ALL is well on the western front if the Carbery GAA convention in Kilbrittain on Friday is anything to go by.

Maybe the good-feel factor of the centenary gala ball the previous week was still in the air as the entire business of the meeting was dealt with in 90 minutes with scarcely a complaint from any delegate. With no motion on the clár, debate was at a premium and the reports by the various officers were all adopted with little comment.

The good mood of the large attendance was understandable in light of a fine season for Carbery, on and off the pitch. Off the pitch, the centenary of the division had been marked during the year with a number of top-class events, including the unveiling of centenary plaques at Bandon and Kilbrittain, two of the five founding clubs; an outstanding Carbery Centenary Day in Dunmanway during which all 26 clubs, as well as schools and referees, put up stands highlighting their histories; a get-together of officers of the Carbery Board, past and present, in the O’Donovan Rossa pavilion; a highly-entertaining centenary Scór concert in Ballinascarthy; and the gala ball in Bantry, attended by the uachtarán, Jarlath Burns.

The Carbery GAA centenary year came to a close on Friday night when Carbery president Seamus Coakley unveiled a special plaque at Kilbrittain's new dressing-rooms. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

On the playing pitches, all 11 championships were completed on schedule, providing some great games, as were the various leagues, the season culminating on a high with Kilbrittain premier junior hurlers capturing the county and Munster titles and Kilmacabea winning the county junior A football title.

Little wonder then that only a few minor complaints were raised on the night. Pat O’Flynn of Ballinascarthy expressed concern that the U21 championships were being moved from February to July/August for 2026. This season some clubs were lucky to be able to play the hurling early, while others were caught in championship time in July/August. In years gone by the U21 championships had been played in March, which suited all clubs, but because of Cork U20 demands, 300 to 400 club players were being penalised for the sake of a dozen county players. July would prove very difficult for clubs, he stated, because of clashes with adult championships. Kevin O’Flynn agreed, saying that February suited many clubs because it helped to get the young players out early in the season and they could then be enticed to keep playing in adult ranks.

Muintir Bháire delegates Tom Spillane, Timmy O'Sullivan and David O'Mahony. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

Secretary Don Desmond pointed out that the county board executive had discussed the matter with the divisional officers and a few options had been discussed. It was decided to trial July in 2026 because of weather problems in February. It should be possible to play the first rounds of football and hurling in early July, before the adult championships kick in, he said. Chairman David Whyte said that the U21 championships were very important to the divisions but they had been ‘kicked around’ during the last few years.

Dermot Hayes of Kilbrittain expressed disappointment that his club had been very harshly expelled from the semi-final of the U21 hurling championship. They had played the semi-final of the Munster junior hurling semi-final on a Saturday and had been unable to fulfil the U21 game the following day. They had informed the board well in advance they could be in trouble with the fixture. It was explained that the CCC had to make that decision because the county board deadline had left no option for a re-fixture.

St Oliverr Plunkett's delegates Peter Dowling, Kevin O'Flynn and Pat Keohane. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

Disappointment was also expressed that no match programmes had been available for a couple of important championship games during the season but it was explained that those games had been difficult to fix and it was only at the last minute that venues were found for them, with no time for the host clubs to produce programmes. It was also proposed that the programmes for junior finals should be the responsibility of the board and not the host club. The CCC will look into that.

Aidan O’Rourke complimented the board on introducing the Lyons Cup for first year hurling in the secondary schools. Everything possible should be done to promote hurling in the division, he said.

Treasurer Pat Joe Connolly showed a very healthy balance in the accounts but it was the junior finals from 2024 that were shown as the 2025 finals were not played in time for the report. The large increase in referees’ expenses was questioned but it was pointed out that in 2025 for the first time, the linesmen were also paid a fee for championship games, hence the large increase since the previous year.

St Mary's Louis Whyte with his sons Mark and David at the Carbery GAA Convention. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

Communications officer Tim Buckely said that all events during the season, especially for the centenary celebrations, were greatly supported by the clubs and the WhatsApp group for club PROs was working very well, full credit to the clubs.

Oifigeach Chultúra Gabrielle Crowley had the good news that the Carbery division now produced the largest numbers in the various Scór competitions in the whole county and even though no All-Irelands had been won this season, Carbery Rangers had contested two competitions. The Centenary Scór in Rosscarbery, with Aidan O’Rourke as MC, had been a great success despite the atrocious weather on the night.

A comprehensive coaching report was received from GDA James McCarthy, showing a huge amount of coaching activity in the division during the season. Plans are underway to get a Carbery U15 hurling team into the county premier U15 hurling championship, which would be a huge boost to underage hurling in Carbery.

Kilbrittain officers and delegates with their county and Munster trophies; from left, Denis Healy, Oliver O'Brien, Dermot Hayes, Susan O'Brien and Micheál Whelton. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

Referees’ administrator Stephen Murphy reported on the setting up of a referees’ assistance group, which was working hand in hand with the referees and proving very successful. He also had good news that seven new referees were operating at underage level in Carbery, and he complimented the large number of referees from Carbery who had officiated at county board games, including two finals at premier intermediate hurling and senior A hurling. It underlined the high standard of refereeing among Carbery referees.

Meetings were ongoing to finalise the Carbery senior football and hurling management teams for 2026. There will be a new format for the divisional sections next season, with Carbery footballers being seeded but there was criticism of county board that the winning divisional team had to play the county quarter-final the day after its players had played with their own clubs in quarter-finals.

Carbery GAA outgoing president Séamus Coakley of Diarmuid Ó Mathúnas with the incoming president Frank Long, Bandon. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

Representing the county board was planning officer Susan O’Brien, a member of the local club. She said she had visited most clubs in the county so far and promised the clubs in Carbery that she would soon be visiting them in the new year. The future held many problems such as declining numbers in rural clubs and expanding numbers in urban areas, two sides of the same GAA coin. There was often tension with the county board but they were all doing their best to find solutions to various problems.

Delegates were welcomed to Kilbrittain by chairman of the club Dermot Hayes, who thanked the board for giving them the Carbery junior A hurling final and the convention as they were one of the founding clubs in 1925.

Prior to convention a centenary plaque had been unveiled at the Kilbrittain dressing-rooms by uachtarán Séamus Coakley to mark the closing of Centenary Year.

The Carbery GAA committee. Seated, Susan O'Brien, Cork County Board representative; Tim Buckley (Dohenys), PRO; David Whyte (St Mary's), chairman; Frank Long (Bandon), president, and Don Desmond (Bandon), secretary. Back, from left, Tom Lyons, (Clonakilty); Joe Crowley, (Randal Óg); Gabrielle Crowley (Randal Óg), cultural officer; Martina Burns (Clann na nGael), vice-chairperson; Pat Joe Connolly (Bantry Blues), treasurer, and Stephen Murphy (Bandon), referee administrator. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

Also, to mark the closing of the Centenary Year, a parade of all clubs who had won championships ‒ 11, in all ‒ this year was held at the start of the convention in their club colours and with their cups. Leading the parade were Kilbrittain premier junior hurling team with the county and Munster cups. Included in the 11 were Kilmacabea (junior A football and county), Ballinascarthy (junior A hurling), Dohenys (junior B football), Bantry Blues (junior B hurling), Gabriel Rangers (junior C football), Ibane Gaels (U21A football), Newcestown (U21A hurling), St Colum’s (U21B football), Ahán Gaels (U21B hurling), Ilen Rovers (U21C football), and Dohenys (U21C hurling).

The cupán tae and refreshments by the local club were most welcome as the rain lashed off the hall roof before the delegates headed for home and a well-earned rest until a new season begins all over again in January.