H

HE STARTED out with Killarney Legion GAA Club as a six year old and 35 years later Enda Walshe was proud to take up office as its chairman.
Enda and Kieran Cronin, new senior manager, are at the helm following the club’s annual general meeting in the clubhouse on Friday.
Enda, who spent three years as vice-chairman and one year as juvenile chairman, said: “It’s a proud moment for me to be elected chairman of a club I joined as a six-year-old 35 years ago. The club has come a long way in that time when you see the superb facilities we have, the thriving membership and the on field progress. This is due to the outstanding work of previous chairmen, officers, members and executives.”
Kieran Cronin, whilst playing for the Kerry under-21s, suffered a career-ending injury which necessitated an extended spell in hospital.
Following recovery he kept up his GAA passion by getting involved in coaching. Having been involved in the background of St Michaels Foilmore's All-Ireland Intermediate success he stepped forward to spend four years (one as selector and three as manager with his native club). In that period they cemented their place in the top four of the County League Division 1 and under his management won back-to-back South Kerry Championships.
Having moved to Cork, took up the role of coach with the Macroom senior team and spent two years in that position. He is currently assisting Jack O’Connor preparing the Kerry under-21s based in Cork.
His backroom team will be finalised in the very near future.
Outgoing chairman Jimmy Reen thanked the committee for its ongoing hard work, including outgoing officers
Barry Slattery, Kevin Griffin, Paddy Osbourne and Tom Moriarty. He swapped roles with last year’s vice-chairman Enda Walsh. Denise Fogarty is the new club secretary while the treasurers are John Foran and Marion O’Connor, with Tom Griffin as registrar, Brian Moriarty as county delegate, John Hegarty as East Kerry delegate, Carol Ann Spellman as Scór officer and Tommy Galvin as hurling officer.
In more recent times the club has seen a sharp upturn, noted new chairman Enda, with All-Ireland medal winners (senior men and under-16 girls) All Star and Footballer of the Year Awards. “We also launched events for Croke Park and the GAA and hosted the GAA president,” said Enda. “Legion reached the county finals and our juvenile teams enjoyed outstanding success.”
He added: “Some 13-year-olds won six winner’s medals in 2015 and the club has also seen the emergence of a strong ladies football section. This is all down to the outstanding work of the members – progress and positivity which every member can be proud of. It’s imperative that this work continues and that we even redouble our efforts. It’s only when you see the smiles on the faces and the tears in the eyes that you fully understand that it’s not GAA it’s DNA.”
There will be challenges on and off the field, added Enda. “The drop-off in playing numbers for all clubs between the ages of 15-18 is a slide that must be arrested.
Financially clubs are becoming almost like businessses. The increasing costs that go hand in hand with it,” he said.
“I will do my best to keep the great momentum created by previous administrations on track. And with a hardworking executive, sub-committees and club membership there is no doubt that as a club some of our best days are yet to come.”