Martin McHugh joins Croke Park's Football Development Committee

Former Donegal player and All-Ireland winner Martin McHugh has signed up to Croke Park's football development committee for the next three years, who will meet for the first time tonight. 

The Kilcar man was on the Central Competitions Control Committee set up by former GAA president Larry McCarthy in 2021 who were responsible for scheduling and arranging games under the control of Central Council. 

The new development committee, which was put in place by president Jarlath Burns back in February will have Wexford chairman Micheál Martin commanding the coaching and games body. 

Last year’s Tipperary chairman Joe Kennedy, Higher Education Chairman Mike Hyland, former Louth player and the LGFA’s National Development Manager Lyn Savage, Technical Development and Participation Manager for the Camogie Association Lizzy Broderick, and former Limerick goalkeeper and All-Ireland winning trainer with the Galway ladies football team Richard Bowles also join the committee. 

Kildare’s Colm Nolan who is chairman of the new GAA National Hurling Action Plan Workgroup is also a part of the development panel, while the highly successful psychologist Anne Marie Kennedy who has coached athletes at the highest level in various sports: golf and cricket, swimming, cycling, and hurling, who designed the Mindful Athlete Programme for the Dublin football team that saw them win six All-Irelands in-a-row makes up the committee. 

With the assistance of funding from Sport Ireland, the GAA employs over 300 Games Development Personnel nationwide, who are responsible for the implementation of activities under the Grassroots to National Programme. 

Games Development Personnel are deployed at National, Provincial and County level. Since 2009 Games Development Managers (GDMs) have been deployed in all Counties. Each County has introduced a variable structure of Games Development Administrators (GDA) and Games Promotion Officers (GPO), depending on the county’s requirements. 

Elsewhere, the GAA’s Medical, Scientific and Welfare Committee contains former Donegal chairman Sean Dunnion and former Donegal GAA doctor Kevin Moran, while Killybegs native Niall Erskine is involved on the Central Appeals Committee.