Respect will be paramount and there can be no solo runs - Mary Coughlan 

New Donegal chairperson Mary Coughlan says Donegal GAA will conduct itself in a more respectful and appreciative manner moving forward. 

Internal conflicts, that ran right up until Wednesday night’s GAA Convention, marred the county executive’s ability to get business done right throughout 2023. 

But with sweeping changes made across the board in Ballybofey midweek, the former Táiniste insisted how Donegal conduct their business, both publicly and privately, is going to change.

Coughlan steps into the role vacated by Fergus McGee who - in his address - cited that same internal wrangling as the main reason for his premature departure. 

“It’s very regrettable,” said Coughlan on her predecessor’s early stepdown. “I’d have hoped he would continue. But that was a personal decision of his. We’ll have a meeting very soon and one of the really important things there, like I said, will be the governance of the county executive. 

“We need to reinstate respect and appreciation.  Now, that’s not to say it’s all going to be plain sailing, I’m not naive.  

“What we want to see is people doing their jobs to the best of their ability. There can’t be solo runs. We have to work together to regain that respect and regard we’ve always had. 

“We were unsuccessful on the field for many years but always had great respect off it. I want both to happen now”. 

With a Croke Park Review into the runnings of Donegal GAA highlighting that a significant change in how Gaelic Games is managed within the county was needed, Coughlan believes that pathway is now much clearer moving into 2024. 

“Hopefully, we’ll soon find ourselves in a position where Croke Park can sign off on the huge amount of work that has been done on that”.

On her own historic elevation to the chair as well as the likes of Grace Boyle, treasurer; Mary Kelly, assistant treasurer; Sinead Breen, PRO and Caitriona Sweeney, cultural officer also coming on board the Donegal executive, she said: “This is hugely important to me. It’ hugely important to woman also who are members of the GAA and at the forefront of activities in our organisation. 

“But at the end of the day my view is that this isn’t about one person. This has to be about the amalgam of people who now make up the Donegal GAA executive and the county board. “With the good team we have elected, we now have to move forward with resilience and in a sustainable manner. 

“Yes, there will always be challenges but an awful lot of work has already been done by the previous group stepping down. Now, we’re looking forward to the future and looking forward to working with individuals representative of all aspects of the GAA.

“That includes football, hurling, handball, camogie, the Irish language and Scór”.

On her motivation for running for chair, she explained: “I spent 11 years as secretary in my own club and I thoroughly enjoyed that.  When I left political life behind me I wanted to give back to people and an organisation that did so much for me. 

“I was asked by a number of other clubs as well would I put my name forward. They were anxious for change when Fergus McGee indicated he wouldn’t be staying on. 

“I decided I would do as long as we reverted back to what is hugely important, the most important thing, respect. That’s respect for the office and respect for the people that are doing their utmost. 

“Like I said here tonight, I intend to do my utmost on behalf of the clubs and with the executive. It was very clear tonight that everyone intends to do their very best”. 

And Coughlan insisted both her and her executive’s remit has to be inclusive, in the most broadest sense, when it comes to the GAA in Donegal. 

“I’d like to see alot more than just football developing. We’ve seen how well our hurlers are going, club and county. There is a lot of anxiety out there among parents, they want to see our Academy reinvigorated once again.  

“We also need to encourage more membership within the GAA. Volunteerism in itself is very fulfilling. Our strength is in our numbers”.