3 A Chairde Uilig, Onór mór dom’sa mar Cathaoirleach ar Coiste Conndae na Gaillimhe, Cumann Lúth-cleas Gael do’n chéad bliain, an reamhrá seo a cur ós comhair ár leitheoirí uilig. Táim ag súil go mbainfidh síbh go léir an táitneamh as na h-altanna agus na griangrafana ins an Iris Bliaintúil agus gabhaim buíochas an Coiste do gach éinne a cuidigh leis an Foilseachán seo a chur le chéile. In this, my first year as County Chairman, I warmly welcome all of our readers to the County G. A. A. Annual for 2012. I hope that you all enjoy reading the various articles and perusing the many photographs, in another excellent publication. The past year was an exciting one even though we failed to win an All Ireland Title in either code, at Inter County Level. Our Senior Hurling Team have done us all proud, by winning the Leinster Senior Hurling Final for the very first time. They brought us great enjoyment in all of their Championship games and it took a great Kilkenny team three games, before they beat us in a replayed All Ireland Final in a packed Croke Park on September the 30th. . The efforts and exploits of our young emerging Senior Team were handsomely rewarded when seven of the Team were honoured at the All Stars Banquet on October 26th. . Six of our Players were selected as All Star Hurlers and Johnny Coen was selected as Young Hurler of the Year. We warmly congratulate all of them including all of their colleagues who were nominated for consideration and we wish them every success in the exciting years ahead. Our Senior Footballers opened their Championship Campaign in great style with a classic performance in Hyde Park against Roscommon, on May 20th. . We had high hopes for the year, but Sligo slipped quietly into Galway City and terminated our Championship hopes with a strong performance in Pearse Stadium on June 9th. . Our Under Age Inter County Teams didn’t reach the heights of previous years, but that does not mean that as maturing adults, they cannot achieve success at higher levels, when opportunity presents itself in the years ahead. I sincerely thank all or our Inter County Management Teams for all of their efforts over the past year and I wish themselves and their respective Playing Panels every success in their endeavours in 2013. At Club Level, Cumann Naomh Pádraig, An Fhairce (St. Patrick’s G. A. A. Club, Clonbur) performed exceptionally well when they won the All Ireland Club Junior Football Championship Final with a narrow victory over Derrytresk, on February 12th. . This was a proud day for the people of Clonbur and particularly for John Joe Halloran, our Football Board Chairman, in his final year of Chairmanship. On the domestic scene, St. Thomas’ made history by beating Loughrea in the County Senior Hurling Final when they annexed the Tom Callanan Cup for the very first time, at their first attempt. We wish them well in the All Ireland series, along with Killiomardaly who won both the County and Connacht Intermediate Club Hurling Championships, in this their Centenary Year. Salthill-Knocknacarra won the County Senior Football Championship for the third time, beating Tuam Stars in the Final. Carna-Cashel are back in the big time, with a comprehensive win over Athenry in the Intermediate Football Final. Ballinasloe have made a great breakthrough, by winning both the County and Connacht Club Junior Football Finals. They have also reached a Junior Hurling Final, which confirms the efforts of many people in Ballinasloe over recent years, in this dual Club with a proud history. We wish both Carna-Cashel and Ballinasloe every success in their games in the All Ireland series also. Our congratulations to Corofin, Dunmore McHales, St. James’, Kilkerrin/Clonberne and Oughterard in their Football Final victories, in the various grades; along with Tommy Larkins, Portumna, Moycullen, Ahascragh/Fohenagh, Athenry and Skehana, who won their various Hurling Finals, in the different grades. We wish them all every success and express our gratitude to their Officers and Mentors, including the Officers and Mentors of all Club Teams in the County, who participated in over a thousand games in the different Competitions. We had a wonderful function in Tuam on August 4th. when the Jack Mangan Roundabout, linking the Sean Purcell and Frank Stockwell Roads was officially named and unveiled. Our gratitude to Mayor Eamon Kitt and his fellow Town Councillors, along with their Management and Staff for their professional execution of the occasion. Our thanks also to Jack and Evelyn Mangan and their Family for returning home, to fulfil a commitment which he made to Councillor Tom Reilly, whose idea the Project was initially. The occasion was marred by the unexpected death of the late Gerry Daly of Ballinasloe, the great 1956 full back, who died on his way to the function, while travelling with his fellow Clubman and 1956 Team mate, Gerry Kirwan. Galway Hurling lost one of its greatest stalwarts during the year in the passing of the late Ted Murphy of Castlegar, at a relatively young age. His ability and commitment showed him to be a man apart on many occasions for Club and County. We express our deepest condolences to the Daly and Murphy Families and to all of our families who suffered bereavements during the past year. The past year has been a challenging one for our Association in the County, from a financial perspective. We have concluded the restructuring of our financial indebtedness and now we must restructure and modernise our Committees and Systems, in order to fulfil our obligatory requirements. This month of December is a very busy one for all County and Club Officers and Delegates with six different Conventions and Annual General Meetings being held. Those will shape our future and consolidate our structures and ensure that each affiliated Club has a key role to play in all aspects of our Association, at both Club and County Levels. I wish to express my personal gratitude to our Chief Executive and County Secretary John Hynes for his commitment, leadership and professionalism in managing the affairs of our Association, at a vital time for our County. I also wish to thank our Administration Staff and all of our Officers at County Committee, Football and Hurling Committee and Juvenile Levels, for their collective efforts on behalf of the Association over the past year. Our Annual Year Book is being published and circulated once again in early December. This could not have happened without the dedicated efforts of our Editor, Seamus Finnerty from Annaghdown. He symbolises everything that is good in a G. A. A. Officer and we are very grateful to him once again. Beir Bua agus Beannacht, Nollaig Ó Treasaigh, Cathaoirleach. COUNTY CHAIRMAN’S ADDRESS Noel Treacy, Chairman
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