The Irish News Ulster GAA Club & Volunteer Conference 2010

The fourth Irish News Ulster GAA Club & Volunteer Conference will be held on Saturday 6th November 2010 in the Armagh City Hotel. This is Ulster GAA’s flagship non-games event which is focused at supporting club, volunteer and community development right across Ulster’s nine Counties. The Ulster Council supports over 250,000 volunteers working in 580 constituent GAA clubs and approximately 600 constituent educational units across the Province. The theme of this year’s conference is ““Developing the Self Sufficient GAA Club”

The conference will include a range of workshops, keynotes and discussion forums facilitated by leading GAA officials. The focus of which will be sustaining the recent marked development of Ulster clubs in recent years. GAA clubs boast facilities, governance structures, coaching practices, playing standards, and more, which are envied by sporting organisations across the world. Clubs should be congratulated on the standard of operations that they provide for their members and communities. It is important to consolidate the excellent progress that has been made so that the GAA can flourish for the next 126 years and beyond! This may also involve bringing things back to basics, a gentle reminder of what the GAA stands for, and how this fits with the current climate.

Workshops and plenary sessions will inform delegates on developing the volunteer base, fundraising for the next decade, marketing your club, putting the Gaelic into the GAA, and much more. As always a number of high profile GAA figureheads will be in attendance, and other household names. Delegates will have the opportunity to avail of support from local businesses in the stall-area, and generally to mix with gaels from other clubs.

Laura Treanor, Runai of Emyvale GAA Club attended last year and was very impressed with the event, “the Ulster Club and Volunteer Conference is a great opportunity for Gaels from all over the Province to meet and exchange views to benefit Club and Community. The many interactive workshop sessions are a great opportunity to seek help and advice on many aspects of the Association… a great GAA day to catch up with old friends and make some new ones too!”

Registration for the event will be opening in the coming months and we would urge clubs to book early given the huge demand in 2007, 2008, and 2009, numbers are limited to 400 delegates.

Delegate Costs are £20/€25 for the day. Clubs are limited to five places each. To book a place e-mail conference.ulster@gaa.ie