FEATURE – How the decline in the hospitality injury has affected the GAA

Covid 19 has brought many challenges to Ireland. For GAA clubs it has his their onfield action. But another challenge has been funding. In particular, those clubs who rely on the hospitality industry have found that funding has dropped.

By Patrick Sharkey

IN 2020 the hospitality industry was put under pressure due to the Covid-19 pandemic and that had a knock-on impact for the GAA as many businesses in that industry support clubs.

One GAA club which felt that pressure was Naomh Mhuire, Lower Rosses in Annagry in Donegal.

Sharkey’s Bar in Annagry is Naomh Mhuire’s primary sponsor. Club treasurer Paddy McCreery has nothing but praise for Sharkey’s Bar:

“They are excellent. They have been the main sponsors for our jerseys and whenever we host any wee events.

“We are only a small community; we are only in a small rural catchment kind of area here with no real towns in the area you know.”

McCreery added: “Our catchment area goes from Burtonport to Crolly, so there are no real towns in that whole area you know.

“So Annagry is the biggest village if you call it that even and Sharkey’s and Duffy’s are the only two pubs in the place. We don’t really have that many people we can ask to sponsor us you know but Sharkey’s have been very good to us alright over the years.”

The challenge of finding sponsors which Naomh Mhuire experiences is similar to that of many rural GAA clubs.

Treasurers at rural GAA clubs face an uphill battle in terms of fundraising because they have a small membership pool but the same insurance and utility costs as every other GAA club.

Therefore, in this time of the pandemic, all finances are important. However, with the tourism industry shut down, GAA clubs are going to struggle.

Finances are down, but Naomh Mhuire knew that they couldn’t put pressure on their sponsors.

McCreery said: “Absolutely, we have had to cancel our lotto and then our other two sponsors were two bus companies, Bus Feda, who sponsor the underage, and John O’Donnell, who sponsors the ladies end of things.

“So that’s our three kit sponsors and the bus. Of course the transport end of things have been shut up as well so their business has been really badly affected by it as well.

“Again, we are not looking to them for sponsorship whenever their business has been badly hit.

“Then on the advertising side of things we have pitch-side advertising boards which brings in money every year and we weren’t able to approach anyone for renewing that last year because obviously there was no games going on and again the businesses were badly hit.

“So we couldn’t very well go and ask them for money and they weren’t going to get any advertising. Our lotto is suspended like everybody else. Nobody can go out door to door selling lotto tickets or our lotto coordinator can’t go around the pubs selling them either so we are hit badly in that way.

“Our biggest fundraiser is ‘WAR’. ‘WAR’ is the wild Atlantic adventure race and that is a major fundraiser for the year and that had to be cancelled this year.

“Like we have had a lot of people enter it this year but even with a lot of entries we weren’t able to run it so then we had to offer everybody their entry fee back.”

They are challenging times for Naomh Mhuire, so they are desperately hoping that the pandemic can be put under control so that tourism can start up again, and fundraising can return to the club.

By Patrick Sharkey

IN 2020 the hospitality industry was put under pressure due to the Covid-19 pandemic and that had a knock-on impact for the GAA as many businesses in that industry support clubs.

One GAA club which felt that pressure was Naomh Mhuire, Lower Rosses in Annagry in Donegal.

Sharkey’s Bar in Annagry is Naomh Mhuire’s primary sponsor. Club treasurer Paddy McCreery has nothing but praise for Sharkey’s Bar:

“They are excellent. They have been the main sponsors for our jerseys and whenever we host any wee events.

“We are only a small community; we are only in a small rural catchment kind of area here with no real towns in the area you know.”

McCreery added: “Our catchment area goes from Burtonport to Crolly, so there are no real towns in that whole area you know.

“So Annagry is the biggest village if you call it that even and Sharkey’s and Duffy’s are the only two pubs in the place. We don’t really have that many people we can ask to sponsor us you know but Sharkey’s have been very good to us alright over the years.”

The challenge of finding sponsors which Naomh Mhuire experiences is similar to that of many rural GAA clubs.

Treasurers at rural GAA clubs face an uphill battle in terms of fundraising because they have a small membership pool but the same insurance and utility costs as every other GAA club.

Therefore, in this time of the pandemic, all finances are important. However, with the tourism industry shut down, GAA clubs are going to struggle.

Finances are down, but Naomh Mhuire knew that they couldn’t put pressure on their sponsors.

McCreery said: “Absolutely, we have had to cancel our lotto and then our other two sponsors were two bus companies, Bus Feda, who sponsor the underage, and John O’Donnell, who sponsors the ladies end of things.

“So that’s our three kit sponsors and the bus. Of course the transport end of things have been shut up as well so their business has been really badly affected by it as well.

“Again, we are not looking to them for sponsorship whenever their business has been badly hit.

“Then on the advertising side of things we have pitch-side advertising boards which brings in money every year and we weren’t able to approach anyone for renewing that last year because obviously there was no games going on and again the businesses were badly hit.

“So we couldn’t very well go and ask them for money and they weren’t going to get any advertising. Our lotto is suspended like everybody else. Nobody can go out door to door selling lotto tickets or our lotto coordinator can’t go around the pubs selling them either so we are hit badly in that way.

“Our biggest fundraiser is ‘WAR’. ‘WAR’ is the wild Atlantic adventure race and that is a major fundraiser for the year and that had to be cancelled this year.

“Like we have had a lot of people enter it this year but even with a lot of entries we weren’t able to run it so then we had to offer everybody their entry fee back.”

They are challenging times for Naomh Mhuire, so they are desperately hoping that the pandemic can be put under control so that tourism can start up again, and fundraising can return to the club.

By Patrick Sharkey

MANY of the hospitality industries have governing bodies set up to protect their interests during these difficult times with the sponsorships of many local sports clubs hanging in the balance.

One such organisation is the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI), which is the governing bodies of pubs throughout the Republic.

The VFI have called for many supports for cash-strapped pubs during the pandemic with campaigns.

With over 4,000 members the VFI has still made time to help sports clubs maintain their sponsorships.

VFI communications and public affairs manager Brian Foley has a number of concerns.

In Foley’s statement, he said:
“Pubs play a vital role in their communities, including enthusiastically supporting local clubs through sponsorship and hosting team events.

“While this sort of support has occurred for decades no one could have foreseen the events of the past 12 months, where many traditional pubs have been closed for most of the year with no immediate prospect of reopening over the coming weeks.”

The statement added: “With no turnover, publicans have had to look at cutting costs while they wait for a return to anything approaching normal trading. Sadly, for many publicans it hasn’t been possible to continue to sponsor the local club this year. That will change and next year will look very different but, for now, it’s about riding out the storm.”

At this moment in time we are still unsure about when hospitality will open up anywhere in Ireland.

Level Three restrictions will have to be in place for pubs in the 26 counties to be open if a substantial meal of at least €9 can be served alongside a drink.

However in Level One and Two restrictions wet pubs are able to re-open in the Republic of Ireland with table service only.

These are nervous times for all the GAA clubs who rely on the hospitality industry for funding.

But for the moment, clubs throughout Ireland are waiting patiently and finding other revenue streams.