Recession bites hard for Galway Football Board

THE difficulties being faced by the GAA in the recession has been illustrated with Galway Football Board reporting a 50% drop in money raised through fundraising and a further 25% reduction in the amount received from sponsorship and commercial activity.

The figures produced in Galway are set to be repeated at county conventions all over the country this month as the GAA counts the cost of the downturn. Galway Football Board chairman John Joe Holleran summed it up when he stated that there wasn’t ‘a home or family in the country’ that had not been hit by the recession.

But despite the massive drop in sponsorship and fundraising, Galway Football Board managed to return a profit in 2009 by slashing their cost base.

Income for the year was €872,878, down from €999,689 the previous year, but expenditure was reduced from €823,746 to €814,897. “In the circumstances, it is a credit to the people running Galway Football Board that they were able to achieve a surplus in such trying conditions,” said Gerry Larkin, the chairman of the over-arching Galway County Board. An increase in gate receipts – the Galway SFC final went to a replay this year – from €263,688 to €304,570 helped keep the balance sheet in the black.

The biggest drop was in fundraising activities with the 2008 figure of €180,434 plummeting to just €91,081. Sponsorship and other commercial income dropped from €279,141 to €213,699.

Travel and catering for the Galway senior football panel cost €179,700, down from €193,285 the previous year.

“There is no doubt it has been a difficult year for many people and groups,” said chairman John Joe Holleran.

“We are happy with our performance on the financial front but that is thanks to the many people who gave countless hours of their time to help out.

“Securing smaller amounts from greater numbers of people proved to be our backbone this year,” said the Clonbur native in north Connemara who has been returned unopposed for a third term.