Long-serving Rock tipped to succeed Banahan at crisis-hit Roscommon

ROSCOMMON’S GAA delegates will get a chance to air their views about the county’s €1.5m financial crisis at an extraordinary general meeting of the board on July 21.

This follows confirmation that county chairman Stephen Banahan has stepped down from his post, after weeks of speculation that he would be departing.

Mr Banahan has been at the centre of many of the controversies that have dogged Roscommon in recent years, coming to a head this year with the present mess.

Mr Banahan’s letter of resignation was read out at a meeting of the Board on Tuesday night, but it is not yet clear if he will play any further part in teasing out how the board’s finances fell into such a parlous state.

The auditors are to present their findings to Croke Park’s finance committee tonight and this will pave the way for the egm in two weeks’ time.

In Mr. Banahan’s absence, vice-chairperson Michael Maguire will step into the breach, but already there is speculation that long-serving official Mick Rock might be the choice for the future.

Mr. Banahan’s statement read as follows:

“After giving careful consideration over a number of months, and in the light of all the controversy and the most recent results for our senior team, I have decided to step down from the position as county board chairman.

“I feel that a complete rebuilding should take place and that this should be done under new and fresh leadership. The newly elected chairman will be moving forward with it, and it will give him an opportunity in the quiet period over the next couple of months to put the necessary plans in place.

“This is not a decision that I have taken lightly, but it is in the best interests of the GAA in the county.

"As I look back on my term of office as chairman, the first half was very successful, winning a Connacht senior championship (2001), Connacht U21 (1999) and All-Ireland junior title (2000), but the second half has seen the county clouded in controversy. Unfortunately that has taken its toll on myself personally and on my family.

“Sometimes this controversy brought a lot of criticism, maybe some of it was due, but some of it was undue also, but I am satisfied that at all times I dealt with this in the best interests of Roscommon GAA. I have served on the executive committee for the past 24 or 25 years in a completely voluntary capacity.”

“My successor and the GAA in Roscommon can be assured of my support at all times. Finally, after giving long service to the GAA in this county, I ask that at this time my family and I be allowed to carry on with our private lives.”