Latest news with #CúlCamp
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
€500,000 raised to help West Cork girl following farming accident
Féile O'Sullivan, the young West Cork girl who had a devastating accident on a farm last month, is now speaking, eating, and re-learning skills like writing as her treatment continues. The sports-mad 13-year-old girl had another operation on Thursday at Crumlin Hospital after needing a double amputation following the tragic incident in early July. Donations to help the family reached more than €508,000 by Friday, from Cork, across Ireland, and as far as Montana in the US. An adapted car has also been arranged for the family through the All-Ireland GAA Golf Classic charity. Cormac McMahon, who is secretary of Garnish GAA club, of which Féile and her mother Maureen are members, said the club are in regular contact with the family. He said: 'The last update I had was she was doing well, all things considered. 'She is now speaking and eating, and even had some friends in to visit, which is nice. She understand what's happened to her, and accepts what happened to her, but she is being really positive about it.' Mr McMahon explained her long-term goal is to get back into school by the end of the school year. It's going to be a tough road for her. She had another major surgery on Thursday "She's not got full sensation back into her hands yet, so she's starting to re-learn how to write her name. It's known she had one leg completely amputated and the other leg partially amputated, and there were other injuries as well.' She was treated locally by first responders on the day of the accident six weeks ago, and flown by air ambulance to Cork University Hospital. One week later, she was transferred to Dublin. Community support Earlier this week, Féile spoke by video to her friends taking part in the summer Cúl Camp with the club, an emotional milestone for her and them. This club is one of many sports and community groups in Allihies who came together to fundraise under the banner of Stand 4 Féile. The young girl and her mother were active in GAA, soccer, rugby, horse riding, and more. The fact her accident happened on a farm has brought support from many agricultural organisations, such as Macra na Feirme, which understands the daily risks farmers face. Bantry Blues player and teacher Sean O' Leary has taught Féile. 'I can't speak highly enough of her,' he said. 'She's a very positive young woman and we wish her all the best.' He is one of many GAA players posting videos online calling on people to support the child and her family, including former Cork stars Valerie Mulcahy and Áine Terry O' Sullivan. Mr McMahon said: 'It's been a nice boost to see this for Feile as well and her mum. They're up in Crumlin looking at this online, and seeing all the goodwill messages.' Independent councillor Finbarr Harrington said the family are now also linked into the All-Ireland GAA Golf Classic charity. This important link will see a modified Ford Transit Connect with wheelchair accessibility sponsored by the charity. 'It's a great boost to Féile's family,' he said, adding: 'The value of the vehicle is around €70,000 and can be upgraded every few years at minimum cost.' The golf charity's next team event takes place in October in Killarney. It is just one of the many ways campaigners can help in the coming years. Medical expenses Mr McMahon said: 'The money will be put into trust for Féile in some form." It will cover medical expenses, work on their house, and supporting Maureen, a teacher, in caring for Feile. Helping hands have reached out from as far away as Butte, Montana, donating a beautiful hand-made quilt for raffle by Allihies Men's Shed. Butte and Allihies share a long history following emigration of copper miners from West Cork in the late 1800s. Quilt-maker Claire Thornburgh said: 'Who could be unmoved by Féile's story, particularly when our cousins and friends in her community are hurting for her as well?' She described the beautiful design as 'my tribute to Butte, Montana's Irish heritage". On August 24, vintage farming equipment not seen in the region for at least 60 years will tackle a field of oats for the fundraising campaign. The crop has been donated by the farmer and will be auctioned at Kenmare Mart in Kerry. Meanwhile, the list of fundraising sporting events grows by the day. On Monday, Cork City soccer club will donate all proceeds from their Corky Camp for children in Castletownbere. Beara United urged families to sign up, saying: 'Fair play to Cork City FC doing their bit to help out our Fèile.' Young footballers at Rosscarbery Ladies Football Club raised €993 with a tuck shop during the U12 Munster Club clubs have run cake sales and raffles with a growing stream of supportive videos online. The next few weeks will see a walk organised by Beara Athletic Club and the Eyeries Family Festival, a 12-hour sea swim relay, and a cycle from Dublin to Allihies. Donations accepted through GoFundMe at:
Irish Examiner
05-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
‘You will be hearing more about that' – Croke Park moves to address Revenue risk
ALMOST six months have passed since GAA county boards urged Croke Park to intervene. Increased Revenue scrutiny had led to widespread concern. Now, Croke Park is detailing how they have responded to that call to arms. The Mayo county board meeting in Westport attracted headlines for a variety of reasons, chiefly abusive emails sent to county board officers and a denial of any financial mismanagement. During the course of that meeting, association director general Tom Ryan made a presentation on the loan agreement taken on by Croke Park in 2015. Before he left the stage, he sought to address one other serious matter. 'I just thought while I have the opportunity here, I might chat to you briefly about ongoing engagement with the Revenue Commissioners,' he told the room of delegates. 'We have been working with the Revenue Commissioners over the last six months, maybe a little bit longer. We have undertaken what we call a self-review framework with four pilot counties over five or six specific areas that we just need to be able to reassure ourselves, reassure Revenue and examine how they are transacted from a revenue and taxation point of view. 'That process is just about reaching a conclusion, it is done in the last week or two. We will be presenting the findings of that to the Revenue Commissioners if it hasn't happened already. 'Armed with the learnings from that, both for ourselves and for Revenue, we will try to roll out that process over the course of the remainder of the year to all the other counties within the 26.' Last December, the GAA called an urgent meeting of all county chairpersons, secretaries and treasurers to discuss the Revenue's risk reviews of counties. Two counties, Mayo and Galway, did not sign off on their 2024 accounts due to outstanding engagements with Revenue. They, along with Wexford, are concerned with a risk review of 2018 and 2019. The concerns covered a variety of financial matters, including tax liabilities related to Cúl Camp programmes, payments to players and management, nutritional allowances, referee expenses, and team holidays. Ryan went on to stress this was a separate issue. 'Apart from that, there are long-standing reviews that were paused for Covid-reasons into 2018 and 2019 revenue matters in a small number of counties. One of them is Mayo. But that is outside the scope of these self-reviews. 'We are embarking on it in the same spirit (with) Revenue Commissioners. We are trying to be positive. We are trying to make sure we are on a regime that is practical and workable from the point of view of all counties concerned but that also takes cognisant of some of the challenges and some of the legal aspects that apply to operating what is essentially a voluntary-led not-for-profit organisation. 'You will be hearing more about that. Purely and simply, the reason I don't have facts to lay before you this evening is it's not concluded, we are mid-stream. I think it is going ok but it is not purely within our control.' Wexford, Galway and Mayo have made voluntary disclosures to Revenue. Others are preparing to adopt the new pilot scheme. This week Offaly GAA treasurer Frank Fitzpatrick told a county board meeting that he met with Croke Park recently to commence this process. They do expect to face a tax liability. 'They look to be placing most of their concentration on payments to management teams,' he is quoted as saying in the Offaly Express. 'Referees was highlighted before as being an issue but that whole thrust has calmed down very considerably. It is mainly management teams they are looking at.' It comes amidst a period of heightened scrutiny and internal reform. On Tuesday, the GAA released an extensive survey as part of a widespread review of its amateur status. President Jarlath Burns already established the Amateur Status Review Committee (ASRC) in March 2024 under the chair of former Derry player Professor David Hassan. Burns previously floated the possibility of contracts for inter-county managers, something that the association has acknowledged as an option over the past decade. The public were asked to make recommendations on how the amateur status can be protected and whether they support the introduction of an agreed allowance for senior inter-county managers. After a consultation process, the ASRC will report to Árd Chomhairle in early Autumn to seek approval for recommendations, which may come before Special Congress later this year. They were also asked: 'Do you think the creation of a governance and oversight unit to enforce the amateur status rule, monitor its enforcement, and impose sanctions where the rule is broken would be a positive thing for the GAA?' Other areas of interest are reducing the number of hours asked of inter-county players per week, the length of the off-season and foreign-based training camps.
RTÉ News
24-05-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Jarlath Burns and Tom Ryan to meet with Mayo officials amid financial situation
GAA president Jarlath Burns and director general Tom Ryan are to attend a special meeting of the Mayo county board on Monday evening. Mayo have been in the headlines recently concerning a revenue audit during which a voluntary disclosure of almost €120,000 was made in relation to potential tax liability for the Cúl Camps programme. At their county convention last December, Mayo GAA stated that the amount was a "legacy issue relating to outstanding tax liabilities from our Cúl Camp's programme in 2018 and 2019." Furthermore a loan extended to Mayo by the GAA's Central Council in 2015 to assume the county's debt has been the subject of speculation which was denied last week by the treasurer of the Mayo board. After March's Allianz Football League final in Croke Park, which Mayo lost to Kerry, Burns made remarks in his presentation speech which were clearly supportive of Mayo's officers. Burns' and Ryan's presence at the special meeting on Monday night in Westport is seen as extending further support as well as giving delegates an opportunity to clarify any queries.
