Tipperary GAA Scene - December 14th 2022

Tipperary GAA Annual Convention 2022

The annual gathering of all club delegates for the Tipperary GAA Convention took place last Sunday, December 11^th in The Dome. In front of a well attended meeting, long serving Secretary Tim Floyd presented his final report to convention 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 Tipperary County Board Secretary. On concluding his look through 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 31^st 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 year’s.

The full list of officers elected last Sunday is as follows:

President

Ó hAiseáda Maitiú (Tuaim Uí Mheara)

Vice-President

Ó Costagáin Sean (J K Brackans)

Chairperson

Kennedy Joe (Moyne Templetuohy)

Vice-Chairperson

Jimmy Minogue (Nenagh Eire Óg)

Treasurer

Lahart Eleanor (Killenaule)

Coaching Officer

O’Meara Sean (Mullinahone)

Officer for Irish Language and Culture

Marcas O’Duinn (Maighean Teampall Na Tuaithe)

Public Relations Officer

Cullen Jonathan (Loughmore Castleiney)

Central Council Representative

Doyle John (Holycross Ballycahill)

Two Representatives on Munster Council

Kennedy Joe (Moyne Templetouhy)

Nugent Sean (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.

Munster Hurling League Fixtures

Tipperary’s fixtures in the Munster hurling league have been confirmed and will see Liam Cahill’s charges travelling to Fraher Field in Dungarvan on Tuesday January 3^rd at 7pm for a clash with Waterford, before welcoming Clare to MacDonagh Park in Nenagh the following Sunday at 1.30pm. Should Tipperary qualify for the final of the competition it will take place on Sunday January 22^nd.

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 9^th at 7pm. Then on Saturday January 14^th, Templetuohy will be the venue for Tipperary’s second game of the McGrath Cup when they will play Limerick at 2pm. Should David Powers side qualify for the final, it will take place on Wednesday January 18^th.

Allianz Hurling and Football League Fixtures

The Tipperary senior footballers will be first into Allianz league action when they welcome Down to FBD Semple Stadium at 6pm on Saturday January 28^th. This will be followed by away trips to Cavan, Longford, Fermanagh and Westmeath along with two more home ties against Antrim and Offaly. The Tipperary senior hurlers will also commence their league campaign at home against Laois on Saturday February 4^th at 5pm and will be followed by one further home game against Waterford along with away trips to Kilkenny, Dublin and Antrim.

The GAA have also published its Master Fixtures schedule for 2023. The AIB All-Ireland Senior Club Football and Hurling Championship Finals are the first key dates in the diary, with both taking place on the weekend of January 21/22. The provincial football championships begin on the weekend of April 8/9, with the All-Ireland Senior Football Final slated for Sunday, July 30. The Tailteann Cup Final will take place on Saturday, July 15. The provincial hurling championships begin on the weekend of April 22/23, with the All-Ireland Hurling Final on Sunday, July 23. The Joe McDonagh Cup Final is on the weekend of May 27/28, with the Ring Rackard, and Meagher Cup Finals on the weekend of June 3/4. The GAA Master Fixture Schedule booklet which includes the fixture details of all competitions can be viewed and downloaded on the Tipperary GAA website.

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 26^th, 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 in February. More details later.

GAA club walking tracks to benefit from Healthy Ireland grant support

Minister of State with responsibility for Public Health, Well Being and National Drugs Strategy, Frank Feighan, TD, left, Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Larry McCarthy, centre, and Head of Healthy Ireland, Tom James, mark the launch of Healthy Ireland’s funding to help upgrade GAA club walking tracks at Croke Park.

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 may be used to: