Aogán Ó Fearghail elected Uachtarán

The 107th Ulster Council GAA Convention was held in Cootehill County Cavan on Saturday 27th February. There were major changes to the membership of the Ulster Council with many county and educational body delegates stepping down due to the GAA five year term limit on County officers.

The following officers were elected for 2010-2013 term

• President: Aogán Ó Fearghail (Cavan)
• Vice President: Martin McAviney (Monaghan)
• Treasurer: Michael Hasson (Antrim)
• PRO: Oliver Galligan (Cavan)
• Past-President: Tom Daly will remain an officer of the Council until 2011 while Provincial Director Danny Murphy acts as full-time Secretary of the Council.

In a wide ranging speech new President Aogán Ó Fearghail outlined the priorities for this Presidency; he stressed the need for the GAA to remain relevant and outlined the following key areas of development:

• Focusing on improving and supporting the role of the GAA Volunteer
• Improving Gaelic Games, encouraging more success but also focusing on enhancing the enjoyment of the Games by encouraging the Family and Community aspects of the Association
• Enhancing the Gaelic in the Gaelic Athletic Association by further enhancing the cultural and language activities of the Association in Ulster
• Dealing with the important issue of fixture congestion
• Continuing to develop the Integration and Diversity agenda
• Supporting the ongoing development of Clubs at grassroots level by the continued roll out of the Club Maith programme.

Aogán Ó Fearghail has had an extensive record of service to the GAA.  He is a member of Drumgoon Eire Og where he played football. He played handball at local club level and was introduced to GAA administration through Handball. At St Patricks College, Drumcondra, Aogán played hurling and football with the Erins Hope club and handball with the college team. He also toured Scotland with a colleges shinty team. Aogán was secretary of the college Handball club and assistant secretary of the Hopes GAA club when they won the Dublin Senior championship in 1979. Aogán has served his club at all administrative levels and he established juvenile football in the club. He has also coached juvenile teams at under age level for 25 years and continues to coach at schools and club level.

Aogán served as club delegate to Cavan county board, was Cavan Irish language officer and for 12 years was Cavan’s delegate to Ulster Council. He has chaired several GAA Committees including the National IT and Communications Committee which two years ago launched the GAA’s first IT Strategy. He currently serves as member of the National Strategic Development Committee. At Ulster level he recently completed a three year term as Chairman of the Provincial Hurling Committee and was responsible for the development of the second Ulster Hurling Strategy; he also was Chair of the Provincial Integration Committee and overseen the development of the Ulster Confederation of Councils “Aontacht Uladh”.

Following his election as President, Aogán has become the first person to serve as PRO, Treasurer, Vice President and President of the Ulster Council.