A Kilkenny backer
September 02, 2010Since 1993, Glanbia has been Kilkenny hurling's main sponsors through the good times and the bad and from both parties' point of view the last five years could not have been any better.
Recently elected as the new President of the Institute of the Certified Public Accountants of Ireland, Geoff Meagher is a Kilkenny man through and through, and also has a unique connection with Kilkenny hurling through his time working with the International dairy food group, Glanbia.
"I'm originally from Windgap in Co Kilkenny and would come from a farming background," explained Geoff.
"I started my training with Pricewaterhouse Cooper's in Kilkenny in 1968. From there, I worked with an engineering company in Kilkenny before moving on in 1975 to work with Glanbia. I was fortunate that the organisation was growing at that time, up to 1984 as a result of significant expansion by milk producers in the Avonmore area and subsequently on the introduction of EU milk quotas through overseas acquisitions.
"Avonmore became a public company in 1987 and merged with Waterford Foods in '97 to form Glanbia. The group then went through a considerable period of consolidation and rationalisation."
Geoff held various positions during his time with the Glanbia organisation, including Group Finance Director from 1993 and Deputy Group Managing Director from 1995.
Since his retirement in June 2009, Geoff has worked with the board of the Glanbia Co-Operative Society in their negotiations to purchase the Irish Business Assets of Glanbia PLC.
Geoff described the company's decision at the time to act as the main sponsors to the Kilkenny county board as one that has mutually benefited both parties.
"Glanbia is represented in every parish through its customers, producers and employees and the GAA, uniquely, is also in every parish," he said.
"The sponsorship has been mutually beneficial. The Glanbia Group provides funding for the teams, while Glanbia receives considerable publicity, particularly with the success Kilkenny have enjoyed in recent years."
He describes his role as the President of the Institute of the CPA as "to chair the council meetings, to help the growth of the Institute and to represent the Institute to the public". He added: "The CPA is one of the main Irish accountancy bodies with in excess of 5,000 members and students."
When Geoff assumed his new position this past May he made it clear that his objectives were to put competitiveness and credit availability at the top of his agenda for his one-year term in office.
He also believes that Ireland will gradually recover from the economic downturn, but must be ready to avail of new opportunities as they arise.
Looking ahead to Sunday's final at Croke Park, Geoff has cited the cruciate knee ligament injury which Henry Shefflin picked up in Kilkenny's All-Ireland SHC semi-final win over Cork as a big blow to the Cats.
"I think the injury to Henry is a huge loss and the rest of the team will need to play above themselves if they are to beat Tipperary," he said.
"Last year's result was close and it could have gone either way, so Tipperary will want revenge and it will need to be Kilkenny at their very best if they are to come through.
"Kilkenny have had a fantastic run in the past few years and in my view it has come down to a number of factors.
"Firstly, the huge effort that is put in supporting and cultivating hurling in the county,
secondly, having such a talented pool of players for the management to pick from over the last five years, thirdly, a management team that have a love for hurling and the hunger to put out a successful team, and, fourthly, and extremely supportive county board."
As for their well-documented quest for a five-in-a-row of Liam McCarthy Cups, Geoff can't see the Cats being tamed by the men from Tipp if the champions perform to their brilliant best, but he knows all too well that anything is capable of happening in a final.
Glanbia have sponsored the Kilkenny hurling team since 1993, initially under the Avonmore name. In 1997, following the merger of Avonmore and Waterford Foods to form Glanbia, the Avonmore brand name has been used for the sponsorship.
Geoff also noted that since the merger, Glanbia, were sponsors of the Waterford senior hurling team up until last year and he acknowledges the huge progress made by Waterford hurling over the last number of years
Geoff Meagher would like to wish Brian Cody's team the best of luck ahead of this Sunday's final at Croke Park, while also wishing the Glanbia group continued success for the future.
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