Cahill to take the reins as new county board chief

Exclusive

Well-known local GAA official Martin Cahill has been appointed as the first Head of Operations for Cavan GAA, the Anglo-Celt can exclusively reveal.

With long-serving county secretary and full-time administrator Liam McCabe due to retire, Cavan county board advertised the new position and after a highly competitive interview process overseen by Croke Park, Ulster GAA and Cavan GAA, Cahill emerged as the successful candidate.

The popular Denn clubman has a long track record of involvement in administration at county board level. He has been involved with the board since 1987, when he took over as secretary of the Cavan Youth Board.

Cahill served in that role until 1992 when, coincidentally, Liam McCabe replaced him. From 1992 until 2007, he variously held the roles of Coaching Officer, Youth Officer and Development Officer before he took over a treasurer from the long-serving Tom Boylan.

Cahill’s 15 years as treasurer saw him manage the county board’s finances through the recession while he also played a key role in several large infrastructural projects, including the ongoing development of the Polo Grounds Centre of Excellence. His reports to county conventions each year have routinely been praised by delegates for their transparency and the diligence with which they are prepared.

Cahill has also been heavily involved in overseeing the running of gates at county championship matches, a time-consuming behind-the-scenes role which has been vitally important to the board, with gate receipts soaring over the last decade.

Martin is married to Marianne and is a father of three - Christopher, Cillian and Conor. He will take up the role on a permanent basis from mid-February.

The result of the appointment process was kept a very closely-guarded secret and was only publicly revealed by the county board last night (Tuesday) following ratification at an executive meeting, which was a formality.

He will deliver his final set of accounts to the county convention (December 15), which will show a surplus of €385,000 for the year ended September 30 last, with local gate receipts coming in at a record €640,000. Cavan county board will appoint a new treasurer in due course.