Belgium Elects New King

The plush surroundings of the European Parliament played host to the Belgium G.A.A. AGM tonight. There was worry strewn across the faces of the attendees before the meeting started. Their fear was unfounded; just because you hold a meeting in the home of outrageous inefficiency, does not mean a meeting will be unorderly and without substance.

The meeting kicked off with outgoing chairman Olof Gill addressing the sizeable crowd. He talked of frogs and wells and blue skies and red armies and mao, as we all wondered how the club had survived a year under his reign.

Club Secretary Becky gave a brief but comprehensive report on 2009 highlighting the achievements on the pitch, in particular in Hurling and Ladies football and in the boardroom where four of our Members were elected to the County Board.
On to election of Officers where some new blood (and old) was injected in the form of Lorraine, Clare, Crusher, Sylvia, Steph, Jim and Conor. All willing and able bodies who should make a big contribution in 2010.

The big announcement of the night though was the election of Kevin Keary as Chairman. The Galway man takes over from close wingman Gill and his adoration of the committee room should see him thrive in his new role. His speech was more coherent than his predecessors but I’m at a loss to remember exactly what he said, which indicates it was not as memorable. Still, if next year’s AGM lacks the controversy, upheaval and arguments that this year’s lacked, then he will have filled the boots of the outgoing chairman admirably.

Finally, a highlight of the meeting was the presence of former President Sean Kelly who addressed the group. He was able to call on his previous experiences as Overseas Committee chairman in Croke Park and that kind of insight into the games outside of Ireland should make him a useful consultant to the club.

So with the committee room sorted out for the year, we can drive on and plot and plan our path through 2010. If we continue to work together as well as we have done in the past, then it should be a good year on and off the pitch.