Search Results for 'GAA HQ'

Well-known entrepreneur and experienced investor Tom O’Gorman has checked-in to Galway’s vibrant hotel market with the purchase of the Clybaun Hotel in Knocknacarra, in a deal valued in excess of €3m. The Hotel Clybaun was offered for sale on the instructions of the joint receivers, Patrick Dillon and Michael McAteer of Grant Thornton.

Westmeath 1-09

I arrived early at GAA HQ last Sunday as I like to soak up the pre match atmosphere of All-Ireland final day. Normally there is a great buzz in and around Croke Park from about 10am and last Sunday was no different. I was privileged to have been asked to do co-commentary for the minor game and match analysis on the big one, so I had to be in the grounds by 12.45. As it happened, I also received an invitation from the GPA to attend a pre-match reception in Jurys Croke Park at 12 noon. It was a gig for former inter-county footballers and was an excellent idea as the opportunities to meet and chat with former players from other counties are few and far between. In fact during our playing years we would barely look at each other never mind hang about for a chat after matches. So unless you participate in some of the GAA golf classics, you rarely get a chance to say hello. And I don’t play golf! My friend Pat Holmes had arrived at the reception before I got there and, unfortunately for me, had devoured most of the sandwiches. Notwithstanding that minor complaint, the 30 minutes I spent at the pre match event was pleasant. I chatted with Greg Blaney, the former Down centre-forward, and John Lynch, corner back with Tyrone in the eighties. I asked both for their pre match predictions. Neither of them could see anything other than a Kerry victory. And that was the general consensus in and around Croke Park prior to the match, with the exception of the Dublin folk of course.

All roads lead to Croke Park this Saturday if you are a primrose and blue supporter as both the minor and senior footballers are in action in GAA headquarters. The hugely talented minor side take on Armagh in the All-Ireland quarter-final at 2pm. Having won the Connacht title in decisive fashion against Galway, confidence is high that they can go at least a step or two further.

The senior inter county championship has got off to a predictably drab start. Isn’t it a shame that we never have any fanfare attached to the commencement of our showcase GAA competition? The GAA just do the marketing thing any way at all. And looking at some of the attendances so far this year, one must draw the conclusion that it is time GAA HQ smartened up their act in this regard.

John O’Mahony and his senior management team are more than likely disappointed with Keith Higgins’ decision to play hurling for Mayo rather than travel to NY for Mayo’s championship opener on Sunday week. The Mayo hurlers will play Kerry in their championship opener on the same weekend. The talented corner- back has just returned to Ireland having spent a number of months in Australia. Keith did however line out last week in Mayo’s challenge match against Kildare in Kiltoom. I expect that the Mayo management are delighted to have their ace defender back in plenty of time for the bigger challenges ahead, but would have liked if he could have travelled to the Big Apple for the weekend. However it should not have come as a huge surprise that he declared for the hurlers as Keith has always declared his love of hurling and it is no secret that it is his preferred game. This is the first time that both codes have clashed on a championship weekend, which is unfortunate as it has forced Keith to declare his preference. Coincidentally, I met with Martin Brennan, the Mayo county senior hurling manager, during the week who told me that he was thrilled that Keith opted to play in Mayo’s Christy Ring Championship encounter with Kerry. It was not a total surprise to him either as he had been in touch with Keith frequently over the last number of weeks once he was aware of the imminent clash of fixtures.

From Kilkenny’s four in a row, to Ireland’s success against England and France on route to an historic Grand Slam title, the women of Cork making it five, and the show stopping GAA 125 celebrations, the Croke Park Annual is a must have compendium of images, stories and highlights from the year at GAA HQ.

•The Adventures of Championship & Other Cruciate Stories, a humorous GAA CD.If you love Gaelic games, you’ll love this, says RTE broadcaster Des Cahill. “Real on-the-button GAA humour that gets to the heart of what the GAA is all about. The CD features a collection of 18 radio essays first broadcast on RTE Drivetime Sports over the past three summers. The collection, by journalist Liam Horan, includes the character, Championship Man, which was first created by Horan in the summer of 2007 and became a favourite on the Drivetime Sports programme. The CD (€15) can be purchased on www.ChampionshipMan.com. or email: [email protected]