Busy weekend ahead for Offaly

By Cian O'Connell

The week is busy, but Offaly GAA chairperson Tom Parlon wouldn't have it any other way.

Offaly's flagship senior teams contest crucial knockout matches in both codes at the weekend so the planning and plotting continues.

On Saturday, Declan Kelly and Mickey Harte's footballers travel to Croke Park for an intriguing Tailteann Cup semi-final against Wicklow. The following day, Johnny Kelly's hurlers meet Cork at FBD Semple Stadium in an All-Ireland SHC quarter-final.

Unsuprisingly, sport is peppering the conversations in Offaly. "We had the football draw in Tullamore last Monday morning," Parlon says.

"It was gas, the first sports item was Shane Lowry, and his preparations for the Open. Then, we had young Alex Dunne, who is an Offaly lad, too from Clonbullogue, and is sponsored by one of our sponsors, Condron Concrete, he finished second in the Formula Two motor racing.

"Then, you've our footballers and hurlers. So, it's a great time to be from Offaly."

That matters deeply, and the fact that the next generation are witnessing Offaly compete again is vital. "Obviously, providing facilities is a big thing," Parlon explains.

"We hosted a coaching session that was a joint session between the bunscoils and the GPA in the Faithful Fields on Wednesday. We'd about 600 school children there, we'd maybe a half dozen Offaly hurlers too.

"It was for hurling and camogie with Dublin, Laois, and Galway players too. It was a great spectacle. It's wonderful to be in such a position, to have such good facilities, and be able to host such an occasion. That's bearing fruit now."

Adding more facilities at the splendid Faithful Fields is on the agenda. "The big pressure we have now is to expand our Faithful Fields which we're in the act of doing," he adds.

"We've an extra 15 acres and we're applying for planning permission for a new artificial pitch and all the ancillary services to be able to cope with the demand we have from our kids right up to our seniors. It's a good time and the GAA is very strong in Offaly."

Parlon acknowledges the vision of previous Offaly GAA executive committees to ensure the Faithful Fields was delivered. "Terrific work was put in back in the day to put it in place, to fund it," Parlon says.

"It's debt free at the moment, it's run superbly with our voluntary staff there, it's kept in super condition with four really good pitches, ball walls, and an artificial training area, and a good gym.

"It's such a thrill for the young kids to get an opportunity to be doing the development squads there and so on. I've no doubt that it's important, being able to train collectively, centrally, and in good conditions all of the time."

In December 2024 Parlon was delighted to be elected as Offaly GAA chairperson. "I've been a mad GAA fan all of my life, from the time I was playing with Coolderry and supporting the county," he says.

"Previously, I was chairman of Coolderry GAA between the times I was President of the IFA and being a TD. I reckoned it was one of the toughest jobs ever in terms of the intensity of trying to run a local club, the cost of running it, particularly a hurling club and the costs of hurleys and balls, all of the other complications that go with it.

"We were developing Coolderry too. I was quite surprised to get the opportunity of being chairman of the County Board. It's one I've taken on with great relish, I'm very honoured, and am loving the job."

Collaborating with others is key according to Parlon. "At some function lately, I was thinking that our Board are on a par with any commercial Board in the country in terms of their commitment and expertise," he says.

"We've a wide degree of expertise, and a major passion amongst all of us. Chairing a board meeting is certainly very interesting, it can be challenging, but the amount of voluntary effort and intelligence is just massive in terms of dealing with issues as they come up."

Possibilities exist and Parlon senses Offaly's potential. "We've a good management team right across the board in all sectors," Parlon says. "Last year we won the Leinster minor football final which was a big deal for a small county. We've been so lucky to win U20 football and hurling All-Irelands in the last number of years.

"Nurturing those players and keeping them on board, and bringing new people on is important. Both of our squads are very young squads.

"We're building in strength, in confidence, and we're building our skills. All of that is coming together.

"We're so lucky to have a squad of local sponsors, we don't have any big corporate sponsor, we've no international corporate sponsor. We'd relish one, if we had one.

"Our Offaly based companies are so generous and good to us - it's fabulous. The likes of Glenisk, Condron Concrete, the Molloy Precast and Tullamore Court - fantastic sponsors."