New Fermanagh Vice Chairman Phil Flanagan believes that the experience he has gained as an MLA will be beneficial in his new role within the Fermanagh GAA Management Committee.
Flanagan was appointed at Monday night’s County Convention at the Westville Hotel and he says he is excited about the challenges ahead.
“I think we all have our own skills and experiences. Very many people within the GAA are gifted with football ability but I don’t think that’s where my primary abilities lie. I think I have gained an awful lot of skills and experience that I can bring to the association in terms of accessing government funds, in terms of developing facilities and promoting a sense of unity within the association. That’s what I’m going to be focusing on, working with clubs and with the Management Committee to build clubs and the county structure within Fermanagh. I’m hugely excited about the challenge that lies ahead and hopeful that the county will continue to progress and go from strength to strength,” he commented.
Indeed, he feels his time spent at local council and Stormont will help in accessing available funds.
“I will support the county board in attracting finance and using the experience I have of being both in the council and at Stormont in understanding how the funding processes work. I will also be working collaboratively with the members of the county boards and the clubs to make sure that Stormont and the local council are putting adequate resources into the promotion of Gaelic Games in Fermanagh. I don’t think that the GAA has received equitable funding in recent years and that’s something I will be working to address,” said Flanagan.
Flanagan may be new to the role but he has been gaining experience in GAA administration over the last number of years with his club, Tempo Maguires.
“I’ve been involved in Tempo for the last number of years and it’s a role that I thoroughly enjoy, I get an awful lot out of it.”
And he says that he will give all that he can to succeed in the post.
“I’m committed to devoting the time that is required. Who knows what challenges lie ahead for me in the role? I genuinely don’t know what lies ahead but as I say I’m hugely excited. I thoroughly enjoy the administrative aspect of the GAA, it is hugely rewarding and I have a genuine passion of working for the betterment of the local community.”
He also believes that his skills will compliment the experience of the Management Committee that he is joining.
“The Management Committee within the County Board is hugely experienced and I hope that the skills and the experience that I bring will compliment the experience that they have in administering the GAA in Fermanagh.”