TURASCAIL AN RUNAÍ 2015

Transcription

1 TURASCAIL AN RUNAÍ 2015 The Year that Was. It is often remarked that the darkest hour is just before the dawn and if that is to hold true then there will be a great dawn for Down GAA in 2016 and beyond. There is no doubt that there was much darkness in Down GAA from the month of June onwards, the prophets of doom and gloom were in their element and they found plenty of organs to vent their gloom. The constant negativity over a number of weeks during the summer months directed towards Down GAA in no doubt took its toll on the efforts of those Officers in key positions within the Administration. What was not factored into the equation was that these administrators are made of stern stuff, they are committed and dedicated GAA people who only want to give of their time selflessly in the cause of Down GAA. They opened their shoulders and they had the courage of their convictions to make decisions and to stand by their decisions doing things in the right manner and for the right reasons. Did we make mistakes? Yes in some cases we did and in the future we will all make mistakes at varying stages of our lives better to have lived and tried than never even to have made the effort. There are indeed lessons to be learned from all of the experiences of this summer the challenge is to learn and to change what needs to be changed, to feel the fear and do it anyway, to be positive and to hang out our brightest colours even in our darkest hours. We must be positive going forward we cannot be dragged down by the anonymous barbs of people who hide behind boards that by their very names bring shame on our great organisation. The GAA is not about personal abuse of its volunteers for such a mechanism to refer to itself as gaaboard.com is a total misuse and abuse of the term GAA and all that it stands for. Similarly the use of a forum Hogan Stand besmirches the memory of Michael Hogan a man who gave his life for the freedom of our nation in the belief that we were building a better future. The continued use by our detractors of these forums to have cheap and vindictive shots at our administrators is indeed despicable and should not be tolerated or condoned in any shape or form. In this summer these forums sunk to new depths of personal abuse directed against Senior Officers of our County, unfortunately these forums then entered the lives of our families and loved ones and caused only heartache and annoyance for volunteers trying to do their best for Down GAA. No thought was given by these Keyboard Warriors as to the degree of truth to any of their postings or malicious scaremongering that they were engaged in. No thought was given to the hurt that might be felt by people to whom posts of a threatening nature were posted online all from behind the cloak of anonymity. The people and officers who I work with in Down GAA are all people who give willingly of their time to try and once again make Down great again, will they be the people to succeed? We do not know but what I do know is that it will not be for the want of their efforts and it will be in spite of our detractors. The media I also felt was very imbalanced in its treatment of Down GAA over those summer months and really I think we were witnessing the demise of the GAA journalist and the coming to prominence of people who are as happy to be reporting from the Aviva, Ravenhill or Windsor Park as they would be from Pairc Esler or the Athletic Grounds. The ethos of the GAA which has stood us well since our founding in 1884 is not something of interest to these people what is more important is sensationalism, rumour and innuendo. The meetings of the Down County Committee were now in 2015 being called by the media, they were deciding when the Down County Committee was going to meet. It was farcical as they bandied names about at will and prepared their readers for imminent announcements that were going to take place at meetings that were not even scheduled to be held. This was hardly good journalism, there was no evidence of checking with official sources within Down GAA no indeed better to speak to some unnamed source within the County who knows more after all than any officer of the County. Indeed for one journalist to refer to the Down Senior Team Managers job as a poisoned chalice showed a basic ignorance of Down GAA and what the job of managing a County Team and in particular the Down team means to many many people. From Barney Carr in 1959 Down have only had 14 other County Team Managers over a total of 56 years and indeed amongst that illustrious line up Seán Smith and James McCartan senior actually managed the Team on two different occasions. The Down Managers job is a great honour and in 2016 we go forward with a man at the helm of the stature of Eamonn Burns who recognises fully the honour that there is in taking on this job and who only wants to give of his best like those other 15 people before him. DOWN COUNTY GAA ANNUAL CONVENTION

2 So now we go forward we put 2015 and all that it entailed behind us, we hang out our brightest colours and we say that Down GAA is open for business and it s a case of onwards and upwards. We have work to do and now we need people to row in behind us the dawn is close at hand and in GAA terms Down are the one county in Ireland who when they get momentum behind them a road opens up. We have a Mourne Academy in place, we have a pathway for our future, we want to be successful and working together that success will happen. I appeal to all of those who genuinely have an interest in Down GAA to put their shoulder to the wheel, we are an Open Door, we want your help, and there are many areas where your help would be of great benefit to our County. So push that door open further and come on in, support our initiatives, give us your ideas, play your part in making our County great again, Down GAA our strength is in our Unity Ag Obair le Chéile. 9 County Teams Last year in my report to Convention I welcomed the appointment of Jim McCorry as our New County Senior Football Team Manager and looked forward to what we hoped would be a year when the famine for a Provincial Title would end. The playing season in fact would end with us in Down GAA looking for a new Manager for both our Senior and Minor Footballers; this had not been on our agenda for We now go forward under the leadership of Eamonn Burns at Senior Level and James McCartan at Minor Level and we still carry the hope that the search for Provincial honours will come to an end in the summer of The Dr McKenna Cup campaign began with a home tie against Cavan on January 4 th and although we started brightly two Martin Reilly goals were to deny Jim a winning start in his new role. Next up was a trip to Clones to meet the Provincial champions Monaghan and here Down supporters were hardly in their seats when Donal O Hare found the back of the net. Kilcoo man Paul Devlin was sound finding his range and his two late points saw us safely home by 1-12 to On a real winters night in Newry Down continued their pattern of starting games well and inside 55seconds Conor Laverty had the ball in the UUJ net and despite the best efforts of the students Down went on to win on a score line of 1-13 to 1-7. There was to be no Dr McKenna Cup title for Down in 2015 as the focus now turned to a journey to Newbridge where we were to meet Kildare and renew old rivalries. The optimists amongst us thought back to 2010 and a same fixture and a new manager could we dare to dream the dream again. With seconds left in the game Down fans were feeling they were going to have no joy in Newbridge, they were probably content that this was a work in progress and that the team had tried hard, they didn t however bargain on a stirring finish. Kildare leading by three points as we entered the final seconds were

3 rocked back when Arthur McConville palmed a ball that had come off the crossbar to the net and then followed a long range point from Paul Devlin followed by as quickly as the kick out a goal from Donal O Hare. The journey home was filled with optimism and those Down fans who had headed for the exits early had missed a great finish and yes we did dare to dream that something great was a foot. Saturday night in Pairc Esler is always a special night for Down GAA fans and the visit of Roscommon on 7 th February was greeted with optimism after the victory in Newbridge. Roscommon were physically stronger than Down and we were treated to a taste of reality when the men from the West headed for home with a 4 point victory. Once again Arthur McConville had been the goal scorer but the handicap of playing the last 24 minutes with only 14 men was too much for Down and in reality we did not deserve to win. The visit to Kingspan Breffni Park coincided with GAA Congress in Cavan and the inauguration of Aogan O Fearghail as President of the GAA but a Donal O Hare late goal on a wet wet night ensured that the celebrations were not going to extend to the playing field. Down showed great character and commitment in harsh conditions as they got back to winning ways and as people of a different generation will tell you Breffni Park is no easy place to win in. The visit next of Galway to Pairc Esler on a Sunday afternoon saw Danny Commins the grandson of a former Down great the late Patsy O Hagan come to ply his wares for the Tribesmen. Down and Galway games in the past have always been exciting encounters and always provided plenty of scores. This game was no different and by half time Galway led by 6 points and could and perhaps should have been out of sight but for some marvellous goalkeeping by Stephen Kane. Indeed the men from the west were left scratching their heads as to how they had lost this game, Donal O Hare got the revival going when he converted a penalty at the second attempt and four minutes into injury time Paul Devlin lofted over a free and Down were victors 1-17 to The tails were up as the team then headed for Cusack Park in Mullingar and for the third game in a row Donal O Hare found his goal scoring touch as Down led from beginning to end in a comprehensive victory on a score of 2-17 to 0-1. Other results were now pushing Down towards the top of the table and with two games left promotion was a possibility. Meath were the visitors to Newry on a wet Saturday night and like in the game against Roscommon Down left their best form behind them and a physically stinger Meath Team had too much power for Down. A seven point defeat was the order of the night in Newry and Down could have no complaints it now meant that the next game v Laois had to be won to guarantee promotion. Laois came to Newry to try and prevent Down getting promotion but two first half goals from the Kilcoo duo of Conor Laverty and Paul Devlin set Down on their way to what at one stage looked like a comfortable victory. Though over the years we have learned that Down teams don t do things the easy way and it was a nervy finish as Down held on to win by three points. In Jim McCorry s first year promotion had been achieved and Down were now back in Croke Park for an Allianz League Final and things were looking positive as the team headed to London for a training camp. The Division Two Final against Roscommon was a disappointing day and once again a Down journey to Croke Park ended in defeat, we had not now won in Croke Park since that great day against Kildare in It was one of those days when you knew this is not going to be our day, Mark Poland got accidentally hurt in the warm up and then into the first half Brendan McArdle was sent off in a decision that had us all baffled. Once again though the physical strength of Roscommon dominated us and we were beaten on a score line of 1-17 to 0-15 the worry was though that deficiencies were appearing in our style of play and in certain areas of our Team that would ultimately cost us in the summer. If any County did more for the tourist industry in Derry than Down in 2015 I would like to talk to them. For the record our County Teams played in Celtic Park three times this year and in Owenbeg on four occasions and we all know that the Down supporter is good for the local economy. So it was to Celtic Park now that our Senior Footballers headed for on the first Sunday in June to meet up with Derry in the Quarter Final of the Provincial Championship. The summer always brings optimism for Down fans year on year since 94 we have hoped to dream that a Provincial Title might come our way and each year our supporters have travelled in that hope, some years that hope has been dashed on day One and other times like in 2003 and 2012 we have lived the dream up to a Provincial Final. Now a whole generation of Down followers have not witnessed Down winning in Clones on Ulster Final day, they know nothing of the joy it brings other than watching with envy as our neighbours and our competitors in the Province have lifted the Anglo Celt Cup. DOWN COUNTY GAA ANNUAL CONVENTION

4 Celtic Park on June 7 th 2015 was again one of those days when the dream ended on day one and again a harsh sending off was to play its part when Conail McGovern was sent off early in the second half. The 14 men fought hard but inexperience in front of goal cost us dear and seven bad wides were regretted as we lost out by the narrowest of margins and once again we were out of the Ulster Championship. The Qualifiers set us on the road to Wexford Park for only a second ever meeting between Down and Wexford in the Championship. Our record on the road in the Qualifiers once again came back to haunt us and in a most disappointing display Down were comprehensively beaten on a score line of 2-16 to 2-11 and the truth was that we were worse by more than 5 points, we meekly left the stage of the All Ireland series. Those Down supporters who made that long journey to Wexford and there were many, made the journey home disappointed and frustrated by the whole experience. That defeat took place on the 27 th of June and on the 20 th of August in a phone call to our County Chairman Jim McCorry resigned as Team Manager. His reign had lasted just 11months and had come to a disappointing end. Much has been written since and the Down County Committee and in particular the County Executive has been castigated for the way that this whole business was handled. I do not propose to get in to any tit for tat debate we have kept our counsel on the matter and I believe that was the right course of action. I do though wish to make just some general points firstly Down County Committee provided everything that was asked for by the Team Management from the very first day of their appointment up until the 20 th of August. I am absolutely clear in conscious that we delivered on all requests; we facilitated everything that was within our power to do so from the installation of floodlights at the Abbey to a training camp at London Irish grounds in London. We do support always our County Teams and I for one would not have it any other way, they are our Shop Window, when people look to judge the strength of the GAA in Down they look firstly to how our County Football Team did in any given year. That support given to Team Management by the County Committee has been lost in the translation of events that transpired from the 20 th of August. I found Jim McCorry very good to work with and I have to say that his decision to resign came as a shock to me as I had been in contact with him every day that week arranging meetings and putting plans in place that he requested for I would like to publicly thank Jim and his Management Team for the job they did in 2015 and for the courtesy shown to me at all times. Last Year in my report I also had a message for our Senior Footballers when I said What is consistent is that to be a successful Inter County Footballer you must have commitment and dedication, it is not an A La Carte menu, there is no room for holidays or weekends away in a playing season that is already in the public domain twelve months in advance. If you are privileged to be part of a Down panel in 2015 then you must be prepared to commit for as long as the Red and Black is to the fore. You must be prepared to stay the course, to make the sacrifices, you cannot dip in and out of training, you have a responsibility to those players who are training with you, a panel must become like a brotherhood there must be a bond that says we are Down and we are all in this together. I said earlier in my introduction that the success we seek will only come from within that is the challenge we face, do the Down players want that success as much as many supporters do or is success something that they could take or leave? In the light of all of the events of the past year perhaps we all need to look ourselves in the Mirror and ask ourselves are we happy with what looks back at us. At Under 21 Football level we continue to disappoint, the effort is there seemingly with 44 sessions taking place before we played Derry in Celtic Park. There is no doubting that every effort was made by the Team Management of Frank Dawson, Paddy Murray and Brendan Mason to ensure that the best talent in the County took the field against Derry. The fact is we were always chasing the game, a bad start ensured that we were playing catch up and too many wrong options taken near to goal meant that Derry were winners of this preliminary round game. Within Down I think we need to look again at my proposal of last year to play a one round Reserve league with an Under 21 League on the alternative Sunday, we need to address the loss of players between 18 and 21, this I feel might help address the issue. We would be creating I believe a greater pool of players available for selection and with a change in the timing of the competition we should be able to ensure that more than 13 teams compete in the competition. We need to think outside of the box it is no longer acceptable to just pigeon hole the competition to start at the end of October and in 2016 with the Adult Leagues expected to start earlier then we have an opportunity to alternate between Reserve and Under 21 earlier in the year. 11

5 At National Level the debate has commenced with regard to the proposals of the Ard Stiurthóir to do away with the Inter County Under 21 Competition and indeed it is a debate worth having. There is no doubt that our players at this age level cannot possibly serve all the masters that they are expected to and if everyone has to give a bit in terms of compromise then that is what we have to do. I share the concern that moving Minor at Inter County Level to Under 17 leaves a big gap through to Senior Inter County if we have nothing in between. I probably have a bigger fear that Minor at Inter County should go to 17, this is still a very young age to put the full onus of representing your County on the shoulders of young men, I for one would still keep Inter County Minor at 18, I am not convinced by the arguments to go to 17. At 18 our young men are starting to be exactly that Young Men, they are voting, they are in most cases driving, some are working, some are in education, and they have started to thrive in their own ways on responsibility and all that that brings. At present it is also a good age to be representing one s County on the stage before your Senior Footballers it is nearly like a coming of Age. So I would favour keeping Inter County Minor at 18 and I would try to be creative about Under 21, if we were going to do away with the football competition, Could we say that in our panels for the pre season provincial competitions that we must have a specified number of players under the age of 21? If the debate succeeds and we go with Minor at Inter County being Under 17 then we do need something at either Under 20 or Under 21 on a County basis to bridge the gap and look at the timing of and the scheduling of an Under 20 or 21 competitions. County s must take responsibility ultimately for player welfare, a County Committee must be strong enough to say to a Team Management when they see a training schedule that is too demanding and not to the benefit of the player. After all it is a County Team, it doesn t belong to any Individual Coach or Manager, this is about the betterment of our players for as one good friend of mine often quotes less is more. Training schedules must not be about the Physio, the Caterer, the Team Management, the Video Analyst and how many sessions each can clock up to ensure their worth, it has to be about the players and their welfare. If we were to manage the amount of training sessions properly then we might not have the same issues that we have around burn out and player fatigue, the onus is on the County to take charge to say yes or no. In my report last year I stated that Minor Football can be a cruel world and indeed in Celtic Park this year that once again rang out to be true. In the second half of the game we had dragged ourselves back into the game and indeed were in the ascendancy where three horrible minutes changed the game and two goals in quick succession meant we were on our way out of the Championship. A whole season can turn on just a couple of minutes and a whole world can turn on just a wrong judgement call. It is hard to believe that it is 1999 since we won an Ulster Minor DOWN COUNTY GAA ANNUAL CONVENTION

6 Football Title; we need to get back to creating the ethos of winning at this level. Later in my report I will address the Consultative Process and matters that have arisen from that which I hope will deliver positive outcomes for us as a County and in particular with regard to our Under Age Development Process. I would like to place on record my personal thanks to Shane Mulholland and his management team of Cathal Rushe, Brendan Grant, Anthony McNamee, Peter Travers and Shane Fitzpatrick for the work that they did over the past two years with the County Minor Football Squad. I hope that time will be a good healing process and whilst I know these men will not be lost to the GAA, I do hope that they will in time return to help their County in whatever way that might be asked of them in the future. The name McCartan is synonymous with Down football and it was with great pleasure that we were able to announce the appointment of James McCartan as County Minor Football Team Manager. When Down come calling it is in the McCartan gene to respond in the positive and in 2015 it was no different when we asked James to take this role, he is only following in the great tradition of giving inspired first by his grandfather Briney and then continued by his own father James and his Uncle Dan. You cannot buy the values that the McCartan s bring to the table of Down football and this is a wonderful opportunity for our young players to gain from the tutelage of a man who was the outstanding Minor and Colleges player of his generation. The challenge is now going forward new management teams are in place the players are back training and the dust is settling, 2015 is gone we must now rise again and look to The visits to Newry of Donegal, Kerry and Dublin are mouth watering ties in Division One around the corner on the 5 th of June await Monaghan in Clones sure in 2016 we want to be able to say it s great to be a Down Fan. Let us rally and show the country that Down Football is alive and well, that talk of its demise are ill conceived and that once again the Red and Black can rise to the top. Is an Ulster Title the stuff of Dreams? I know not that answer but I do know that come the 5 th of June and 2.00pm in Clones, Down will be ready, supporters will be behind the Team and well we will dare to dream. An Dún Abu. When we look at the hurling season we can only but feel disappointment on many fronts our star definitely has waned and we need to look at where we really are in terms of Inter County hurling. There is and only can be one objective for 2016 and that is to win Division 2B and thus gain promotion, in a nut shell nothing less will do. As a County Committee we have invested greatly in our County Teams and rightly so we have always tried to treat both codes with fairness and parity, we are as committed to success for our hurlers as we are for our footballers. Now a bit like my call in relation to football for us all to look in the mirror the same call must be made with regard to hurling as members of the Down Senior Hurling Panel are you happy with our current Inter County Status? In 2015 Michael Johnston had taken up the reigns as Team Manager and we looked forward with optimism to the season ahead. The campaign started at Home to Armagh and Down had seven points to spare over a Team that Michael had previously managed. The next day out saw us journey to Newbridge and here a physically stronger Kildare team had six points to spare over Down and reality was that we were now fighting for second place in the table and the hope of meeting Kildare again in a League Final. The first Sunday in March saw us head to Mayo and the wheels were back on the wagon with a 2-21 to 0-15 victory the journey home did not seem so long. Two weeks later Donegal were visitors to Ballycran and the gulf between the Teams was apparent with Down having 14 points to spare at McKenna Park. The place in the league final was all going to be decided in the last game when we were visitors once again to Trim. In recent years Down hurlers have played a lot of games at this County Meath venue and in truth it has not been a happy hunting ground. This visit was to be no better and going into the game we knew that if in a worst case scenario we were beaten we just had to make sure that we were not beaten by more than nine points. Down hurlers though don t make it easy and having gone behind the emphasis was to go for goals and the outcome was that we lost a game by ten points! If only we had steadied ourselves and converted some of those chances into points. One factor which raised its head again in the defeat was the lack of physical strength in our team, Meath were able to in instances just shrug the Down players aside, Gym work will need to be done in 2015/16 if there is to be a tangible reward for the efforts. There is no doubt that Down hurling needs to be out of Division Two B, we will not get out by virtue of any divine right but only by hard work, commitment and tactical astuteness that is the challenge for Any other achievements or 13

7 performances will pale into insignificance unless promotion is obtained. It was ironic that the next game after the defeat to Meath witnessed Down s best performance in 2015 when they travelled to Tralee and ran Kerry to 7 points in a display that did restore belief. Indeed if one might single out the performances that day of Conor Cassidy of Carryduff and Danny Toner of Ballygalget we had good hope for the rest of the summer. In the realms of the compact Christy Ring Competition Wicklow were the visitors next to Ballycran and were soundly beaten on a score line of 1-19 to 0-13, this was a team relegated from 2A so we witnessed what Down can potentially achieve. Two weeks later the old rivals London came to Ballycran and once again Down had nine points to spare in an emphatic victory with Danny Toner continuing his good form and Fintan Conway using all of his experience to good effect. As I said with reference to the footballers earlier in my report we should have got frequent visitors status for all of our visits to Derry this year so it was no surprise that the draw would pair us against Derry in Owenbeg in the semi final. The men from the Oak Leaf had five points to spare on this occasion and again physically they were stronger than us. The Ulster Championship was next on the horizon and we began that journey in the Athletic Grounds against an Armagh team who had lost out to Roscommon in the Nicky Rackard Final but our experiences stood to us and Down were winners on a score line of 5-20 to The semi final saw us once again head to Owenbeg and here we gained a measure of revenge with a five point victory that was well earned and well deserved. It was back to Owenbeg again for the final against Antrim and a great chance to get our hands on the Liam Harvey Cup. For long periods of the game it looked like Down were going to break the Antrim hold on the trophy but we retreated into defensive mode in the second half and allowed Antrim to come onto us with the saffron s holding on to win by two points. It was a brave effort by Down but once again we had come up second best when an excellent opportunity had presented itself for victory. Whilst there has been much discussion on proposals to do away with the Under 21 Football competition, there has to be real question marks about the timing and format of the Ulster Under 21 hurling competition. The competition has been rendered meaningless by its place in the fixture calendar basically over 2 Wednesday nights in July that is the extent of the commitment to Under 21 hurling by us. Teams may get together a week beforehand and they may not reality is that they generally just arrive at a venue on the night of the game and you are left hoping that the names submitted for the programme turn up. So what is the alternative? There has been the possibility aired of the winners entering Leinster at a Quarter Final stage, this would mean holding the Ulster Championship earlier, I think that there is merit in this suggestion. We could play the Ulster Under 21 between the end of the Allianz League and the start of the Christy Ring Cup or we could even be more imaginative and play the competition over two weekends with Semi Finals played at the one venue on one weekend and then the Final with the shield final for the weaker counties again played at one venue dare I suggest that the facilities at Queens would be a well placed ideal location. This year our Under 21 team surrendered a 14 point lead to Derry in the semi final in Owenbeg a strange game if there ever was one after 17 minutes we were 14 points ahead and as often happens it slipped and slipped away until it was gone. So for the last time in 2015 we as a County paid farewell to Owenbeg and Derry a total of eight visits and only one victory! Our Minor hurlers competed in the Ulster and Leinster Minor Leagues as Ronan Sheehan and Paul Coulter set about sorting out their panel for the Ulster Championship and a semi final against Antrim. On the day our minors just did not perform as often happens at that age group and attention then turned to the All Ireland Minor B where we had gained entry by virtue of Westmeath reaching the Leinster Semi Final and thus withdrawing from the All Ireland B. We played Donegal in Ballela in the Peadar O Liathain Cup and were winners by 2-17 to 4-3 taking us into a semi final against Kerry. The game was played on the 15 th of August in Newbridge and on this occasion the men from the other Kingdom were too strong for us and we were beaten by 2-22 to 3-9. The plus side was that our Minor Hurlers were still playing in August and gaining in experience all of the time. I am worried in relation to new rule changes that come into effect in 2016 with regard to the fact that County Minors cannot play senior with their Club until their inter county season is over. This will not affect our footballers too badly but it will have a detrimental effect on our hurlers given the small base that we have to pick from. I can only hope that our Clubs will bear with us on this one and that perhaps from a CCC point of view we might be able to work something with regard to starting times of the Down Club DOWN COUNTY GAA ANNUAL CONVENTION

8 Competitions. It is evidence again that one size does not fit all and with no room for manoeuvre it is going to be a hard one to manage for Down. In 2016 let it be our hope that the Red and Black of Down will once again return to the top table in all competitions, football and hurling. Let us get behind our players and our Team Managements and all work for the common good of seeing Down successful again. There can be no place for negativity, Down GAA harnessing all of its energies in a positive manner can be an unstoppable force, a Down GAA fractured and at odds with itself is only good for our competitors. The famine must end soon and no better year to do it than in Bealach an Dúin Ag Obair le Cheile. 15 Club Competitions In Down we are proud to have 48 Clubs within our County over the years that number has sometimes changed by one or two in one direction or another but in recent years we have maintained 48 Clubs. We are proud of our 48 Clubs and what they do for the GAA in Down and in their communities, they are often the life blood of the communities that they exist in and collectively they are the family that makes up Down GAA. As times change and within our County as demographics change the makeup of our Clubs will change too as will the viability of some of those Clubs. It is likely that in time to come we might even mirror the changes that have taken place within the Catholic Church whereby a Parish might well cover two, three or four chapels which all at one time enjoyed their own separate entity. For now at the end of 2015 we have 48 Clubs in 2016 it might be that only 45/46/47 of them will be competing in Adult Football or Hurling we have to make provision for such and we have to manage it to ensure that we provide meaningful competition for those Clubs who wish to compete. We also have a duty to Gaels who want to play Gaelic games and if their local Club is no longer providing that opportunity then we have to be imaginative to ensure that those players have the right to play Gaelic games. This year our Club Leagues went under change to prepare with the pre agreed proposal to move back to 12 team leagues in Division One and Two for 2016 and 10 Team leagues for Division Three and Four. As many as Six Teams faced relegation from Division One and Two this year and there is no doubt that the effects of this were two fold, there was a definite edge to the early part of the season and an unwelcome apathy towards the end when the fate of some Clubs was known.

9 This year we did produce a fixture calendar which I do believe was a help to Clubs mentors and parents and I do believe that it is the way to go forward. People want to know when games are going to be played and even more so they want to know that they are actually going to be played. We still managed to have instances this year where Clubs kept agreeing between themselves to ongoing postponements of refixed games this is not good practice and I am glad to see that CCC are acting to ensure this practice does not happen in It was a great disappointment to me that this year we had two games abandoned in Division One of our All County League this year and that we had an unsavoury melee in our Senior Club Championship Semi Final. It has been a long time since we had witnessed such incidents in senior football in Down and I hope that they are now behind us, they certainly have no place within our association. At a time when more people are attending our games we need more and more to show the necessary decorum and present our games in the best possible light. The Down Senior Football Championship went under a new format this year as we used what we termed the Christy Ring Model and I have to say that it was our most successful Championship in years. We also engaged positively in a marketing campaign which saw us advertise our games in advance along with details of the admission prices these factors combined with good venue selection meant that our Championships for the spectator were an attractive package this year. We had two great encounters with Burren and Kilcoo this year including Extra Time in one of those games, we had the rise of Ballyholland as they got to a Senior Semi Final, we had drama with a Rostrevor v Clonduff refix after a serious injury to Darren O Hagan in fact in the senior Football Championship we had great days and nights. Who will forget Ross McGarry s point for C.P.N to win the game against Ballyholland on a wet wet night in Mayobridge there is no doubt the Club Championship lifted the spirits this year. The Thrills and spills left us with a final of those two great rivals when the Town met The Village and Kilcoo going for a four in a row faced their neighbours and great rivals Castlewellan. With a new man in charge in Paul McIvor Kilcoo had been growing in confidence throughout the Championship whilst Castlewellan had John Treanor trying to put one over the Derry man. There was a good attendance in Newry and it was the old adage of goals winning matches as Kilcoo ran out winners by 3-10 to 0-11 with goals from the Johnston brothers and Paul Greenan, indeed Paul Greenan was a worthy winner of the Mourne Observer Man of the Match Trophy. So full credit to Kilcoo they now sit at the top of the Leader board in terms of Down Championship wins with a proud total of 14. The possibilities looked good for Ulster Club glory and a trip to Kingspan Breffni Park for a meeting with Kingscourt saw the Magpies decisive winners over the Cavan Champions. Next up was a semi final v Crossmaglen Rangers and the renewing of old rivalries for once the coin fell favourably and the game was fixed for Pairc Esler. On a wet Sunday in Newry nearly 10,000 people were in the ground for this much anticipated battle and on the day Crossmaglen had too much for the men from Kilcoo and were winners by 0-12 to 0-8. As an aside Pairc Esler had shown that it could host a double bill in November and that it had the highest attendance at a sporting event that weekend in the North of Ireland yet somehow the venue was passed over for the final much to our disappointment. Loughinisland were the form team in the Intermediate Championship and with Dan Gordon at his very best they were always going to be hard to beat. Indeed the final against An Riocht proved to be a one sided affair with the men in DOWN COUNTY GAA ANNUAL CONVENTION

10 Blue dominant from start to finish. In their Ulster campaign Loughinisland had a home tie against the Derry Champions and once they got into their stride the Down Champions were comfortable winners over Greenlough. Next up was a trip to Omagh where Edenork succumbed to the power and strength of Loughinisland and with momentum behind them the men from East Down moved to a semi final meeting with Doohamlet of Monaghan. The games was played in the Athletic Grounds and here it was nearly like a pre emptor for the final and the old saying that goals win games as Loughinisland won by 4-7 to 1-7. It was a wild winter s day in Owenbeg as Loughinisland sought to emulate CPN and become the second Down team to win the Ulster Intermediate Football Championship. The conditions were harsh and both teams deserve credit for their endeavours on the day as the game was finally balanced at 2-1 to 0-7 it looked as if the outcome could go either way when the capacity of the Blue Men to score goals came to the fore and two goals meant the trophy was returning to McCartan Park on a score of 4-1 to 0-7. On behalf of the County I wish Loughinisland every success in their quest for All Ireland honours where they will meet the Mayo Champions in the All Ireland Semi Final. Glasdrumman were no doubt the Team of the year in Junior Football in Down and they were League and Championship Winners. In the Junior Final they survived a nervous finish to overcome Ardglass in what was an entertaining encounter indeed both Clubs brought great colour to the occasion and certainly the Junior Final was a worthy curtain raiser to the Senior Game. The performances of the Harrison brothers amongst others suggested that the men from Mourne could give the Ulster Title a good rattle and after overcoming Davitts in the Quarter Final they faced Rockcorry in the semi final. Unfortunately the Monaghan Champions who went on to win the competition were too strong and there was disappointment for the Mourne men. It was fitting that Glasdrumman should be crowned Junior Champions just a few weeks after the death of Derek Davis who had become such an integral part of their Club since the days of Celebrity Bannisteoir. I am sure he was smiling down upon them on that Sunday in Pairc Esler. For the second year in a row Newry Shamrocks were beaten in the Minor Championship Final it looked as if the hard work had been done when they beat Burren in the Semi Final but they had not taken into account a Rostrevor Team that had overcome a fancied CPN team in the semi Final. Rostrevor were the better team in the final and they fully deserved their win and it was interesting to learn in recent days that they had been inspired by the writings of Alastair Campbell! Bryansford retained their Division One League title and ended a 15 match unbeaten league campaign by Burren. This was a bitter pill for Burren who had been the stand out team in the League all season but on the day Bryansford were the deserving winners and provided some consolation for their poor Championship performances. Ballymartin had a great season in Division Two and once they had won that vital League game v Loughinisland they were in the driving seat for the automatic spot. With the new pitch facilities now all in place they will look forward to once again welcoming the top teams in Down in the 2016 Division One. Glasdrumman as I have said were the stand out Junior Team this year and they completed the double with a league win that keeps them within reach of the top tiers in Down. 17

11 On the Club hurling front the Championship got off to a rousing start when holders and Ulster Champions Portaferry were beaten in the Semi Final by Ballygalget. There was a good crowd in McKenna Park for this game and here again Danny Toner showed why he is our best forward by far as the men in green caused a surprise. Portaferry were now hosts for the final and we were rewarded with a good day and an exciting game with a dramatic finish as Ballycran produced a goal to win the game at the death. The game itself was overshadowed by news the next day of the accidental injury to Johnny McGrattan a member of the Ballygalget management, in times like this sport pales into insignificance and yet it unites a community and the family that is the GAA was to the fore, in lending support, prayers and good wishes to Johnny and the McGrattan family. Thank God his recovery is well under way and we are grateful for all the care given to Johnny by the medical profession. Ballycran then faced Slaughneil in Dungannon in the Ulster Semi Final but this year there was to be no repeat of Portaferry s heroics and the men from Derry marched on to an Ulster Final. Portaferry seconds provided some compensation when they defeated Carryduff in the County Intermediate Final with an impressive display by young Dara Mallon who is showing his potential at every opportunity. It was Carryduff who went on to represent Down in Ulster they had a quarter final victory over Na Magha but the eventual winners Creggan Kickhams proved too strong in the semi final. The most entertaining Championship this year on the hurling front was the Junior, two good semi finals and then a replay in the final between Newry Shamrocks and Ballela. The first game in St Patricks Park saw a great personal battle between Johnny McCusker and Ciaran Courtney two men who had also given great service in the Red and Black. A draw was a fair result as the game ebbed and flowed and both teams agreed to a replay in Ballycran as a curtain raiser to the Senior Semi Final. At the end of 60 minutes nothing could separate the teams and it was only in Extra Time that Ballela managed to pull away and record a famous victory. Into Ulster Ballela again showed that they like to do things the hard way and it took another replay to overcome Rasharkin, their near neighbours Sean Tracey s were seen off in the semi Final but alas in the Final Eoghan Rua of Coleraine were too strong in too many areas of the field and the Ballela dream was over. As a former secretary of NUU hurling Club in Coleraine I have to say I was impressed with Coleraine and it was a long way since the 1980s and a man called Liam Moran from the town of Coleraine used to make his way out to the University to play hurling. Indeed times are well changed Buiochas le Dia. Newry Shamrocks suffered the heartbreak now of losing a Minor Hurling Final this year in addition to losing the football when they were beaten by a skilful Ballygalget team. It is a sign though that the game is growing, last year Liatroim won the Minor Title this Year Shamrocks were beaten in the final there is hope for the future in these areas. There is a challenge for CCC in the organisation of hurling fixtures; the challenge is to transfer the games from paper to reality. Too often games are not played, too often it is just too easy to call a game off and too often we as Administrators act haphazardly in relation to hurling Fixtures. All of our fixtures Football and Hurling need to get the same level of respect and they all need to follow the one set of guidelines and Competition Rules. There is another issue that needs to be looked at early in 2016 and that is the question of whether we are happy with the format of our Senior Championship in Hurling. Are we happy to have a semi Final and a Final as our Championship? Does this adequately meet our needs? Would there be merit in playing the Senior Hurling Championship on a Round Robin DOWN COUNTY GAA ANNUAL CONVENTION

12 League Format where each team would play home and away with each Club getting 4 games and the top two teams meeting in the Final? Just some thoughts that I would welcome your views on. Sponsors and Sponsorship Our hosts tonight the Canal Court Hotel are tonight stepping down as the Official Team Sponsors of Down GAA; they have been with us from this Hotel first opened for business back in 1998 so for seventeen years now the McParland brothers John and Paddy have shown tremendous support for Down GAA. They have by virtue of their sponsorship allowed us to develop as a County and allowed us to avail of the best facilities possible. John and Paddy and their staff have become not just sponsors but they are part of our Down GAA family, this hotel and its sister hotel the Carrickdale have been put at the disposal of Down GAA whenever it was needed. They have become great friend to us personally and they have often gone beyond the remit of Sponsors to assist us in every way that they could. It would be remiss of me not to pay tribute too to each and every member of staff in the Canal Court and Carrickdale Hotels they are great ambassadors for the business and the hospitality industry in the greater Newry area certainly has here a flagship model of how to look after people. I thank the McParland brothers for their unstinting loyalty to Down GAA and I am delighted too that their support will not be lost to us and we look forward to developing a new partnership together in 2016 and beyond. We welcome new sponsors in EOS IT Solutions and again two brothers in particular Daniel and Brendan Strain. A good family business who have grown to a global stage and when you enter their website and 19 you see bases in Banbridge, Dublin London, San Jose and Dallas you see a hidden gem of a success story. We look forward to building a relationship here whereby we can promote EOS through our world in the GAA and EOS can bring a level of introduction and support for us in the business community. Together we can build something great here and we just want a wee bit of success to be the icing on the cake. I thank Brendan and Daniel for all of their goodwill and courtesy towards Down GAA in all of our negotiations and in preparing the design for our new jersey which was launched on December 12 th. In 2016 we will be hosting a corporate evening on the 12th of March when our Sponsors and our Associate Sponsors will be our guests as we entertain All Ireland Champions Dublin in Pairc Esler. This event will include a Pre Match Meal, Bus journey to Pairc Esler and back to the Canal Court and a host of past Down GAA legends. We will be opening this event to businesses to showcase Down GAA and all that we do so make sure you have this date in your diary. We have tiers of sponsorship open to prospective companies and at all the various points we have packages to suit the needs of our Sponsors in Down GAA we can only offer three real benefits to sponsors and they are Access to Tickets, Access to Players and Advertising in Pairc Esler. In 2016 two of our Allianz Home League games will be televised on Setanta and this is a great opportunity for those who advertise in Pairc Esler to show case their company. As I said earlier there were nearly 10,000 people at the Kilcoo v Crossmaglen match in Pairc Esler on a wet Sunday in November for potential sponsors this is a great market and remember Pairc Esler would be a great canvas to show off your company. I would like to thank our additional sponsors and I feel I must name them to acknowledge our thanks for the support that we get: Morgan Fuels who Sponsor our Championships O NEILLS who sponsor our Leagues Newry Building Supplies Associate Sponsors Autoline O Hare and McGovern Associate Sponsors The Quays Newry Associate Sponsors McAvoy Construction Associate Sponsors Modern Tyres Road Safety Partner and Associate Sponsors Fegan Transport Associate Sponsors Anonymous Associate Sponsor In 2016 There is room for your company Logo I would also like to thank the Individual who has paid to name our junior and Intermediate Championship in the name of Trocaire to create awareness of the great work done by this body. We need to broaden the Sponsorship base Down is a big county yet here when you look at the list of these companies they are all within a 10 mile radius of Newry and I repeat my call of last year for help to broaden that base. It just needs an intro to one company located in the East Down or Greater Belfast Area to allow us to establish a foothold that other will follow in.

13 The Consultative Process Back in 2013 we set about engaging in a Consultative process in an attempt to find the best way forward for Gaelic Football in Down and to see how we could ultimately develop a pathway whereby emerging talent would be identified and channelled in the direction of creating a conveyor of players the County. The published plan clearly sets out what we hope to achieve: Provide a robust talent plan that best develops all players in Down in a systematic, progressive and clear pathway which clearly embraces, integrates and links the Family that is Down GAA, including all stakeholders in the development of talented players (clubs, schools, coaches, parents, administrators, county staff and teams etc). The plan will be supported by an appropriately linked coach education programme. It will be unique to Down s infrastructure, geography, demography whilst building on the county s proud playing traditions and driven within the clubs and schools. Timeline: The expectation of the plan would be to see success at senior levels within seven years. Indicators of success towards this end should also be seen at minor and U21 level within seven years. DOWN COUNTY GAA ANNUAL CONVENTION

14 In the plan there is a big emphasis on the Development Squad Structure and already the work has started on this front with the establishment of the Mourne Academy. The names of the Development Squads will be changed to the Down Emerging Talent Programme or in the world of abbreviation the ETP. The appointment of Paddy O Rourke as the head of Talent Development is a serious step taken to try and address our needs in terms of having players developed for the rigours of County Football. Paddy brings a world of achievement in and dedication to the GAA, to this role, no other man in Down has All Ireland Senior, Under 21,Minor and Club medals to their name, he is one of only five Down men to have lifted the Sam Maguire Cup. We are delighted to have someone of his persona and status to head up this plan, other counties would be envious of the people we have at our disposal in Down and it is crucial that we use them fully. This is a case here where football people are driving the development of football in Down, we all need to get behind it and embrace such a change. Paddy heads up a steering Group that includes the following DJ Kane another All Ireland Winning Captain, along with Dr Eddie Harney, Joe Tunney, Tom Potter, Declan Mussen, Professor Niall Moyna and our County Games Development Manager Conor O Toole. There is real quality in this group and it is an exciting time to be involved in Talent Development in Down. A broad church has been established here with input from Clubs, Schools, health professionals and most importantly parents; we need now the buy in of the players. So how do we ensure that the plan becomes a working document and not just something we dust down in 5 years time when we say look what they did in 2015 and we have only two years left to achieve that success they talked about! That is the scenario we do not want. This plan will be driven by the Steering Group it will be developed in stages and on the Clubs Front there will have to be a Road show around the Clubs to get the necessary Buy In. The first thing we can do is simple we all need to become associates of the Plan each and every one of us has to when the opportunity presents be positive about the work being done. The people looking after it are all approachable people and if you think that there should be changes to it then suggest the changes get involved from Inside don t throw the toys out of the pram and ridicule from a distance. From the very start let us say we are behind the Mourne Academy and we want to make it work. Does Down GAA Need a Version of the WI? Now before you start to think has the Runaí really lost the plot altogether let me explain my rationale. The profile of the person involved now with the GAA and indeed the profile of the person attending our games has indeed changed greatly in the past twenty years. In time gone by we talked fondly of the late great Sheila McAnulty being The First lady of Down GAA and in truth she was. Sheila was one of the few ladies involved in administration and yet for her great passion for Down GAA she had more direct involvement with Camogie. Whilst our sister organisations in Camogie and Ladies Football do provide an outlet for many females there are still big numbers of females who attend our games as supporters, as sisters, mothers, wives, grannies and even great grannies so how do we in Down GAA tap into those people. There is no doubt that there are a great number of people here that we could get involved in our Clubs and in our County. At Club level more and more mothers are going to see their Sons and Daughters play than ever before so they are actually present at our Club fixtures from Under age right through to Adults. What we have to do is ensure that our Clubs are welcoming, that we engage with these people and we ask them if they would like to become involved in some small way initially but most important we make them feel wanted and part of our GAA family. They will bring energy, they will bring challenges, they will bring ideas and they also bring a work ethic that gets things done. They will ruffle feathers but they will not mind and ultimately more Females will be good for our Clubs because they will bring more to the table than is there at present. In Down at the 2010 Convention we elected Maureen O Higgins as our Development Officer the first female to hold an Officer role on our County Executive and a year later Maureen was joined by Paula Magee as Irish and Cultural Officer. The facts are that as a County Executive we got better thanks to the input of the two ladies, they brought a work ethic, they brought dynamism and they brought their personalities to the table all things that made Down GAA stronger by their presence. So I am left to wonder Could Down GAA ever envisage having its own version of the WI should we move more and more to full integration with our ladies Footballers and our own Camogie Boards or should we set up a committee of Down GAA consisting solely of females who formulate ideas and practises that can be then put into place by County Executive. The WI by definition The WI plays a unique role in providing women with 21

15 educational opportunities and the chance to build new skills, to participate in a wide variety of activities and to campaign on issues that matter to them and their community. I feel we in Down GAA should open the doors further and encourage more Female involvement, we should welcome new skills and we should harness that care that females have for their communities. It might not be the WI but I do think we are missing out if we do not get more females involved in meaningful roles in our Clubs and in our County. As for me I am away off now to make some Jam!!! Finance The Down Clubs Draw had another successful year in 2015 with returns of 4613 members generating 554k it was interesting to learn recently that our 48 Clubs have benefitted to the amount of 1,469, with Burren topping the earners at 143, since the Draw started. Only one Club has not generated any income for themselves or the County and really they are missing out on a great opportunity to raise much needed funds. The Clubs Draw is a great concept which allows Clubs to generate income without any risk to the Club remembers that out of the goes back to your Club once the Prize Fund has been accounted for. In 2016 I ask again for all Clubs to embrace the Draw, to make this your Club Fundraiser for the year ahead, you will be benefitting your Club and you will be making a positive contribution to the County. I would go so far as to say that we as a County can no longer allocate Championship games to the venue of Clubs who do not support the County by selling at least 50 Draw Tickets. My rationale is simple we by taking a Championship game to a Club Venue hand over 10% of the gate and then we also allow that Club to organise a half time Draw, have the shops and generally we are creating an income for the Club and yet the Club is not making any contribution to the County by not supporting the Clubs Draw. The County also needs to perform better in ensuring that Draw Winners are paid promptly and that our Clubs are also paid regularly their dividends and I do know that proposals are in place through the Core Finance Team for both those things to happen in Club Down can and should be a major force for good in Down GAA and a major source of income generation for our County. I look with envy at Club Tyrone and Club Erne in particular and see the finance that is generated and in particular the finance at a tier of 500 per anum. The benefits to the Club members are minimal; the real benefit for them is in seeing that their County is successful. In the early part of this year we tried to revamp and relaunch Club Down and we did manage to attract additional members and then the 27 th of June came and defeat in Wexford and we then lost any momentum there was. Now as we prepare for 2016 there is a need to reinvigorate ourselves and make the push for a new beginning with Club Down. John Devaney, Diarmuid Cahill and Fiona Murphy have been doing an interim job as the Officers in Club Down and they are to be commended for the work that was done and in particular with their hosting of the 2 nd Club Down All Stars sponsored by O Reilly Transport. We need now a new young dynamic leadership to take on the running of Club Down; we need most importantly sellers, to sell the various membership packages. The sellers must be people who believe in what we are doing, the job of Club Down should be to support the new Mourne Academy, to develop the Down Footballer of the future. Club Down must have a single focus; it cannot become a talking shop about all the rights or wrongs of the County but rather must be solely projecting the positive message that we are intent on development of our players with the aim for producing winning Down Teams. To take on that role would make a huge difference to our County and I ask where are the people to step up to the mark and to deliver? This year in our County Final Programme we set out two pages on Where We Spend our Money and we hope that gave a clear indication to our supporters as to where the money paid in through the gates go. The facts of the matter are that we each month have to generate 15, before we start to pay off loans, 10, to Croke Park and 5, per month to The First Trust Bank. We have not missed any of those payments and to date have paid back over 300, to Croke Park and owe now only 90, to First Trust Bank. We will continue to service those loans until they are paid in full, they have arisen historically and mainly have been incurred in the Development of Pairc Esler and the abandoned scheme at Burrenbridge. We need to face the facts that the debit is there and we will be honouring it so those who want to talk about it can talk about it those who want to help us the door is open. In June 2032 at the present rate the Debit to Croke Park will have been paid in full YOU can help quicken the repayments by supporting any venture undertaken by the County. To raise funds this year we set up an Events Team under the Leadership of Michael McArdle and the big DOWN COUNTY GAA ANNUAL CONVENTION

16 event was the Jailbreak, where 29 people spent the night in Crumlin Road Jail to raise funds for Down GAA. This event will generate in the region of 65k for the County and one of the great aspects of it was that people who had no direct association with Down GAA were prepared to embrace the event and each raise Under the State Secrets Act what happened in the jail cannot be released under the 30 year rule suffice to say that if we were to undertake this event again John Farrell would be in Solitary. Events like this are crucial to the ongoing survival and growth of Down GAA, we need to be looking at a major event each year and under the leadership of Michael McArdle I have no doubt that this will happen. We again would welcome your ideas, Anita Brannigan has a great saying that we should not put our arm around the homework and Michael and the Events team are open to any suggestions or thoughts on what we could possibly do in The Down GAA family, Clubs and County working together can make us successful in fundraising in the years ahead. We have outlined where the funds are needed and we have set out where our money goes now we ask help us with our ventures. Referees This year referee s administration came back under the remit of a separate subcommittee and under the chairmanship of Seamus Walsh and our referees continued to make progress at national and provincial level. Ciaran Branagan was to the fore in many national league games and whilst probably disappointed not to be in the middle for the All Ireland Minor Final he was still involved as Stand By Referee and it was nice to see a Down man involved on the big day. Ciaran was also recently back in Croke Park officiating during the International Rules series and that was a nice honour as well, whilst Ciaran never forgets his roots to and continues to be available to officiate as much as possible within Down. Brendan Rice has also been on the National Panel in 2015 and this year was an international tourist for the Ladies Football officiating in New York and at the Asian Games in China. These are all great honours for Down as too was the appointment of Paul Faloon to referee the Ulster Minor Football Final. We hope again that 2016 see more of our referees make it on to the Provincial and National stage. Within Down this year as I have already stated we had two senior league games abandoned and one Championship semi final marred by unacceptable scenes. We have to respect our referees and to learn from other codes as to how we really do respect our referees, they are vital cogs in the wheels of making our games happen. Referees also have a duty to respect players and team mentors and a duty to apply the rules fully at all times they cannot afford to referee the game to their own rules this only leads to inconsistency and malcontent. Gaelic Football and Hurling are simple games played well; they become complicated when players and officials decide to play the games by their own interpretation of the rules. Let us put 2015 behind us and ensure that 2016 is a year when all of our games at every level are played to a finish and within the spirit and rules of our Association. 23

17 Irish and Cultural Our language and our Culture are key areas that set the GAA apart from our competitors they make us more than a sporting organisation and they are key components in helping us provide for our whole community. Not everyone will be cut out to play our games or to administrate in our Association but yet they may be able to play a musical instrument or they may have a passion to teach our language, it is important that we welcome them without any prejudice and with the same welcome that we would as if they were a star footballer or hurler. Each year we give to our young people in the form of Scholarships to the Gaelteacht and this allows 50 students to head off to Donegal to enhance their knowledge of our language. This is indeed very commendable but I just wonder is this the best use of our resources in attempting to promote the language, how do we measure the return? The Gaelteacht is like a rite of passage for many of our young people but do they continue to make a positive contribution to our Clubs. How many come back and give something back in return, I don t know the answer but I think this is something that can be looked at. Scór continues to be embraced by many of our Clubs but I am sure that the Scór committee would agree that there is room for improvement. In 2016 that opportunity exists as we enter a period of national commemoration and celebration, Scór in Down should be to the fore in such celebrations. Is it beyond possibility that each of our 48 Clubs could give a commitment in the year that is in it to participate in Scór in a particular themed way to recognise the men and women of 1916 and what they gave to our nation. It could be a particular set, it could be a recitation, it could be by means of a Ballad or it could be in the form of drama. I think this is doable for our Clubs remember we are more than a sporting organisation, we are reflective of all that is good in our community and in this instance this is a challenge to the Clubs of Down to make a positive contribution to the year of This could be the 1% difference that we talked about last year and would it not send out a wonderful message of the vibrancy of Scór in Down in At each of our County Finals and at all of our County games the Irish and Cultural Committee under the leadership of our Officer Paula have ensured that Amhrán Ná bhfiann is sung at the various venues. This does not just happen there are rehearsals and there are logistics that all have to be put in place and I thank each and every one of the singers who through their participation made a real difference to the presentation of our events. So to all who competed in Scór this year I say thank you and I congratulate you, it is about the participation and the honour of representing your Club and your County please let us retain the spirit of the competition do not let us be consumed by the rights and wrongs of adjudicators deliberations. Schools The Down schools will have a key role to play in the success of our Emerging Talent Programme, their input and their support will be crucial to its ongoing success. We in Down GAA cannot operate in isolation from our Schools and early in 2016 we will be engaging formally with the Principal and the Head of PE of all of our second level schools. We want to see how we can help and we want to listen, we want to outline our vision and the roles that our schools can play. In our Primary Schools we provide coaching in 75 schools and that is funded from our own resources plus a payment of per child for the year. The charge is supported by the offer of the Down GAA Schools Draw which when taken up by our schools has proved to be a very lucrative source of Income for the school. We always need to have GAA orientated teachers in our schools and I would like to propose that we in Down GAA offer a bursary to students who are hoping to graduate and teach in our Schools. Each year we could offer 5 Down GAA awards for graduates which they earn when they have achieved recognised coaching levels and are working within our schools and coaching our games. We need to incentivise our teachers to promote our games and to help make Gaelic Games the number one sport of choice in their School. The next four years are years of great celebration for Down GAA, in 2016 we will celebrate 25 years since 1991, in 2017 it is 40 years from our first minor All Ireland, in 2018 it will be the Golden Jubilee of 1968 and in 2019 it will be 25 years from These stories need to be told to our young people through an education project with our Schools and I am proposing that Down GAA should seek funding to allow us to employ an education officer for the next four years and hopefully beyond. Youth Board Over the years the Down Youth Board was a great training ground for future administrators and a place where many of us learned from great tutors like Dan McCartan and Donal McCormack. In recent times the well has run dry but now as we move to 2016, the Down Youth Board is alive and well and making progress. DOWN COUNTY GAA ANNUAL CONVENTION

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