“Put the whistle where your mouth is” as Offaly GAA launch referees' recruitment drive

OFFALY GAA have launched a recruitment drive in a bid to attract new football and hurling referees.

“As the saying goes, put your whistle where your mouth is,” urged one of Offaly's best known referees, Brian Gavin as he appealed to interested people of all ages to enrol for forthcoming training courses.

Clara man Gavin reached the pinnacle, taking charge of a couple of All-Ireland senior hurling finals and in a recruitment video launched on Thursday evening, he spoke about the enjoyment he got out of refereeing and the positive impact it had on his life.

Killeigh man Adam Kinahan stated that he started refereeing seven years ago as Offaly was short of referees at the time and his club Clodiagh Gaels didn't have one. He refereed the Offaly senior hurling final in 2020 and the Leinster minor hurling semi-final last year. He spoke about the shortage of referees and promised that interested people won't regret it.

One of the newest football referees in Offaly is Tullamore man, Kevin Williamson, who played senior football with his club up to a couple of years ago and won a junior football medal last year. A developing referee with plenty of potential, he said he took it up because he was looking at a way to stay involved in football after he stopped playing and refereeing was a good option for him. “I found it very enjoyable and it is a good way for me to keep fit as well,” he said.

He stated that his knowledge of the game has improved since he started refereeing and he has met some great people in various clubs. Williamson encouraged people to do the referee's course, promising that they would love it.

Experienced hurling referee Kieran Dooley, Drumcullen said he has enjoyed every minute of his refereeing career, taking charge of two senior hurling finals. He hoped newcomers would enjoy it as much as he has.

At the moment Offaly has approximately forty active referees, a reduction from a high of 56 at one time and they really need newcomers to spread the workload. A three week course will take place after which referees will be qualified to take charge of games. The games programme in Offaly at adult and underage level has really increased in recent years and attracting new referees is pivotal to ensuring this can continue to be run.

It is also a great social outlet and a way to keep fit. Organised physical training takes place every second Monday evening in Faithful Fields, Kilcormac and clips of games is an important element of this where referees are shown both good and bad decisions by counterparts at county level. Questionaires take place on the night and ongoing assessment and guidance is available to both newcomers and established referees.

Dates and the venue for the course will be announced soon and anyone interested should contact Dennis Hoctor (Referee Coordinator) 087 2593519 Brian Gavin (Chairman of Referees Committee) 087-2411986, Damien Brazil 085-1745996, or email refereesadministrator.offaly@gaa.ie