around integration with the Camogie Association and Ladies Gaelic Football Association. There was a bit of surprise at Congress on how a firm date for 2027 has been publicly flagged.
On the ground, a project coordinator has been appointed – I would have thought that should have been done before we put a deadline out there. three headline topics for integration are finance, fixtures and facilities. I wouldn’t worry too much about fixtures, that’s an easy enough one to sort. The big problem I see is that I don’t think the finance and facilities are there on the ground to support this 2027 deadline.
I spoke at Congress on the U20 motion which involves games being played midweek. How the players shouldn’t suffer because we haven’t planned for that – and have a shortage of floodlit facilities. So we need to take on a number of floodlit projects before we can even properly support our own competitions.
In Offaly, huge time and energy and finance was required to develop the Centre of Excellence that is The Faithful Fields. We have tried to facilitate camogie and ladies football but the simple truth is if we allow for integration, we need another Faithful Fields.
Who is going to pay for that? Where is the plan for that? Or the equivalent in other counties?
We have four top-class pitches at The Faithful Fields. But if now far more access is needed for all the different intercounty teams, what about all the underage teams who use it? Are they all suddenly gone out of there? How is that going to help development?
If we don’t put the plan in place now, it won’t work.
And who is going to pay for it? County board finances are stretched as it is in so many counties. I’m in favour of integration but it is going to need huge financial support.
I was sitting beside LGFA CEO Helen O’Rourke for lunch at Congress. Chatting to her, she understands there is a big challenge involved to get this done. But a
steely determination there to make it happen. As chair of the integration group, Mary McAleese is a very strong figure. She set very challenging timelines – perhaps deliberately, otherwise this won’t happen. One option to take the pressure off for me would be to flip the split season for ladies football and camogie.
The future of the GAA is integration. Pooling our resources, our brains, our families, our communities but finance is the elephant in the room. I’d start a financial audit immediately to show what funding is required.
Unless that all happens, that deadline is likely to be missed.