Ulster strategy launched

In Parallel with the national strategic review, the Ulster Council yesterday released its own planning document. Entitled Building on Progress; the Strategic Plan for Ulster GAA 2002-2006, it will guide all developments in the province.

The plan was devised over the past 12 months and reviews the current position of GAA in Ulster. It also provides data and statistics that will impact on the association in the coming years and makes key recommendations to maintain the GAA as the dominant sporting brand in Ulster.

The council has outlined six main goals: club and county development; games development; language and heritage; information technology; hurling and physical infrastructure.

"This, unlike the national review, is not an aspirational document," said Aogan Farrell, Ulster PRO and chair of the Ulster IT committee.

"This is . . . a working document, and some of the key issues to be addressed are the growing urbanisation in Ulster and the development and promotion of non-games aspects."

A total of £99.61 million sterling has been earmarked to implement the strategy between 2002 and 2006.

The strategy was drawn up by Tom Cullen (chair, Ulster language and heritage committee), Tom Daly (treasurer and chair, referees committee), Aogan Farrell (public relations officer and chair, Ulster IT committee), Michael Greenan (vice president and chair, Ulster hurling), Naul McCole (chair, coaching and games development), Seamas McGrattan (hurling officer), Danny Murphy (provincial director), Eugene Young (high performance director) and John O'Reilly (president, Ulster council).

The Ulster hurling board have also launched a development plan. Details will be released in the coming days.