Donal Kearney

Donal Kearney is from the Clogherhead area of Co. Louth and his club is the Dreadnots. Donal’s father, Peadar Kearney, was the secretary/treasurer of Louth County Board from 1956 to 1989/1990, he was a member and chairman of the Leinster Council and a central council representative. He was involved in the setting up of Cumann na mBunscoil in Louth and held many other non-GAA related voluntary roles in Co. Louth. Donal was a player and administrator for a brief period, but due to work commitments he no longer holds any administrative role. Donal talks in detail about his father’s life in the GAA, his various voluntary roles, negotiations he held with the land commission to purchase the Dreadnots grounds, the sacrifices he made, his views on a range of issues and how his father’s roles impacted on the family. Donal discusses the importance of the volunteer, the troubles in the North, travelling with his father to meetings and matches, his own views on professionalism, the opening of Croke Park and the GAA abroad. Donal also discusses the role of GAA at school and college, its impact on his sense of identity and the impact of local politics on the GAA.