Cathaoirleach/Leas Cathaoirleach
“A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.”
Martin Luther King
As club Chairperson, Mr Brendan Mc Lernon has been entrusted with the responsibility for “leading” the club. A Chairperson’s leadership should encourage participation by all the club volunteers in club decision making and acknowledge the roles of others.
The Chairperson is someone who has time to put genuine effort into the job, has a clear understanding of the importance of the GAA in their local community and has the necessary knowledge of the administration and workings of the GAA at Club, County, Provincial and Central level. It is vitally important that the Chairperson acts with integrity at all times and ensures that he/she has the respect of their fellow officers and club members. The Chairperson needs to develop an overview of the committee and the club’s objectives over their term of office so that he/she can facilitate good decision-making and identify and address conflict if it arises with the club.
Skills Required to be a Chairperson
- Enthusiasm
- Organisation
- Timekeeping
- Confident at Decision Making
- Confident at public speaking and keeping order during meetings and when making presentations with in the club
- Leadership
- Integrity
The Chairperson has prime responsibility for the followings areas in the club:
- Planning:- Overseeing the strategic direction of the club and ensuring the club has a vision
- Delegation:- Ensuring the Management Committee Members, Sub-Committee Members and Club Members are aware of their roles and responsibilities within the club, in addition to delegating special projects within the club to sub-committees or workgroups
- Prime representative of the club to the outside world:- Ideally the Club Chair should act as delegate to the County Board and should liaise with external organisations and other local community groups if necessary
- Overall Management of the Club: Working with both the Secretary and the Treasurer to ensure that the day-to-day tasks are carried out within the club.
The duties of the Chairperson are:
1) Chairing all Club Management Committee meetings, General Club Meetings and Emergency General Meetings and Annual General Meetings. In the event of tied vote at any of the above meetings the Chair shall have the casting vote.
2) Take responsibility for managing the Club Management Committee and the affairs of the club
3) Oversee and guide all decisions taken by the Management committee and sub committees
4) In liaison with the Secretary, oversee the work of all officers
5) In conjunction with the Secretary, prepare and present the annual report
6) Liaise with the Secretary on the agenda for each meeting and review the minutes before they are circulated
7) Be completely familiar with the Official Guide, Club Constitution and GAA Committee procedures
8) Liaise with the Treasurer to ensure that the Management Committee approves all funds and ensure that they are spent properly and in the best interests of the club
9) Help the Club Development Officer, Treasurer or other committee members prepare and submit any statutory documents that are required (e.g. grant aid reports, CASC etc)
10) Be aware of current Child Protection legislation within the club and act as the Club Deputy Child Protection Officer, assisting the Child Protection Officer in their duties
11) The Chairperson may, subject to approval by the Club Management Committee, appoint Chairs and members of club sub-committees
12) Sign the minutes of previous meetings
13) If unable to attend any committee meeting, a written report should be sent to the meeting and the Vice Chairman briefed on the Agenda
It is good practice for a Chairperson to serve no more than five years in office, (three years would be preferable) to encourage other committee members to serve in the position.
The post of Vice-Chairperson should be regarded as a training post of a future Cathaoirleach. The Vice-Chairperson should be given specific duties apart from the obvious one of taking the place of an absent Cathaoirleach, such as being nominated Cathaoirleach of a Sub-Committee or taking responsibility for assisting the Chairperson in developing links with other local community groups.
“Leadership is doing the right thing, even when no-one else is looking”
– John F. Kennedy