Shrove Tuesday but no sign of an auld pancake at Kildare Co.Board meeting

They were queing up on Tuesday night last to sign-in and gain admission to the March gathering of Kildare GAA grassroots.

It being Shrove Tuesday, I wondered to myself was Lily and Wild caterers on the premises again and taking orders for pancakes?

Sure Shrove Tuesday wouldn't be the same without an auld pancake.

Plain pancakes or maybe some with exciting fillings such as Nutella; Jam; Mashed Banana; Carmalised Banana; maybe even pancakes with crushed cranberries. The list is endless.

Fair play I whispered to myself, Chairman Mick Mullen was pushing out the boat.

Nothing as exotic as this during Mick Gorman's time in charge I laugh to meself.

Alas, my thoughts (and dreams) were shattered when realising that the signing-in had nothing to do with Shrove Tuesday and certainly nothing to do with pancakes.

It was all to do with keeping a check with what clubs were in attendance and who was representing each club.

Heretofore, a sheet of paper was passed around to be signed, most did, maybe not everyone, but certainly most.

However, on this occasion — or maybe this will now become the norm — when entering for a county board meeting, signatures are required, especially as there was a major decision to made by delegates, and the top table.
The club football and hurling championship formats were down for decision.

A major survey conducted by Kildare Co Board involving club members and GAA supporters had been carried out which resulted in a vote on a proposal (football) to retain the status quo for senior, intermediate and junior championship, or, to change the format making it a 12 team senior; 16 team intermediate and two eight team junior championships.

In the end, and by a big majority, the status quo was retained; in fact such was the majority to keep the status quo one can only scratch one's head as to where the pressure came to have a vote, or even a survey, in the first place, albeit a review after ever three years has been the norm but anyway with about a handful only voting for a change, it remains 16, 16, 8 and 8.

The hurling championship got a similar response with no change from the current Senior, Senior B, Intermediate and Junior hurling championships, although it has to be said it would be no harm to do away with the title of Senior B as it only confuses people; make the Intermediate championship the second tier and the junior the third tier and so on.

Safeguarding and vetting
Meanwhile Eamonn Costello, Coaching Officer, showed delegates a document which clearly emphasises that clubs are not fully compliant when it comes to safeguarding and garda vetting .

Mr Costello told delegates that a number of clubs, a big number of clubs, are leaving themselves, and Kildare GAA, open to a serious breach of safeguarding and/or garda vetting procedures and it needs to be addressed urgently.

Chairman, Mick Mullen said that “clubs will be stopped, shut down (if not compliant), we need to have these in place for our own safety, for our own children's safety,” adding that “whatever comes out of this meeting with regards to the various championships, we need our children to be safe in our environment.”

The message has to go out clearly to all clubs that “safeguarding, children's safety, garda vetting must be up-to-date; if you go to a building site you must have a safe pass or you cannot go on to the site, the same thing, you should not be allowed to coach a team if you have not got the right training to do the job; it's a simple thing, I am asking, imploring you, to do it, it is absolutely essential” said the chairman.

New company
Meanwhile Hon Treasurer, Alan Dunney, looking very dapper, confirmed that progress is being made setting up a separate company to oversee the operation of the Cedral Lounge in the revamped stadium. It will be this company that will oversee the running of this as a commercial operation. Mr Dunney thanked Padraig McManus and John Ryan (Ardclough) for their guidance and help in this regard. It is hoped to have this up and running in the not too distant future, the idea to take full use, from a commercial point of view, of the new facilities now available at Cedral St Conleth's Park.

And so the March gathering of Kildare GAA grassroots ends.

Shrove Tuesday. And not sight nor sound of a pancake — plain, flavoured, nutella, jam or whatever you fancy. Nothing.
Fortunately 'Her Indoors' had her usual top class supply.

God you can't bate a few pancakes!

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