Good news, good byes and good lords
There was a large turnout for this year's County Convention
Kildare GAA club representatives turned out in numbers at Cedral St Conleth’s Park on Monday night last for the Annual Convention 2025. In the past “The Tionólfar Coinbhinsiún” were all day affairs and usually featured a row or two out of nowhere but delegates at the 2025 version were treated to Good News, Goodbyes and Good Lord.
Last week my colleague, Richard Commins, outlined the Good News on these pages of the healthy surplus recorded by the County Board and long standing Treasurer, Alan Dunney, briefed further on that good news via a slide presentation on the night.
Chairperson, Mick Mullen, who was completing his first year in office, outlined further good news, on and off the pitch, in his wide-ranging address, including victories in the Tailteann and Joe McDonagh Cups for the senior footballers and hurlers and in the Paul McGirr Cup and well as League promotions for the senior footballers and hurlers.
Then there were the Good Byes. After producing yet another excellent and informative County Convention Booklet, outgoing and hard-working Secretary, Christine Murray, addressed the Convention for the final time after ten very successful years as an Officer, first as PRO and then as Secretary for the past five years. Warm tributes, presentations and a standing ovation were afforded to the popular Murray, who herself paid tribute to the Chairpersons, fellow officers and county managers with whom she had worked over the last ten years.
Outgoing Communications Officer, Lorraine Wolfe, stepped into the role of Secretary unopposed and seamlessly so there was only one contest on the night, that for Communications Officer, the position vacated by Wolfe after four years.
In that contest Rory McGrath (Kildangan) defeated Sara Holden (Sarsfields) and both paid warm tributes to each other in their post-election speeches. Both McGrath and Holden had served on the Communications Committee under Lorraine Wolfe and Holden confirmed her willingness to continue in the role in 2026.
What about the Good Lords then? Well, they came during and in follow up questions and discussions on a very detailed presentation by Syl Merrins, Chairman of the Demographics Committee on, you’ve guessed it, demographics.
Delegates were left aghast and worried as Merrins outlined the findings of his Committee in the week in which the GAA at National level produced its own Demographics Report. Kildare, Syl Merrins told delegates last Monday night, mirrored the findings of the National Report in that the towns in the north of the county were attracting the numbers in population while rural Kildare was suffering a population decline thereby putting pressure on the survival of GAA clubs in those areas. Some of the challenges facing the county, delegates were told, include:
• Massive capacity issues in urban clubs that will only increase dramatically in the coming years (the population will increase in all Kildare towns by anything between 40%-150% in the years to 2040)
• The challenge that faces rural clubs as their population base continues to decrease and this problem will face far more clubs in the medium to long term than was anticipated.
• The lack of playing pitches and facilities in the urban areas and the challenge of recruiting and retaining volunteers Syl Merrins and his Committee also found that in the last four decades, there has been very little increase in GAA participation at adult level in the county when compared to the increase in popula-tion and there is huge player drop-out, particularly in the urban clubs.
There were worrying contributions from delegates, particularly from rural club representatives.
Delegates agreed to a proposal on Club Categorisation with clubs to be categorised as Large Urban, Mid-Size and Small Rural. A Transfer Byelaw in relation to these new categories was also agreed although a decision on a Temporary/Loan Transfer Byelaw was deferred to the February Co Board meeting.
Cappagh GAA brought forward a recommendation in relation to rural housing policy which was re-ferred to the Demographics Committee while a motion on Player Eligibility for Adult Championship Competitions was referred to the Competitions Control Committee for regulation in 2026.
Kildare is to be included in a pilot project along with Kerry following the findings at national level on demographics. Perhaps the project can start with the challenge match between the two counties in Cedral St Conleth’s Park on this Saturday evening, throw in 5pm.
Mick Mullen (Celbridge)
Larry Curtin (Rathangan)
Lorraine Woulfe (Naas)
Alan Dunney (Caragh)
Rory McGrath (Kildangan)
Eamonn Costello (Kilcock)
Paul Delahunty (Milltown)
Ger Donnelly (Castlemitchell), Dave Cahill (Clane)
Colm Farrell (Johnstownbridge)
