LGFA honours 23 graduates from 'Learn To Lead' Female Leadership Programme
May 18, 2022
Uachtarán Cumann Peil Gael na mBan, Mícheál Naughton with graduates, back row, from left, Amy Butler of Galtee Rovers St Pecaun's GAA club in Tipperary, Yvonne Duffy of Mullahoran LGFA club in Cavan, Aoibhinn Gilmartin of Old Leighlin GAA club in Carlow, Marion Hayden of Eire Og GAA club in Carlow, Linda Walsh of Thomas Davis GAA club in Dublin, Lisa Flaherty of Shamrocks GAA club in Offaly, Margaret McCorry of Wolfe Tones Derrymacash GAA club in Armagh, Bernie Durkan of Kilcock GAA club in Kildare, Mary Ita Casey of Athea GAA club in Limerick, Martina McCafferty of Steelstown Brian Ogs GAA club in Derry, Síle Moynihan of St. Ailbes GAA club in Limerick and Catherine Ring of Knocknagree Ladies GAA club in Cork, with front, from left, Ciara Gilroy of Tullylish GAA club in Down, Veronica Murphy of Corofin GAA club in Galway, Pamela Hayden of Old Leighlin GAA club in Carlow, Angela Gallagher of Lucan Sarsfields GAA club in Dublin, Jacqui Mulligan of St. Farnan's GAA club in Sligo, Tara Dooley of Naomh Muire Íochtar Na Rosann GAA club in Donegal , Emma Murphy of Wanderers GAA club in Ballyboden, Dublin, Julie Fitzpatrick of Naomh Mairtin GAA club in Louth and Sorcha Furlong of St Brigid's GAA club in Dublin during the Learn to Lead LGFA Female Leadership Programme graduation evening at the Bonnington Hotel in Dublin. The Learn to Lead programme was devised to develop the next generation of leaders within Ladies Gaelic Football. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
The Ladies Gaelic Football Association honoured the 23 graduates from its second ‘Learn to Lead’ Female Leadership programme at the Bonnington Hotel in Dublin last Saturday evening (May 14).
‘Learn to Lead’ – a unique programme that was launched in 2019 – was supported over the past year by Women in Sport funding through Sport Ireland.
The programme, devised to develop the next generation of female leaders within Ladies Gaelic Football, was delivered once again by experts in the fields of coaching, officiating, administration and PR/Media.
Over four days, and six evenings, the LGFA examined diverse leadership skills and focused on the skill-sets and techniques required to master each of the four strands – coaching, officiating, administration and PR/Media.
Six candidates were originally chosen to participate in each strand – and the final list of 23 included leading coaches, officials, administrators and players, representing the four provinces.
The 2021/2022 programme commenced on June 12, 2021, following a Covid-19 enforced delay, and concluded last Saturday with the final Leadership Day at the Bonnington Hotel, followed by graduation that evening, where proceedings were overseen by LGFA CEO, Helen O’Rourke, and President, Mícheál Naughton.
Gillian Harford, Country Executive with the 30% Club, was also present to deliver a keynote address on the night.
Pedro Angulo, Head of Learning, Talent and Engagement at Brown Thomas Arnotts,
and Niamh McElwain, founder of The Hybrid Way, delivered the final day of course content, before the participants retired to the Hotel to reflect upon their achievements.
Ladies Gaelic Football Association President Mícheál Naughton, who presented the participants with their commemorative medallions at the Graduation evening, commented: “This was a memorable night as we honoured our ‘Learn to Lead’ graduates in Dublin on Saturday evening.
“The level of engagement and participation in the programme by all graduates was truly outstanding and the feedback from the course participants has been extremely positive.
“Establishing the ‘Learn to Lead’ programme was another important step forward for our Association, with leaders now emerging from within to oversee the rapid rate of progress and change that will occur long into the future.
“I wish to pay tribute to and congratulate our 2021/22 graduates. They are already fulfilling key roles within our Association and will continue to do so for many years to come.
“They are now armed with newly-acquired skills to add to already finely-tuned skillsets and these females are people that the families, clubs, counties and the wider LGFA community can be extremely proud of.”
The full list of graduates, and the strands in which they participated, reads as follows:
Strand
Name
Club
County
Administration
Veronica Murphy
Corofin
Galway
Administration
Linda Walsh
Thomas Davis
Dublin
Administration
Mary Ita Casey
Athea
Limerick
Administration
Catherine Ring
Knocknagree Ladies
Cork
Administration
Amy Butler
Galtee Rovers St Pecaun’s
Tipperary
Administration
Tara Dooley
Naomh Muire Íochtar Na Rosann
Donegal
Coaching
Lisa Flaherty
Shamrocks
Offaly
Coaching
Margaret McCorry
Wolfe Tones Derrymacash
Armagh
Coaching
Bernie Durkan
Kilcock
Kildare
Coaching
Julie Fitzpatrick
Naomh Mairtin
Louth
Coaching
Martina McCafferty
Steelstown Brian Ogs, Doire
Derry
Coaching
Síle Moynihan
St. Ailbes
Limerick
Officiating
Pamela Hayden
Old Leighlin
Carlow
Officiating
Ciara Gilroy
Tullylish
Down
Officiating
Marion Hayden
Eire Og
Carlow
Officiating
Yvonne Duffy
Mullahoran LGFA
Cavan
Officiating
Jacqui Mulligan
St. Farnan’s
Sligo
Officiating
Angela Gallagher
Lucan Sarsfields
Dublin
PR/Media
Caoimhe Morgan
Lissummon
Armagh
PR/Media
Aoibhinn Gilmartin
Old Leighlin
Carlow
PR/Media
Sorcha Furlong
St Brigid’s
Dublin
PR/Media
Siobhán McCluskey
Emyvale LGFC
Monaghan
PR/Media
Emma Murphy
Wanderers GAA Club, Ballyboden
Dublin
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