Hosting Congress a great Success for Tipperary

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April 05, 2023

Over 150 delegates ascended on the beautiful Talbot Hotel in Clonmel last Friday evening for the 2023 Camogie Association Annual congress. Representatives from every county and pro-vincial council and delegates from International Units-USA, Canada and Europe joined Presi-dent of the Camogie Association Hilda Breslin and Ard Stiúrthóir Sinead McNulty in Clonmel. Tipperary Camogie chairperson Denis Lenihan opened Congress by welcoming everyone to Tipperary. He spoke about the honour it was for Tipperary Camogie to host Congress and took the opportunity to highlight all the wonderful recent developments in the county. Denis explained to congress how Tipperary now have 39 camogie clubs and recent partnerships with MIC Thurles and St Joseph’s College Borrisoleigh have had a hugely positive impact on ca-mogie in the county. In his opening speech Denis thanked all those involved in organising Congress and paid particular mention to businesses and food producers in the county who came on board to support Tipperary Camogie at the weekend including Coole Swan, Bulmers, O’Donnells Crisps, The Apple Farm, Borrisoleigh Bottling, FBD and Fiserv. Denis also thanked Alpha Drives Ltd who sponsor Tipperary camogie for the fantastic support to our county teams. Also in attendance was President of the GAA Larry McCarthy who addressed the dele-gates. Afterwards reports from the various provincial councils were read and adopted while workshops on the National development plan and playing time took place. Friday concluded with the election of Connacht Chairperson, Brian Molloy, as the next Camogie Association President. It was an historic occasion as Brian becomes the first man to assume the highest office in the Camogie Association. Brian Molloy who was previously Galway County Board PRO and then Connacht Provincial Council PRO before taking up his current role on Ard Chomhairle as Chair of Connacht Council will succeeed Hilda Breslin in 2024.

Saturday was another busy day beginning with a video address from former President Mary McAleese who is the chair of the integration process between the GAA, the Camogie Associa-tion and Ladies Football Association. The process is currently at the listening stage and on Saturday morning an Integration workshop was held amongst the delegates where positive discussions were held on what integration would look like and what the obstacles are. In the afternoon a number of motions were considered. The key ones being passed concerned in-creasing the powers of the THDC in relation to issuing fines in the area of abuse of referees in an attempt to increase the protection of referees. On Saturday evening a banquet took place and among the guests were Tipperary GAA chairperson Joe Kennedy and Munster GAA chairperson Ger Ryan. All in all it was a hugely successful weekend where Tipperary and the Talbot Hotel received wonderful feedback on a very well organised congress.