Cork board set to receive biggest slice of GAA cake again

The GAA redistributed more than 80% of the revenue it took in 2013 – with Cork receiving the biggest slice of funding.

Over €54m was taken in by the association last year, and once operating costs of approximately €10m were met, the remainder was distributed to various units of the association.

Cork took in €1.258m, ensuring it was the greatest recipient, a situation which is likely to remain for 2014 as central funding will be provided for the redevelopment of Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

The county’s Central Council delegate, Des Cullinane, who revealed the figures at Tuesday night’s county board meeting, points out that the county’s size is a big factor in determining funding.

“The figure takes into account all monies which went to Cork,” he said, “including the percentage of national league receipts, team expenses for travelling to All-Irelands and then grants to clubs too, the highest of which were about €16,000 or €17,000.

“Cork has more clubs than any other county and then when you factor in that there was an All-Ireland hurling final and replay it all adds up. It’s likely there’ll be an announcement about the Páirc Uí Chaoimh redevelopment after the next Central Council meeting in August. There’s a precedent there with the likes of Thurles and Casement Park, I’d imagine you’d be looking at a grant in terms of millions rather than hundreds of thousands.”

The 2013 figures reflect well on previous years and Cullinane is optimistic this trend will continue.

“The operating costs, like wages and stadium maintenance, have reduced year-on-year,” he said.

“Attendances were up, though revenue for attendances was slightly down due to package deals, but the figures more than held their own. If we take in €64m in 2014, I’d imagine that you’d see at least 80% of that going out too. The money went everywhere, as far afield as New York and Shanghai, so everybody benefits.”

Meanwhile, it is becoming clear that the proposed integration of the GAA, camogie and ladies football under one umbrella will be a slow process.

One of GAA President Liam O’Neill’s stated aims, (the merging of all three associations) is something which has to be treated delicately, according to Cullinane, after it was discussed at the last Central Council meeting.

“It is a challenge to pull all three together,” he said.

“It’s a non-runner that the GAA would just take over the other two, this is something which has to be done in a non-threatening way so the whole Gaelic family can pull together and we can say to the Irish Sports Council we have 1.1m members or whatever the figure may be. There are issues with property and insurance and something like this could never happen in the space of three or four months.

“At central level, it’ll be fine in that the CEOs of camogie and ladies football will report to the GAA’s CEO while retaining their independence, sort of like the EU.

“There will be joint-ventures with sponsorship and things like that and the relationship will grow over the years, but at club level it will need a softy, softly approach. Some ladies football teams take players from the hinterlands of four or five different GAA clubs so there are issues to be ironed out and all that will take time.

“Things are moving towards unity and fighting our corner from a position of strength but it’s not something which will happen overnight.”