Buncrana GAA club seeks to grow its playing base with new full-time coaching role

Buncrana GAA club is set to make its first-ever staff appointment with the recruitment of a participation officer, a role designed to increase playing numbers, strengthen links with local schools and support coaches across the club.
The new officer will be tasked with designing and delivering programmes aimed at growing and sustaining player participation, with a particular focus on a structured Gaelic football coaching programme across the seven primary schools in the Buncrana parish.
Buncrana will become the first GAA club in Inishowen, and one of only three in Donegal, to make such an appointment. St Eunan’s GAA club employs a full-time games promotion officer, Eddie Brennan, while Milford GAA club also has a full-time officer, with Seán Black taking over the role from Christopher Barrett last summer.

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The Scarvey club recently advertised the full-time post, which will involve a 39-hour working week, including some evenings and weekends. The successful candidate will report directly the club chairperson and club coaching officer.
Key responsibilities will include the development of an annual Gaelic football coaching programme focused on participation and retention among both players and coaches, working closely with schools, the club and the wider parish. The officer will also be expected to build strong relationships with schools and community partners and to assist club officers in delivering player and coach development programmes at child, youth and adult levels.
The role will also involve ensuring that all coaches and volunteers comply with safeguarding requirements, Garda vetting and coaching qualification standards. In addition, the officer will help organise Easter, summer and Halloween sports camps, as well as social and recreational Gaelic games activities for youth and adults.
The appointment comes against the backdrop of strong demographic indicators for Buncrana. A demographics report presented to the Donegal GAA Convention in December showed the town has almost 1,300 children enrolled in primary schools and a population of 2,731 boys and girls aged between zero and 17. In terms of both overall youth population and primary school enrolment, Buncrana ranked second only to Letterkenny, which is served by the St Eunan’s and Letterkenny Gaels GAA clubs.
The deadline for applications is Friday, 23 January. Further details on the role and application process are available on the club website at www.buncranagaa.com