Offaly break €200k barrier as Westmeath fundraiser aims to hit €100k
Offaly GAA has put itself in a strong position to reduce a €200k cash deficit after the success of their ‘Grand Canal Walk’ over the weekend.
A joint venture between the county and its 41 clubs, the fundraising drive passed the €200k barrier on Sunday night, a figure that will be split evenly between the board and the clubs.
Offaly GAA chairman Michael Duignan hailed the venture as a “huge boost” and stated the benefit was as much how it united the county and its clubs and communities as the financial lift it will provide.
“What I’d take from it is that the Offaly spirit is alive and well,” he said. “There was fantastic engagement from all involved. Some 7,000 people subscribed, that’s a bit less than 10pc of the county’s population.”
The county is on course to raise in excess of €100k which, Duignan acknowledged, will be more than half the current cash deficit.
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“One of the things I have spoken about is financial equality but we recognise we have to do our own bit and last year was our first year in and Covid was there but financial stability and sustainability would be one of the pillars of what we are trying to do along with coaching and games development and club development, in terms of rebuilding the county,” he explained.
“The ‘Grand Canal Walk’ has been there for a couple of years already but I would have felt that there was massive potential in it, in terms of engaging with a lot of people. We had no control over the money except to set up the structure, what I was very anxious about was involving as many as we could in the county.
“Our clubs obviously through Covid had been struggling as well but bringing the club, community and county together, those three strands, and seeing could we get people re-engaging and contributing to club and county and also maybe making a community effort as well, that’s what stands out to me.”
Across the border in Westmeath, the county’s ‘Movathon’ has been up and running through March and their fundraising figure was at €67k by yesterday evening. Westmeath’s ‘Movathon’ aims to raise €100k, half of which would go to refurbishment in TEG Cusack Park with the other half being split between the four flagship county teams.
Westmeath administrator Pat Doherty praised the response from clubs and said there would be a strong push this weekend with family walks, relays, spinning bikes and even rowing machines on the street in Raharney.
Unlike Offaly, the clubs don’t retain half but a joint venture with Club Iarmhí late last year generated over €70k through a draw.
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