Kingdom in favour of keeping Croker open

KERRY County Convention last night voted unanimously to give the Central Council the power to open Croke Park to non GAA activities after the present agreement with rugby and soccer expires.

Dermot Moynihan, who said he was standing in for the former President of the GAA, Sean Kelly, who was out of the country, proposed a motion on behalf of the Kilcummin Club that the current arrangement regarding the use of Croke Park for other than GAA games be made permanent.

He recalled how Kerry had proposed a similar motion some years ago and stressed the positive affect it had on the economy.

Seconding the motion, Tom Randles (Kilgarvan) said the GAA could be proud of what it had done and equally Sean Kelly could be proud for getting it passed.

“It would be a shame to close it at this stage when clubs badly need money,” he said. “The finance come down from those funds to develop our games and to help our clubs.”

The Chairman, Jerome Conway, said the GAA was quite right doing what it did and Sean Kelly was to be congratulated on getting the motion through at Congress.

“However there is no request yet from either of the associations for the use of Croke Park,” he said. “Obviously when the new AVIVA stadium is opened there will be contracts to be honoured and it is highly unlikely there will be any requests.

“Rather than touting for business it would be more appropriate to allow Central Council to deal with requests when they come. I am not against the principle of the motion but rather the way they would go about it.”

Ger McKenna, a former Chairman of the County Board and a Central Council Delegate for more than 40 years, said while he did not think anybody had any objection to the principle involved in the motion they would want to be very careful how they proceed.

“That is a GAA field – something built up by the Association of which we feel proud,” he said. “When other organisations were in trouble and had no place to play their international games, I could call those exceptional circumstances and the GAA was not found wanting. It has to be in exceptional circumstances. We don’t want Croke Park to become a commonage.

“I would say that the motion could be rephrased giving to the Central Council power to open Croke Park up in exceptional circumstances.”

Shane O’Callaghan, Chairman of Kilcummin Club said their revised motion was that the word permanent be removed and that Central Council would have the remit to open the stadium for future non GAA activities.

The motion was carried in this format.

In a historic move for the County Committee, Peter Twiss of Milltown/Castlemaine was installed as Kerry’s first full time secretary.

Despite all their success overall team expenses were reduced by €36,000 according to the Treasurer, John Joe Carroll, while costs for senior football were down €54,000.

He told delegates that training expenses for the All-Ireland winning senior football team amounted to €253,486 compared to €296,046 in 2008.

However, medical expenses increased by €9,000 reflecting the medical care required by all teams especially in the periods of the closing stages of the championship.

Physiotherapy and medical expenses for 2009 cost €182,823 compared to €174,310 last year.

Delegates voted unanimously to request Croke Park to allocate more tickets and better tickets to the participating counties in the All-Ireland finals.

Officers for 2010: Chairman: Jerome Conway (Laune Rangers) outgoing.

Vice-Chairman: Patrick O’Sullivan (Dr Crokes) outgoing.

Secretary: Peter Twiss (Milltown/Castlemaine).

Assistant Secretary: Pat McTigue (Kerins O’Rahilly).

Treasurer: John Joe Carroll (Asdee) outgoing.

Assistant Treasurer: Dermot Lynch (Annascaul) outgoing.

Central Council Delegate: Eamonn O’Sullivan (Desmonds).

Munster Council Delegates: Willie O’Connor (Kerins O’Rahilly) and Bernie Reen (Rathmore).

PRO: Maureen O’Shea (Ballymacelligott) outgoing.

Youth Officer: Maurice O’Mahony (Ballydonoghue) outgoing.

Cultural Officer: Diarmuid O Se (Dromid Pearses) outgoing.

Development Officer: Ger Galvin (Spa) outgoing.

Coaching Officer: Michael McCarthy (Milltown/Castlemaine).

Hurling Officer: Joe Walsh (Kilmoyley) outgoing.