Football

I'll have no problem working with anyone says Antrim chair candidate Jim McLean

Contractors at the Casement Park site in Andersonstown, west Belfast. Picture by Mal McCann.
Contractors at the Casement Park site in Andersonstown, west Belfast. Picture by Mal McCann. Contractors at the Casement Park site in Andersonstown, west Belfast. Picture by Mal McCann.

JIM McLean says that he will have “no problem working with anyone” if he is voted in as Antrim county chairman on Monday night.

The former inter-county referee is standing for the top post against Collie Donnelly, while Columb Walsh will go in against Terry Reilly for vice-chairman.

Asked if he would be able to work with Reilly in the event of him being voted in and Reilly holding on to his seat, McLean said: “I have no issues working with anybody. Any of the people in there are volunteers, they work in their own lives and do their volunteering with the GAA, which is the whole ethos.

“I’m not going to have a jibe at anybody. If Terry ends up as Leas-Cathaoirleach, I’ll work with him. You have to.

“I’m standing for Cathaoirleach. Whatever Coiste Bainistí is voted in by the clubs, I will work with them for the clubs.”

Speaking to The Irish News earlier this week, Reilly said: ‘The people that are running for positions, I would like to know if they are willing to sacrifice half their work lives every week – night and day… I know the guys that are running for position can’t give the same sacrifice’.

McLean responded: “I don’t know how long Terry has been in the game but I’ve been in it all my life. I’ve sacrificed my bloody life to it.

“I’ve been 6-and-a-half years Dunloy secretary, five years chairman of North Antrim, before that seven years on Ulster hurling committee.

“I reverted back to refereeing chairman for a year, I’ve sat on disciplinary boards, went back to my own club and ended up as secretary, taking us through the centenary year and the building of the £1.5m centre. What part of my life am I going to give up?”

McLean says that the proposed £1.5m over five years from Croke Park for the revival of Gaelic Games in Belfast was down not to the current chairman or vice-chairman, but instead secretary Frankie Quinn and Ulster Council’s Eugene Young.

“That was a work in progress from a number of years ago. It was up, down, up, down, and those two fellas [Quinn and Young] put a lot of hours in and got that done.

“To me, that was a legacy to Paraic Duffy and the fact he’s retiring in spring. Following the footprint of Dublin, where they got millions poured in for years, Belfast was in line to get it.

“It was ring-fenced and it was a matter of getting the plans finished and forwarded, which Frankie and Dr Eugene got over the line. They’re actually getting £3m over 10 years.

“It’s a programme that was needed in the greater Belfast area for the improvement of Gaelic games. Where improvement in Belfast is much needed, I’m in to help run the clubs in the whole of the county.

“I’m grateful that the Belfast plan is now coming to fruition and it will help with playing games in the second biggest city on the island.”

Admitting that the decision to close Casement Park for proposed redevelopment had been made too early, McLean insisted that the county board at the time were working on the advice of the contractors and Ulster Council.

“Closing the Park, in hindsight, was too early. Hindsight’s a great thing. The Coiste Bainistí was following a programme of work that was laid down by the main contractor, who was appointed by Ulster Council. That was to get the stadium cleared and the work ready to start.

“Many of the issues about offices for Antrim and participation in the stadium were all agreed by the late Danny Murphy. We know now from the circumstances, which have been well documented, where we are again.

“Planning is close again and it should be ready for the end of the year, with a 90-day consultation period, I hope we are ready to go in the spring of the year.

”It’s needed by the Gaels of Belfast, west Belfast, the rest of Antrim, Ulster and the whole island. It will be a big benefit to west Belfast economically.

“We can’t change history. What we can do going forward as Antrim Gaels is mould the future for the youth that’s coming to us.”