End in sight to O'Connor Park lease row as Offaly GAA approve settlement but terms must remain confidential until Tullamore thumbs up

AN end is in sight to the two year long row between the Offaly GAA County Board and Tullamore GAA Club over the lease terms for the premier ground in the county, O'Connor Park.

The Offaly GAA County unanimously approved the extensive settlement deal at a meeting on Tuesday night. It must be signed off by Tullamore GAA Club at their Annual General Meeting on Saturday, November 26 and the terms of it must remain confidential until then.

The full list of terms were outlined at Tuesday's meeting but delegates were asked by chairman Michael Duignan not to reveal them outside the room.

Tullamore GAA chairman Paul Dillane revealed that their officers and committee had approved the deal and he was confident that it will be formally approved at their AGM. Noting that they have made concessions in a bit to get a deal, he hoped that this would be the end of the row and that them and Offaly could get on with their main business of promoting gaelic games.

Offaly GAA chairman Michael Duignan came from the removal of a family funeral to explain the O'Connor Park situation to delegates – he immediately left after the deal was passed with vice chairman James Murphy chairing the remainder of the meeting.

He thanked Tullamore for their work in bringing the row towards a conclusion and he also hoped that this would be the end of the matter.

Mr Duignan explained that the deal was reached just before the parties were to go to a full arbitration hearing. Offaly GAA had been represented by him, secretary Colm Cummins and treasurer Dervill Dolan along with legal representatives. Chairman Paul Dillane, vice chairman Brian Collins and last year's chairman Tom Martin represented Tullamore along with their legal people.

It looks like it will bring an end to a messy, quite ugly affair with the County Board and their biggest club, Tullamore on war footing since the County Board withheld a lease payment in 2020, citing financial difficulties because of Covid 19. Things escalated from there with termination of the lease agreement a very live possibility. Indeed, at one fractious meeting between the sides Offaly GAA chairman Michael Duignan threatened to terminate the agreement.

Thankfully things, quickly rowed back from there with Michael Duignan telling a subsequent County Board meeting that they didn't wish to exit O'Connor Park or the lease agreement. This year, the row went into arbitration and with the sides having very publicly aired their views in a variety of forums and ways before that, things were very quiet for the past year with very little said – as they both sought a way out of the stand off.

It is good news for all in Offaly GAA and Tullamore GAA Club and paints a much nicer picture than the unseemly one that had emerged last year.

Last year Tullamore GAA Club told clubs in a letter that Offaly GAA chairman Michael Duignan had informed then Tullamore chairman Tom Martin that they would be “terminating the lease”. Minutes of an Offaly GAA management meeting last June make reference to meeting with Tullamore to discuss the potential for a “post lease rental agreement” for the use of O'Connor Park for matches.

Both sides were in danger of taking the nuclear option of termination at that time but Offaly GAA quickly rowed back from that with the minutes of a Management Committee on September 7 last year revealing that they didn't want to exit the lease but wished to have it re-negotiated.

Those minutes said: “An Cathaoirleach outlined the latest efforts from Offaly GAA to resolve the current impasse. In this regard a meeting was requested and held with Tullamore GAA on the 01/09/21. At the meeting, An Cathaoirleach acknowledged that Offaly GAA do not wish to exit OCP. However, as result of the financial impact of losses arising in OCP for the past 19 years, compounded by the impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic, Offaly GAA wish to mutually amend elements of the current lease. Tullamore GAA outlined their position in their letter dated 01/09/21 (distributed at the meeting on 01/09/21), that the lease agreement is not for review and OCP is not for sale. It was agreed to hold a Special Management Meeting to discuss the OCP Lease issue, with a view to putting a proposal to the clubs at a Special County Committee Meeting.”

In a furious letter distributed to clubs in July 2021, Tullamore GAA had outlined their position:

Tullamore GAA stated very clearly that O'Connor Park is “not for sale”, the legal agreement is “not for review” and there is no “legal basis for such a review” and that they are proceeding with an arbitration process. They went further as they accused Offaly GAA of being a “bad debtor for Tullamore GAA”.

Tullamore GAA Club further stated that the options for Offaly GAA are either to pay their outstanding lease fee of €48,284.82 immediately or to terminate the lease.

Their letter stated

“On termination of the Lease Agreement and in accordance with the Lease. Offaly GAA must:

1 Give Tullamore GAA six {6} months advance written notice of its decision to terminate the Lease Agreement

2 Surrender O'Connor Park back to Tullamore GAA Club without a penalty of any kind

3 Discharge all outgoings inclusive of all rent payments due to Tullamore GAA as per the Lease Agreement.

4 Yield up O'Connor Park {Including fixtures and fittings - other than trade or tenant's fixtures} together with all additions and improvements thereto and in such a state and condition that It be handed back to Tul/amore GAA in all respects. consistent with full and due performance.”

The row erupted in 2020 after the County Board sought a reduction of the yearly rent on O'Connor Park because of loss of income with Covid-19 shutdowns. A subsequent offer of a €15,000 donation by Tullamore GAA Club was turned down by the board. The management committee stated that they did not accept this money “due to the conditionality of the offer”.

There were efforts to get Leinster Council and Croke Park to mediate on the row but these were not successful and Tullamore engaged legal advice.

The County Board's preferred option was to buy out the ground outright but Tullamore were opposed to this.

The County Board signed a 35 year lease on O'Connor Park from Tullamore GAA Club in 2002 and this will not end until 2037 when the County Board will have the right to renew it if they wish.

A massive development of O'Connor Park took place in the 2000s after Offaly lost home venue for a 2004 Leinster SFC clash against Westmeath when Leinster Council ruled that it could not host the expected crowd because of health and safety regulations. A new 7,000 seater stand and terrace was constructed, with impressive press and ancillary facilities, turning O'Connor Park into one of the best provincial GAA grounds in the country. It has been capable of hosting 20,000 crowds and has been the venue for some big glamour clashes.

A big stand off had erupted between Offaly GAA and Tullamore GAA Club over the payment of the lease for 2020. The County Board sought a reduction in their annual rent as the ground yielded almost no revenue last year because of Covid-19 restrictions. Tullamore GAA Club didn't give any reduction and the two sides have been at loggerheads since then. The County Board paid €42,184 of the €56,245 lease for 2020 and sought a reduction of three months rent of €14,061 because of the Covid-19 pandemic ans the resultant financial hit they took.

Servicing the €1.5 million debt on O'Connor Park has proven to be a big challenge for the County Board and in 2015, the debt was taken over by Croke Park as the Offaly County Board ran into major financial difficulty – a deal was struck by then County Board chairman Padraig Boland and other officers, and approved by a full board meeting.

The County Board then tried to get the lease re-negotiated and apart from the yearly rent which was only a minor part of their stance, they were unhappy with elements of it such as Tullamore having a veto on naming rights being secured for the ground and concerts being held there.

The details of the agreement can be made public once approved by Tullamore GAA Club.