In a powerful address to delegates at the county convention on Monday night chairman Jason Plunkett spoke of the hopes, aspirations, responsibilities, challenges, ambitions and potential that are within the county’s grasp both on and off the pitch in the years ahead. 

Setting out on his third year at the helm the Clonard club man outlined the enormous goals that can be achieved with the support of the clubs over the next number of years.

“One of the most tangible signs of our progress this year has been in the development of our facilities,” Plunkett said. “We now have three new grass pitches added to our county’s stock of playing fields. That is not just three new fields of play - that is three new places where children will pull on a Meath club jersey for the first time, where teams will prepare for championships, where friendships and memories will be formed. It’s an investment not just in bricks and mortar, but in people and communities.

“Alongside that, we’ve seen LED lighting upgrades on existing pitches right across the county. These upgrades matter. They are better for players, providing consistent, high-quality lighting. They are better for the environment, reducing our energy consumption. And they are better for clubs’ finances, lowering running costs in a time when every bill seems to be going in one direction. To all of you involved in those projects, thank you. You are literally shaping the future of Meath GAA.

“If facilities are the stage, people are the cast. And here again, Meath can be proud. At senior football level, I want to acknowledge Robbie Brennan. Robbie has brought an infectious enthusiasm and energy to his role as manager, and his personality has immediately connected with players, clubs and supporters. When you speak to him, you feel his belief - belief in Meath football, belief in our players, belief in what we can achieve if we all pull in the same direction.

“That kind of positivity is priceless. It sets a tone. It reminds us that we are Meath - a county with a proud history, but also with a serious intent to write new chapters rather than just talk about old ones. To Robbie and his backroom team, I want to say, you have our support, and we will stand behind you as you strive to push Meath back to where we all want us to be.”

Regarding the Meath senior hurling team Plunkett called for patience during what is a period of transition for the county.

“It’s important we acknowledge both the challenges and the opportunities that are there. We have seen changes in personnel, with some experienced players stepping away or reducing their involvement, and a new generation being asked to step up to inter-county standard. Transition at this level is never straightforward. Results can be inconsistent, performances can fluctuate, and it can be tempting for people outside the group to judge too quickly.

“But I want to put on record tonight my admiration for our hurlers and management. They have kept their shoulders to the wheel, continued to train, to travel, and to represent

Meath with pride. What I see in Meath hurling is honesty, resilience and real potential. We are building depth, we are exposing younger players to the pace and physicality of inter-county hurling, and we are trying to create a pathway from our hurling clubs into a competitive senior panel. That work takes time, and it demands patience and backing from all of us at county and club level.”

Touching on the redevelopment of Pairc Tailteann the chairman said important strides in planning and progressing the redevelopment have been made. 

“This project is complex and demanding; financially, logistically, emotionally, but it is absolutely necessary. A central pillar of our vision for Meath GAA is this redevelopment. Páirc Tailteann is more than concrete terraces and steel. It is our county home. It’s where generations have watched Meath teams’ rise, fall, and rise again. It’s where county finals are won, where dreams are born in young supporters’ minds.

“The new Páirc Tailteann will be a modern, safe, welcoming venue that reflects who we are as a county in 2026 and beyond. It will be a place where we can host major fixtures with pride; football, hurling, camogie and ladies football; where our players take the field in a stadium that befits their efforts, and where supporters feel that sense of “this is our home” every time they walk through the turnstiles.

“I want to thank everyone involved to date, the committees, the officers, the volunteers, the fund-raisers and partners who have supported us and I want to be clear there is still a road to travel, but we are on that road together. This redevelopment is not my project, or the County Board’s project. It is a county project. And when we cut that ribbon, it will belong to every club and every parish in Meath.”

Plunkett highlighted two major challenges ahead, the change back to even ages for underage competitions, especially minor back to under-18 and the implications that will have for fixture planning.

“There is concern in some quarters and that is understandable. Change always brings uncertainty but I also see opportunity. If we get this right, we can create a more coherent pathway for players, protect them during important educational years, and ensure that the step from underage to adult level is structured and supported, not chaotic and rushed. We will need flexibility, creativity and ongoing dialogue with clubs to make this work.” 

The second major challenge according to the chairman is one that every county in Ireland is facing: a shortage of referees. 

“At present, we are putting serious pressure on a limited pool of officials. Some are taking charge of multiple games each week. Many are dealing with unacceptable levels of abuse from sidelines, from players, from spectators. That is not sustainable, and it is not acceptable.

We need to recruit new referees; younger people, former players, men and women from within our clubs who are willing to step forward; support and train them properly with mentoring, clear pathways, and a culture that values refereeing as an integral part of our games. We also need to change behaviour. We talk about “Give Respect, Get Respect”. That has to be lived, not just printed on posters.

“Tonight, I am asking every club in Meath to go home from this Convention and have one conversation: who in our club could we encourage to take up the whistle? If every club in the county identified even one suitable person and backed them, we would transform the situation within a season or two. 

“As we look ahead to 2026 and beyond, I am filled with confidence. Not because everything is easy, it isn’t. Not because we have everything solved, we don’t. But because I know the character of this county. When Meath people decide to get something done, we get it done.

“So let’s continue to work together: to support our teams in football and hurling; to finish the job in Páirc Tailteann; to make the most of our new pitches and our improved facilities; to embrace change at underage level in a way that puts players first and to stand up and address the referee shortage as a shared responsibility.”

 

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