Live updates: Donegal GAA Annual Convention

The latest updates from the Donegal GAA Annual Convention, which is taking place at Jackson's Hotel in Ballybofey. For latest update, please refresh the page 

FOLKS THAT'S US

11:02pm - Donegal's delegate to National Congress will be Edward Molloy, who beat Mick McGrath  123- 51

10:56pm - "Fergus [McGee] your integrity is still intact and tomorrow you will wake up and you'll still be a gentleman," Dunnion says. "And I want to wish Mary Coughlan the very, very best of luck."

10:52pm - Dunnion describes Erskine as a "formidable opponent" and thanks all who voted for him as he enters his fifth and final year representing the county. The Four Masters clubman also says Fergus McGee "steered the ship through rocky waters and can be very proud having left Donegal GAA in a much better place".

10:51pm - Erskine wishes Dunnion all the best and says that "Donegal is a very well-respected county in GAA circles" and said it has been an honour to represent it. 

10:50pm - Sean Dunnion defeats Niall Erskine 108-65 in the Central Council Officer position

10:47pm - Delegate for National Congress between Mick McGrath and Edward Molloy

10:45pm - Delegate to Ulster convention is next - Andrew Doherty

10:44pm - Cieran Kelly, on the first count, and Andrew Doherty on the fourth, take the Ulster Council Officer roles

10:41pm - In the meantime, Oisín Gallen won the Gradam Shéamuis Mhic Géidigh today, named best player in the Donegal SFC - he's the first player from a team who didn't win the championship to win the award. Here's the piece

10:40pm -The count of the Ulster Council Officers' vote is still taking place 

10:38pm Sean Dunnion and Niall Erskine are contesting the Central Council Officer position

10:33pm - In the meantime, here's what Fergus McGee's address was made up of. You can read Frank Craig's piece here, where McGee noted a lack of support from certain members of the executive, in an otherwise pretty diplomatic address. 

10:32pm - The Ulster Council Officers' vote is almost done

10:28pm - Cora Harvey, Health and Wellbeing, thanks Fergus McGee for all his help over the last 12 months. 

10:26pm - Brendan Kelly, St Mary's Convoy, has five years done and is applauded. 

10:24pm - Dunnion encourages anyone who might have items they want brought forward, then do so. 

10:23pm - Central Council Officer Sean Dunnion says "there was a lot in that Mickey!"

10:22pm - Michael McMahon, Bundoran, talking on a variety of topics, mainly on his dissatisfaction of penalty shootouts and the GAA championship season, concerts, etc. He suggests opening up Croke Park more.

10:13pm - Referees' administrator, Pat Walsh, said seven clubs still have no refs and told them to "sort it out." Walsh thanks Ed Byrne, "who I learned a lot from". 

10:11pm - The outgoing children's officer, Mick McGrath, in his closing speech, congratulates Emlyn Hughes. 

10:08pm - Donegal's Ulster Council Officers will be two from Cieran Kelly, Anthony Doherty, Ciaran McKenna, Liam McElhinney and Kieran Gallagher. There were withdrawals from Alan Boyd, Martin McHugh, Mick Murphy, William Doogan and Frankie Doherty.

10:05pm - Emlyn Hughes, Four Masters, is in as Children's officer

10:04pm - Sinead Breen is "honoured" to step into the role of PRO. "I'm so excited. This is the role I know I can do. I intend to hit the ground running." She thanks the late Marian Donnelly, who since passed away, following Breen's defeat last year. "I'll do you such a service Marian. Donegal deserves 110 percent."

10:01pm Sinead Breen is the new PRO, as Ed Byrne and Sorcha Ní Gallachoir withdraw

10pm - Caitriona uí Suibhne thanks all who helped her out and to all at Donegal who won Ulster County of the Year

9:59pm - Caitriona uí Suibhne defeats Sorcha Ní Gallachoir in the vote, 115-60 to become the Irish and Cultural Officer

9:58pm - McGeehin wishes his successor Damian Diver all the best

9:55pm -  Coaching officer report, from outgoing officer Michael McGeehin is next up 

9:53pm - Hartnett passes on his congrats to Setanta on their Ulster IHC success and says there has "been a huge upsurge" in hurling and says "It's no fluke that progression is being made" thanking the backing received. "Fergus McGee is a gentleman," Hartnett says of the outgoing chairman.

9:50pm - In the meantime, Cormac Harnett, Dungloe, the hurling officer, is speaking and aims to "bring cohesion" having been confirmed as Hurling Officer unopposed

9:48pm - Votes collected and now being counted

9:46pm - For the Irish and Cultural Officer, a straight vote will Caitriona uí Suibhne and Sorcha NíGallachoir contest the position

9:44pm - Damian Diver is the new coaching officer, he gets in without competition with Michael McGeehin and Paul McGonigle withdrawing 

9:43pm - Frankie Doherty is assistant treasurer, unopposed

9:42pm - "I'm honoured and privileged and am looking forward to the challenge. I'm up for the challenge. Thanks to CLG Ard an Rátha for nominating me. Thanks to all who supported me, my husband Sean and family. "

9:40pm Mary Kelly, Ardara, is new assistant secretary

9:39pm - David McLoone returns unopposed as vice-chair

9:38pm - Grace Boyle: "Thanks for the opportunity. It's different role to what it was 10 years ago. Donegal needs the 40 clubs working together."

9:37pm - Treasurer - Grace Boyle gets in unopposed

9:36pm -  Declan Martin: "I'd live to thank everyone and let's work forward together"

9:35pm -  Declan Martin will be secretary for a fifth year

9:34pm - Liam McElhinney on Coughlan: "Tonight we are making headlines for the right reasons" and reminds everyone that St Michael's nominated her. He said his club will give her every support

9:32pm - Mary Coughlan thanks Kelly and Dunnion - "two excellent candidates" - and calls on the new board to have "mutual respect". Mary Coughlan is Donegal GAA's first ever female chairperson

9:30pm - Cieran Kelly, St Naul's, and Four Masters' Sean Dunnion confirm they have withdrawn from the race to succeed Fergus McGee, so it means Mary Coughlan is the new chairperson

9:27pm - The election of officers is (definitely this time) about to start

9:25pm - Connie Maguire, St Eunan's, tells Fergus McGee "some of the delegates had no respect for you" and "thank you for your services. We're glad to see you back on the St Eunan's executive"

9:24pm - The election of officers is about to start

9:23pm - Fergus McGee gains a heartfelt applause from the floor as he steps aside.

9:20pm - "For the new chair (Mary Coughlan) I am here to help, all she has to do is ask."

9:19pm - McGee: "I'll be stepping down from this privileged position. Many members of management worked with me. However I found it difficult to operate. There were those who took exceptions that I called in Croke Park. I believe in the gAA. Respect is important. I had no agenda. I felt I had the support of the clubs."

9:17pm - McGee says he believes that footballers and hurlers can move to the next level, with the Academy. "It was a tremendous honour" McGee says of his one-year. "I know not everyone believed it was best to call in Croke Park. I believe it will leave Donegal in a better place. I hope I didn't offend anyone. I didn't intend to."

9:15pm - "Mistakes were made in the past and I made some myself," McGee said. "I appeal to everyone to put all differences behind us and work together for the good of Donegal. The Croke Park review committee said 'everyone they spoke to had a deep love for Donegal'."

9:14pm - "The Donegal GAA Academy will be back up and running in 2024," McGee said, while saying an operations manager will be a huge benefit. 

9:12pm - "Having worked our way through, we must look to the future and not have a repeat of the issues," McGee added before thanking all who helped the process of getting a senior inter-county manager in the form of Jim McGuinness. "This lifted the county," McGee said. 

9:11pm - Donegal sponsor, Donagh Kelly, "stood by us" McGee said, reflecting on a conversation that took place in March, when things were tough going.

9:10pm - McGee, very magnanimous, compliments a list of bodies as long as his arm, those involved, "too many to mention individually" - committees, sponsors "who stayed with us when the name of Donegal GAA was not in a great place"

9:05pm - Pat Walsh, the referees' administer, is thanked by McGee, who suggests clubs try to promote even two per club. McGee thanks everyone at Convoy, MacCumhaill Park, and O'Donnell Park. Fr Tierney Park will be back in action this Sunday as Donegal face Roscommon in a charity match.

9pm - McGee thanks Declan Bushell and other coaches who tried to keep things on the road with the Donegal U-15 and U-16 panels. At U-17 and U-20, Luke Barrett and Leo McLoone were thanked by McGee, who also congratulated the hurlers from Donegal and Setanta, Ulster IHC winners.

8:59pm - The outgoing chair is discussing the Croke Park review, which took place earlier this year. 

8:57pm - McGee said there are things from 2023, that cannot be "sugar-coated" and thanks Karl Lacey for his Academy work and says he hopes Lacey has something to offer Donegal in a future. McGee also thanked Paddy Carr, Aidan O'Rourke and Paddy Bradley for taking the team in 2023. 

8:56pm -  Outgoing chairman Fergus McGee believes there is optimism after "a difficult year"

8:54pm - Fiona Shiels, PRO, is stepping down, as she confirmed previously, and reminded clubs that they need to reinforce their social media policies

8:53pm - Fiona Shiels report is here

8:52pm - Mickey McMahon, Bundoran, says Edward Molloy, Ardara, and the stewards at matches deserve a round of applause. It follows.

8:49pm - David McLoone, vice-chair, pays tribute to both Ed Byrne and Alan Boyd, as well as Charlie Kerr.

8:46pm - Byrne says "nationally, the CCC have forgotten the clubs" and thanks those who helped him, as well as the clubs who facilitated neutral venue fixtures. Byrne thanks Sharon McGinty, Glenswilly, who looks after underage fixtures.

8:43pm - Ed Byrne, CCC secretary, has in regards to a Donegal Democrat report, no county board official asked Mark Dorrian to change his match report of the Donegal 2022 County Final. Here is the article. 

8:42pm - John Haran, St Eunan's, says clubs are struggling to field reserve teams and it has lost "prestige" but admits this might be a discussion from another night. David McLoone agrees it is worth taking about, perhaps again, to help find some sort of solution.

8:41pm - David McLoone, CCC, says "some of the clubs are doing great work" but admitted that only seven out of 36 clubs entered the U-21 Football Championship, thus making competition formats difficult

8:38pm - McConnell said that Donegal GAA need to "look at the gap" that's developing between the bigger clubs and the rest

8:35pm - John McConnell, Ardara, is saying that there will be continual struggle for rural clubs, where of 72 underage Division 1 titles in the last 10 years, 59 have been won by just six clubs.

8:34pm - David McLoone's report is here

8:33pm - Basically, Brady described the responsibilities of the audit ...

8:31pm - Brady: "Management Committee is required to prepare financial statements for each financial period which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the County Board and the surplus or deficit of the County for that period.

"In preparing those financial statements Management Committee is required to: - select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; - make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; state whether the financial statements have been prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards, identity the standards in question, subject to any material departures from those standards being disclosed and explained in the notes to the financial statements; and - prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the County Board will continue its activities.

"Management Committee is responsible for ensuring adequate accounting records are kept which correctly explain and record the transactions of the County Board and enable at any time the assets, liabilities, financial position and surplus or deficit of the County Board to be determined with reasonable accuracy and enable the financial statements to be audited.

"They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the County Board and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. the Management Committee are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the organisation and inancial information included on the County website. Legislation in Ireland governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions."

8:25pm - "The statements give a true financial view, as of September 2023, and have been properly prepared. We were only appointed recently, and, independent from the county board, and have fulfilled our responsibility. We have no identified any material that is of uncertainly," Brady says. 

8:24pm -  The audit report from Manus Brady, Cashel Business Centre, Block A, Cashel Road, Crumlin, Dublin 12 ...

8:23pm - Alan Boyd's tenure as Donegal GAA treasurer is over

8:22pm - "... and I almost forgot my assistant treasurer, Frankie Doherty," Boyd concludes.

8:22pm - Alan Boyd: "Hopefully we've turned the corner. We're not the basket cases. The social media and stuff going out ... it has been a difficult time. I did not enjoy this year. I wish the county well and I will try and help. But I just want a break".

8:20pm - In his closing address, Alan Boyd thinks Donegal "have done pretty well" and said it was "a difficult year and he is glad it's the end of the road." He says he's had 118 meetings this year. "I'm glad to get a break."

8:18pm - Michael McMenamin from Naomh Padraig asked why it says in the accounts that Donegal have 28 employees, to which Enda Bonner said that's the average employment to balance out the numbers over the years, which would be high in summer with the Cul Camps.

8:25pm - Fergus McGee's hope that this will be done by 9:30pm seems optimistic.

8:14pm - Jim McGlynn from Letterkenny Gaels asked Donegal GAA do they have an overdraft facility. Boyd says they do and the Donegal had no fundraising this year, which the "next executive" can look at. He added the pitch five at the Donegal GAA Centre "put a strain on it". 

8:10pm - Alan Boyd, the outgoing treasurer is taking questions from the floor.

8:06pm - Alan Boyd has just discussed the treasurers' report, which you can view here

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