Tipperary GAA Scene

By Jonathan Cullen PRO

Tipperary GAA Annual Convention 2022

The annual gathering of all club delegates for the Tipperary GAA Convention took place last Sunday, in The Dome, FBD Semple Stadium.

In front of a well-attended meeting, long serving secretary Tim Floyd presented his final report which gave a very detailed account of all activities during 2022 as well as a trip down memory lane that saw Tim look at the various highlights of his time as County Board Secretary. On concluding his his report, Tim received a fully deserved standing ovation from the delegates and there were also many tributes paid to him. Tim will continue in his role as Secretary until December 31st and we wish him well in his future endeavours whatever they may be.

Last Sundays convention also saw the term of office for Treasurer Michael Power come to an end and in an emotional address to convention, Michael thanked all those who he worked with during his time as Treasurer and indeed during his many year’s involved in Tipperary GAA. Killenaule’s Eleanor Lahart now takes on the Treasurer’s role and we wish her well during her term in office.

Last Sunday also brought to an end the involvement of Tom Dawson and Michael Bourke in their respective roles as Coaching Officer and Central Council delegate and we thank them both for their dedication to the roles over the last number of years.

The full list of officers elected last Sunday is as follows: President – Matt Hassett (Toomevara); Vice-President – John Costigan (JK Brackens); Chairperson – Joe Kennedy (Moyne-Templetuohy); Vice-Chairperson - Jimmy Minogue (Nenagh Eire Óg); Treasurer – Eleanor Lahart (Killenaule); Coaching Officer – Sean O’Meara (Mullinahone); Officer for Irish Language and Culture – Marcas O Duinn (Maighean Teampall Na Tuaithe); Public Relations Officer – Jonathan Cullen (Loughmore/Castleiney); Central Council Representative – John Doyle (Holycross/Ballycahill); Two Representatives on Munster Council – Joe Kennedy (Moyne-Templetouhy) & Sean Nugent (Kilsheelan-Kilcash)

Tipperary GAA Yearbook

The Tipperary GAA annual is now on the shelves of the county. Packed full of details from 2022 this eagerly sought after publication is a must for all Tipperary GAA supporters. We thank the yearbook committee for their work in compiling the book which is a big task done with great enthusiasm every year.

McGrath Cup Fixtures

The Tipperary senior footballers will also travel to Fraher Field in Dungarvan for their opening game of the McGrath Cup which will take place on Monday, January 9th at 7.00pm. Then on Saturday January 14th, Templetuohy will be the venue for Tipperary’s second game when they will play Limerick at 2.00pm. Should David Powers side qualify for the final, it will take place on Wednesday January 18th.

Club Officer Training

With Club AGM's taking place right across the county, Club Officer Training will be available for all new and existing officers early in the new year.

The GAA, LGFA and Camogie Association have announced the next phase of training for Club Officers as part of the Club Leadership Development Programme (CLDP). The programme, created and organised by the volunteer-led Officer Development Committee, features a range of live webinars, in-person workshops and online resources such as webinar recordings, how-to guides, and customisable templates that cover every aspect of Club administration.

The first level of the programme is tailored for newly elected Club Chairpersons, Secretaries, Treasurers, PROs and Coaching Officers. Each of these role holders will have the opportunity to join a role-specific 90-minute webinar that will be facilitated be an Associate of CLDP. Associates are typically former Club Officers who volunteer to help new Officers get started in their roles by delivering interactive training events and strategic planning workshops.

The second level of the programme is geared towards all Club Officers, irrespective of their role or experience level. Each County has a target to organise an in-person Club Officer Forum next spring to allow Officers to share their knowledge and experiences regarding common Club administration challenges. More information will be communicated on a county-by-county basis in due course once each County’s Planning and Training Officer for 2023 has been confirmed. The CLDP, launched in 2016, and adopting a One Association approach since 2019, has benefited over 10,000 Club Officers since its inception.

By taking part in the programme, Club Officers will gain a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities, enhance their leadership, management and communication skills, meet other Officers and have numerous opportunities to hear how other Officers approach challenges associated with running a club, know where to access additional resources and supports, Feel better prepared for future roles in the GAA, LGFA or Camogie Association. For Tipperary these will take place on Thursday January 26th, Enrolment is now open and can be accessed via this link https://learning.gaa.ie/officertrainingcalendar

A face-to-face Club Officer Forum will take place in The Dome, Thurles in February. More details later.

GAA CLUB WALKING TRACKS TO BENEFIT FROM HEALTHY IRELAND GRANT SUPPORT

The GAA is delighted to announce a once-off funding opportunity from Healthy Ireland designed to make community walking tracks located on GAA grounds more accessible to more people.

Open to GAA, LGFA, and Camogie clubs in the Republic of Ireland, the €800,000 funding is designed to make existing walking tracks more accessible to persons with mobility issues, such as older persons and wheelchair users. Funding may also cover the upgrading or installation of lighting designed to prolong the hours of usage particularly during the dark winter evenings.

Healthy Ireland is a long-standing partner of the Irish Life GAA Healthy Club Programme and supporter of the GAA’s efforts to maximise clubs’ positive impact on the health and wellbeing of their communities. GAA clubs have in recent years invested heavily in the installation of walking tracks to support this outcome.

Tens of thousands of people participate annually in the GAA’s Ireland Lights Up initiative, which runs each January/February in conjunction with RTE’s Operation Transformation and has become Ireland’s biggest walking intervention.

The funding will be allocated via a competitive application process. It is open to all GAA, LGFA, and Camogie clubs in the Republic of Ireland with an existing walking track/amenity. GAA/LGFA/Camogie clubs that use the same facilities are required to submit a joint application. Only one application per club allowed.

The Healthy Ireland grant funding maybe use to

· Upgrade existing walking track surfaces

· Improve access/usability for persons with mobility issues

· Install/upgrade to LED lighting along existing walking track route

· Upgrade/maintain existing walking track boundaries

Funding is not applicable for:

· Development of new walking tracks

· Floodlighting for pitches that also lights walking tracks

Tipperary GAA Scene

If there is anything you feel should feature in this column going forward, sent it to pro.tipperary@gaa.ie