Some interesting battles shaping up as nominees reveal Convention intentions

There seems to be a number of interesting battles shaping up for Donegal GAA Convention 2024 with the roles of secretary, assistant secretary and PRO all set to be contested.

Darren Collins and Sinead Breen, the current PRO have, along with Mary Kelly, the sitting assistant secretary, all been nominated to succeed Declan Martin.

Naomh Muire’s Martin has served his five-year term in the secretary’s chair and will officially step down at Convention, in Pettigo, on December 11.

MacCumhaill's Collins has confirmed he won’t be letting his name go forward but both McHugh and Breen look set to leave their names in.

With McHugh likely to be elevated to the secretary’s role, Collins has confirmed to DonegalLive that he will be seeking the assistant secretary’s portfolio.

“I won’t be letting my name stand for secretary as I wouldn’t dream of standing in the way of history, where Donegal could become the first county in the country to have three women as their main officers with Mary Coughlan as chairperson, Grace Boyle as treasurer and Mary McHugh as secretary.

“But in regards to assistant secretary, yeah, I’ll be letting my name stand for that post on the night”.

Collins could well find himself in direct competition there with another very familiar face at executive level in former assistant secretary Ed Byrne who is also among the nominations.

When contacted this week, the Killybegs clubman said he still has to decide and would reveal his intentions closer to the time: “My name is in but that’s not from my own club who put it in.

“I did ask my own club not to put my name forward but a couple of other clubs have contacted me to see if I’d go in.

“I have one more year left to do and to be honest, at the minute, my name is in there but we’ll just have to see on the day”.

In relation to the secretary post, Ardara’s McHugh has told DonegalLive she will be allowing her name to stand on the night.

“I’ve had a good think about it and I’ve decided to let my name stand. I’ve enjoyed the role of assistant secretary and with Declan at the end of his term, it’s something I’ve been encouraged to pursue.

“That working relationship with Declan was excellent and there is that familiarity of what’s entailed already there.”

Meanwhile, popular Na Rossa clubman Packie McDyre has been nominated for the role of PRO and he will be letting his name go forward, in direct competition with current incumbent Breen.

The Monaghan native has also been nominated for secretary, delegate to Ulster Convention and delegate to National Congress.

McDyre - who previously served as logistics officer for the Donegal senior footballers under Declan Bonner - says he’d like the opportunity to give the PRO role the attention it deserves.

“I have acted as PRO for the southern board in the past and I was county minor PRO also. In 2018 I came on board as liaison officer with Declan.

“So there’s a good familiarity with how an intercounty hurling or football squad and management operate.

“The county board as well… the PRO needs to be a conduit between the media and public to all of those people.

“There has to be consistent communication, supporters and media deserve that, and that’s something I’d like to work at if I was elected.

“It’s a wide-ranging role, one that’s evolving at a serious pace with online, social media as well as print. And it’s something I feel I could add value to”.

Meanwhile, Breen says she intends to leave her name in the hat for all four positions she’s been nominated for but states she’d prefer to hold onto the PRO spot.

“My heart and soul is in the PRO position. You can see the work I’ve done this year and I feel that I’ve brought a lot to the county that they didn’t have.

“My intention is to stay as PRO but I’m leaving my name in for secretary for the minute because I wanted time to think and I needed to respond by a certain time.

“So I left my name in for everything I was up for but my heart and soul is very much in the PRO position. I don’t get everything right but everything I do I do it with effort”.

Meanwhile, the two Ulster Council spots will also likely need a vote to decide with current holders Cieran Kelly and Andy Doherty looking to fend off competition in one form or another from a nominees list of Donal Sharkey, Fergus McGee,Liam McElhinney, Martin McHugh, PJ McGowan, Sean Dunnion and William Doogan.

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The curtain comes down on Dunnion’s five-year tenure at central council level and the nominations in the running to fill the Four Masters’ man’s shoes are Gary Duffy, Fergus McGee, Noreen Doherty and Martin McHugh.

The nominations for delegate to Ulster Convention are: Brendan Kelly, David McLoone, Edward Molloy and Sinead Breen.

The nominations for delegate to national congress, currently held by Edward Molloy, also has Gary Duffy and Sinead Breen in the mix.

Full list of nominations for Convention

Chairperson: Mary Coughlan

Secretary: Darren Collins, Mary Kelly, Sinead Breen

Treasurer: Grace Boyle

Vice Chairperson: David McLoone

Assistant Secretary: Mary Kelly, Darren Collins, Ed Byrne

Assistant Treasurer: Frankie Doherty

Coaching Officer: Damian Diver

Irish and Cultural Officer: Catriona Uí Suibhne

PRO: Sinead Breen, Packie McDyer

Hurling Officer: Cormac Hartnett

Ulster Council Officers (2): Cieran Kelly, Andy Doherty, Donal Sharkey, Fergus McGee, Liam McElhinney, Martin McHugh, PJ McGowan, Sean Dunnion, William Doogan

Central Council Officer: Gary Duffy, Fergus McGee, Noreen Doherty, Martin McHugh

Delegate to Ulster Convention (1): Brendan Kelly, David McLoone, Edward Molloy, Sinead Breen

Delegate to National Congress (1): Edward Molloy, Gary Duffy, Sinead Breen.