28 August 2012
ONE ANTRIM
It cannot happen without you!
Things are moving on. This week’s news that Liam Bradley is moving on from the Antrim managers post must be greeted with a little sadness but also with deep gratitude for the great job “the Baker” has done for us over the last 4 years. He has brought a belief to the players that proved to be the difference and he brought us some great results. Most importantly he has left a strong foundation for the next management team to build on. That’s another task for County Committee, having already started the process to select a new senior hurling manager.
We have much to do as a county and the poor result achieved by our U-21 hurlers at the week-end shows just how much we have to do. I am quite sure that we fielded our strongest team and in Johnny McIntosh we had a very good, dedicated, hard-working coach. Clearly, we need to do much more at an earlier stage of the development of our young hurlers and footballers.
And that is where we all come in. I am not daft enough to think that money is the answer to every ill in the game in our county – but I challenge anyone to show me a county who has made significant progress on the field without major financial investment in coaching structures. Dublin hurling is a great example of what can be achieved – but of course it is the biggest county in Ireland and after all we are only the SECOND BIGGEST!
County management has great and well advanced plans for our Centre of Participation at Dunsilly. These need finance to complete and we need to invest more in our coaching structures. But we, Gaels of Antrim, now need to take action to make this happen. It is time to stop waiting for “someone else”. No-one else is going to make this happen – it is up to us – all of us.
And it is for that very reason that Club Aontroma in conjunction with Coiste Bainisti, Ladies GAA and the Antrim Camogie Association have established the ONE ANTRIM scheme – the ultimate supporters club for all those who want to see a better future for Antrim GAA. It is also the ultimate self-help scheme – it will secure funding for club and county – quite a unique scheme within the GAA.
This is a great county and our results on the field should show that. We need only to look at the success of Rossa Camogs, St. Galls Footballers and Loughgiel Hurlers bringing All Ireland senior club titles back to Antrim. But like our successful clubs – we need to put the work in – and we need to do it now.
So I urge you to join the fight for a better Antrim – sign up for ONE ANTRIM today and get into the first draw which takes place on 28th September 2012. Full details on www.oneantrim.com or contact any member of Coiste Bainisti or Club Aontroma committee.
The only thing holding Antrim back is the level of our ambition – and the wherewithal to carry out ambitious plans – We can collectively alter the latter and demand changes to the former. Together we can achieve anything
Is Feidir Linn
