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Chairman's Address to Club AGM - 27 November 2022

2022 was a very busy year both on and off the pitch.

Park
Thank s to David and Tom in relation to all the work around the redevelopment of Fr Tierney pitch and associated works. Credit to Pruty`s for the high quality off the Work to Date. Credit to all the workers involved in the associated site works, Kieran, Eamon, Dinny, Thomas to name a few. Thanks to Peter, and Johnny on match days also to John Magee, Patricia Bradshaw and Linda Clyne.

Hurling
A huge thanks to John Rooney, who stepped away from senior hurling management this year. As a club we owe John a depth of gratitude for all he has given to hurling in Aodh Ruadh over the last 30 plus years. I am sure its only a break for a short time. I wish Barry O'Neill all the best and success in 2023 as senior hurling manager.

Thanks to John Larkin and Orla Bannon for all the work they put into Juvenile Hurling this year, special thanks to John as he leaves the chair role.

Ladies
Thanks to Sarah and Louise for all their hard work with the Ladies committee this year. It was great to field two ladies’ teams again this year. Congratulations to both teams reaching the finals, hard luck to the juniors losing narrowly. All the best in senior ladies football next year to the girls after winning the intermediate championship.

Thanks to all the hard work being done with underage girls football. Ladies football continue to grow in quality and the games are gritty, hard fought and entertaining games.

I continue to harp on regarding ladies’ fees being too expensive for clubs, I hope that the delegates continue to bring this to county board level. It is also worrying trend to see that expenses for referees in ladies’ games are higher than for men’s games. I feel that the LGFA are again increasing costs to the hard-pressed clubs. It also allows for referees to opt out of men’s games to ref ladies games.

Bord na nÓg
Thanks to all involved in Bord na nÓg, Lisa, Brian, Packie and all the managers. A special note of thanks for Lisa who, after 8 years involved in Bord na nÓg is stepping down. Thanks to Brian and Packie for all their work in the coaching officer roles, and also in the Academy.

Childrens officer
Thanks to Paul Touhy for all his hard work over the last two years. Paul is stepping down this year from the role. He has said he will stay involved. Paul has been a pleasure to work with over the last number of years.

Health and well being
Maura has proven to be excellent in the role. There have been many great initiatives, the highlight for me being the All Stars sports group for children with additional needs.

Senior Development Team / Senior Football Thanks to Brian who stepped into reserve team manager role after Matthew Nesson left to go overseas with the Army. Both the development team and the senior set up worked really well together this year, with numbers of over 40 on lots of evenings. It was a good year for the development team and that’s down to all the hard work done they did. As regards the Seniors, thanks to John, Aran, Damien, Kerry, Rodney, Colm, Declan and all the management team. A good year in the league, nearly reaching a final. Thanks to all the players. We were so close against Gaoth Dobhair in quarter final

Scor/Oifigeach Na Gaeilge
Congrats to John Hughes, Paddy Kelly, Eamonn Maguire and Sylvester Maguire on their success in Ulster in Tráth na gCeist.

In other areas, 2023 needs to be year that the club overall gets new ways of funding. We will have another finance meeting in December, the club needs yearly ways of bring in funds, many of the dependably ways in the past are on a downward spiral.

Thanks to the Lotto team of Catherine, John, Betty and Gerard. Thanks to Chis Kelly for all his work on his gear fundraiser. Thanks also to the small Bingo team.

As our club man, Mick McGrath finishes his tenure as County Chairman, we wish him well. He has achieved a huge amount in his time, Convoy is a credit to him and all involved.

Well done to David McLoone for the huge role he has played with the CCCC.

Thanks to left and right without the support of Lisa and Sabrina this job would be extraordinarily difficult

Thanks to Catriona for her patience with me doing this role.

To all the families of the Aodh Ruadh volunteers, thanks for giving us theirs and your time from them. The club would not function without you.

William Doogan
Cathaoirleach

Last modified: Monday, 27 November 2023 at 6:40pm