Exciting times for Cavan GAA as new Club Breifne launched

Paul Fitzpatrick paul@anglocelt.ie The local GAA scene received a huge boost last Thursday night when the Cavan County Board officially launched their exciting new fundraising venture Club Breifne at a well-attended function in the Hotel Kilmore. Club Breifne is a supporter"s club to which members will pay a fee, and in return receive a jacket and polo shirt, access to NFL matches in Kingspan Breffni Park, access to club championship games in any ground in the county and enter a draw to win a top of the range Audi A4. 'The new initiative will focus on investment in the future of the association in Cavan,' explained County Board chairman Philip Smith. 'The plan is to put in place guaranteed yearly revenue from Cavan GAA supporters to invest in coaching and games development, infrastructure and supporting our county teams,' MC on the night was well-known Cavan supporter Damien O"Reilly, who was accompanied by his RTE collegaue Darragh Maloney. Interviews were conducted on the night with Philip Smith, Club Breifne chairman Declan Woods, Games Developemt Officer Nicholas Walsh and new Cavan senior football team manager Tommy Carr. 'Club Breifne is a fantastic initiative,' said the new manager. 'The off-the-field set-up here in Cavan is top-class and we will eb working hard to ensure that the team can match that.' Philip Smith revealed that the cost of developing infrastructure and funding teams has spiralled in recent years and that the coaching budget for next year alone will be over 400,000. 'Club Breifne,' he said, 'will allow us to continue to develop our facilities, including a new planned Centre of Excellence at Kingspan Breffni Park.' The chairman outlined the progress that has been made. 'We have recently installed five new full-time GAA coaches and we are committed, with the help of supporters and clubs who have been among the most generous in the country, to continuing to strive for excellence in Gaelic football, hurling, camogie and handball.'