In Pictures: Donegal GAA Masters presented with their All-Ireland medals

Donegal GAA Masters rounded off 2024 with their All-Ireland medal presentation in Jacksons Hotel, Ballybofey on Sunday night.

They were once again joined by the chairperson of the Gaelic Masters  Association John Pat Sheridan from Mayo as well as Donegal GAA chairperson, Mary Coughlan, who was en route to the awards night in Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin on the same night.

As a result the event was deprived of its usual master of ceremonies, Micheal Canning, who was celebrating the great year had with both the Masters and his own club, Naomh Padraig.

New chairperson of Donegal GAA Masters, Conor McShane, did the honours and welcomed all as well as detailing the great year that the Donegal Masters team had. It might not have started well, he said, with defeats to Derry and Tyrone, but they were unbeaten after that, culminating in winning the All-Ireland Plate competition with victory over London in the final in Kingspan Breffni Park, Sligo.

Along the way new friends were made, not least with the highlight of their trip to London in the group stages.

McShane thanked all who had helped throughout the year including Mary Coughlan and the Donegal Co Board for making the facility at Convoy available for training and also for clubs making their grounds available for games.

He made special mention of manager Francie Martin, who was unable to be at the presentation, but in what was a difficult year on a personal level, the involvement with the GAA Masters was an outlet and a source of comfort.

“Being involved really helped him in the course of the last 12 months. Just being part of this group and having that wee bit of enjoyment and that wee bit of success. I know it was a huge lift to Francie himself,” said McShane.

Donegal chairperson Mary Coughlan congratulated the Donegal GAA Masters on their success. “I have been familiar with the Masters for a number of years and it is a way of keeping together and enjoying support.

“We are delighted to be able to support that and make our facilities in Convoy available. I am also more than happy to get the message across at the next Co Committee meeting that you are recruiting new members.”

Commenting on the fact that the Masters may stick to the old rules for their competition, Coughlan remarked on the new rules that “it is more like an Olympic sport now as opposed to football. The standards expected are absolutely huge.

“When we see what happens at club level, I think that will give us a greater idea of how the rules will work. But so far people seem to be enjoying them and we had a great evening yesterday here in Ballybofey (beating Dublin).”

Coughlan wished the Donegal Masters well for 2025 and said she was there to support them in every way.

In his address, Masters Association chairperson, John Pat Sheridan, praised Donegal for their commitment to the Masters and also on their great success since rejoining the competition around 2016.

“For the length of time you have been in the Masters, you have got massive enjoyment and also have had great success. I think it is three Shields, one Masters senior final and one Plate in that time.

“But also in the bigger picture you have made an awful lot of friends for life,” said Sheridan, who made special mention of Paul Gallagher and Mark Cannon for their huge involvement at county and national level.

Mention was made also that Conor McShane and Paul Gallagher had represented Ireland against the Australian Masters in 2024 while Mark Cannon and former Donegal Ladies player Maria Devenney were involved in backroom teams.

The Donegal Masters recently met up and are making plans for 2025 and are holding an information evening on Wednesday 5th February 2025 in the Sean MacCumhaills Club House at 8pm and everyone is welcome. For any information contact Chairperson: Conor McShane 087 1367907; Treasurer: Gerard McBrearty 087 0656332 or Players Rep: Eamon McHugh 087 6724040.

There will be an attractive start to the new season for the Donegal Masters as they have been invited to a weekend in Scotland at the end of March, where they will play an exhibition game against Tyrone Masters.

“That should be a good weekend. I know Scotland were anxious to have a Donegal team over and it will be good for them promoting the game as well,” said Mary Coughlan, who is travelling for what will be a celebratory weekend for Scottish GAA.

The weekend is to promote a legacy of Irish Culture and Sport in Scotland and apart from Donegal and Tyrone Masters, there will also be Armagh players with the Sam Maguire Cup as well as GAA President Jarlath Burns. The weekend will include a Gala Dinner on Saturday, 28th March.

Among the aims of the campaign is the redevelopment of Pearse Park Centre for Culture and Sport in Glasgow including a full-sized floodlit GAA pitch and an Irish Cultural Centre.