All-Ireland finalists boosted by holiday fund increase of 88%
Stayed Month Holiday Beach Armagh Champions Football All Roc Last At Eden Hotel For The Their Team Plush Ireland On Miami
THIS year’s All-Ireland senior football and hurling finalists each received €150,000 towards their respective team holidays, an increase of almost 88% from previous seasons.
The decision made in October came following requests from champions Armagh and Clare to bump the €80,000 grants distributed to each of the four final participants, the Irish Examiner has been told.
The counties approached the GAA leadership based on their inability to maximise funding for the trips in the two-week turnaround between their All-Ireland semi-finals and finals.
Their successful pitch meant runners-up Cork and Galway also benefited from the significant jump in All-Ireland final grant. It is believed Central Council will cover most of the increase with the provincial councils also making contributions.
The total team holiday pot for finalists, which includes the likes of the Tailteann and Joe McDonagh Cups, has jumped to approximately €1m. In previous years, all four senior finalists received €80,000 each. For reaching those second tier deciders, the participating counties have all been provided with €60,000.
The grants issued to Clare, Cork and Galway could be of interest to Revenue, who are currently auditing the accounts of Galway GAA as well as Mayo and Wexford. As Armagh are not in the same tax jurisdiction, they will avoid the possibility of such scrutiny.
Revenue are considering that team holidays should be part of declarations. Stipends or allowances on such trips are considered taxable as are vouchers for those who are not being able to go.
In 2014, Jim McGuinness and six other members of the Donegal group who reached the All-Ireland final and weren’t in a position to travel on the team holiday to Dubai didn’t receive vouchers because of what the then manager later claimed were “implications with Revenue”.
Although it would appear harsh, Revenue may also consider the fundraising from supporters as a gift to the players and management. Last week, Clare GAA head of operations Deirdre Murphy revealed a poker classic and super draw, signed commemorative jersey sales, an official framed team photo and Club All-Stars v All Ireland Champions match last month generated €260,911 for the holiday fund. Their accounts show they themselves contributed €147,389 to their team holiday in Miami and Nashville.
Cork themselves were no slouches in delivering monies for their hurlers. Between beating Limerick in their All-Ireland SHC semi-final and the final against Clare, it was estimated they raised between €250,000 and €300,000 by organising corporate events. Their squad also visited Miami and accounts show the holiday cost €370,000.
As this newspaper reported in August, Cork GAA gathered €386,000 across five accounting years for the purposes of team holidays. Between 2014 and ’19, partly because of their previous sponsorship agreement with Chill Insurance, a fund was developed to offset the expenditure associated with such a trip.
Galway contributed €191,010 to their footballers’ recent break in the US, which also included Nashville. They received €80,000 for reaching the 2022 All-Ireland final but did not travel later that year.
In October, Armagh’s clubs were each asked to contribute £2,000 (€2,424) towards subsidising their county’s trip to Miami last month. Online donation links and bucket collections had been arranged to supplement the reward for their success.
A claim of sexual assault made against a member of that travelling party is currently being investigated by the PSNI. A 30-year-old man presented himself to police this week, was arrested and later released after a complaint was made following the group’s return home.
The GAA have stated they “are aware of the reported incident and are responding to serious allegations”. It continued: “We can confirm Armagh GAA is continuing to respond to this matter in collaboration with Ulster GAA, the GAA at Central Level and the PSNI. Out of respect for those involved and ongoing police enquiries, we are unable to comment any further at this time."
Ahead of their annual convention on Thursday evening, Armagh GAA has not commented on the matter.
Meanwhile, it is also understood Armagh secured additional official All-Ireland winning medals for their squad. The GAA Official Guide states Central Council provide 24 nine-carat gold medals to the county having the opportunity to order replicas.
However, Armagh were able to obtain several more identical Celtic Crosses to distribute to panel members. The GAA last year spent €471,048 on medals and trophies.