|
Nicky Brennan was elected as the next president of the GAA at Congress, following a 17-vote victory over Cork’s Christy Cooney at Congress on Saturday evening.
The Kilkenny man, who rose to prominence as a hurler with his county in the 1970s and managed the county in the 1990s, is the outgoing Leinster chairman. Following a campaign that was subdued by the media attention on the Rule 42 debate, the Conahy Shamrocks man gave an acceptance speech “straight from the heart”.
"It is not easy for me to speak today. I actually came here with nothing prepared because I didn’t know which speech to write,” he said. “I knew it was going to be a close all. So, I’m speaking to you all from the heart. You have given me the greatest honour that could be put on anybody, to run this great association.
"I want to thank Christy for his extremely kind words. Both of us have been through hell here today. It’s been a tough process since we came in here last night and, sitting through the debates in the afternoon, it was hard to gather up interest in the debates, as such, with what we had to go through… but I know that Christy Cooney has plenty to offer the GAA…. You have an enormous amount to offer this association in the years ahead, and hopefully you will play a part in helping me to run this association when I take over from Uachtaran Sean Kelly in a year’s time."
Brennan, who managed the Kilkenny senior hurlers in the 1990s and won All-Ireland medals in 1979 and 1982, compared joked that he would rather for have played in "any number of All-Ireland finals any day” rather than go through the stress and tension that preceded the election. But he went on to praise the influence that his home club, and its characters have had on his GAA career to date.
"I come from a very small club from Kilkenny (Conahy Shamrocks), and I see a number of my clubmen up there. I just want to say that for our club, it is a massive honour what you have bestowed on me. I’m grateful that I have won here today. I’m honoured that I have won."
Brennan went on to pledge his commitment to the Association once his term in office begins, at the next Congress in April 2006.
"In taking on the office here today, I am conscious of what is expected of me, but one thing is clear, I am a person of integrity who will uphold what the association is about, her rule books and what this Congress, and future Congresses during my time, dictates. I will guarantee you that.
"I will also guarantee you — and though who know me know my style here — a 100 per cent commitment every day of the year, because that is the only way I know how to deliver. I will also expect others in due course, when they are appointed to various groups, to deliver. But today’s small few words to you are simply about the occasion this is for me.
He also hailed his former mentor former Kilkenny chairman Tom Ryall for influencing his early years in the GAA, as well as current chairman Ned Quinn, all of the Kilkenny county officers, his employers Glan Bia, and a “band of loyal people” for their help in the campaign over the past 12 months.
He reserved a special thanks to his wife, Mairead, and children for their support, and to his mother for her guidance.
As President-Elect, he pledged his complete commitment to serving the best interests of the GAA and all its members once his office begins. “I will serve you in 12 months time as your president,” he said. “Irrespective of whether you voted for me or against me, I don’t want to know. I will have your interests at heart, you can be sure of that.
"We have made big decisions here today and whether we agree or disagree, I am appealing now to everybody to row in behind the decisions that are made. We have made them in the most democratic way possible. I have no doubt there is nobody in this hall that has not got the interest of the association close to their hearts.
"Whatever further decision have to be made, we will make them collectively and will face up to them and do what is right for the association." |
|
