Western Canada Divisional Board

The Western Canada Divisional Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is part of the Canadian County Board and is responsible for Gaelic Games in Western Canada. The county board is also responsible for the football, hurling, camogie and Ladies' Gaelic football, known collectively as Gaelic games. The Western Canada Divisional Board branch of the Gaelic Athletic Association was founded in May 2003.

History

There was a need expressed by the clubs in British Columbia and Alberta that Gaelic Sports in Western Canada should come under the wing of the GAA. It was founded in 2003 with 3 original member clubs.

The founding meeting of the Western Canada Divisional Board of the Canadian County Board was held in Edmonton, AB on the 31st of May 2003, attended by Brian Farmer & Diarmuid O Conner from Toronto GAA, Christy Whelehan, Dannielle Finlay & Marvin Dentzien of Edmonton, John O Flynn, Kate McNamee, & Sean Quinn of Vancouver, and Frank Campbell, Ronan Deane & Leanne Niblock of Calgary.

2007 saw the reformation of the Red Deer Éire Óg, in men's competition, with a team attending tournaments in Calgary (twice) and Edmonton, and hosting its own tournament. On January 22nd, 2008, the Western Canada Divisional Board unanimously voted for the club's addition to the Division and the Board was increased to seven officers, with one seat allocated to Red Deer (to reflect number of teams at the club).

2008 the new Red Deer Éire Óg team was joined in men's competition by the Vancouver Celts. While the team was newly founded it had attended tournaments both sides of the Rockies in its first season, travelling to Calgary and winning the Vancouver Tournament. On January 21st, 2009, the Western Canada Divisional Board unanimously voted for the club's addition to the Division and the Board was increased to eight officers, with one seat allocated to Celts, who like Red Deer had only one competing team.

Clubs

• British Columbia (2 Clubs)
  • Vancouver Harps (the Vancouver Irish Sporting and Social Club, ISSC)
  • Vancouver Celts (the Vancouver Irish Sporting and Social Club, ISSC)
• Alberta (3 Clubs)
  • Calgary Chieftains
  • Edmonton Wolfe Tones
  • Red Deer Éire Óg

Each of these clubs has a Men's & Ladies' Team, with the exception of Vancouver Celts & Red Deer Éire Óg who only have Men's teams. These teams compete at various tournaments over the course of the summer months.

The Division is dedicated to improving the standard of competition and providing as many games as possible for the member clubs. For this reason, other clubs are invited to and attend these tournaments, even though they are

• not affiliated with the Western Canada Division, (e.g. Lethbridge Laochra, Seattle Gaels, Fort McMurray, Vancouver Irish, Howe Sound, Lethbridge), or
• not affiliated with the GAA (Vancouver Cougars, Calgary Kangaroos, & Calgary Kookaburras Australian rules football teams).

Each year member teams play in the Western Canadian Championships. The Championships are played out in such a way that they does not undermine the spirit or competition of each city's own individual Gaelic Football tournaments. The Championships complement these vital tournaments.

Board Members

The Board is made up of Representatives from each of the Member Clubs (with each club allocated a member to every team that club has competing in the Championship). Up until the end of the 2007 season that meant that the three founding member clubs had two board members each. In January 2008, with the arrival of Red Deer (with only a men's team), and in January 2009, with the arrival of the Vancouver Celts (also with only a men's team), the eight person board is broken out as follows: Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer & 5 Members-at-Large.

2011 Board

In 2011, the Western Canada Divisional Board comprises the following:

• Barry Sinclair (Chairman) & Chris Edwards (Member-at-Large) from the Calgary Chieftains
• Rory Lynch (Secretary) from the Red Deer Éire Óg
• Kim Budd (Treasurer) & t.b.d. (Member-at-Large) from the Edmonton Wolfe Tones
• Billy Quinlan & Jerry McCarthy (Members-at-Large) from the Vancouver Harps
• Ronan Deane (Member-at-Large) from the Vancouver Celts

2010 Board

In 2010, the Western Canada Divisional Board comprised the following:

• Ronan Deane (Chairman) & Jerry McCarthy (Member-at-Large) from the Vancouver Harps
• Kim Budd (Treasurer) & Brian Daly (Member-at-Large) from the Edmonton Wolfe Tones
• Eamonn O'Keeffe & Barry Sinclair (Member-at-Large) from the Calgary Chieftains
• Rory Lynch (Secretary) from the Red Deer Éire Óg
• Cathal O'Loughlin (Member-at-Large) from the Vancouver Celts

2009 Board

In 2009, the Western Canada Divisional Board comprises the following:

• Ronan Deane (Chairman) & Conor Walshe (Member-at-Large) from the Vancouver Harps
• Kim Budd (Treasurer) & Brian Daly (Member-at-Large) from the Edmonton Wolfe Tones
• Adrian Lagan & Barry Sinclair (Member-at-Large) from the Calgary Chieftains
• Rory Lynch (Secretary) from the Red Deer Éire Óg
• Peter Agnew (Member-at-Large) from the Vancouver Celts

2008 Board

In 2008, the Western Canada Divisional Board comprised the following:

• Ronan Deane (Chairman) & Kate Clark (Member-at-Large) from the Vancouver Harps
• Sky Johnston (Treasurer) & Kim Budd (Secretary) from the Edmonton Wolfe Tones
• Calum Bonnington & Gary McCaffrey (Member-at-Large) from the Calgary Chieftains
• Fergus Lynch (Member-at-Large) from the Red Deer Éire Óg

2007 Board

• Ronan Deane (Chairman) & Erin McGinley (Member-at-Large) from the Vancouver Harps
• Danielle Bodnarek (Treasurer) & Sky Johnston (Member-at-Large) from the Edmonton Wolfe Tones
• Calum Bonnington (Secretary) & Laura Olson (Member-at-Large) from the Calgary Chieftains

2006 Board

• John O Flynn (Chairman) & Ronan Deane (Secretary) from the Vancouver Harps
• Danielle Bodnarek (Treasurer) & John O'Connor (Member-at-Large) from the Edmonton Wolfe Tones
• Kim Tulloch & Adrian Lagan (Members-at-Large) from the Calgary Chieftains

2005 Board

• John O Flynn (Chairman) & Ronan Deane (Secretary) from the Vancouver Harps
• Danielle Bodnarek (Treasurer) & John O'Connor (Member-at-Large) from the Edmonton Wolfe Tones
• Noel Tuohy & Adrian Lagan (Members-at-Large) from the Calgary Chieftains

2004 Board

• John O Flynn (Chairman) & Sean Quinn (Member at Large) from the Vancouver Harps
• Ronan Deane (Secretary) & Frank Campbell (Member-at-Large) from the Calgary Chieftains
• Danielle Bodnarek (Treasurer) & John O'Connor (Member-at-Large) from the Edmonton Wolfe Tones

External links

• http://www.westerncanadagaa.co.nr/