Strapped to the electric Chair
December 31, 1998
Resurgent Moylagh made it to the semi-final of this year's junior championship. Chairman Brendan Dolan tells Royal County that the best is yet to come.
Often maligned, and very much undervalued, being a chairman of the local GAA club can sometimes justifiably be referred to as a thankless existence. Some people conveniently forget that it's a time consuming job, never mind that the chairman always has the best interests of the club at heart.
Do they get the recognition they deserve? There are some exceptions, but more often than not unless a club garner considerable success in terms of silverware, the chairman's (and indeed the executive committee's) efforts go largely unnoticed.
The role of chairman warrants a special type of person, a person with an aptitude for organisation, an ability to get the most out of their sub-ordinates - much in the same mould as a Managing Director of a company.
North Meath outfit Moylagh have been fortunate. Four years ago, at the tender age of 31 (tender in relation to other club Chairmen), Brendan Dolan allowed his name go forward at the AGM and he was elected. He was no stranger to administrative duties having served on the committee for the previous ten years and acting as PRO during that spell, but not even that prepared him for the task that lay ahead.
"It's practically the same as having a part-time job," says Brendan. "Every evening you're away from the house whether it be at club or county board meetings or training. There's always something to be done and at the end of the day the buck stops with the chairman.
"There can be a lot of hassle involved too. If your not prepared to put in a lot of work then you shouldn't even consider taking it on."
Then why do it? Is Brendan Dolan a glutton for punishment? At 35 years of age is there not something better he could be doing with his time? The answer is simple - it's because he enjoys it.
"When I to decide to step down I will definitely miss it. You get to know so many people and make new friends from all over the county. And after the games there does be great craic. So it is enjoyable.
"If the club is doing well then everything is great. Everyone is willing to do their bit to ensure that everything runs smoothly."
Success on the playing field is not criteria by which the Moylagh executive committee operate, and Brendan is eager to sing the praises of dedicated club people like secretary John McDonnell, treasurer Frankie Flood, Oliver Melia, Mairead Fanning, his own wife Olivia, Carmel Reilly and Bernie Traynor.
Their perseverance and the emergence of a talented crop of young players have helped establish the north-Meath club as a force to be reckoned with in the Meath junior championship. This year eventual winners Drumree proved to be the rock on which their championship aspirations perished at the penultimate stage of the championship, but according to the club chairman, their long run augurs well for the future.
"We've got some extremely talented young players in the club at the moment, and I have every confidence in them that they can go on to win the junior championship within the next couple of years.
"I think this year was a learning experience for us. About 11/12 of our players had never played in Pairc Tailteann before and I think the big occasion got to them. We were slow to start and found ourselves eight points down at half-time. We were chasing the game at that stage and took a few gambles but the damage was done."
He continues: "Benny Reddy was our trainer and I believe we're on the right road with him as coach. He has adopted a very professional approach and in my eyes is a top class trainer. We're delighted to have him involved with Moylagh."
Sunday the 20th September, 1998 is a day which will long remain embedded in the minds of football followers from north Meath. A large crowd made the journey to Pairc Tailteann, not only to support Moylagh in their clash with Drumree, but also to cheer on Oldcastle as they qualified for their first senior football decider since 1945 at the expense of Simonstown Gaels.
"It was a great day for the area to have both clubs playing in Navan," Brendan enthuses, "and we were delighted when Oldcastle reached the final. They thoroughly deserved their win and it gave a great boost to football in north Meath."
By his own admission, the Millbrook Foods Sales rep. never set the football fields of Moylagh alight - but he has more than compensated for that with his contribution since being elected onto the club's committee in 1984. He inherited his interest in the welfare of the local club from his father, Seanie, who was a founding member of Moylagh GAA club.
While the club's football teams continue to produce the goods, the perennial problem of a lack of finance keeps rearing its ugly head. Like most small rural clubs of its kind, the expenditure is high while the income is low. The club lotto is their main source of revenue.
"Finance is a major problem," he reveals. "The structure of the club is very good. We've got our own pavilion, dressing rooms and pitch, a hard working committee and no shortage of players but finance is a big worry.
"At the end of the day it's money that keeps the whole show on he road. Last year it cost us in the region of £5,000 to run the club. The proceeds from the lotto is split fifty/fifty with the local community centre, and week in week out it boils down to the same five or six 'ould eegits' to sell them.
"And because of where we are situated we never get any big games from the County Board. Unfortunately it's the same with most of the clubs in Meath but it makes life very difficult."
Brendan Dolan and Moylagh will carry on regardless.
50th anniversary celebrations
Moylagh GFC was formed in 1947 by a group of local young lads. These lads were kicking a ball around Skerry crossroads on a Sunday afternoon, when they decided to start a football club, they used an old field for a pitch known locally as "Monaghans Bottoms" and this was used for a number of years; In our first year or two we suffered some heavy defeats against Kells, Fordstown and Ballinlough, but the club survived. Our founder members would have included Jack Grey RIP, Billy Grey RIP, Kieran Garry, Tom Garry RIP, Anthony Garry, Johnny Dolan, Christy Dolan, Jim, Tom RIP, Paddy and Billy Gavin, John Monaghan, Mickey Gilsenan, Paddy Briody still an active committee member, Ned Garry RIP, Mick Martin RIP and Tom McDonnell RIP. For our first match we had no jerseys so we borrowed a set from the Glenidan (Westmeath) hurling club. The players clubed together and bought a football and Moylough GFC was born. The first officers of the club included Tom McDonnell, Mick Martin and Ned Garry.
Another local man Larry McGrath RIP was playing with Oldcastle at the time and he joined up with the boys, Larry would have took part in Oldcastle's great run to the senior final in 1945 when they lost out to Skryne, Larry also represented the Royal county on a good few occasions. We had no major success until 1968 when we got to a junior final but were defeated by Flathouse. The club was promoted to the intermediate ranks and lost to Ballivor in '71 final, but the wheel turned full circle in '75 when we defeated Dunshaughlin to take the intermediate crown. We won the winter league in '80, Division 5 '90 and Division 5, under 21 league and Division 4 B leagues all in 1996. There are lots of underage talent at the moment, so the future definitely looks secure. Players of distinction to wear the green and white jersey would include: Paddy Traynor, Christy Dolan, Kevin Hanlon, Joe Brady, Martin Growney, Mickey Smith, Connie McGrath, Gerry Farrelly, Pa Cooke and many more.
To celebrate our 50th anniversary we held a social night in Teddy Gibney's pub, all the old brigade tucked into a beautiful dinner, served at 8pm. Special thanks to Ollie Briody, Mairead Fanning and Olivia Dolan for helping with the food etc. Later on Bernard Flynn proved to be a very popular guest and he presented a specially inscribed plaque to all the founder members present on the night. A great night was had by all. - Moylagh GFC
First hurling title for Moylagh
Moylagh have never won a hurling championship at adult level but as their U-14s proved last summer at Athboy, this could soon change. The north Meath combination overcame neighbouring rivals Kilskyrne by 2-3 to 1-0. A goal apiece for Eamonn Boyle and Enda Mulvany set Moylagh up for their first hurling title. Boyle also scored a point and Damien Smith hit the other two for the winners. Other noteworthy displays came from Joe Melia and Peter Fox.
Most Read Stories