Dec 10
28
The man best equipped to become Donegal’s first GAA President
Former Ulster GAA President Tom Daly is to run for GAA President.
By Michael McHugh
You have to be a certain calibre of person to run for President of the Gaelic Athletic Association. It must flow through your blood with an intensity that mere mortals may not understand at times.
It is a gene that exists deep in the DNA of every Irishman and woman, but still to be isolated by the great scientists. It is the culmination of a life commitment, indeed vocation, for a sporting organisation that has no equal anywhere on this planet.
It is a combination of unyielding passion, patriotism above the call of duty and pure persistence in the face of a demanding public, who equally admire the uniqueness of Gaelic games, traditions and the parish pride that roots everything together within the GAA family diaspora.
Well, one man from Donegal has finally emerged as a fitting potential recipient of the most honoured and respected position within the GAA. For the North West, it is long overdue and one can only hope that he does decide to take up the challenge in the weeks ahead.
Within Donegal and Ulster GAA circles, Tom Daly from the Aodh Ruadh club in Ballyshannon is already a well known and highly respected administrator. His credentials are impeccable for the job; he has a proud GAA family tradition that dates back generations, but this is combined with myriad achievements within his own rights. It will now be on his own terms that many believe he should stand for President.
Tom is not a megaphone diplomat but an excellent communicator. Rather he likes to work intelligently behind the scenes and use his skill sets to negotiate rather than confront. He has a certain way about him, methodical, calculating and highly efficient. He does not get overly excited or animated, as some often do, in the heat of a summers’ umpiring decision. Rarely has he upset the apple cart, but whatever one’s opinion is of him, he does get the job done.
And his results show. Look at the remarkable facilities that his club now have available to youngsters and adults alike. He has plied his trade from club up to county and finally to province. The late night meetings that go on for ever, the evenings that he sacrificed to plod his way up through the Gap for another county board meeting. It is probably only his very supportive wife Frances, who truly knows the sacrifices that he has made.
And before that, his enjoyment on the fields of play as well. He will admit that he was no All Ireland winner or was he? But like thousands of others and for his efforts, he is the grateful recipient of a few county medals in the back pocket, that occasionally, just very occasionally, get mentioned.
In February of this year as the outgoing President of Ulster GAA Tom was honoured at a special cross party reception in the Long Gallery Parliament Buildings in Stormont. The distinguished gathering was indicative of the huge cross community work that the GAA in Ulster had undertaken while the Donegal man was Provincial President. Testament to that yesterday was the announcement by the Northern Ireland Executive that they are to invest in three new stadia in the province - one of these will be a 40,000 seater Casement Park. You can probably guess who headed up the negotiations and burnt the midnight oil with them over recent months on that one.
Tom was also stepping down after serving 22 consecutive years on the Council, having served in the roles of delegate from Donegal County GAA, Treasurer, Vice President and President.
He also served as Vice Chairman and Youth Officer of the Donegal County Committee GAA as well as one of the National Vice Presidents of the GAA. And by one of those quirks of fate, he actually received an All Ireland medal in recognition of his work as National Vice President!
It is expected that the Donegal man will get strong backing from the Ulster counties and unknown to Tom himself, he was actually nominated for President by Fermanagh GAA delegates at their annual convention on Monday night.
That same night, Cathaoirleach PJ McGowan gave a huge endorsement in nominating him for President on behalf of delegates in attendance at the Donegal GAA annual county convention in Ballybofey.
“I am deeply honoured that the Donegal County Board have made this nomination, the remarks by the County Chairman were most gracious, as was the overwhelming support of delegates,” Tom told me.
“It brings home some of the speculation that has been mounting in recent weeks to a head. It is now something that I must now sit down with my family and seriously consider in the weeks ahead. There are major implications both from a job and family viewpoint. It is certainly not something that one enters lightly, but to be considered worthy of such an honour in the first instance, is humbling in itself.”
Tom is a senior manager with the HSE, based in Manorhamilton and was recently appointed Director General of Cooperation And Working Together. CAWT is a partnership between the Health and Social Care Services in Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland, which facilitates cross border collaborative working in health and social care.
It would be a fitting achievement if the Donegal man were to run and become President of the GAA. Last year, I recall the evening former GAA President Peter Quinn put forward the idea, at the opening of the new Munday’s field beside Fr Tierney Park on the banks of the Erne.
He had little doubt whom he wanted to be the next GAA President. And neither should we!
