Fergus McGee is the new Donegal GAA chairman

Donegal GAA has a new chairman with Fergus McGee succeeding the outgoing Mick McGrath, who departs having served out his five-year term. 

St Eunan’s clubman McGee edged out Buncrana’s Paul McGonigle by 87 to 77 in the voting at the Mount Errigal Hotel in Letterkenny. Speaking immediately after, McGee said he’s looking forward to taking up the reins in 2023. 

“First, I’d like to first congratulate Paul for a good campaign. It’s important and healthy to have competition. I’m thankful also to the cubs and I feel honoured and privileged to have been elected as chairman of CLG Dún na nGall. 

“I promise I’ll do everything I can, to do the best that I can. There are a lot of people that voted for me and a lot that didn’t. To those that didn’t, I ask everyone that we now roll in behind each other because there is a huge amount of work to be done. 

“I need every single one of you. It’s not about the chairman, it’s about every single person in this room. It’s about the executive committee, the team managers and so on. To quote my old friend Cormac McGill, ‘The Follower’, it’s all about the Good Ship Donegal”.

Congratulating McGee, McGonigle said: “I want to wish Fergus the very best. I want to thank my own club for the nomination as well as the clubs that voted for me. It was a great exercise, visiting the clubs of Donegal and I hope that they get a better opportunity going forward now to communicate their views and have them heard.

“It’s a new era, it’s Fergus’ era. And I’m looking forward to Donegal moving forward as a county and fulfilling its full potential in every way possible”.   

In one of the night’s other big contests, St Eunan’s Michael McGeehin remains on as coaching officer, seeing off Naomh Muire’s Gary Boyle 103/60. 

In the race to succeed John McEniff, the outgoing PRO, Gaeil Fhánada’s Fiona Shiels, Sinead Breen, St Mary’s Convoy, and Letterkenny Gaels’ Oisin Cannon all left their names in the hat. 

When the votes were first tallied, Shiels took 78, Breen 60 and Cannon 27. When Cannon’s seconds preferences were split, the final vote went to Shiels 85/76. 

“I’d like to thank everyone for their show of confidence in me,” said the county’s new PRO. “And I’d also like to thank both Sinead and Oisin for their competition. I look forward to working with the clubs, the new executive, the various boards and, of course, the media”.

Donegal's delegates at Ulster Council will be Brendan Kelly, St Mary's, Convoy, and Cieran Kelly St Naul's. Brendan Kelly was elected on the first count with 76 votes while Cieran Kelly reached the quota (55) on the second count. Pat Walsh, Bundoran, and Naomh Muire's Donal Sharkey were the other candidates in the running.  

Meanwhile, Killybegs’ Ed Byrne has once again been elected as assistant secretary, unopposed, after Glenswilly’s Sharon McGinty withdrew her name on the night. Sean Dunnion will once again represent Donegal at Central Council with both Ed Byrne and Mick McGrath not contesting the Four Masters man's position. 

Both Naomh Muire’s Declan Martin and treasurer Alan Boyd return to their roles as does Aodh Ruadh’s David McLoone as vice-chairman. St Eunan’s Frankie Doherty will also once again take up the assistant treasurer’s brief. 

Charlie Kerr stays on as planning and training officer while Mick McGrath is the new children's officer, taking over from Daireen McMenamin.