Peter Cooney

Peter Cooney talks about his GAA experiences in Sligo since 1932. His local club was Coolera and he played football with them when he was young. Athletics was also very popular at the time. When he was still in his twenties Peter got involved in administration, attending club meetings and acting as a delegate to the county board. He remembers the lifting of the Ban and talks about the impact that that debate had on the GAA in Sligo. Peter also coached underage teams and donated a field of his to be used by the local club. He acted as a selector and sometimes refereed games. Peter has seen many changes in the Association during his lifetime, and he offers his opinions on issues such as professionalism and the rise of the GPA. For Peter the GAA is an integral part of the community and the preservation of its amateur status is very important to him.