Club Iarmhí planning major new fundraiser in new year
Image 1 of 5
At the top table at the recent Westmeath GAA convention were, from left: Donie Malone, Brendan Shaw, Des Maguire, Willie Murphy, Matty Conaty, Sean Sheridan and Aidan Walsh.Image 2 of 5
Castletown-Finea/Coole/Whitehall GAA delegates Brendan and Brian Dermody at the recent Westmeath GAA Convention in the Mullingar Park Hotel.Image 3 of 5
Donie Malone (vice-chairman) and Des Maguire (football committee chairman) at the 2022 Westmeath GAA county convention at the Mullingar Park Hotel.Image 4 of 5
Westmeath GAA chairman Frank Mescall. John Mc CauleyImage 5 of 5
Then GAA President John Horan speaking at the launch of the Club Iarmhí draw in February 2019.Club Iarmhí, the Westmeath GAA fundraising body and supporters’ club, is planning a major new fundraiser in 2023, Westmeath GAA chairman Frank Mescall revealed at the recent county convention in the Mullingar Park Hotel.
Shoulders to the wheel will be required to generate new revenue for Westmeath GAA amid increased spending on county teams. Spending on the Lake County’s marquee inter-county sides broke the €1m mark in 2022.
The chairman’s remarks came after Club Iarmhí’s accounts were circulated, showing that the organisation made a loss in 2022.
“At the start of the year, Club Iarmhí had an opening balance of €63,107.69,” outgoing treasurer James Savage told delegates.
“Expenditure for 2022 was €50,249.01 and income for 2022 was €25,280. That left expenditure over income for 2022 at -€24,969.01, leaving the balance at the end of the year at €38,138.68.
“While it is a loss, it still ‘in the black’ and that is nice to see,” Mr Savage added.
The sizeable drop in end-of-year funds prompted The Downs delegate Sean Carroll to raise the alarm bell, stating that expenditure this year was twice that of revenue.
“Surely that can’t continue,” he said, urging Club Iarmhí to return to its very successful annual draw, which did very well for Westmeath GAA prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mr Mescall reassured delegates that Club Iarmhí has big plans ahead for 2023.
“The Club Iarmhí draw will be revisited. I have to take responsibility for that, but we are holding out for a big draw,” the Ballynacargy clubman said.
“We have been looking to go ahead with this big draw for the last 18 months and I think it will happen in 2023. That is why the Club Iarmhí draw didn’t take place, but hopefully a big draw will take place this coming year.
“Club Iarmhí haven’t had a very busy time for a while, but they will be busy in the year ahead,” Mr Mescall added.
Mr Savage paid tribute to the Club Iarmhí committee and in particular, Senator Paul Daly, Vinny Maguire, Des Maguire, Mary Martin and others, describing them as a “good team of workers”.