Malcolm McFarlane has been a key figure in the development of Bredagh GAC.
By Cian Murphy
‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.’
The words of American cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead didn’t have Gaelic games in mind, but they fit perfectly for celebrating volunteerism in the GAA just as easily as they do for the societal issues she championed.
If volunteers and volunteerism is the lifeblood of the GAA, LGFA and Camogie Associations, then being able to attract people to give something back and serve something bigger than themselves is an existential matter for our games.
Few doubt that it has never been harder to be a volunteer. People have never been as time poor as they are now and modern society places protocols and responsibilities on volunteers that could so easily be a turn off.
But as the Gaelic games associations mark National Volunteer Week it is worth celebrating the fact that our games have never been as popular or as widely played as they are now – a statistic that is directly linked to the fact the GAA continues to be a place where volunteerism is alive and well.
A four-code club that in the last 50 years has grown from the humblest of beginnings to have 1,700 members, 40 teams and 240 volunteer coaches, Bredagh GAC from South Belfast on the Ravenhill Road have been recognised nationally for their excellence.
In 2022 Malcolm McFarlane was selected by Iar Uachtarán Larry McCarthy as his recipient in Ulster for a President’s Award – as part of the annual scheme to recognise outstanding contributions in the promotion of Gaelic games.
A native of Killough in the Parish of Bright, he was new to the area and new to the club but saw volunteer coaches outnumbered by gangs of enthusiastic kids and an offer to help has led to an involvement that has rewarded him with memories and friendships to last a lifetime.
“I’m a firm believer in don’t cry about something unless you volunteer yourself. You can’t criticise others if you are not prepared to put your hand up.
“It’s hard to put into words what the GAA has given myself and my family from the enjoyment and participation. When you go up to the park there is always something going on and I do not know what we would do without it,” he says.
His organisational and community leadership skills were obvious and have been repeatedly put to good use by the club.
For Malcolm, it’s important that volunteers continue to feel appreciated and advises people who have the chance to get involved in their club.
“Small things make a big difference. My advice to anyone would be that if you think you can help then we’ll find something that fits for you to do. There’s always plenty to be doing in every club and the hardest part is finding volunteers.
“There’s so much more we could do if we had more volunteers, and you don’t like always going back to the same well of people asking for help. People might be afraid of getting involved and think you never get out but that is not the way it works.
“It is very rewarding when you contribute but I would say that one thing we are not good at in the GAA is rewarding volunteers and we should not take them for granted and we should celebrate our volunteers more,” he adds.
When he thinks back on the club’s founder, a parish priest from Wexford called Fr Matt Wallace and other stalwarts who have passed on like James O’Keeffe, Malcolm is reminded that the clubs of today can trace their roots back to previous generations of volunteers who gave up their time to build the clubs like Bredagh and the 1,600 like them in Ireland.
Nothing for Malcolm symbolised the community power of the GAA better than the response to covid – a global pandemic that at truly the worst of times brought the very best out of people.
“During the pandemic we saw it as our opportunity to give back to the community,” recalled Malcolm of his club’s effort that saw them distribute £100,000 worth of food and medicine to the elderly and those in need in their local area. It’s a service they continue to offer with the parish bingo which brings many elderly neighbours out and gives them a sense of inclusion. “The connection they get helps to bond the whole community,” he adds.
Their ladies’ footballers and their camogie teams have given them plenty of big days out and they have high hopes for their men’s football teams and hurlers this year too.
But success on the field is only ever a part of the bigger success that Malcolm and the members of Bredagh achieve with their work in making their club the focal point of their community; a place where many hands make light work, and we have a living embodiment of the GAA Where We All Belong manifesto.
This article is part of a series being published across the Gaelic Games Association websites throughout Volunteer Week.
• Wednesday 21st May - Driven by the Glen, Powered by Heart Mary Newman- Glen Rovers Camogie Club, Cork on Camogie.ie
• Thursday 22nd May – Celebrating volunteerism in the LGFA on LGFA.ie