Brian McEniff has formally retired after a lifetime of service to the GAA. On this piece, the Donegal GAA County Board pay tribute to the person who gave a lot to the affiliation regionally.
“Brian McEniff epitomises what is sweet about Donegal, not least Donegal GAA.
Final weekend he stepped down as chairman of his beloved Bundoran, after giving a lifetime of service. We want Brian a properly deserved break, as he embarks on a brand new chapter.
Sporting a jacket with a Donegal crest on the best and Realt na Mara on the left, 81 years younger Brian McEniff made his last bow as a soccer administrator, over sixty years since he was appointed membership secretary at Clann na Gael, Toronto in 1962.
Resigning from his second stint as Cathaoirleach for his beloved Realt na Mara, Bundobhráin on Friday night time final, he additionally served as Secretary and Treasurer. A brand new era will lead Bundoran subsequent yr – Tommy Hourihane taking on as chairperson and Bernadette Feely as Treasurer.
Since his return from Toronto in 1966, the place he received 3 soccer championships, 4 soccer leagues and two hurling championships, Brian gave 57 un-interrupted years of service to membership, county, province and nation with the identical enthusiasm to teaching Realt u-10s as proven to managing Donegal to Ulster and All-Eire titles and the Worldwide Guidelines group to victory in Australia. At Provincial stage, he managed the Ulster Railway Cup squad from 1983 to 2007 successful 13 titles so as to add to the 2 medals he received as a participant. He was additionally an All-Star – picked at left half again in 1972.
It wouldn’t occur at the moment, however on the 1971 Conference, on the age of 29 and with no earlier managerial expertise, he turned each Donegal minor supervisor and player-manager of the senior squad. He led them to their first ever Ulster title in 1972, adopted by their second in 1974. He returned thrice extra to win Ulster titles in 1983, 1990 and 1992, additionally main Donegal to their first ever All-Eire in that yr. In 2003, he relinquished the County Chairmanship, managing Donegal to an the All-Eire semi-final the place they practically upset the percentages in opposition to reigning champions Armagh.
At membership stage he received seven senior Donegal championship medals with St Josephs, a Bundoran-Ballyshannon mixed group, that additionally received a pilot, however unofficial, All-Eire Membership Championship in 1968. St Joseph’s disbanded in 1977, the identical yr Brian captained Bundoran to the inaugural Donegal Intermediate championship – he was membership chairman once they final received it in 2015. In 1978, with Brian at wing half again, Bundoran received the Senior League title and the Senior championship in 1979.
He could also be gone from the highest desk however Brian will nonetheless be discovered virtually each Saturday promoting Bunotto at SuperValu, popping in briefly to most Realt Senior membership coaching classes and can stay a well-known determine at membership and county fixtures, beginning with Donegal v Roscommon this weekend on the opening of Father Tierney Park in Ballyshannon.
Donegal GAA pays tribute to Brian McEniff on his retirement was final modified: December thirteenth, 2023 by
