John Scully

John Scully talks about a GAA career that saw him work with many clubs and in a variety of positions. Originally from Slane, County Meath, he played football with Donore due to rule complications but was able to switch to Slane when he turned 18. He later moved to Monaghan and lined out for Corduff before an injury curtailed his career. It was then that he got involved in administration, becoming club secretary and the chairman and overseeing certain developments within the club. Later he joined Carrickmacross Emmets and, as he could not play anymore, he became a referee - a career he enjoyed until his options were restricted because of an incident after a particular game. His administrative career continued apace, however, and he was made assistant secretary and then secretary of the Monaghan County Board. It was an exciting time for the county as Seamus McEnaney was taking up the reins as manager and the team went on to achieve notable success on the pitch. After that he became chairman of Carrickmacross Emmets and also found time to be involved with the Monaghan referees' body and also carry out work as an assessor. In his spare time he worked on the history of Carrickmacross Emmets. John is candid about his experiences over they years, shedding light on the goings-on behind the scenes at administrative level, addressing the thorny issue of creeping professionalism within the GAA, and providing an insight into what life within the Association is like for the many referees in the game.