Aogán Ó Fearghail
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Aogán Ó Fearghail (; born 1959) is an Irish sports administrator who was the 38th president of the
Gaelic Athletic Association The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA; ; CLG) is an Irish international amateur sports, amateur sporting and cultural organisation, focused primarily on promoting indigenous Gaelic games and pastimes, which include the traditional Irish sports o ...
.


Administrative career

From Maudabawn, Drumgoon in
County Cavan County Cavan ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is part of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Cavan and is based on the hi ...
, Ó Fearghail was the first
Cavan Cavan ( ; ) is the county town of County Cavan in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town lies in Ulster, near the border with County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. The town is bypassed by the main N3 road (Ireland), N3 road that links Dublin ( ...
president in the 130-year history of the GAA. He became the seventh man from
Ulster Ulster (; or ; or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional or historic provinces of Ireland, Irish provinces. It is made up of nine Counties of Ireland, counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kingdom); t ...
to have acquired the role. Ó Fearghail was elected to the position at the 2014 GAA Congress in
Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
. Out of a total vote of 310, he received 170 votes, while Sheamus Howlin from
Wexford Wexford ( ; archaic Yola dialect, Yola: ''Weiseforthe'') is the county town of County Wexford, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Wexford lies on the south side of Wexford Harbour, the estuary of the River Slaney near the southeastern corner of the ...
came second with 83 and Seán Walsh of Kerry came third with 57. Ó Fearghail officially took over as GAA president on 28 February 2015 at the GAA's Annual Congress at the Slieve Russell Hotel in Cavan, and was succeeded by John Horan. Ó Fearghail worked his way from his native Drumgoon Éire Óg club, serving at all levels with club, county, province and at national level. As a GAA coach, he coached his club Drumgoon Eire Og under-12s for 25 years, and built the club from junior "also-rans" to one of Cavan's strongest club units. He played hurling with Erins Hope at St Patrick's College, Drumcondra, and has also played handball at the highest levels.


Personal life

Ó Fearghail is a member of the HSE, and was previously a primary school principal at St Patrick's National School, Dernakesh, in his native parish of Drumgoon in Cavan, and also runs many businesses with his wife. Together they managed the family shop and post office and jointly built and ran a Cultural Centre in County Cavan. Ó Fearghail has published local histories and is a contributor to historical seminars and heritage events. He was also for many years principal of a Gaeltacht summer college in Gortahork, County Donegal, where he spends much free time.


References


External links


2014 Interview at GAA.ie
1959 births Living people Cavan County Board administrators Gaelic games players from County Cavan Gaelic games club administrators Heads of schools in Ireland Health Service Executive people Presidents of the Gaelic Athletic Association 20th-century Irish people 21st-century Irish people Ulster Provincial Council administrators {{GAA-bio-stub