Chairman Jim Hanley urges Beara people to attend strategic review meeting

BY KIERAN McCARTHY

BEARA GAA Chairman Jim Hanley insists it’s ‘vital’ that Beara people turn out in large numbers for the upcoming open public meeting on October 26th that’s the first step in the division formulating a strategic plan.

The Beara board put a strategic review committee in place earlier this summer as they look closely at football in the division before producing a plan to develop Beara GAA.

The open public meeting at Scoil Phobail Bhéara on Saturday evening, October 26th, at 6pm, is an important step in this strategic review, as it gives a chance for the people in Beara to voice their opinions and contribute to the conversation.

‘We are looking at our current situation and we are taking stock of where Beara GAA is at,’ Beara chairman Jim Hanley explains.

‘We are doing a lot of good things and maybe there are other things that we can be doing better. We need to stop and see where we are right now, and also look to the future to see if there are things coming down the track – particularly in terms of population decline – that we need to address and try to have a solution ready before they hit us,’ Hanley added, before highlighting the importance of the upcoming public meeting at Scoil Phobail Bhéara in Castletownbere.

‘It’s vital that as many as possible attend this meeting,’ he says.

‘This is true in every club in every division, that people are quick with opinions, so what we are saying to people is that this is your opportunity to come in and say your piece and have it listened to.

‘What we would say to those who come in is listen to everyone else too, listen to the person next to you and let’s see can we come to some broad consensus where we can put a plan in place.’

Hanley added: ‘It would be hoped that a full cross section of Beara people would be in attendance. This meeting is open to anyone from the ages of 18 upwards. The views of our younger generations will also be taken on board through surveys carried out at school.’

Several topics will be discussed at the meeting including underage structures, adult structures, coaching and games development, administration, and finance and fundraising.

The Beara GAA Strategic Review Committee includes Jim Hanley (Bere Island), Shirley Murphy (Glengarriff), Michael Joe O’Sullivan (Adrigole), Brian McCarthy (Urhan), Donal O’Sullivan (Castletownbere) and Paudie Bernie O’Sullivan (Garnish).

The committee hopes it will be in a position to launch a plan before Christmas.