An interim team has been approved by Donegal GAA to implement the findings of a Croke Park review.
In June, the county board was instructed to appoint an interim Head of Operations to work closely with Donegal Management and County Committees to begin the implementation of the recommendations in the report of the county’s financial practices, governance and issues around the academy.
The Croke Park Review Group have proposed Billy Bennett as Interim Head of Operations, Roger Keenan as Interim Coaching support and Gerard Bradley as Interim Governance and Finance support.
The recommendations were ratified at a meeting of the Donegal County Committee last night.
Dr Billy Bennett is the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Registrar at Atlantic Technological University (ATU), having previously held the posts of Vice President for Academic Affairs and Registrar; Head of School of Business; and Head of Teaching and Learning at Letterkenny Institute of Technology (LYIT).
Billy chairs the Technological Universities EduCampus Governance Forum and the Board of Alcohol Forum Ireland. He is on the Board of Directors of the Central Applications Office (CAO); the Board of Directors of HEAnet; and is a member of the HEAnet Group Audit Committee. He is a member of the Quality and Qualifications Ireland Programmes and Awards Oversight Committee; the Technological Higher Education (THEA) Apprenticeship Committee; and the THEA Internal Audit Steering Group.
Roger Keenan is the Coach Education Manager with Ulster GAA and has led out on Coach Development in Ulster for the last 15 years. His club is Goirtín -Naoimh Pádraig who he represented as a player for over 30 years. He played for Queens University and Tyrone Seniors in the 1980’s and won a Philadelphia Championship with the Kevin Barry’s in 1984.
Roger has coached clubs in Tyrone to junior (Kildress), intermediate (Gortin) and senior championship (Carrickmore) success and captained his club to their only senior county final appearance in 1985. Roger has been involved in coaching Tyrone academies, County Minors and U-21s winning 2 All-Ireland titles with the Tyrone minors in 2008 & 10. He remains extensively involved in coaching with his club Gortin.
Gerard Bradley is the retired Vice-Principal of Loreto Grammar School, Omagh having previously taught in St Colman’s Strabane. Gerard has extensive experience of developing training materials and programmes for teachers and GAA Officers especially in the use of MIS and other IT applications.
Gerard is also a member of Gortin St Patrick’s and Badoney Ladies club in Tyrone. Gerard is currently County IT Officer and a current member of County Sub-Committees including Finance, Coaching Review and Club Tyrone. During his time on Ulster Council, he was a member of the Ulster Management Committee. He is currently on the Ulster Finance Committee.
At National level Gerard has served on National Officer Development, IT, National Finance and Games Development Committees.
Donegal chairman, Fergus McGee explained that the review document was a starting point and that “we now must all work together for the best of Donegal GAA”.
“Donegal GAA Coiste Bainisti now await a further invitation from the Review Committee, so that they can plan the way ahead,” a statement said.
