Ladies Gaelic Football

16 | SPRING 2021 | www.ladiesgaelic.ie Donegal could be challengers, but they were defeated by Mayo in the last eight. "I think we were very close to a Senior title. But we had seven weeks of a wait after the Ulster final and Mayo caught us in the quarter-final. We had been flying before that and the long wait meant we fell back. "I became a county councillor that year too, so unfortunately, I had to step back from management. I knew I couldn't give the same commitment to the job. I felt we were very close to winning a Senior All-Ireland. I still feel these girls have the ability to do it too." As well as the Donegal job and his new council position, Naughton was also Ulster LGFA President at the time. While the increased administration responsibilities meant his time on the sidelines had to end, it also opened the door for him to progress in the Association. "I became Ulster LGFA President in 2015, and after three years I became Ulster Vice President. When you are president of Ulster, you are also Vice President of the LGFA. "At Congress in Killarney in early 2019, I was approached by a few people and it was the first I had ever thought of putting my name forward for national President. I gave it a bit of thought over the weekend and put out a few feelers. The response I was getting from delegates was overwhelming. "In Galway last year, there was a contest with Dominic (Leech) and Liam (McDonagh). In the end I won it. I had canvassed well but it was just like a football match: you just don't know until match-day. It is great to have competition for administrative positions because that means people are putting their hands up for roles. That's what it's all about." After putting his own hand up, Naughton is at the wheel of the LGFA for the next four years and he is determined to continue the good work that has gone before him. "In my time as President, I want to build on the collaboration that's going between the GAA and the Camogie Association. That's very important for our Association. There have been huge strides made. I want to build on that. "I'd like to see the Associations coming closer together in my four years. We are all there to achieve the one goal. Just a few weeks ago, we launched the Player Pathway, that's a huge development. Be it a boy or a girl that arrives at a club, they will all get the same opportunities. That is so very important." He said: "There weren't too many positives to take from 2020, but two of them were the importance of the club and the use of technology. "Our volunteers and the club are the cornerstones of the Association. This is the first time ever that we have given stand-alone time to the club. I think that will play a big part in our Association in the years to come. Only 2% of our players play county football and we have to make sure we protect the other 98% too. Everyone deserves the same respect. He continued: "We used to run development courses for our members and you'd have been lucky to get 20 people attending. Thanks to technology, hosting these courses online we'd have over 120 people attending. "Time is precious, but if we can take our Association into people's living rooms let's continue doing it. Any way we can get more people involved and trained on our courses, it can only be for the betterment of our Association." OUR VOLUNTEERS AND THE CLUB ARE THE CORNERSTONES OF THE ASSOCIATION. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME EVER THAT WE HAVE GIVEN STAND-ALONE TIME TO THE CLUB. This image: Mícheál Naughton in 2016; while manager of Donegal INTERVIEW

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