Inaugural Club Summit a resounding success
By John Harrington
The inaugural Gaelic games Club Summit in Croke Park on Saturday, February 7 was a resounding success.
Over 800 club volunteers attended the event for a full day of expert-led seminars, interactive exhibitions, take-home resources, and inspiring forums.
With five core content areas - Developing Your Games, Running Your Club, Supporting Your People, Enhancing Your Facilities, and Contributing to Your Community – it provided a one-stop shop for volunteers keen to bring tools, ideas, and supports back to their clubs.
“The whole day was a great success and we were delighted with it,” says GAA Planning and Training Committee Chairperson, David Denieffe.
“Delighted with the numbers who attended and delighted overall with how everything went from the various panels to the break-out talks, everything just went really well.
Pictured left to right at the The Club Summit in Croke Park were former Wexford camogie player, Ursula Jacob; former Tipperary hurling manager, Liam Sheedy; former Limerick hurler, Declan Hannon; former Monaghan footballer, Conor McManus; Irish Times journalist, Denis Walsh; Former Mayo LGFA footballer, Diane O'Hora, and TV and radio broadcaster, Aisling O'Reilly.
“I believe the club volunteers who attended got an awful lot from the day. All the club supports were highlighted in one place and were available in one place. So, whether you were dealing with facilities or volunteers or funds or how to best run your club, it was all there.
“All of that coupled with the fact that there was so much positive networking going on. You had clubs talking to clubs and learning an awful lot from one another.
“It provided an opportunity to meet and talk to people you might normally only see on a webinar, from people on provincial councils to those working in Croke Park. It was just really, really powerful.”
Exhibit stands at The Club Summit showcased a wide range of initiatives produced by the Gaelic games Associations as well as companies offering goods and services such as playing equipment, teamwear, and turf care.
Club volunteers who attended had access to 30 seminars that showcased expert insights and practical advice; role-specific workshops; peer-to-peer networking; and a range of exhibitors offering club focused supports.
These exhibit stands showcased both a wide range of initiatives produced by the Gaelic games Associations as well as companies offering goods and services such as playing equipment, teamwear, and turf care.
Knowledge is power, and by the end of the day those who attended could go back to their clubs armed with all sorts of helpful information and resources.
“People left Croke Park that day feeling, 'God, I now know where to go, or, I saw that there and I need to talk to those people’,” says Denieffe.
“The biggest feedback I got was that people felt they didn't get everything. That there was just so much there that they really felt that they should have brought more people from their clubs.
“We saw some clubs bringing six volunteers so they were able to cover all the talks and get to all the stands and cover stuff that their club wants to cover.
“It helped existing officers and it helped new officers. That was real positive about it, that it was such a great source of knowledge.”
Club volunteers who attended The Club Summit had access to 30 seminars that showcased expert insights and practical advice.
The inaugural Club Summit was such a success that Denieffe hopes it will become a fixture in the Gaelic games calendar going forward.
“We're very much hoping to build upon this,” he says. “I'd love to see it happening on an annual basis but it takes a huge deal of organisation to put something of this scale in place.
“But, given its success, we'd really hope to build on it and we're really delighted with the huge support we got from everyone.
“From everyone within the Associations, but also our sponsors Amazon who were absolutely superb and hugely supportive of all the Gaelic games Associations, the GAA, the LGFA, and the Camogie Association.”
* In partnership with Amazon, the day also featured a Club Summit prize draw, the winners of which are listed below.
Prize: €10,000 contribution to 2026 Club Fees
Winner: Nigel Leydon
Club: O'Loughlin Gaels
County: Kilkenny
Prize: Set of Club jerseys sponsored by GAA+
Winner: Sally-Ann Moylan
Club: Cuala
County: Dublin
Prize: Group tour of Croke Park Stadium
Winner: Liam Gahan
Club: Kilcoole
County: Wicklow
Prize: €250 Coaching Equipment Bundle
Winner: Claire Haugh
Club: Kilcock
County: Kildare
Individual Prizes
Prize: All Ireland Final Experience
Winner: Lauren Hempenstall
Prize: League Final Experience
Winner: Niall Walsh
Prize: GAA+ Season Pass (x5)
Winners: Emma O'Sullivan, Barry Rafferty, Jimmy Donoghue, Keith Picket, Michael Harnet
Prize: GAA Season Ticket (x5)
Winners: John Byrne, Amamaria Bogdan, Niamh Stephenson, Gloria Ward, Eamon Rice
Prize: County Jersey (x5)
Winners: Jo Robinson, Jake Breslin, Clodagh Donegan-Ward, Shane Murphy, Aaron Ferris
Feedback Survey Draw
The €300 voucher for any Dalata Hotel in Ireland or the UK, sponsored by Dalata, offered to individuals who completed The Club Summit attendee feedback survey was won by Mairead Mulreany, Co. Donegal.
* The Club Summit Prize Draw was independently observed by Brian Cormack, Partner, Forvis Mazars