Under-Age Coaching

Our Under-Age coaching resumes for 2018 on Saturday morning next at 10.30 in Springfield. This is the good news for all the young people who were disappointed at the weekend when Emma and the Beast intervened to force all weekend activities on the GAA front to be abandoned. If you missed the registration morning don't worry we'll take care of it on Saturday morning or any other Saturday morning that you wish to bring a young person down to join in the fun.

Money makes the GAA world go around

In a week where activity on the field of play grew to a halt it might be an appropriate time to take a brief look at the GAA and its money or more specifically how it earns it and then spends it. 

In 2017 the GAA had a total income of €65.4 million. Gates receipts of €34.4m accounted for the bulk of this income; €16.4m of this was earned from the football championship and €10.7m from the hurling championship. This represented an increase of almost €4m in championship revenue from 2016; more and more people are going to matches. with an extra 180,000 people attending championship matches (these matches are those organised outside the provincial championships). The National Leagues earned €5.4m and all of this was redistributed to the competing counties.  It is interesting to note that 358 matches were played under the Central Council banner and of these only 43 returned a profit (26 in the football championship, 7 in the hurling championship and 5 each in the minor and under-21 championship as well as 5 in the club championship).

Commercial revenue amounted to €18.4m which suggests that the GAA isn't the commercial juggernaut some commentators suggest State funding of €4.44m was obtained and other income of €8.8m was secured of which €7.5m of this was earned from activities staged at Croke Park Stadium Ltd.

The cost of staging games amounted to €12.5m; of the remainder €14.8m was redistributed to the affiliated counties and provinces in a variety of ways including royalties on merchandising, travelling expenses, additional cost of travelling expenses arising from GPA agreement etc (Westmeath received €405,000 of this; Dublin €2.06m and Cork €2.42m). An additional €10.3m was invested in games development; this includes funding a network of 200 fulltime and part-time coaches nationally (€6m was invested in coaching in 2017). Player welfare expenditure amounted to €6.4m (GPA in other words). Operating costs for the year amounted to €10.6m of which €4.4 was staff salaries, just under €2m was invested in advertising and €1.1m in information technology. The cost of funding various activities amounted to €10m of which €5m was invested in developing county and club grounds and training centres.

So, there it is for anyone who might be the slightest bit interested and remember this does not take into account the revenue activities of the provincial councils (Leinster Council had an income of €9.9m in 2017). 

Membership Fees

Continuing on the monetary theme, membership fees are due for renewal and even the most dedicated volunteer in the club is required to pay a membership fee. 

The membership fees are as follows: 

Full Membership: (Over-18 playing with full voting rights at AGM and eligible to hold positions in club), €50.

Social Membership/Youth Membership/Full-time 3rd level Student Membership: (Eligible to participate in all club social activities and includes playing membership for Youth members and Full-Time 3rd level students). €30. 

Family Membership: (2x adult social membership and juvenile registration for children), €100.

The simplest method of payment is via the Mullingar Shamrocks Clubify App which can be accessed at the following web address (there is no service charge for payment using this method):

 https://mullingarshamrocks.clubifyapp.com/membership_products

Alternatively, our three registrars, Des Maguire Anthony Clinton and Karen Hegarty are available to receive the relevant fees for 2018.

Strictly Shamrocks 

The first steps took place last night (Monday, 26 Feb. 2018) in the Park Hotel when a very informal meeting was held between the dancers, organising committee members and Keith from the production company. We have a waiting list now for female dancers and a few vacancies for male dancers (men: don't be disappointed ...get your names in fast to Roisin or Ritchie). This is an amazing response 10 weeks prior to the event. Rehearsals will be starting on 5 April with the announcement of the dancing pairings scheduled for 7 April in The Fence. 

Congratulations to Tye Adamson

The DIT team that defeated DCU in the All-Ireland Freshers Football Final was managed by none other than our own senior player and Westmeath Under-21 player in 2017 Tye Adamson, a young man who is always available to help with Mullingar Shamrocks under-age activities in a coaching or refereeing capacity when his playing commitments permit. 

Operation Transformation

A large crowd braved the bitter cold on Monday night last to complete the Operation Transformation programme in association with the GAA clubs of which Mullingar Shamrocks was delighted to participate. Well done to Joan Ormsby, Margaret Clinton and Madeline Flynn who supplied the leadership and encouragement on each of the six weeks involved.

Fixtures

ACL Div.1: Mullingar Shamrocks v Milltownpass, Springfield, 11 March, 11.00 am. 

ACL Div.4: Mullingar Shamrocks v CFCW, Castletown-Finea, 11 March, Time, TBA.

Under-16 Football: Mullingar Shamrocks v The Downs, The Downs, 11 March, 11.00 am. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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