GAELIC SPORTS WORLD Issue 15 - December 5, 2014 | Page 15

1.

WHAT WAS YOUR BACKGROUND IN GAA
IN IRELAND?

My Dad played junior hurling for Avoca and my uncle,
Eamon Murray won All Ireland hurling medals for both
Wicklow and London where he played with Brothers Pearse.
I played a bit in school but stopped in my mid-teens. I then
got involved in Cuala GAA club in Dalkey in the early 90’s,
initially by helping out with the juvenile section where
Damien “Dayo” Byrne (ex-Dublin hurling goalie) and others were trying to get a juvenile section up and running. We
started with a nursery in the hall on Saturday mornings and
this has grown to 70+ teams today. I became PRO and the
Secretary of the club and delegate to Dublin Co. Board. I was
also involved in reforming the Dublin board structure and
was Dublin representative on Leinster Coaching & Games
Committee as well as other roles. I also stood for Dublin Co.
Board chairman – against a fellow club member!
2.

WHEN, HOW AND WHY DID YOU GET
INVOLVED IN GAA IN EUROPE?

My professional career saw me seconded by the Irish civil
service to a European institute in Maastricht for two years in
October 2004. The then Leinster Chairman (now GAA President) Liam O’Neill asked me would I undertake a “liaison”
role between Europe and Leinster. However, when I made
enquiries I discovered that the previous secretary had left for
Canada a few months previously so I stepped in and helped
to organise the 2004 Convention and was elected Secretary. I
thought it would be a temporary thing but my career in Europe developed and I’m still here!
3.

WHAT WAS EUROPEAN GAA LIKE WHEN
YOU STARTED AS SECRETARY FROM
BOTH AN ADMINISTRATIVE AND ON
FIELD PERSPECTIVE?

There were 18 clubs, of whom about 14 were active and
they played ten 7-a-side tournaments per year with club

Tony Bass, in one of his many roles, seen here as GAA referee in
Europe. (Photo: Europe GAA Facebook)

accumulating their best results to win the “Euroleague”.
There were also a couple of hurling and ladies football tournaments. Things were very loose rules wise and there was
no player registration system, disciplinary procedures were
lax and there was very little controls on weekend players etc.
The Board was operating via email and we had no referees,
qualified coaches or other structures.
4.

DID YOU THINK AT THE TIME THAT YOU
WOULD BE IN THE ROLE AS SECRETARY
FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS?

Not at all, I was more interested in establishing the Maastricht
Gaels with Shay O’Doherty, who became one of my best friends
and a fine referee, and Chris Marley who was actually from the
down the road from me at home.
5.

WAS THERE A VISION FOR THE
FUTURE OF EUROPE GAA AT THE
TIME FROM BOTH A CROKE PARK
PERSPECTIVE AND A EUROPEAN ONE?

Not really, a few far-sighted people like Joe McDonagh and
O’Neill could see something was happening but I am not sure
anyone had a vision, more of an admiration for those trying to
do something. However, Leinster Council were trying to form

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