ELECTED: Laois County Board for 2021 confirmed following online convention

The Laois GAA County Board for 2021 has been confirmed following tonight’s first ever online Convention.

And there has been no changes from 2020 as all outgoing officers have retained their positions.

This year’s Laois GAA convention took place on Microsoft Teams this evening, rather than its usual format whereby each club would send three delegates each to attend the event in the Midlands Park Hotel.

Because of the year that’s in it, each club had just one representative rather than three and voting for the contested positions took place over the last couple of weeks and had to be posted in by last Friday, December 11.

The results of three elections were confirmed at the virtual meeting – Chairman, Vice-chairman and Leinster Council Delegates.

Delegates were asked to vote for these positions with Portarlington’s Kieran Leavy challenging incumbent chairman Peter O’Neill and Bryan Breen from O’Dempsey’s going up against the sitting vice-chairman Tom Clear.

There was also a vote for the Leinster Council delegate positions with former county board chairman Brian Allen going up against the sitting delegates Richie Kennedy from Abbeyleix and Timahoe’s PJ Kelly.

Peter O’Neill remains as Chairman for a fourth term as he saw off Kieran Leavy by 95 votes to 55 – with a total vote of 150.

While Tom Clear also remains as Vice Chairman having saw off Bryan Breen by 77 votes to 73 – again with a total vote of 150.

While PJ Kelly (68) and Richie Kennedy (56) were re-elected as Leinster Council delegates ahead of Brian Allen (15). The total vote this time was 139 as there were 11 spoiled votes.

Though clubs could only be represented by one delegate at the remote convention, they still had the normal three votes each.

The votes were to be sent to Laois GAA offices by Friday last and were opened and counted today. The tellers appointed to count the votes were former Leinster GAA CEO Michael Delaney, Leinster GAA Finance Manager John Browne and Laois GAA Juvenile secretary Sean Connolly.

Laois County Board 2021:

• Chairperson – Peter O’Neill
• Vice Chairperson – Tom Clear
• Treasurer – Martin Byrne
• Assistant Treasurer – Paschal McEvoy
• Central Council Delegate – Gerry Kavanagh
• Leinster Council Delegate) (2) – PJ Kelly and Richie Kennedy; Brian Allen
• Development Officer – Ger Slevin (Appointed)
• Coaching Officer – Fergal Byron
• Cultural and Irish Officer –Monica Delaney
• PRO – Paul Dargan
• Congress Delegates (5) – Chairman and secretary automatically attend; Martin Byrne, Brian Allen and Kieran Leavy
• Leinster Convention Delegates (4) – Peter O’Neill, Niall Handy, PJ Kelly and Richie Kennedy

SEE ALSO – Conor McGregor steps in to save Laois gym from closure

The post ELECTED: Laois County Board for 2021 confirmed following online convention appeared first on Laois Today.

source https://www.laoistoday.ie/2020/12/14/elected-laois-county-board-for-2021-confirmed-following-online-convention/