President-elect looks to future

GAA:LIAM O'NEILL was last night endorsed as the GAA's president-elect. This was a formality as his opponents had all withdrawn from the race long before the association's annual congress got under way in the Mullingar Park hotel in Westmeath.

O’Neill, from the Trumera club in Laois, is a former chair of the Leinster Council. He contested the last election three years ago, and will now take up the office in 12 months at the conclusion of Christy Cooney’s term of office.

A school principal in Trumera, his family this year mark 100 unbroken years teaching in the local school.

“I said the day before the election in Sligo that I didn’t like elections and wished we’d a better way of selecting a leader,” he told a press conference yesterday evening.

“I didn’t think when I made that statement that the GAA would take it so much to heart that they would elect me unopposed the next time. If all of my requests in the future are met with the same positivity I’ll be a very happy president.”

Asked about the role of congress, he said he favoured a change in the format.

“Congress doesn’t add up to the sum of its parts. We’ve 320 of the most talented people in the organisation gathered in a hall for a day and a half and we don’t seem to get the best out of it.

“But it’s an intimidating forum. It’s difficult to get up in front of 320 people. A sharp word or interruption can have an awful effect on a novice speaker.

“We probably need to look at it, break it up and do it differently.”

Later, addressing delegates, he spoke of the need for optimism in difficult circumstances.

“We are facing into interesting times. I hope we can remain strong in our support of the values we hold dear. I spent some time yesterday with representatives of our GAA units from around the world and it was great to hear the term the ‘Global GAA’ being coined.

“In a time when others speak of doom and gloom, it was refreshing to hear people talk confidently of development and expansion.

“I want to help to facilitate that optimism. At times lately we have begun to take things too seriously at the expense of the fun side of being involved in the GAA. I want to do the important things well, but I want people to enjoy being part of our wonderful organisation.”

Earlier at last night’s Central Council meeting, it was decided to grant the interprovincial competition, formerly the Railway Cup, its latest reprieve.

The tournament has suffered from dwindling profile since its heyday in the 1950s and hasn’t been played since 2009.

It was anticipated after last year’s congress the interprovincials would not be revived, but a campaign to prevent their abolition has been successful in creating a U-turn by the association.

It is unlikely the competition will be played this year with an International Rules series due in the autumn, so 2012 will be the next staging, after which a review process will take place which will determine the long-term future of the interprovincials.