A young hurler from Belfast beside the "City Fish"

Paul Kelly spoke to Jim Murry on the Belfast Development plan for Antrim and the the two Down Clubs in Belfast , Bredagh and Carryduff.

IT’S convenient to see Antrim’s success this year as something of a fluke, a one-off that won’t be repeated again. For those used to the status-quo, it will be comforting to think that things will return to normal next year with Armagh and Tyrone contesting the Ulster Final.

To be honest, people in Antrim would probably be quite happy for the rest of us to think that way, because while we’re feeling content with our lot, they are making sure that 2009 is the launchpad for success and not and end in itself.

They may not have a cabinet load of trophies to show for it, but without going overboard, it has been a fine season for Antrim GAA.

The hurlers flattered to deceive but in football, both the ladies and the men’s, the Saffrons took a huge step forward.

For those people at the coalface, the glory days of the summer have only added to the belief that they are on the right track, that the strategies, structures and development plans are having the desired impact.

In 2006, Antrim launched a five-year strategic plan for the county that tried to address many of the issues that were holding back the Association in the County.

One of the recommendations made at the time was that a separate strategy be drawn up for the urban/Belfast area.

Earlier this year that document – ‘A Plan for the GAA across Ireland’s Second City 2009-2014’ was released and endorsed by the county board and Ulster Council.

GAA President Christy Cooney and President of Ulster GAA Tom Daly with, from left, Dr. John McSparran, Chairman of Antrim GAA, Jim Murray, Belfast Steering Strategy Chairman, and Chairman of Down GAA Kevin Bell at the launch of the New Belfast GAA Urban Strategy. Belfast

Finally, Antrim has a strategy for bringing county and city together and making the most of the resources at their disposal.

The days of Antrim GAA being a laughing stock, pilloried for their inability to get organised appear to be in the past and if they get it right, the Saffrons really could become the GAA powerhouse they always promised to be.

Jim McMurray chaired the working group that produced the Belfast Strategic Plan and is now vice-chairman of the implementation committee set-up to deliver the recommendations produced in the report.

He believes that this is a great time to be involved with Antrim GAA and is convinced that the Association has to strike now while the ‘iron is hot’.

“In the past, two reports by Patsy O’Hara and John Gough identified many of the same issues that we picked up on in the Belfast Strategic plan,” said Jim.

“Unfortunately, and for whatever reason, they weren’t driven through but we are 100 per cent determined that this report doesn’t get put on top of those other two fantastic pieces of work gathering dust.”

It’s very difficult to cover all the issues identified in the Belfast plan but Jim picked out a couple that he felt were particularly important in terms of improving the scope of the GAA in Belfast – facilities and the club/school links.

“The Council have an obligation to provide facilities proportionate to other sports,” said Jim.

Antrim and Down kids of Belfast

“We don’t want to take anything away from other sports. We don’t want to say ‘soccer have this amount of pitches and we only have this so give us some of theirs’. They need all the facilities they have and good luck to them.

“What we are saying is that we have a massive population playing our games. The councils are saying that they want to get people doing sport and taking exercise. So what we are saying is that we have the infrastructure to deliver on that, but we can only do if they give us the facilities.

“We have to take this on and lobby Belfast City Council for facilities.

“For example, look at the Ballymurphy area. Thousands of homes have been built but there is no green space.

“So what we are saying to representatives is let’s meet to talk about green space and shared space. If we have to share a gaelic pitch and a soccer pitch well so be it. The key point is that there is a green space available to play on.”

Improving links between clubs and schools is also another area that Jim is determined to see work.

“One of the things that was picked up on in the strategic plan was that 60 per cent of P7s were not playing our games or not affiliated to a club,” added Jim.

“What we are doing, in conjunction with the Co Antrim development officer, is saying to different clubs there’s a school, go and see if you can make a difference in it?

“Speak to the decision makers in the school and tell them what the GAA has to offer and how that fits in with the curriculum. If we find that a club isn’t making the right efforts, we will quickly find another club to go in and give it a go.”

And he concluded; “There already are an awful lot of young people playing our games. The hurling structures are there and the football structures are there. It’s up to us to drive the thing forward.

“I am very hopeful for the future of Antrim GAA. We have a full-time secretary and full-time officers. We have the facilities and now, we also have the will to do it.”