Mayo GAA held its first physical County Board meeting since March this week, with meetings held in line with HSE guidelines across two sessions with club delegates in Elverys MacHale Park.
A number of areas such as fixtures, finance and club development were covered, with delegates signing off on a number of significant financial reforms and policies.
Also discussed on the night was the Mazars review that took place over the last number of months in collaboration with Mayo GAA board officers. The report includes recommendations that Mazars believe will improve the day-to-day operation and governance of the financial affairs of Mayo GAA in the following areas: (1 ) Procure to pay cycle; (2 ) Gates; (3 ) Credit card management; (4 ) Treasury management; (5 ) Expense claim management; (7 ) Ticketing; (8 ) Sponsorship and (9 ) Fundraising activities.
Follow-up meetings are planned with Mazars later in the year to ensure recommendations have been taken on board and implemented in a timely manner.
As well updating clubs on the Mazars financial review, the executive announced a comprehensive list of new committees that will address key areas of development, from financial oversight to fundraising policy, infrastructural development and cultural development.
The below committees and polices will now be in operation within Mayo: (1 ) Mayo GAA Audit and Risk Committee; (2 ) Cairde Mhaigh Eo Fundraising Committee; (3 ) Cairde Mhaigh Eo Fundraising Policy; (4 ) Mayo GAA Financial Committee; (5 ) Mayo GAA Development Committee and (6 ) Mayo GAA Cultural Committee.
Chairperson of Mayo GAA, Liam Moffatt, said after the meeting: "Over the last six months, this executive has worked tirelessly to review and establish structures that will monitor and support Mayo GAA’s financial operations and support developments in the future.
'This has been a challenging but essential process to ensure that Mayo GAA continues to support its clubs, inter-county teams and wider supporter network.
"At tonight’s meeting delegates were presented with significant changes to our organisational structures which have been made possible by the dedication and commitment of our executive committee.
"They have also been informed of some new stakeholders who will be brought to the table with expertise across all sectors. This synergy of hard-working volunteers and industry leaders with wide-ranging expertise represents an exciting time for all of those involved in Mayo GAA.”
Mayo GAA audit and risk committee
The A&R Committee shall carry out the duties for the Association at Mayo GAA. While it shall interact directly with the Executive Committee in its day-to-day duties, it shall have a reporting line to the County Committee with additional reporting options to the National Audit & Risk committee of the GAA.
The remit of the A&R Committee shall be the independent oversight & monitoring of Audit Matters, Risk Management Practices, Governance Structures and Financial Compliance at Mayo GAA. In its discharge of these duties, the A&R Committee may assist the Executive Committee with the implementation of recommendations. The A&R Committee may provide advice and/or report to the CLG’s Central Audit & Risk Committee as and when requested to, and may escalate matters directly if it deems them to affect the wider reputation of the Association.
The responsibilities of the A&R Committee shall be to monitor and assess the integrity of the financial statements of Mayo GAA and any formal announcements relating to Mayo GAA’s financial performance.
The committee will consist of Pádraig Ó Céidigh (Cathaoirleach ), a former Senator and Harvard alumni who, in addition to being an accountant and lawyer, founded a number of business in Ireland. He is a former winner of Ireland’s Entrepreneur of the Year. Morgan Deane is an International Lawyer and the CEO of investment banking group, Baader Helvea. Frank Walsh, is a Chartered Accountant & a Taxation consultant with many years of leading industry experience, most recently with Grant Thornton. Bill Carthy, is the former head of Finance for Abbott Ireland with a lifetime of commercial experiences.
Cairde Mhaigh Eo Fundraising Committee
Cairde Mhaigh Eo aims to raise funds, harness and strengthen goodwill towards Mayo GAA, and support the promotion of Gaelic Games across the County.
Cairde Mhaigh Eo is a sub-committee of Mayo GAA County Board which has been given responsibility for the formation of commercial and fundraising strategies to financially support Mayo County Board in developing Gaelic games in the county.
This facilitates Officers of Mayo GAA to devote their energy to the promotion and administration of Gaelic Games in the county rather than acting as full time fundraisers.
The Officers and Committee of Cairde Mhaigh Eo are volunteers and will consider strategies to assist finances at club, inter-county and board level. As per Mayo GAA byelaws, the County Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary are members of the Committee.
The committee will consist of Maria Staunton (Carnacon ); Pat O’Donnell (Kilmeena ); Finbarr James (Knockmore ); Ciaran O’Hara (Kiltane ); Paul Cunnane (Davitts ); John Faragher (Garrymore ); Liam Brehony (Charlestown ); Tracey Glacken (Bonniconlon ); Paraic Joyce (Kilmaine ); Michael Lang (Tuar Mhic Éadaigh ); Liam Moffatt (Mayo GAA Chairperson ); Dermot Butler (Mayo GAA Secretary ) and Valerie Murphy (Mayo GAA Treasurer ).
Cairde Mhaigh Eo Fundraising Policy
The Cairde Mhaigh Eo Fundraising Policy forms the basis within which the Cairde Mhaigh Eo Fundraising Committee will operate. The policy can be broken down into the following areas, Remit, Governance and Principles of Fundraising.
Remit
The function of Cairde Mhaigh Eo is to raise funds and harness and strengthen goodwill to support the GAA in Mayo. This function does not extend to decide how money raised is expended. It is the responsibility of the Mayo GAA County Board to ensure funds raised are appropriately expended. It is the commercial and fundraising arm of Coiste Chontae Mhaigh Eo. Cairde Mhaigh Eo may establish sub groups to deal with specific issues and the sub groups shall report back and may make recommendations to Cairde Mhaigh Eo. Sub groups shall be given a clear mandate and a time frame of existence.
Governance
The functions of Cairde Mhaigh Eo shall comply with Mayo GAA Bylaws. Cairde Mhaigh Eo shall be appointed in accordance with Riail 3.20 of An Treoir Oifigiúil 2019 and subject to Rules 3.21 and 4.4 T.O 2019. Cairde Mhaigh Eo is a subcommittee of Coiste Chondae Mhaigh Eo operating within GAA structures, not as an independent supporters group. The work of Cairde Mhaigh Eo shall be guided by the byelaws of Mayo GAA, the Ardchoiste Contae Mhaigh Eo (Mayo County Board Executive committee ), the terms of reference of Cairde Mhaigh Eo and Croke Park, as ratified by the Executive and Delegates at meetings of Coiste Contae Mhaigh Eo (Mayo County Board ). Mayo GAA Audit & Risk committee shall have full and unfettered access to documentation and persons necessary to provide oversight on all Cairde Mhaigh Eo activites.
Principles of Fundraising
All fundraising will respect the rights and dignity of donors, beneficiaries and the public. Fundraising activities will not be unreasonably persistent, intrusive or place undue pressure on people to donate. Fundraising will occur in an honest and truthful manner. Donations will be used for the purposes for which they were donated in agreement with Cairde Mhaigh Eo sub committee. Mayo GAA will operate in an open, frank and honest way and will ensure that transactions, operations, information and communications are easily understood by fundraising stakeholders.
Mayo GAA Financial Committee
The Mayo GAA County Finance Committee shall be responsible for all financial matters pertaining to the county. In addition to the day-to-day financial management of the county board, the Finance Committee shall be responsible for monitoring all expenditure by sub-committees in the county.
The committee will consist of: Valerie Murphy (Mayo GAA Treasurer (Chair ) ); Michael Diskin (Mayo GAA Assistant Treasurer ); Liam Moffatt (Mayo GAA Chairperson ); Dermot Butler (Mayo GAA Secretary ); JP Lambe (former Mayo GAA Treasurer ) and Fergal O’Connor (Chartered Accountant )
Mayo GAA Development Committee
The Development Committee shall be responsible to County Committee for Grounds and Physical Development, Club & Officer Development, Grounds Safety and Planning. The committee will consist of: Chairperson: Mary Prenty (Ballyhaunis ); Padraig Prendergast (Ballina ); Declan Hughes (The Neale ); Brendan Mooney (Kiltimagh ); Willie Keaveney (Kilmeena ); James Rocke (Event Controller ); Paddy Muldoon (Insurance ); Jerry Henry (Safety ); Paddy Mc Nicholas (Head Steward ); Willie Kelly (Deputy Head Steward ); Michael Lang (IT ); Michael Diskin (Asst Treasurer ).
Mayo GAA Cultural Committee
The County Cultural Committee shall be responsible for the promotion of Irish language, Scór and other cultural activities. There are also plans for a Mayo History project to document the history of Mayo GAA and its clubs. This will be overseen by the County Cultural Committee with Liam Heffron, Moygownagh, in his role as History Officer, taking the lead on this project.
Much of this invaluable history remains unwritten or hidden away in attics, shelves or filing cabinets. Local members and their clubs can retrieve and catalogue old GAA records such as old match programmes, photographs, video tapes, local history booklets etc. These local records can then be copied to build a living history digital archive for each club. The initiative will also encourage older members to record their own memories associated with these records. The details of how this will be handled will be announced in the coming weeks.
The committee will consist of Chairperson: Grainne Frayne; East Mayo: Aingeal Ui Maicin (Kiltimagh ); North Mayo: James Gibbons Lahardane (Secretary ), Liam Heffron, Moygownagh (History Officer ); South Mayo Jackie Duggan (Claremorris ), John Muldoon (Shrule ); West Mayo: Ann Forry (Achill ), Mary Fergus (Louisburgh ); Michael Lang, Tuar Mhic Éadaigh (Irish Officer ).
