Serious work starts for Moffatt

LOOKING AHEAD New Mayo GAA Board chairman Liam Moffatt addresses delegates at Sunday’s County Board Convention in Belmullet.  Pic: Michael McLaughlin

Mike Finnerty

THE newly-elected Mayo GAA Board chairman Liam Moffatt says that he is ‘willing to work with anyone, anywhere, anytime to find a solution to the impasse’ with the Mayo GAA International Supporters Foundation.
The 43 year-old from Crossmolina, who won an All-Ireland club football medal with the Deel Rovers in 2001 and represented Mayo at all levels, beat vice-chairman Seamus Tuohy from Breaffy in a vote (91-78) for the position at Sunday’s County Convention in Belmullet.
He succeeds the outgoing chairman, Mike Connelly whose five-year term had ended.
Moffatt chaired his first meeting of the Mayo GAA Executive at the Broadhaven Bay Hotel on Sunday evening, exactly an hour after the Convention had ended.
“The officers are all volunteers who give their time, and it’s hard in terms of juggling our time. So when we were all here together today, why not sit down and have a chat?” he explained to Mid West Radio.
“I’m very proud and very humbled [to be elected chairman]. It’s a huge responsibility, but I’m very grateful to my club, my family and the clubs of Mayo who have invested their faith in me. I hope to repay that.”
The new chairman was also asked how he intends to try and resolve the ongoing dispute between Mayo GAA and Tim O’Leary of the Mayo GAA International Supporters Foundation.
“My first goal was to talk to the officers of the Board to get an update on the situation with the Foundation,” said Moffatt. “I’ve done that now and I will talk to the stakeholders in Connacht GAA and Croke Park as well. I will then have a rounded view.
“As I’ve said previously, I’m willing to work with anyone, anywhere at any time to bring a solution to this impasse.
“Everyone is a little fatigued but we’ll have another meeting early this week,” he added. “People will have had a few days to get re-energised and we’ll get the day-to-day operations running. There’s a lot to be done and we’ve started already.”