Galway GAA finances 'stabilised', county board treasurer says

Galway GAA is now the most financially regulated county in the country.

That was the claim made today by Galway county board treasurer Mike Burke when revealing that the county’s debt, which stood at €3.5m in 2017, has been reduced to €2m.

Burke said county board finances have been “stabilised” and predicted a bright future for Galway GAA.

The Galway treasurer met with club delegates on Thursday evening to pore through the county board accounts for 2019. Despite a reduction in expenditure, the county accrued an overall loss of €261,248 for 2019. This marked a significant downturn on the surplus of €373,831 recorded in 2018.

Burke explained that €140k in legal and professional fees to deal with a historical case, which he inherited when taking up office two years ago, and the €300k spend on the 2018 end of season Galway hurling team holiday were contributory factors in the 2019 deficit. The treasurer informed delegates last night that he is confident of returning a surplus for 2020.

“In 2017, when taking up the position of treasurer, I understood clearly the challenges and how there was going to be no quick fix to our financial problems. Major improvements in the financial management of Galway GAA [have been made],” Burke told Galway Bay FM this morning.

I can say, without contradiction, that at the present time we are, arguably, the most regulated GAA county in Ireland, from a financial perspective.

“The last couple of years, there has been a lot of turmoil. It is time we draw a line in the sand. There is too much negativity and too much negative publicity about Galway GAA.

“We sold Mountain South and we have paid back our ticket debt with Croke Park. Galway GAA finances are stabilised. A large portion of our remaining debt, €1.7m, is owed to Croke Park. We have an agreement with them, regarding that debt, that we'll pay them €100,000 a year for the next five years, which is easily achievable.

“Galway is not a basket case. There are other counties that owe way more than Galway does. We are a huge county and we are well capable of handling our debt.”

Burke, no more than county board secretary Seamus O’Grady did in his report to convention, thanked Pat and Una McDonagh of Supermacs for their continued sponsorship of Galway GAA.

"We have invested in our four county grounds and we have a great centre of excellence in Loughgeorge. The future is bright for Galway.

“Gate receipts income in 2016 was €600k. In 2019, they were €1m. That’s a 60% increase. That is down to control and transparency. Our club gate receipts play a massive part in funding Galway GAA.”