Calls For Clare GAA To Maximise Commercial Opportunities Among Motions For 2020 Convention

Derrick Lynch

21 motions will be debated by clubs at this year’s annual Convention of Clare GAA which will be held virtually on December 15.

A directive in recent weeks from Croke Park urged clubs and county boards not to submit motions of a contentious nature for discussion at this time, given that debate online would be of a limited nature.

None of the motions for this year’s Convention relate to league or championship structures, with that issue set to be debated at a later date when the annual structures meeting is held. New formats for both the hurling and football championships are on the cards after the decision not to relegate any teams in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic potentially having an impact on player availability.

Tulla GAA club have submitted the largest number of motions for discussion, including that “Clare GAA set up an independent body to look at how our underage hurling development squad system is operated and to report on what improvements can be made to ensure we are operating at the highest level required”. The motion also calls for the body to be set up immediately and to “report back no later than 30th June 2021 so that any changes/improvements may be in place for the beginning of the 2022 playing season”.

Tulla are also calling for Clare GAA to commission “an independent report to examine the cost effectiveness of county teams hiring other venues as opposed to using Caherlohan and that this body also report on what is required to bring Caherlohan to the required level so that all said county teams can train adequately in Caherlohan”. A motion calling for “all future nomination papers include a full list of current positions, including names, and reasons, if any, why any particular position may not be nominated”, along with one asking that “all club fixtures be emailed to all club secretaries no later than Tuesday lunchtime for the following weekend’s fixture”.

Along with that, the East Clare club want Clare GAA to “examine the feasibility of appointing a commercial manager or similar type role to adequately maximize the advertising and marketing possibilities potentially available to Clare GAA”.

A similar sentiment is expressed by Eire Óg in a motion which has generated much debate online in particular in recent weeks.

The motion, which was submitted to the Ennis club by former Clare senior hurling backroom team member Niall O’Connor, is seeking that a committe be put in place within six weeks of the December 15 meeting, to develop a strategic five year plan.

The suggestion is that the committee be comprised of five people who are independent of the county board, and be drawn from “business and commercial interests with a strong record of commitment and involvement in the GAA”. The committee would make recommendations within six months of its establishment on a range of areas including: Finance and fundraising; Optimisation of the Centre of Excellence at Caherlohan and other facilities; Coaching and Games Development; Governance; Public Relations and Marketing and social media

The motion also states that the committee will receive “full co-operation, funding and support from the county board. Its recommendations to be circulated to all clubs within the county and discussed at a special convention to be held no later than September 2021”.

A number of other motions will also likely create talking points, including from Ruan GAA club. They are asking that if water breaks are to remain as part of the GAA, that “the water should be brought to the players and the one minute time should be strictly adhered to and not used for tactical reasons”.

The mid-Clare club are also calling for referees to be allowed watch back any controversial scores or decisions that occur in televised games in which Hawkeye is not available.

Among the other motions of note, Lissycasey GAA are asking that there be at least one week of an interval between hurling and football fixtures in order to facilitate dual players, while Sixmilebridge GAA are calling for an overhaul of the regrading system in Clare along with a five year cap on the amount of time a club’s county board delegate can hold that position.