FEATURE: The Dome, demographics, integration and Kobe

Connacht GAA CEO John Prenty sat down with The Mayo News to discuss the pressing issues in the province and across the GAA as a whole.

MICHAEL GALLAGHER: The Air Dome was destroyed last January by Storm Éowyn. Will we see it rebuilt?

JOHN PRENTY: THE Dome will be back up in April. It's manufactured in Slovenia at the moment and is due to be transported here this month. We're working towards opening it and having it playable in April.

“Some people told us we're mad because another massive storm might come along, but if you didn't do things because of what might happen, you wouldn't get up in the morning. The people who lost the roof off their house, did they not rebuild again? It was a disaster but it was a total freak occurrence.

Within hours of it blowing down we knew we'd rebuild. There was no other choice to make and it has taken a lot of work, a lot of long nights to get this far. We're happy with the reaction of the insurance company and we're really looking forward to seeing it back up and running.

It was a huge loss to the GAA in Connacht, and nationwide to an extent. One of the last clubs to leave here the Saturday before the storm was Mourne Abbey from Cork. It brought so many people here and was a huge loss to the entire community.

The facility here (Connacht Centre of Excellence) is very successful in its own right, and there is a huge through-put of people every day, but anyone thinking about Centres of Excellence should be acutely aware of the huge finances needed to maintain it every year. We pump a minimum €20,000 into every pitch here annually.

MG: Did the absence of the FBD League in 2025 have a big financial impact?

JP: WE lost €100,000 because of it being cancelled and that's huge from a coaching and game development point of view. We have a CDO (Club Development Officer) scheme in Connacht which puts coaches into clubs to help with school programs, nurseries, Go Games and the likes. It's a very successful initiative, and the FBD League helps us fund the CDO scheme for our clubs. The clubs pay a bit, the counties pay a bit and we (Connacht GAA) pay a bit. Our bit is coming out of the things like the FPD.

MG: Rural depopulation and growing urbanisation is a huge problem in Ireland right now. What can the GAA do about it?

JP: It's one of the biggest problems we're facing. We have to look after the big clubs and protect the small, whether that's Kilmacud or Kilmovee, Ballyboden or Ballycroy. We have to ensure that people in their home parishes always have the opportunity to wear the jersey of their home club. I think we should look at a loan system/permission to play for players not getting on teams in big clubs. They should be able to go and play for small clubs to keep them alive. I know there's a system like that in place, but we should make more use of it.

At the other end of the scale, I think we have to look at the big clubs and make sure people are getting the opportunity to play. Maybe we have to look at our club structures and have more clubs in urban areas. Of course there would be the proiblem of facilities, but the government should be building more municipal sports facilities and all of these should have a pitch big enough for Gaelic games. That would cater for all field sports. Remember, for well more than a century the GAA has built facilities all over Ireland for the benefit of the population.

MG: How can the GAA deal with rumoured unofficial payments to team managers?

JP: THE first line in our charter stresses that we're a voluntary organisation. There's a core group of people like myself who are paid from an administration point of view, but the GAA is built on volunteerism. I've been with Ballyhaunis senior team for as long as I can remember and I'd be insulted if someone offered me something, but I'm aware it's happening in some places.

It's hard for the GAA to deal with but the revenue people will certainly sort it at some stage, because under-the-counter payments and they will always be found. This is a revenue issue and clubs need to be very careful. We all do our daily jobs and pay our taxes and if you're talking about managers of county teams and the likes there's a fair way of looking after people with legitimate expenses.

MG: GAA integration is scheduled for 2027 when the GAA, LGFA and Camogie Association are due to merge. What's your thoughts?

JP: I'M totally in favour of integration, but I think 2027 is too close. We have to start at the bottom. Start in every club and get it right, then move on to the county boards which won't be simple, because at the minute the various sports are answerable to different county boards. At the moment, I think we're trying to put the floor in the house and the roof on the house but we have no walls. Mary McAleese and her group are doing great work, but I think 2027 is too soon.

I'm not sure there are a handful of clubs in the country with adequate facilities for females when it comes to changing rooms, showers and toilets. That's not acceptable now and certainly won't be acceptable in the new GAA. That means there is going to be the massive financial implication of providing proper facilities. The government is determined that integration happens, so they will have to help us make it happen.

MG: Can the GAA do anything to stop the drain of young talent to Australian Football?

JP: I don't think we can. Kobe McDonald has grabbed all the headlines recently with him signing for St Kilda. What can the GAA do about that? Good luck to the lad. He's a loss to the GAA, but if he was going to Man United everyone would be congratulating him.

READ MORE: Huge boost for GAA in Connacht as Air Dome about to be rebuilt