Wickham may face fight for Central Council seat

Quiet night expected at annual Convention

OUTGOING CENTRAL Council representative Paddy Wickham may face a challenge for his position at the annual Co. G.A.A. Convention in the Riverside Park Hotel, Enniscorthy, on Monday, December 17, but otherwise a quiet night is in store on the elections front after the closing date for nominations came and went on Wednesday last.

The long-serving Davidstown-Courtnacuddy official is one of three men put forward for the position along with his club colleague Tony Dempsey and Denis Nolan of Taghmon-Camross who was an unsuccessful candidate for the chair last year.

In Dempsey’s case, he has to automatically step aside as Irish and Cultural Officer since his five-year term has come to a close, and his place will be filled by a new face on the County Board Management committee as the sole nominee is Breda Jacob from Oulart-The Ballagh who has done a lot of work in Scór circles.

Co. Chairman Diarmuid Devereux has been given a vote of confidence to carry on for a second term, and the same is true of Vice-Chairman Micheál Martin, Assistant Secretary Mary Foley, P.R.O. Rory Murphy and Development Officer Ger Carthy.

Outgoing Treasurer Andrew Nolan is in the running again but may face a contest from Mary Doyle of Oulart-The Ballagh, while current Coaching Officer Andrew Egan is joined on the list of nominees by Des O’Neill, the Chairman of Coiste na nOg Loch Garman.

The two Leinster Council representatives, Derek Kent and Joe O’Shaughnessy, will be returned unopposed, while the position of Secretary is no longer voted upon at Convention since Margaret Doyle is a full-time employee. The role of Children’s Officer, to be filled once again by Dermot Howlin, is no longer elected but selected.

There won’t even be a need for a vote for the six Leinster Convention delegates as only a half-dozen people are nominated: Margaret Doyle, Mary Foley, Micheál Martin, Dermot Howlin, Denis Nolan and Paddy Wickham.

The Chairman and Secretary are automatic delegates to All-Ireland Congress and the remaining five to accompany them will be selected from Des O’Neill, Derek Kent, Dermot Howlin, Denis Nolan, Mary Foley, Joe O’Shaughnessy and Thos Ryan.

Peter Mernagh of Monageer-Boolavogue is only nominee for Under-12 Congress delegate which has two places up for grabs.