On Wednesday night the revised Mayo GAA Strategic Plan was passed at a county board meeting bringing to an end a messy week inside of Mayo GAA. On Monday morning the Mayo GAA Strategic Action Plan committee, who had been brought in last year to steer the direction of the plan, released a statement disassociating themselves from the draft plan published by the county board which was passed on Wednesday night. The committee, which was chaired by Liam Horan, produced their report last February and it has been a hot topic of debate ever since in Mayo GAA circles.
“The plan was passed by the County Board last night,” Mayo GAA Board chairman, Paddy McNicholas told the Mayo Advertiser yesterday. “It was put before the delegates and accepted.” When asked if there was a vote on the adoption of the plan by the delegates, McNicholas confirmed there was no individual vote. “Once it was presented it was accepted en bloc.”
The plan now has to move up the food chain to get approval, McNicholas explained. “It will now go to Croke Park where it will have to be accepted by them,” he said. “This has been going on for a long time now, since before I became chairman. I’m happy that we have got it done and we’ll look forward to the official launch of it later on.”
The statement issued by the strategic action plan committee released on Monday was very critical of the direction being taken by the county board, stating: “If adopted, it means that Mayo GAA is happy to keep doing what it has always done, thereby continuing to fail to realise its vast potential as a GAA force,” and, “It seems Mayo GAA wishes to keep doing what it has always done, and so no-one in the future should wonder why we will continue to get the results we’ve all too frequently got.”
Before the County Board meeting, Liam Horan spoke to the Mayo Advertiser and had a single message he wanted to get out. “I would just ask the people of Mayo to take a look at the two plans, the one that we prepared and the one that was put forward, and have a think about which one they think offers the best future for GAA in Mayo.”
Countdown to London continues
With little over a week to go before the ball is thrown in on Mayo’s 2011 championship campaign, the countdown has begun. James Horan’s side warmed up last weekend with a challenge match against Offaly in Ballintubber. The visitors came away with a win thanks to a late goal, and manager James Horan was expected to have trimmed his squad for the championship over the past number of days. The game against London will throw in at 3pm next Sunday week, May 29 in Ruislip in London.
