John Hackett, the new Offaly GAA Operations Manager.
OFFALY GAA have made two big new full time appointments, dipping into the county's GAA pool to fill them.
Geashill man, John Hackett is the County Board's new Operations Manager while Ballinamere woman Carina Haverty, nee Carroll, is taking over a new role as County Administrator.
Operations Manager is the senior full time role with Offaly GAA and Hackett replaces Galway man Damien Coleman who ended his term in the role after six months – Coleman had replaced Tullamore club man, Tom Moloney and took on the role for an initial six month period but told Offaly he had other options and he decided to pursue those.
John Hackett is very well known in Offaly GAA circles and brings a wealth of experience with him. He had a senior management role with the family firm, Hackett Bookmakers for several years before that closed a few years ago
Currently chairman of Raheen GAA Club, Hackett is taking on the job on a five year contract and will take up duty on August 1. Operations Manager is a pivotal role for Offaly GAA and he will oversee all paid coaching and administrative staff, implementing the Offaly GAA strategic plan, financial management and annual budgets as well as seeking commercial and sponsorship support for the County Board.
Much of this work has been done by Offaly GAA's voluntary lead officers, chairman Michael Duignan; secretary Colm Cummins and treasurer Dervill Dolan.
Hackett has been a Raheen County Board delegate for years and was never afraid to express his views at meetings while he has served on various county committees in the past.
Carina Haverty will be supporting John Hackett in his role as well as helping the day to day adminsitration and financial running of the board. She will also being helping to run the logistics of county teams during the playing season and is on a three year contract.
Like John Hackett, Haverty has also been involved at the coalface of club and county life for years and has served Ballinamere and Ballinamere-Durrow minor clubs as secretary. She is currently the Offaly GAA coaching officer, a voluntary role, and she will continue to work on this.
It is possible that both people will have to exit their club roles, either shortly or at the end of this year, as they are full time employees of the County Board.
Offaly GAA now have a considerable array of full time and paid staff. Banagher man Adrian Clancy is the Games Manager, a coaching role while Shannon Harbour native Gary Flannery is the Head of Performance.
They currently have ten full time Games Promotion Officers and plan on appointing an extra five by the end of September, bringing the full compliment up to fifteen. GPOs engage in coaching in clubs and schools as well and Offaly GAA chairman Michael Duignan said they hope the new appointments will allow them to have a full time coach doing at least some work with each of the 41 clubs in Offaly.
Mr Duignan explained that they decided to make two appointments for Operations Manager and County Adminsitrator because of the huge volume of work.
The appointments were made by an external interview panel, consisting of two Croke Park nominees, Michael Reynolds, Leinster GAA secretary and Offaly GAA's representative, Brendan Jennings, the former Finance Committee chairman.
They got several applications and the process was managed by the Human Resources Department in Croke Park.
“We are delighted with the calibre of people we have got and the fact that they are steeped in Offaly GAA,” Mr Duignan said.
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