East GAA Committee Notes:
East Board founded May 27th 1944 in Caherconlish it was the last divison to be formed in County at the time a number of clubs played in the south and the City.
The first East board covention took place in 1947 and continued to the present day.
South Liberties won the first Junior football and hurling championships in the East.
Since its foundation the board ethos and value is and always is to promote all the clubs, culture and history.
As the board developed and grew so did the championships within the division.
hurling and football championships in all grades down through the years drew huge crowds to venue around the East really putting the East clubs and the division to the front in the county with memorable games which are still talked about.
The board also ran board na nÓg up until late 90s, 00s, it then changed to its present day All county format.
Scor na nÓg was also supported and developed within the board a very important part of GAA as it culture with in the division.
The board has always faced changes over the years as the County championships formats are changed, tweaked all in a push to make it all county across the grades.
The most significant change happened in 2020 when the minor, U21, JA in hurling and football went all County. Intermediate grades had previously moved to all county format in early 2000s.
This change now meant that between all 4 divisions 32 trophies were now taken out of the boards and no longer played for leaving a huge void across all divisions.
The board always move forward and we enhanced our remaining championships by bringing in player of the match awards and top scorer in our remaining championships.
In April 2025 a strategic review of the boards was carried out by the County board. Over the coming months, the clubs and divisions had several meetings with the committee and discussed the proposal that was to replace the board.
The proposal was then drafted and sent out to all Clubs and the 4 divisional boards for review and debate.
The proposal was to replace the East Board with a new divisional committee they are many changes one being the boards no longer run any championships.
On 27th January in the Woodlands hotel in Adare at a special County board meeting was had to vote on to keep the boards in they current format or to vote for the new divisional committee.
The vote went 50 to 29 in favour to replace the board with the new committee.
The Vote brought an end to 82 years of the East board.
In its 82 year history the board has always worked hard to promote all the East clubs we didn’t always get it right however as the smallest division in the county we always punched above our weight in all grades in football and hurling.
The board will no longer be in its current existence it is time to remember all the people who worked hard as volunteers to grow the board.
The vision in 1944 to start and then through years to keep growing and building the board thru emigration, unemployment, county board changes and rural decline it’s is a credit to all and the clubs.
It is a A huge thank you to all the people who took roles and gave up there their time.
We also extend a huge thank you to all 13 clubs for your support over the years as we said for a small division we really show up come championship time.
Thursday 9th April the board met with all club delegates for the final time in Millennium centre Caherconlish to advise on the new committee and other topics that were discussed on the evening.
There is a great saying in the GAA that local rivalry is at the heart of the GAA one may think this seems to be forgotten in the new GAA world which seems to be taking a step in a more moniteraty way than the ethos of being amauter, volunteerism, community and player welfare.
Thank you once again to all the clubs and people for 82 years of support.
Pictures are the club delegates meeting for the final time in Millennium centre Caherconlish Caherline 9th April 2026.
The final East board officers for 2026.