Clara GAA & Camogie Club 5 Year Development Plan www.clara.kilkenny.gaa.ie 5 Year Plan 2012 - 2017 5 Year Plan 2012 - 2017 Pg 1 www.clara.kilkenny.gaa.ie n 2012 - 2017 Table of Contents METHODOLOGY USED ................................................................................ 4 CLUB HISTORY ............................................................................................ 5 ROLL OF HONOUR ...................................................................................... 7 MISSION, VISION, VALUES .......................................................................... 8 CLUB STRUCTURES AND ADMINISTRATION.............................................. 11 COACHING AND GAMES DEVELOPMENT .................................................. 13 FINANCE AND FUNDRAISING .................................................................... 17 FACILITIES AND DEVELOPMENT ............................................................... 20 COMMUNICATIONS, PR AND CULTURE .................................................... 23 5 Year Plan 2012 - 2017 Pg 2 www.clara.kilkenny.gaa.ie n 2012 - 2017 5 Year Plan 2012 - 2017 Pg 3 www.clara.kilkenny.gaa.ie n 2012 - 2017 METHODOLOGY USED At the Senior Club’s AGM in November 2011 the idea was first discussed of holding two hurling forums – one for the Senior Club and one for the Bord na nÓg section – to discuss all the issues currently facing the club and to put some direction on where the club is going into the future. At the monthly Executive meetings in January & February 2012 these ideas were teased out and it was decided that the club should prepare a Five Year Strategic Development Plan using the process used to develop The GAA Strategic Vision and Action Plan 2009-2015. The Club wanted a plan that would be developed by its members and would allow it to grow and develop over the next five years, addressing specific issues and challenges facing the Club. The plan would be constructed around the values and traditions of the Club, to try to maximise participation across all sections of the Club and provide a roadmap for the Club for the future. In March 2012, a club planning workshop was held in the clubhouse in which over 40 people participated drawn from the following areas; senior club coaches and officers, juvenile club coaches and officers, adult players, camogie club coaches and officers, parents, supporters and sponsors. This workshop was facilitated by John Healy & Brendan O’Sullivan of Kilkenny County Board and working in small groups the gathering discussed 5 main areas namely: Club Structure & Administration Coaching & Games Development Finance & Fundraising Facilities Development Communications, PR & Culture Each group sat down to discuss the issues within their area and a chairperson was appointed to each group to head the discussion and to collate the information. At the end of the workshop each chairperson briefly went through the various issues raised within the groups to give all present a flavour of what was being discussed under each of the 5 headings. It was then agreed that each of the 5 chairpersons would develop the ideas discussed and would structure them into a workable and realistic draft plan to be delivered over the next five years and that a further meeting of all members would be arranged at which this draft document could be discussed in detail, amended or added to as required and ultimately ratified. This meeting was held on the 4th May, 2012 and the 5 year plan was formally ratified by the members of Clara GAA Club. The methodology was simple. It was based on consulting the membership at all levels and enabling them to have an active input into the plans to develop the club into the future. The members of Clara GAA Club developed this Club Plan. 5 Year Plan 2012 - 2017 Pg 4 www.clara.kilkenny.gaa.ie n 2012 - 2017 CLARA GAA & CAMOGIE CLUB HISTORY Clara GAA Club was founded in 1954. The Clara hurlers were originally called the Moat hurlers. They later changed their name to St. Colman’s, Clara (St. Colman is the patron saint of the parish). Since 1960 they have been known as Clara. The first Clara colours were green with white collars. This was later changed to white with diagonal yellow stripes. Around 1960 the jerseys were changed again to, green with white collar and cuffs. Around 1963 the club beat Danesfort in a tournament game in Callan and was presented with a set of jerseys. These jerseys were maroon with white collar and cuffs and from that time onwards Clara settled on maroon and white. Famous Members Clara is unique in that it is the only parish in the county to have a player on both the Hurling and Camogie ‘Teams of the Century’. Jimmy Langton was born in Lavistown, near the railway crossing, and he went on to become a hurling legend, winning senior All-Irelands with the Cats in 1939 and ’47. Jimmy played his early hurling in the quarry field and later joined the Brett’s and Ryan’s of Maddoxtown where his hurling skills were honed. He scored three points in each of the senior All-Ireland he won with Kilkenny. In the 1984 ‘Team of the Century’ Jimmy Langton was one of four Kilkenny hurlers chosen – the others being Paddy Phelan, Lory Meagher and Eddie Keher. Liz Neary from Dunbell was named on the Camogie ‘Team of the Century’. Liz had a distinguished inter-county career with Kilkenny from 1968 to 1987. She won seven All-Ireland senior camogie titles with the cats and seven club All-Irelands with St. Paul’s, Kilkenny as well as All-Ireland college’s medals in 1967 and ’68. She is also holder of four National Hurling League medals The most-decorated inter-county player produced by the Clara club is undoubtedly Paddy Prendergast. He is the holder of three All-Ireland senior hurling medals and three National Leagues, one Railway Cup medal and one Oireachtas title. A very fine, no-nonsense defender Paddy won his All-Irelands at left half back but also played at centre back, corner back and full back. Holder of All-Ireland senior colleges, minor and All-Ireland Under-21 medals, Paddy was named as an All-Star in 1982. Another Clara man who should not be forgotten is the late Tom Ryan. Tom played as a defender with his native Kilkenny at junior county level. He went to work in Enniscorthy and joined the local St. Aidan’s club but it was when he transferred to attack that Tom Ryan made his name as a hurler. He played in three successive All-Ireland senior hurling finals with his adopted Wexford – 1954, when the Slaneysiders lost to Cork, 1955 when Galway were beaten in the final, and in 1956 when Cork were defeated. Besides his two All-Irelands, Tom also won two National Leagues and two Oireachtas medals with ‘The Yellowbellies.’ It was widely recognised that the man from Clara was the missing link in the Wexford forward line needed to unlock opposing defences and in that regard he played a vital part in the Model County becoming one of the great teams of the century. 5 Year Plan 2012 - 2017 Pg 5 www.clara.kilkenny.gaa.ie n 2012 - 2017 Fr. Patsy Foley, a native of Clifden in Clara, who works as a missionary priest in Africa, played minor with Kilkenny in 1960-’61 and county junior in ’62, as well as being a substitute on the Kilkenny senior team which defeated Tipperary in the All-Ireland final of 1967. He kept goal for the cats in the minor success over Tipp in 1961 when Kilkenny won 3-13 to 0-15. Harry Ryan holds an All-Ireland SHC medal from 1983 while Conor Phelan won a Celtic Cross with the cats in 2003. Club Achievements Club’s greatest day arrived on September 28, 1986 when the wearers of the maroon and white captured the Tom Walsh Cup as Kilkenny senior hurling champions for the only time in the club’s history. It was a magnificent achievement for a small club like Clara to rise to senior ranks and beat the defending champions, mighty Ballyhale Shamrocks, in the county final. The sides were level at 1-7 (Clara) to 3-1 (Shamrocks) at half time but in a nail-biting finish a Joe Casey goal won the day for Clara. Clara had beaten Shamrocks in the opening game of the ’86 SHC by a two point margin before beating Erin’s Own of Castlecomer, 1-15 to 1-7, while St. Lachtain’s of Freshford were beaten by 1-24 to 1-5. 1986 Kilkenny Senior County Hurling Final Champions 5 Year Plan 2012 - 2017 Pg 6 www.clara.kilkenny.gaa.ie n 2012 - 2017 ROLL OF HONOUR 1963 - Clara defeated Ballyhale to win the Kilkenny Under-14 hurling championship. 1968 - Clara won Under 21 title beating Mooncoin 1969 - Clara won Under 21 title beating Tullogher 1969 - Clara juniors won their first junior title. 1970 - Clara won Under 21 title beating Dunnamaggin. 1974 - Clara minor hurlers captured the county MHC title defeating Thomastown in the final. 1977 - Kilkenny’s junior title was landed with final victory over Tullogher. 1979 - Clara beat the Shamrock’s in the Under-21 County final. 1982 - Clara was crowned county Intermediate champions, beating Carrickshock in the decider. 1983 - The U-21 ‘B’ title was won by Clara, beating Slieverue in the final 1984 - Glenmore lost out to Clara in the U-21 ‘A’ final. 1985 - Clara won the county minor ‘B’ crown 1986 - Clara won the Kilkenny Senior County Title. 1988 - Clara won the Under-16 county ‘B’ championship 1989 - Clara was crowned county minor ‘B’ champions. 1998 - Clara won the Intermediate county title, beating Mooncoin in the final. 2000 - Clara National School won their first Roinn ‘C’ title 2001 - Clara won the county Intermediate League 2001 - Under-14 Roinn ‘B’ championship was won, 2001 - U-16 Roinn ‘B’ championship 2001 - Minor Roinn ‘B’ championship and league double 2003 - Clara won the Under-21 Roinn ‘B’ county championship 2007 - Clara won the Intermediate final defeating Freshford.