Paul McGonigle confirms Donegal chair ambitions

Donegal GAA will have a contest on its hands for the position of chairman at next month’s convention with Paul McGonigle confirming to DonegalLive that he is officially letting his name go forward.

The Buncrana clubman is very well known in Donegal GAA circles, having represented the county at the highest level, playing at midfield and half-forward during the years 2001-2004. 

In that time he appeared in two Ulster finals and in an All-Ireland semi-final. He was also a mentor to former bosses Jim McGuinness and Declan Bonner at senior intercounty level.

McGonigle has been a prominent member at his club over many years, serving as chairman in the past. 

Last week, current Ulster Council representative Fergus McGee, from St Eunan’s, also threw his hat into the ring to fill the position, which will be vacated by Mick McGrath in December following the end of his five-year tenure. 

On the reason or reasons he’s decided to officially declare his candidacy for the top administrative post in Donegal GAA, McGonigle explained: “My motivation is very straight forward, it always has been. I just want to see Donegal GAA, across the board, maximise its potential. I’ve a huge interest in youth development. 

“Within the county, I’ve always felt the quality is there. But I don’t know if we’ve ever really put ourselves in the position where we’ve been able to say we are consistently maximising that potential. 

“And that’s a huge part of the motivation in letting my name go forward. How far can we actually reach, and how do we get there?” 

He added: “The landscape is always changing so ‘we’ is all-encompassing. It’s everyone of the same mindset really. It’s about the community, the supporters, the diaspora and all things Donegal. 

“And that should include the business community, the social enterprise community, the education community and so on. There isn’t a ceiling on any of that. 

And I can’t imagine why everyone wouldn’t be of that same mindset.  That has to include everyone - all those stakeholders we’ve just mentioned, as well as the clubs and our supporters. 

“Having played for Donegal, been in the background with management teams and even talking to others, strategically, I’ve a broad grasp of what this will involve and what it can involve. 

“That’s what really interests me. Yeah, you have to look at what’s already taken place, in the past. Mick, the executive and the previous committees, you have to give them full marks in how they’ve set about bringing the likes of the Convoy project to fruition.

“But progressively, and looking to the future now, that’s what the focus needs to be on.” 

In terms of the current GAA landscape in Donegal, McGonigle says there are solid foundations already in place at most levels. But, he says, there is still plenty of scope for improvement.  

“Moving forward in that vein, that will have to mean a strategic review. There are other counties in the midst of that process, some well down the track. 

“But again, it’s not about following anyone else’s lead. It’s about developing our own pathway and that is something we have to do in a cohesive manner, within the county. 

“We have a brilliant brand. We need to build on that now. We need to build financially sustainable models that allow us to continue to invest in things like our academies and the developmental side of things. 

“And that planning has to facilitate further investment in our clubs as well. Because stronger clubs will mean stronger county teams. So there is a huge body of work we can get stuck into.

“As well as coaching and development, the structural support we can offer clubs in terms of advisory channels, ‘Club Maith’ and so on; it can be of real benefit. 

“Some clubs are very progressive in that area, and are well established and thriving. But there are others that could do with the right boost and lift. 

“As a county board and an executive, that’s a responsibility we can look towards also. In order to do that we need to also look inwards, at our own plans, roles and responsibilities. 

“And there needs to be transparency in all of that. We need to build and move forward with all of that in a more ad hoc manner than we might have in the past”.