By Patrick Sharkey
The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) in Warwickshire, in collaboration with the Provincial Council of Britain, is thrilled to announce the appointment of Seánie Boyle as the Community Development Administrator (CDA). Boyle remains set to spearhead the growth and advancement of Gaelic Games.
Boyle, hailing from Donegal, returns to Warwickshire with an impressive history in Gaelic Games.
In an exclusive interview, Seánie Boyle discussed his motivations for taking on the CDA role and his vision for the future of Gaelic Games in Warwickshire on their website. Mr Boyle said:” Having taken a year away from the UK in 2023, I kept busy, spending the time with my home club Kilcar and continued playing and coaching. Unfortunately, the playing side didn’t go as planned, as we bowed out at the county quarter-final stage beaten by a well-drilled Naomh Conaill side. I had continued coaching by managing the Kilcar Minors, a year which had no silverware but where we could still view the season as a success. A team, that in our first training session had just 12 players, we thankfully managed to get three more to join the panel and caught good momentum which made the year extremely enjoyable for the squad, playing 15 games and getting 10 results, falling narrowly short in the county semi-final. I hope to see them continue their development and go further”.
Boyle vented his enthusiasm for returning to Warwickshire and shared the factors that drew him to the CDA role. Boyle explains: “While both playing and coaching at home was extremely enjoyable, it was also incredibly taxing mentally and physically, as I tried to balance a developing career and social life on top of the playing and coaching commitments. So, when a full-time position within the GAA becomes available and you feel you have the credentials to apply, it was a no-brainer for me to look at a return to Warwickshire. I was delighted to secure the job and the various roles”.
As the newly appointed CDA, Seánie Boyle outlined his primary goal: to inspire and engage young players in the county, fostering their love for the game and motivating them to represent their clubs.
Boyle also stressed the remarkable work done by his predecessor, Dermot Thornton, in primary schools and at the underage level. Seánie explained his appreciation for those around him saying: “To make it even more appealing, the role is for a county I owe a lot to, both Warwickshire and Roger Casement’s were very welcoming to me in my two seasons here previously and so I hope to repay everyone with a successful tenure in the role. The Juvenile section of Warwickshire GAA has also started the decade with fantastic levels of success across various age grades and with the new, state-of-the-art facilities in Páirc na hÉireann well underway, it has all the ingredients for continued progression and achievement – the sky is the limit for our county-wide development. I am delighted and very much look forward to being a key part of that.” He plans to build on this foundation and continue improving the GAA landscape in the county, particularly at the grassroots level. It was a mixed year for Gaelic football in Warwickshire as Brian Coughlan’s stunning solo goal separated the sides as New York returned to the All-Ireland junior football championship final. They had to come from behind to secure that golden ticket, trailing by three points approaching half-time.
Moreover, Boyle aims to closely collaborate with county underage squads to identify and nurture future talent. The Kilcar knows the highs and lows of it all saying: “The comprehensive defeat Casement’s took in ‘21 had given me and the rest of the squad an eye opener. We had to step up as players and it was an unbelievable feeling to finally get over the line for the club and its supporters”.
The CDA intends to address the issue of dropouts within the 17–21 age group and plans to work.
Furthermore, Boyle aims to assist Intermediate clubs in building sustainable underage structures.
Seánie Boyle encouraged clubs, parents, and mentors to reach out to him. The Casements club man highlighted his good relations with his fellow midlands Gaels saying: “In 2021 I was part of the Warwickshire side that won its first All-Britain title in 16 years. has been a fantastic start to the decade too for the county at the senior level and it was brilliant to be a part of it, beating London in Ruislip in the replay was the icing on the cake. It was great to work under fellow Donegal man Charlie O’Donnell and his management team who adopted a very different approach and methodical style of football to what I was used to in Kilcar. Still, I loved every minute of it.” He can be found at Páirc na hÉireann throughout the season, and he is accessible through various social media platforms. For express communication, individuals can contact him via mobile at 00353 874638571 or email at Seaniefboyle@hotmail.com. Their hurling campaign was also hit-and-miss as Niall Arthur led Monaghan to their first win in their Lory Meagher Cup campaign shooting 11 points. Having opened a lead of 2-13 to 0-3 points the home side had this fixture well wrapped up by half time. Warwickshire offered little resistance with the sides trading points in the opening five minutes before Thomas Hughes was found out wide with a great diagonal ball in the sixth minute and used his pace and skill.
With Seánie Boyle by the side of the helm, the Warwickshire GAA community can look forward to an era of increased development, collaboration, and success in the Gaelic Games. Seánie Boyle wants to get work done saying: “I look to significantly improve our county underage squads and have a link”
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