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Throughout the year there were countless posts on here blaming the county board for everything wrong with the GAA within the county.
I and some others pointed out that those who felt strongly enough should put their name forward for next years county board and try and make the changes they thought were necessary. It appears the annual convention was held last week and essentially the same board was elected unopposed so perhaps they are not doing a bad job after all? Fair play to the guys that will keep the show on the road in 2015 and to those who will spend 2015 criticising them well there is always 2016 to go forward for election! For the record:

The following Officers were elected for 2015 - (O) = outgoing
Chairperson: Padraig Boland (Ferbane) (O)
Vice Chairperson: Joe Higgins (Tubber) (O)
Secretary: Tommy Byrne (Gracefield) (O)
Asst. Secretary: Mary Dunne (Ballyfore) (O)
Treasurer: Jimmy Hogan (Birr) (O)
Asst. Treasurer: Martin Boland (Ballyfore)
Central Council Delegate: Pat Teehan (Coolderry) (O)
Leinster Council Delegate: Joe O'Brien (Drumcullen) (O), Fergal McKeon (Tullamore) (O)
PRO: Eamonn Cusack (Durrow) (O)
Cultural Officer: Damien Martin (St Rynagh's)
Development Officer: James Murphy (Rhode)
Childrens Officer: Dolores Slevin (KIlcormac/Killoughey)

Fair play to any and all who put themselves forward; it's easy to criticize from the outside. Sometimes it's easy to zone in on one aspect, and miss the bigger picture and all of the other factors that have to be aligned in order to make everything fit. I suppose all that anyone can fairly ask is that steps are taken to rectify previous mistakes, and small improvements come in across the board.
One area I'd like to see would be a more streamlined minor championship this year. With regards the county teams in both codes, I suppose league promotion would be a priority target, with a more definitive, less damage-limitation approach to establishing a playing style. U21's would probably have to be taken on a game by game basis, but I would always prefer to see separate management teams in place with each, or at least separate coaching sessions under part of the senior management. Minor footballers have a tough opening round in Dublin, but that's infinitely preferable to Kilkenny and burning your backdoor option. Minor hurling will be tough, but if steps are taken to improve the first touch and reactions, there should be a few players that will graduate to become good u21 and eventually senior players. Rome wasn't built in a day vs The journey of a thousand miles...

Bit of ignorance on an outsider's part here but is that name for the Culural Officer "the Damien Martin" ?

It sure is, Umpire.

Heshs Umpire wrote:Bit of ignorance on an outsider's part here but is that name for the Culural Officer "the Damien Martin" ?

Plain of the Herbs wrote:It sure is, Umpire.

Heshs Umpire wrote:Bit of ignorance on an outsider's part here but is that name for the Culural Officer "the Damien Martin" ?

Fair play to him for putting something back into the organisation.

The lack of challenge that the outgoing county board were met with in my opinion is down to the irrelevance of Offaly GAA at the moment.
there is a real lack of appetite for anybody to get involved in Offaly GAA. In my opinion this is down to the poor leadership and management by the county board executive at the moment and also over the last number of years.

So lets be very honest here and not kid ourselves. Offaly GAA is a complete mess at the moment and shows absolutely no sign of improving.
Can it get any worse, yes it again and unfortunately that's what's going to happen.

The county executive have put their names forward and deserve to be judged and assessed. A mentality has built up in Offaly over the past number of years and that includes Players, County Board and Media! Nobody can take any feedback anymore without getting the hump!
At end of the day we all need to look at ourselves in the mirror and see did we do everything in our power to make Offaly GAA the best it can be. The county executive are failing miserably in my opinion at the moment. Un Camino es beuno!

Offalys Future wrote: In my opinion this is down to the poor leadership and management by the county board executive at the moment and also over the last number of years................................ The county executive are failing miserably in my opinion at the moment.

Jeez lads does anyone know how this could be changed? Are there any possible mechanisms in place with which the county board executive could be replaced or changed to allow all these lads onto it who have great ideas and the magic wand with which to solve our ongoing crisis?
Whats this I hear you say?.........it was on a couple of weeks ago, oh silly me.

my point exactly.
there was no change because nobody cares anymore.
In the past clubs and delegates would have fought tooth and nail for changes.
Nobody wants the hassle anymore.

Offaly GAA has become irrelevant.

Just wondering Offaly's Future what role you applied for within the county board or do you think this is the best place to cure all the ills in Offaly GAA? Hate to break it to you, but if you really want to bring about real change in Offaly GAA, get out from behind the keyboard & get involved, and that's not just for you...that's for anyone who loves to stick the knife in our county board...because it's 1 thing to see the problems, it's something very different to actually do something about it!!

the Untouchable wrote:because it's 1 thing to see the problems, it's something very different to actually do something about it!!

nonsense. two good people and some forward thinking would solve allot of Offaly's problems at the moment. In my opinion of course!

and just to note I did apply for the administrator position with a cover letter saying I did not want to be paid and if I had to be paid I would but Offaly GAA lottery tickets with the salary. NO REPLY!

I was also made aware at a funeral lately that a real effort was made by a number of ex hurlers who contacted the county board to get involved and they were not interested.

Like I have always said there is plenty people interested in helping Offaly GAA but aren't been afforded the opportunity by the county executive. Like I have also said recently in the past club delegates would be in uproar with the way things are been run.. But no nothing not a word! Offaly GAA is becoming irrelevant.

Offaly GAA needs serious reform ASAP. And when they do decide eventually to open their eyes and see that there is genuine interested people within the county who want to help and are capable of helping. And if they ever hold an open forum again maybe some of the county executive will have the balls to stand on the stage and answer questions rather than leaving 2 men from Kilkenny and a businessman from banagher to answer questions. (In my opinion one of the worst acts of leadership I have ever witnessed)

The only good news that came out of the recent convention was that some of the county board will only be staying one more year.

people don't care about what is going on at county board level in offaly anymore. all you have to do is see how many go to the hurling and football games in tullamore during the year. and to make matters worse the people who are running the county board over the last few years have no history of any winning in there lives, fair enough you don't need a county board with 4 or 5 all ireland winners on it
but you need someone with a bit of history as a winner in the game let it be football or hurling. Damien Martin is on board this year we will see how it goes.

i hear before the christmas that 1 or 2 were thinking of going they didn't but they are saying this the last number of years also but never leave, but as some said here if there is no fall out again the county board and no one cares well what can you do your just stuck with the same muppets year in year out we will be back writing the same thing going into 2016 i have no fear we will.

These posts are hilarious! Anyone can put there name forward for convention. Where were all the ex players names at convention time? Easy to say co board weren't interested but it is not up to them. Those past players should start representing their clubs at county board meetings during the year and run in Dec next for positions then.
The treasure who retired was winning manager for the hurlers in 1981 town man,so don't know where you are going with that one. But then again if the person is not from South Offaly you wpont give them due recognition!

Truesupporter wrote: Easy to say co board weren't interested but it is not up to them.

It's not up to county board to go and meet past players who contacted them and showed an interest in Coaching teams and putting correct structures and coaching in place at all levels, clubs, schools and county teams?
Are you serious? Jesus Christ.

Even he can't do it for Offaly. As Pat Flanagan says it's onwards from here n get on with the job!

Truesupporter wrote:Even he can't do it for Offaly. As Pat Flanagan says it's onwards from here n get on with the job!

that's the attitude lads. get on with it and horse into it.
no plans, no direction and ultimately no results.