McShea’s Say: History in the making as Mary Coughlan set to take chair

At Donegal GAA’s upcoming convention on December 13,  Mary Coughlan, former Fianna Fail TD and Tánaiste, is set to become the new county chairperson.

In the 118-year history since the Donegal county board first formed back in 1905, Mary will be the first female chairperson to ever lead the county while also, quite notably, becoming the first ever Tánaiste in the history of the Irish government to subsequently chair their county’s GAA.   

This is a seminal time for Donegal as Mary’s appointment, in many ways, reflects the transformative positive progress in society across Donegal and Ireland, particularly during the past 40 years. 

The GAA and the foundation of our state were inextricably linked with national female leaders who then played a significant role. 

In 1987, at the tender age of 21 Mary, as a young TD, after the untimely passing of her late father Cathal, committed herself to a life of public service with a mantra to improve the lives of her constituents in County Donegal.   

Donegal GAA fortunes, while prolific in Ulster, it wasn’t until 1982 that we achieved our first national breakthrough as U-21 All Ireland champions. 

As Mary Coughlan’s political career blossomed our second U-21 title was achieved in 1987. 

Moya Brennan, Clannad, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, Altan and Enya, throughout the 1980s, were cherished female artists who put Donegal on the International map with music and lyrics that conveyed our essence. 

Our first senior All-Ireland win in 1992 put Donegal in context for every other county in Ireland and abroad. At last, our sporting, cultural and musical heritage blended allowing our beautiful scenic county to be showcased to the rest of Ireland and beyond to tourists who had never ventured to visit us. 

This success became infectious with values inspiring our schools, communities, people and our 40 GAA clubs across all facets of life in Donegal. 

Noreen Doherty, our excellent county secretary, had first been appointed in 1991 and became the first female in Ireland to achieve such a position.    

Jim McGuinness and his Donegal team harnessed those very same values some 20 years later with unrelenting attitude and application, credibly beating all the key county contenders on the way to our 2012 All Ireland title.

Over a ten-year period, from 2001 to 2011, Mary represented Ireland and Donegal at the highest level as a senior government cabinet minister. 

Tánaiste and deputy leader of Fianna Fail, she was a minister responsible for six departments - all of which are an enduring hallmark of her proven capability, competitive make up and professional diversity. 

The Donegal and Ireland of today, which Mary Coughlan and her colleagues shaped at the start of the Millennium, has ensured our major sporting organisations must satisfy government gender balance requirements with the composition of their boards to have at least 40% women by the end of 2023.

This is furthermore an exciting time for our national games with Mary McAleese working to establish the integration pathway for Ladies Gaelic Football, Camogie, and GAA by February 2024. 

What an appropriate time to have Mary Coughlan at the helm of our GAA. Any county chairperson must have a grassroots feel and pulse-type sense for all levels in their county. 

Mary, having served as club secretary for several years at St Naul’s, has familiarised herself with these aspects. Her own vitality, zest, good spirit and energy as a genuine people person, with a great capacity to listen, learn and get things done, ably positions her to engage and lead in a most proactive way. 

In an ever-changing world, no environment stays the same. However, the principles and ingredients to achieve success are the same, namely passionate competitiveness with determined goals, which are inclusive and harness competencies and capabilities to the optimum of all people involved in their implementation. 

And I’ve no doubt that will be Mary Coughlan’s way.