Michael Duignan interview, 7th and final part: Finances, Shane Lowry backing, new sponsors, extra Faithful Fields land and headhunting new officers

The finances of Offaly GAA, both income and expenditure has rocketed. It is great and part of the process but it does create challenges for everyone and is it sustainable growth?

“I think we needed to make that investment to get up to the level we wanted to. All the main sponsors have agreed to stay on board and there is half a million euro committed for the next five years but we are at the stage where we need to level off. We can't go any higher. We had only a small surplus this year and it takes work to manage our finances. Our sponsors have been brilliant, we did need to invest but we are probably near capacity and have to level off.”

Shane Lowry came on board as a major financial backer in the early days. It was a public relations triumph and Shane's passion for Offaly GAA through his celebrations at the All-Ireland U20 football final and social media posts at other times reflected very well on the county. What did it mean from a practical point of view, though?

“We are thankful to Shane for his financial contribution and hopefully that will continue but the biggest thing for me is we have a world class sportsman on our door step and to have him involved. It gives lads that bit of confidence. He carried the flag at the Olympics opening ceremony last year, flew in and hosted a barbeque for the All-Ireland U20 and Joe Mc winners. From that point of view, it was great. He is a very ordinary lad, a down to earth fellow and he went around to all the tables and spoke to everyone. They can see how successful he is and they have that ambition to succeed at the highest level. It is brilliant and long may it continue.”

Was it a big decision to appoint Glenisk as main county sponsors instead of Carroll Meats?

“It was. Carroll's were there for 31 years. They are still a sponsor, they have prominent signs at O'Connor Park and are contributing handsomely. We were trying to maximise our income. Carroll's were given a certain amount and Glenisk are giving substantially bigger. They are a very prominent Offaly brand.

“It was one of those things. Seamus Carroll was a great friend to us all, I played with the Carroll's name on the jersey and they were great friends of Offaly. It was time for change. Glenisk are a national brand on our door step, they were very receptive to coming on board. It was no hard sell. Bord na Mona gave up naming rights on O'Connor Park and they stepped in there as well. It gave us a huge lift and they have led the way in signing a five year deal. We are delighted with Vincent Cleary and family and thank them for their contribution.”

Near the end of your term, Offaly GAA took out a long term lease on an additional 15 acres beside Faithful Fields. Obviously the opportunity to get the land had to be taken but was it a big decision to take it? The lease fee is manageable but far from nominal and you would wonder if the figures stack up long term?

“It is very early stages. The lease is not signed yet, there is a caretakers' agreement for six months and there is an option to opt out after two years. That gives us an opportunity to look at our requirements, what we are best served by doing. We have to keep an eye on possible integration (with ladies football and camogie) as well. I would say it gives us options. Do we need all weather facilities, a dome like Connacht. It is early days and we have to keep an eye on running costs which are substantial for Faithful Fields and O'Connor Park.

“I am very conscious that Faithful Fields was built debt free and we will try and do that with any project there. Tom Parlon and his team will be driving it on now and me, Colm and Dervill will be helping out. We are in early discussions. Get the lease signed, look at our options and if it is not manageable, we can opt out.

“It is fantastic to get the land. It is right beside us and we can access it from Faithful Fields. Even now, with the weather so bad and every team training at the one time, we can do physical running there. It is a massive help in the short term.”

Would outright purchase not have been a better option?

“That was not on the table.”

I know you were never going to take on a big infrastructural project with your emphasis on games but should floodlights be provided in O'Connor Park?

“Again, it comes down to the cost and the benefit. How many matches would we get? We may have got an All-Ireland semi-final in the last few weeks if we had them, we are well positioned but when it comes down to it, there mightn't be massive demand. If we had a bottomless pit we would do it but we don't. It will be looked at in the next couple of years but at the moment the emphasis is on developing Faithful Fields. While people are not bad about all weather pitches, they are a good option to have for schools and other games.”

I chatted you and Dervill (Dolan) in O'Connor Park a few weeks before the close of nominations for Convention and remember saying that ye may line people up. Ye were mildly defensive in that it was up to clubs and there was nothing ye could do. I don't want to use the word head hunted but in the last week or two, you did approach and get people to come forward. It was important that people were lined up rather than leaving open season for the clock to be turned back maybe?

“It is the GAA and it is the process that is there. You don't really have control to a large extent. James Murphy was the vice chairman and if James had gone for the chair, I presume he would have got it. I don't think anyone would have ran against him but James decided not to go. Then there was bit of speculation about Paddy Scales (St Rynagh's) going for it and Paddy ruled himself out as well. That brought us up to within four or five days of the close of nominations and it is not really my job to go and ask someone from outside, the nominations should come from the clubs.

“I had written Tom Parlon's name into my book some months ago. If it came to pass, he was someone who was in my head because of his experience, across a broad range of issues. I thought he might be a very steady pair of hands.

“People have been speculating about why people didn't come forward. Maybe they were worried about the task or following us. That is understandable to an extent but at the same time, people have to step forward. They didn't so I rang Tom. The nominations were closing on a Tuesday and I rang Tom on the Thursday for the first time. Genuinely, it wasn't my remit to ring anyone about anything but when the others ruled themselves out and there was no one coming, then I felt, okay, it is acceptable for me to ring someone. I rang Tom and he didn't say no. He was surprised with the call, we spoke again on Friday morning and arranged to meet over the weekend.

“On the Sunday morning he came to my house and Dervill, myself and Colm were there. By the time he left, he had agreed to let his name go forward. The previous week I had rang Frank Fitzpatrick (Doon, the new treasurer), again with the same thing that there was no one coming forward and we didn't think there would be because the treasurer's job is a big job. Dervill has been tireless in the work, he did the treasurer's job, plus he was involved with everything else as well. Dervill was exceptional. Frank didn't say no, he was retired and he had one or two things in the pipeline. He is a great Offaly man (He lives in Portlaoise), you see him at all the matches and he is a very competent guy. He agreed to come.

“I rang Denis Hoctor (Carrig-Riverstown, the new vice chairman) about the vice chair. I told him I was talking to someone about the chair but I couldn't tell him who. He said I am interested, I will think about it and go home and have a chat with the missus. I was able to go back to him on the Sunday and tell him Tom was coming. He was happy to work with Tom.

“Then Brendan (Minnock, Shamrocks, the new secretary) took a little bit of persuasion but over a couple of weeks, he has come out of himself. He has really stepped up. We have already had meetings with Tom, Brendan and Frank, operations meetings that we had weekly, fortnightly over the five years where we sit down on a Monday morning for three hours and go ahead what is ahead of us over the next three weeks with John and Carina, myself, Colm and Dervill. We have done that throughout the term and we brought the lads in for the last couple of them meetings. I think their eyes have been opened a bit by what is coming but they are all well up for it.

“Pat (Teehan, assistant secretary) came in then and the assistant treasurer is the only role we haven't filled and Cultural Officer. There was a mix up there and I think someone will come there.”

You can walk away happy in the knowledge that you have left Offaly GAA in a lot better place than it was five years ago, that is probably your legacy?

“That is fair enough, thanks, you have said it, not me!! I don't want to be flippant but it is and we are delighted but I have to emphasise the team element of it. If it went wrong, the buck stops with you but it is great to have led such a great group of people. It has been a huge honour as well and I have enjoyed every minute of it. Maybe, I have surprised people in terms of how but I don't tend to half do things. I might take me a while to get revved up to do it but having Colm and Dervill with the same drive, the same work ethic, the same determination to achieve things was key. And Christy (Todd) as well, I couldn't say enough about him. Kieran Keenaghan (a famous fundraiser from Banagher) in the background, unbelievable. Tony Murphy (Seir Kieran, former assistant secretary) and these people, Paudge Mulhare (St Rynagh's), that I could talk to.

“When Christy went from the CCC, Pat Teehan came and was a big help. That was a big thing. When I asked people to do things, they generally said yes which was great. It is only when you sit back and look at all our sub committees, all our teams, managements, backroom team, the amount of people involved. With teams, back room teams, managements, our staff and all that, you are dealing with almost 300-400 people all the time. And I know them all. I mightn't know every player that well, particularly the younger ones but I'd know the majority of the seniors and U20s very well. You have to develop a relationship with everyone and that was all brilliant.

“It was great going around to the clubs, especially after county finals and dinner dances and seeing what it means to people. It has been great. I am happy that we came in. We came in, we said we would do something and we did it. I don't think we can be any fairer than that and we can see the benefit because of the cups we have at the end of the term.”