Coiste Thir Eoghain Annual Report Book 2010 - Tyrone GAA | Tir ...

Pat McSorley, Michael Cullen and Gerry Quinn for the use of their photographs in 2010. The
recording of our games through the photographic media is hugely important and I am
extremely thankful to those photographers who regularly forward images to the website ‘free
of charge’.
We should continue however to monitor closely those who access our games to take
photographs. Delegates should be aware that only properly accredited media have permission
to take photographs at our games. We cannot allow other individuals to put the livelihoods of
our local professional photographers at risk and flaunt our rules on important issues such as
child protection.
Radio & TV
May I once again pay tribute to the fantastic work that Paddy Hunter continues to do in
promoting a wide spectrum of Tyrone GAA activities. Paddy is a regular attendee at a range of
meetings and GAA events across the county. Paddy is the driving force behind the sports
coverage on Q101.2 and Six FM and I wish him and the network continued success in 2011.
Coverage of our games and activities across the BBC has in my opinion improved slightly over
the last twelve months. However it is frustrating to note that they continue to subject Sunday
listeners to MW coverage. Their excellent radio commentators and analysts should have their
work properly presented and I would once again urge the BBC to take the final step and make
the move to Online and FM coverage in 2011.
I share the concerns of many GAA people in Tyrone and beyond, articulated to me in respect
of UTV’s coverage of the GAA. There seems to be a lack of consistency in their sports reporting
in general and this is beginning to manifest itself in a sub-standard coverage of GAA activities.
I can only equate this drop in standard to their decision to remove regular sports bulletins and
in particular remove regular and dedicated stand-alone sports reporters.
I also have concerns that TV3 have secured a deal now with the GAA for coverage of more
games next year despite the fact that a large number of homes in the north have poor or no
coverage of the station. I can only hope that Croke Park sought assurances from TV3 to
properly extend their coverage into the north.
TyroneGAA.ie Media
During the last year we have once again worked alongside Jerome Quinn to bring video
footage of our club championships and activities to the website. This work has provided
excellent exposure of Tyrone GAA. Once again I thank Jerome for his professional approach
to his work. I also thank Paddy Hunter for providing a lively mix of podcasts which encapsulate
both pre and post-match interviews and many other aspects of the work we do here in Tyrone.
Concluding Remarks
As I complete my third term as County PRO I must say that the last year has been the most
challenging yet. The workload associated with the job seems to increase daily and the emails
and requests continue to fly in.
I want to conclude however by paying tribute to the players who pull on the Red Hand jersey.
More particularly I suppose our senior football manager and players. Few of us get the
opportunity to be around the Press Nights. Forget the perceived egos that many people would
have us believe. My observations are of players who are open, friendly and courteous with the
press. Journalists’ regularly remark upon the wonderful ambassadors that our players are for
Tyrone GAA. After observing the All-Ireland Minor Press Night in September I can safely
confirm that those same qualities are abundantly obvious in the next generation of county
senior players.
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