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THREE TRIPS IN ONE YEAR 'DID NOT COST COUNTY BOARD ONE SHILLING', SAYS SUPPORTERS CLUB SUPREMO By Tom Kelly A former chairman of Mayo GAA Board has hit back strongly at criticism that a sum of £108,000 was paid out to fund three holidays in the one year for members of the county senior team despite the organisation's financial situation. Mr. Paddy Muldoon described the allegations as 'a fabrication of lies.' Mr. Muldoon, who spearheads the Mayo Supporters Club, claimed trips to London, Tunisia and Florida 'did not cost the county board one shilling.' However, according to the board's accounts, a contribution of £26,010 was made towards 'players holiday.' The Westport-based official said the weekend trip to London in 1996 cost £19,000. A contribution of £10,000 was made by Croke Park to cover the trip, and the remaining £9,000 was paid by the Supporters Club. He said the trip to Tunisia, which was incorporated into the team's training schedule, cost £30,000 which, he insisted, was paid for by the Supporters Club. The trip to Florida at the end of 1997 was, according to Mr. Muldoon, 'the only holiday the players received for their efforts.' This cost £40,000, half of which was paid by Croke Park and the other half by the Supporters Club. "The players and supporters have been badly maligned by the allegations which should be withdrawn once and for all." Mr. Muldoon described the Mayo Supporters Club as 'a legitimate supporters club' which was attached to the county board. "We have never made a contribution to the team manager. We don't pay fees to any manager at any level. "The story about the holidays was wrongly portrayed. The players have put in an enormous effort. They deserved the holiday they got. Mr. Muldoon said the club was to make a contribution of £50,000 to the county board to help them resolve their financial problems. Another former chairman of the authority, Mr. Mick Higgins, said he received 'unfair stick' because he was quoted in the minutes of an executive board meeting on December 22nd last expressing concern that the senior team had three holidays in the one year. "The reason I expressed concern was because I knew very little about the trips. But I have no qualms whatsoever about the players being rewarded in this way. "I know the type of effort they put in over the course of the year. They were entitled to what they got. I totally refute what is stated in the minutes." Mr. Sean Feeney, the board secretary who compiled the minutes, said there was nothing malicious in what Mr. Higgins said at the executive meeting and he was sorry if the minutes gave a wrong impression, Mr. P.J. McGrath, the board's new chairman, said he hoped the same newspaper headlines would be given to Mr. Muldoon's comments as were given to the original story about £108,000 being spent on players's holidays. He said Mr. Muldoon had travelled to America in the course of his fundraising, and he had done so 'at his own expense and at no cost whatsoever to the county board.' |
