The inaugural Kilkenny GAA Black and Amber Forum, sponsored by UPMC, was launched at a breakfast event on the 29th February last at the InterContinental Hotel in Dublin. This new initiative broadens the opportunity for people and businesses to connect with one of the most recognisable and prestigious sporting brands in Ireland. It will allow businesses align with a brand name that is rich in heritage, has a winning tradition and is deeply enmeshed in the national sporting and social consciousness.
Speaking at the launch, Iar-Uachtaráin na hÉireann, Mary McAleese, spoke about her role as chair of the Steering Group for Integration and the plans for the coming years as the GAA, the Camogie Association and the LGFA work together towards full integration: “The Steering Group on Integration, after 18 months of intense listening and discussion, has now a recommended pathway to what will be the most historic development in Gaelic games and that is One Association for all of Gaelic games by 2027.
We now know from the membership of the three organisations and from the public that what people want is One Association for all Gaelic games. What we have worked on for the last 18 months is a pathway to bringing these three organisations into one and it will be a formidable voluntary organisation of amateur sports right across the Island of Ireland and around the world wherever Gaelic games are played. Everybody will be a member of One Association and that One Association will have a new dynamic as it ushers in a new era of all working together.
Over the next three years, we will adopt a programmatic and step by step approach to achieving this goal and right the way up through the organisation at county board level and provincial level, all will be fully integrated, fully balanced, fully cognisant of gender and fully cognisant of their responsibility for the development of all the codes to the extent that they can.”
Speaking after the launch, Kilkenny GAA Chairman, PJ Kenny, said “Kilkenny GAA welcomes the roadmap outlined by the Steering Group on Integration and looks forward to working with Kilkenny Camogie and Kilkenny LGFA to make integration a reality. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank former President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, for all her work as Chair of the Steering Group and for giving of her time to speak to us at the Black and Amber Forum this morning.”
Thank you to our panellists, Derek Lyng, Kilkenny Senior Hurling Manager, Richie Hogan, Kilkenny GAA & Grace Walsh, Kilkenny Camogie, for their participation & contribution to an insightful & engaging panel discussion on all aspects of our Gaelic Games. Thank you also to Kieran Cuddihy for his professionalism as MC for the event.
Thank you to all in attendance for their support & to all who helped make the event the success that it was.
Finally, thank you to Willie Dempsey for the great photos & to My Club360 for capturing the event on video.
Photos, courtesy of Willie Dempsey, can be viewed HERE
By Mary Morgan Fri 8th Mar
