The 47 GAA clubs in Westmeath are to receive a total of €2.5m investment over the next three years, president of the association Christy Cooney revealed in an address to Westmeath County Council this week.
This will include €1.2m earmarked for the county’s centre of excellence at St Loman’s which will include Westmeath’s first full-size astroturf GAA pitch.
Cooney, accompanied to the council chamber by his county chairman and secretary Tommy Farrell and Pat Lynagh, was in Westmeath as part of his tour of the nation, which has seen him visit 630 clubs in his tenure to date, and visit all local authorities to update them on how his organisation is progressing throughout the country.
In this he was ably assisted by Westmeath’s two youth development officers Eddie Bouabbse and James Heffernan, who preceded his address with a presentation to the council about how the association was progressing, predominantly in primary schools, but also in disadvantaged areas.
Nearly 2,000 kids in Westmeath had participated in indoor hurling and camoige, and football blitzes since Christmas.
Nationally, over 80,000 children took part in the VHI Cúl camps in 2010, and this was made possible because of the GAA’s approach to the garda vetting of its coaches. The association hopes to have 20,000 so cleared by the end of 2011.
“We’re far ahead of any other organisation,” said Mr Cooney, who revealed the association invested €11m a year in coaching.
Nearly every councillor took the opportunity to thank and praise the GAA president, and get the home club plug in, but it was the sentiment of Cllr Paddy Hill that cracked the most smiles when he turned to the two development officers and pleaded that: “Will you please teach them to learn to kick the ball, because this handpassing is ruining the game”.
Cllr Gabrielle McFadden wanted to know if the GAA could work with the other field sport organisations and attempt some co-ordination of training times “because kids shouldn’t have to choose between codes”.
“Although they’re much more likely to play for Westmeath than Arsenal or Chelsea,” she cheekily added.
Before leaving the chamber, Mr Cooney congratulated county hurler and Fianna Fáil councillor, John Shaw on his recent marriage.
“I hope it doesn’t interfere with your hurling,” joked the Corkman.
