FERGUS McGee is the new Donegal County Board Chairman, succeeding the outgoing Mick McGrath at Wednesday night’s lively county convention.
But, as expected ,it was a close run-thing between the St Eunan’s club man and Paul McGonigle from Buncrana with the former winning by just 10 votes on a total of 87 to 77 at the Mount Errigal Hotel, Letterkenny on a night of a number of contests.
On his election, the new chairman who was a previous Oifigeach na Gaeilge and Ulster Counci delegate, said: “First, I’d like to congratulate Paul for a good campaign. It’s important and healthy to have competition. I’m thankful also to the clubs and I feel honoured and privileged to have been elected as chairman of CLG Dún na nGall.
“I promise I’ll do everything I can, to do the best that I can. There are a lot of people that voted for me and a lot that didn’t. To those that didn’t, I ask everyone that we now roll in behind each other because there is a huge amount of work to be done.
Elsewhere, there is a new County PRO with Fiona Shiels just edging out Sinead Breen by 85 to 76 votes in another tight contest.
Outgoing Coaching Officer Michael McGeehin also held off a pretty strong challenge from Gary Boyle on a vote of 103 to 60.
Donegal also has a new Ulster Council delegate in ex county treasurer Cieran Kelly who joins Brendan Kelly at the provincial table.
Kelly beat off the challenge of Pat Walsh and Donal Sharkey after Fergus McGee and Aodh Mairtin O”Fearraigh withdrew.
Meanwhile, Donegal GAA recorded a loss of €133, 063 in the operation of the GAA in the county up to September 2022 in Treasurer Alan Boyd’s annual report to County Convention on Wednesday night.
This contrasts with a profit of €633, 016 for the previous year.
The total income for the year showed an increase of almost €600, 000 from a figure of €1,080,987 in 2021 to €1,593080 for this year.
On the commercial income side, the main figures include €316,630 in sponsorship (€248,419 in 2021); Central Council Grants €201,600 (€60,000 in 2021) and Royalties €174,917 (€112,032 in 2021).
Club levies remain a strong source of income as well which stayed the same at €221,000 with a big increase in Sponsorship from €248,419 (2021) to €316,630 (2022)
Another significant source of income was gate receipts which jumped from €17,083 (2021) to €274,537 this year.
Treasurer Boyd said the increase in the figures generally was due to the huge increased level of activity in 2022 as opposed to 2021 when COVID restricted competitions.
But expenditure has shot up by almost 100 per cent from a figure of €761,262 last year to €1,726,143 this year.
And a big part of that increased expenditure comes from county teams' expenses which rose from €571,290 (2021) to €911,251 (2022).
Players' travelling expenses went up from €102,878 (2021) to €230,818 (2022) prompting the treasurer to remark that the increased overall cost of running county teams was "a worry".
Meanwhile, outgoing county chairman Mick McGrath paid a warm tribute to ex-Donegal GAA team manager Declan Bonner who stood down last July after five years in charge.
“I take this opportunity to thank Declan Bonner and his backroom team for his input to his period of management to with Donegal. That you managed teams to win Ulster titles at U16, U17, minor, U21 and two senior titles is a credit to your contribution."
