Latest news with #TomásQuinn
Irish Times
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Skorts-gate finally over as sanity prevails
Hallelujah, skorts-gate is over. 'After 121 years, it only took the Camogie Association a little under half an hour to make history at Croke Park on Thursday night,' writes Gordon Manning, 98 per cent of the Special Congress delegates backing a motion allowing players the choice of wearing shorts or skorts. Gordon's mission, should he choose to accept it, is to track down the two per cent and ask 'what were ye thinking?' Joe Canning is wondering what the Cork hurlers were thinking when they played Limerick last weekend . Were they playing 'a long game', keeping their powder dry until they, possibly, meet Limerick again in the championship? If so, 'that is a risky business,' says Joe, 'if they don't beat Waterford at home on Sunday their season is over'. Mathew Costello is hoping there's plenty left in Meath's season yet , Gordon talking to the forward ahead of the start of his county's round-robin campaign at home to Cork in Navan on Saturday. In soccer, Gavin Cummiskey hears Colin Healy stand by his charge that the FAI's outgoing chief football officer Marc Canham and its chief executive David Courell lied about the nature of his departure from his role as assistant coach to the Republic of Ireland women's team. READ MORE Gavin also talked with new Shelbourne CEO Tomás 'Mossy' Quinn , the Dublin All-Ireland winner who, having switched football codes, is now trying to guide the club through the challenges ahead, among them ensuring Tolka Park meets Champions League standards. In rugby, former Irish captain Ciarán Fitzgerald tells Gerry Thornley about the 'Spirit of Garbally' campaign , the aim to ensure that the name of his famous alma mater is incorporated in to the title of the new amalgamated Ballinasloe schools, Ardscoil Mhuire and St Joseph's College, Garbally Park. For now, it is to be known as Clonfert College. Gerry also has news that Leinster plan on hosting this season's URC final at Croke Park ... if – and it's a big one – they actually reach the final. First they have to negotiate a passage past Scarlets in the quarter-finals and, if successful, whoever they might meet in the last four. Johnny Watterson, meanwhile, brings us the grim tale of the 'Enhanced Games', a sporting freak show with a cast of drugged-up athletes , which are scheduled to take place in Las Vegas next year. 'A poorly designed drug trial with no ethical oversight, it will,' he writes, 'be a ripping success if the athletes do better than Barnum's belugas and some don't die.' Shane Stokes has the latest from the Rás Tailteann , Cycling Ulster's Odhrán Doogan slipping in to the yellow jersey on Thursday, while Brian O'Connor retraces the story of the redevelopment of the Curragh . 'It is a modern facility, which, by most measures, is lovely to look at. It is also, by most measures, predominantly unloved.' TV Watch : Following Wednesday's 124-run victory, Ireland play the West Indies in the second of their three-match one day international series in Clontarf (TNT Sports 1 from 10.30am). Kerry and Cork meet in this evening's Munster minor football final (TG4, 7.30) and St Patrick's Athletic host Waterford in the Premier Division (Virgin Media Two, 7.45).
Irish Daily Mirror
23-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
Former Dublin GAA star Tomás Quinn on the challenges of a League of Ireland CEO
Tomás Quinn says the biggest challenge he faces as Shelbourne CEO is stemming the flow of money out of the club and making it self-sustaining. But it's a mission the former Dublin GAA star is ready to tackle head on as he swaps one code for another and beds into League of Ireland life. Reigning champions Shels recorded losses of €3.5 million over the last three years - more than any other club in that period. Their return to the Champions League this summer carries the potential of lucrative financial reward, depending how deep the Reds go. But Quinn wants to see Shels on a sounder financial footing as plans to revamp Tolka Park over the coming years come into sharper focus. He is only six weeks into his new job, having left Dublin GAA where he was Commercial and Marketing Director since 2013. Asked about shoring up the financial drain at Shels, Quinn said: 'That's a huge challenge and it's something I will learn in time. We have a plan to start reducing that. 'People ask me what's the difference between where I came from and where I am now and I'd say that a lot of the approaches in the past were very short-term and reactive. It wasn't too long ago that players were on short-term contracts, a lot of uncertainty. Look at our squad now and we have a lot of players who are on multi-year contracts. Click this link or scan the QR code to receive the latest League of Ireland news and top stories from the Irish Mirror. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. 'Players are not just playing for this season but have an idea for next season. Are we doing the same off the pitch? A lot of the relationships we have in terms of commercial perspective and generating revenue are very much year on year, it's short term. 'It's not week on week but a lot of it is. Take a step back as a club and increase the opportunities. And that's not just sponsors, that's matchday experience, what can you buy and enjoy in the stadium. We have challenges in Tolka, we are tight on space, the layout and the rest, but we are looking at that, to improve it for fans but also tie to that the revenue.' Quinn added: 'There's an onus on clubs to make sure they're operating in a responsible way and generating enough income to maintain having a men's team, a women's team, underage academy, everything else that goes with it. That's the biggest challenge for any club I would say, from my initial assessment.' When Quinn was strutting his stuff for Dublin, he was part of a team that were the only show in town. His involvement in inter-country spanned from 2003 to 2012 and in his early days on the panel, the Dubs were not yet the all-conquering behemoth they would become. But regardless of whether they were lifting silverware or not, Dublin were the kings of the capital, drawing exclusive support from north, south, east and west of the county. When the glory days rolled around under Jim Gavin, plenty of rival fans quite liked the half-baked idea of splitting the county into two GAA teams, north and south. But Dublin remained as Dublin - a one stop shop. For the last 11 years, 'Mossy' Quinn worked as Dublin GAA's Commercial and Marketing Director but that's all in the past now, after swapping codes. He is Shelbourne's new chief executive, a surprise appointment at the time and tasked with overseeing the running of the League of Ireland's Premier Division champions. As he said in Tolka Park yesterday, the role brings many new and varied challenges and chief among them is the fight for the hearts and minds of supporters. With four Premier Division clubs in the capital alone, it's a new dynamic for the All-Ireland winner with both Dublin and his club St if Dublin is big enough to sustain four big, successful football clubs, Quinn said: 'It's a good question, and that's what we're all striving to work towards. The hope is that yes is the answer. For anyone involved in football in Ireland, the thing is to see if we can get to that model.'The growth of the league is on an upward curve, but can we build on that or is it going to plateau now? That's the challenge for the league. There's so much going for it at the moment, the TV deal, the coverage, you can see it has enhanced it. There are brilliant characters around the league. The fact there are four Dublin Premier Division clubs does make it a challenge and it's different to Dublin GAA, where you have the whole county feeding into one.'Quinn was happy that Shelbourne fought to save Tolka Park, instead of moving into a redeveloped Dalymount Park with Bohemians. But he knows there are significant challenges associated with staying at the club's spiritual home, with plans slowly taking shape to revamp the dated ground. Quinn said: 'I see opportunity in it but there's massive cost associated with upgrading Tolka Park, but it goes hand in hand. The stand above us isn't open at the moment but if we were in a position to spend the money to do the retrograde works, then you potentially have more people coming in.'If there are more people coming in then you're generating more revenue, you've an ability to grow your fanbase. It's trying to have a structured plan and step-by-step approach to get to that place. Work of this nature, you start one thing and it has a knock-on effect to what else needs to be done. But we want to increase the enjoyment on match nights, potentially a family stand, engaging different communities, different fanbases.'Quinn continued: 'There's no agreed long-term plan. We're still working through the lease agreement with Dublin City Council. There's work to be done over the next year. But the obvious thing is funding. There's the ongoing cost of running a club and then the investment needed for Tolka Park.'But while Tolka's long-term future is at the centre of Quinn's vision, it's also dominating his short-term thinking too. Shels are in a race against time just to get the ground up to scratch for UEFA, to host Champions League matches in July. Playing Europa Conference League games there last summer was one thing, but Europe's premier club competition is another. Quinn explained: "We're working through it at the moment with UEFA. The hope and intention would be to play the first round at Tolka. If we're fortunate to progress to a certain round it has to be a UEFA approved stadium which is Tallaght or the Aviva. That would be a good problem to have as it means we're winning games. But first and foremost, Tolka Park is where we're playing European games."A week is a long time in Irish football, never mind six of them. But it's so far, so good for Quinn.'The best way I can describe it is I haven't driven home any day saying 'Jesus what am I after doing?'. I'm really enjoying it so far,' he why League of Ireland football?Quinn said: 'GAA was what I played my whole life but sport is my passion, across multiple sports. I was fortunate enough to be on the board of directors of Golf Ireland for the last year as well. How sport is run in the background is always something I've had a massive interest in.'I was fortunate enough to work in Dublin GAA for 11 years but I had opportunities within that time to spend time with other sports, from rugby to soccer to American football to different things so I've always had that natural interest. There's not that many jobs in Irish sport at a significant level where you can keep progressing, so what appealed to me was that opportunity.'It's a broader role than I was in with Dublin and, to be honest, it's outside my comfort zone a little bit. It's a great challenge for me, it's a great challenge for the club to keep evolving and keep developing and there's a huge amount of work that needs to go into that.'
Irish Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
‘A great challenge': Former Dublin GAA star Tomás ‘Mossy' Quinn relishes new Shelbourne CEO role
Tomás 'Mossy' Quinn's arrival as Shelbourne chief executive in April raised a few eyebrows simply because people embedded in Irish sports tend to stay in their lane. Sure, there is plenty of intellectual property shared between the GAA , the IRFU and the FAI , but for the most part the big three organisations are trying to entice the same paying customers. The Dubs draw Shels , Bohemians , Shamrock Rovers and St Patrick's Athletic fans on to Hill 16 in high summer. Quinn, who won three All-Irelands in his Gaelic football career as a sharpshooter for Dublin and St Vincent's, saw the irony of the very same people being segregated for the recent derby between Bohs and Shels at Tolka Park. 'You could see guys segregated in the home and away sections, and the next morning they would be down in Na Fianna coaching. That took a little getting used to.' READ MORE Currently, Shels's average attendance is 4,600, which could be significantly more if Tolka is improved. 'Gaelic football, GAA, was what I played my whole life but I think sport is my passion,' he said. 'Across multiple sports, I've always had an interest. I was fortunate enough to be on the board of directors of Golf Ireland for the last year. 'I worked in Dublin GAA for 11 years [as the commercial and marketing director] but I would have had opportunities within that time to spend time with other sports, from rugby to soccer to American football. So I've always had that natural interest in working in sport. 'There's not that many jobs in Irish sport at a significant level, or to keep progressing, so I think what appealed to me was that opportunity. Tomás Quinn in action for Dublin in 2012. Photograph: Donall Farmer/Inpho 'It's a broader role than I was in with Dublin, there's obviously more to it. And to be honest, it's outside my comfort zone, so it's a great challenge.' Challenges are widespread at a club like Shelbourne despite investment from tech entrepreneur brothers Neil and Cathal Doyle. But it helps that Quinn arrives in the wake of Damien Duff guiding the club to a first Premier Division title in 19 years. [ How Damien Duff delivered Shelbourne's first league title since 2006 Opens in new window ] 'The financial footing of clubs – there's an onus on clubs to have an ability to make sure they're operating in a responsible way and generating enough revenue to maintain having a men's team, a women's team, underage academy and everything else that goes with it. 'That is the biggest challenge for any club, I would say from my initial assessment. How do you continue to grow that? How can you do that in a sustainable method? What does that actually look like? 'And tied to that is facilities. We're here in Tolka Park. I see opportunity in it, but there's a massive cost associated with upgrading [the stadium].' Quinn's time working under Dublin GAA's quietly efficient administrator John Costello, who retired in 2023 , along with football managers such as the successful businessman Pat Gilroy and the rule-bending Jim Gavin, should ready anyone for the crossover into professional soccer. 'The biggest difference is John probably wouldn't be sitting here doing one of these,' said Quinn of Costello's famous reticence. 'Straight away he'd be giving out to me. 'The big thing is their values are authentic and how they communicate with people. Sport to me is bringing people with you. Shelbourne fans during Shels' clash with FC Zurich in the Europa Conference League last year. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho 'When I think about those people, Pat Gilroy is a clubmate of mine, and I worked with a company alongside Pat for 10 years before working for Dublin. 'More so from working directly with John and Pat, it was their ability to communicate with people. If they make a decision, say why you're making that decision.' Costello transformed the Dublin GAA into a commercial behemoth, while Shelbourne have lost about €1 million per year since Duff arrived in 2022. 'No, we can't [continue to lose money]. I think the onus is on us to strive and try and reduce that. It's not good enough for me to come in and say 'we lost a million last year, we can lose a million this year.' That needs to change.' Still, it's a good time to become the Shelbourne CEO. Next stop is Nyon, Switzerland, for the Champions League draw, with Quinn determined to meet every Uefa stipulation to ensure the first-round qualifier in June can be held at Tolka. 'We are working through stuff with Uefa. There were Conference League games played here last year. Champions League is slightly different. 'Our intent, if we are fortunate to progress to a certain round, it has to be a Uefa-approved stadium, which is Tallaght or the Aviva. 'That would be a good problem to have as it means we are winning games. First and foremost, Tolka Park is where we are playing European games.'
Extra.ie
22-05-2025
- Business
- Extra.ie
New CEO up for challenge of cutting annual losses at Tolka
Tomás Quinn has been in the role only six weeks, so he is still learning the lie of the land, understanding the idiosyncrasies of the League of Ireland and Irish football. But so far, he's enjoying the challenge of being chief executive of Shelbourne. He says there has yet to be a day when he has driven home, wondering what he is after doing. The 2011 All-Ireland winner spent a decade working with Dublin GAA as commercial and marketing director at a time when that particular entity became known as one of the slickest business operations in Irish sport. There is plenty he can take from his time at Parnell Park to his new job, but there are also challenges that are specific to a league which, despite the surge in popularity and profile, is still struggling to wash its own face. Under Damien Duff, Shels have experienced a lot of success in the past few seasons, up to last November's emotional title success. But it has come at a cost, with the club losing €1million annually for the past three years. Shelbourne CEO Tomás Quinn. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile Quinn admits that one of the remits of his new job is to try and curtail those losses. 'No, we can't,' Quinn agrees when asked if the club can keep losing that sort of money. 'The onus is on us to strive and try to reduce that. 'It's not good enough for me to come in and say 'we lost a million last year, we can lose a million this year.' It's to try and change that. And again, there is no quick fix, no simple solution, it will take putting structures in place and a lot of hard work but, to be honest, that is one of the things that appealed to me about the challenge that goes with the role. Shelbourne manager Damien Duff. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile 'But it is a huge challenge to do that. People ask me what's the difference between where I came from and where I am now, I'd say that a lot of the approaches in the past were very short-term and reactive. It wasn't too long ago that players were on short-term contracts. Look at our squad now and we have a lot of players who are on multi-year contracts. Are we doing the same off the pitch? Quinn feels the thorny issue of facilities are tied into the financial sustainability of clubs. 'There are two key challenges for me. The financial footing of clubs — there's an onus on clubs to have an ability to make sure they're operating in a responsible way and generating enough revenue to maintain having a men's team, a women's team, underage academy, everything else that goes with it. That is the biggest challenge for any club. How can you do that in a sustainable method? Shelbourne CEO Tomás Quinn. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile 'Tied to that is facilities. We're here in Tolka Park. I see opportunity in it but there's massive cost associated with upgrading Tolka Park. One stand isn't open at the moment but if we were in a position to spend the money to do the retrograde works that need to be done, then you can potentially have more people coming in. If there are more people coming in then you are generating more revenue, you've an ability to grow your fanbase. More immediately, some work is needed on the floodlights to ensure Tolka Park meets UEFA criteria to host the first round Champions League game. However, if Shels go deeper in the competition, it will mean relocating to Tallaght or the Aviva Stadium. But as Quinn points out, that will be a good problem to have as it means the team is being successful.
Irish Independent
22-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Losing €1m a year has to change, we need to do that – New CEO Mossy Quinn on challenges of his role at Shelbourne
Newly appointed Shelbourne CEO Tomás Quinn admits the Dublin club need to find new revenue streams as running it at a loss of €1m annually, as has been the case for the last three years, is not sustainable. And as the Reds look to the potential of a lucrative run in Europe this summer, competing in the Champions League for the first time in 20 years, Quinn says using the Aviva Stadium for the latter qualifying rounds of the competition could be an option, but they also still need to do work on their Tolka Park home to make sure it's passed fit by Uefa to host the first and second qualifying rounds.
