Ferbane GAA stalwart Martin's 'on call 24/7'

There aren’t too many people who would dip into their savings to buy a van for their GAA club, but Ferbane stalwart Martin Dolan is no ordinary Gael.

For the past two decades Martin, who has been short-listed for a Volunteer of the Year Award, has devoted a large portion of his life to ensuring that his local club runs smoothly on and off the field.

In addition to recently buying a van to carry club equipment, Martin is also one of the club’s most prolific fundraisers.

“He is on call 24/7,” club secretary Martina Flynn told the Offaly Independent this week. “When the schools want the pitch early in the day he’s there making sure the dressing rooms are clean and he’s there at night after the senior team train. He washes the jerseys for the senior team at home and looks after the changing rooms. On occasion, he’s made sandwiches for teams after training and when our Burco boiler went missing last year, he bought one out of his own pocket”.

“He’s so reliable. He minds the keys of the dressing room and when the Offaly team want to train on a Sunday morning at 8am he’s there at half seven to turn on the showers. He had literally dedicated his life to it. He’s so helpful and does everything in such a nice manner,” she said in tribute.

Martin was first bitten by the GAA bug as a young boy but was unable to play due to a kidney problem. In good health after his third transplant in 2009, he says that his work with the club is a true labour of love.

“It keeps me going, gets me active and keeps me mixing with people. I like to be out and about and I’m not a man for the TV at all.”

“I just love it. I’d love to be down there seven nights a week if I could,” added Martin.

Commenting on Martin's contribution, Offaly Volunteering Information Service coordinator Steve O’Donohue said: “We are thrilled to celebrate Martin and his dedication to Ferbane GAA Club.

'Thousands of people volunteer across the country each day and they really are the unsung heroes that drive our communities. This is a chance for us to recognise Martin’s contribution and really celebrate volunteering in Ireland.

'Thanks to volunteers such as Martin, Ireland is ranked number one in Europe on the World Giving Index and Offaly should be proud of the part it has played”.

While he is looking forward to the award ceremony in City Hall, Dublin on December 2, Martin, who fondly remembers Ferbane’s great five-in-a-row team of his youth, would swap any personal accolade for a return to those glory days.

“I said to one of the players I’d give him a €1,000 if he would bring the Dowling Cup back to Ferbane, it’s been that long since we’ve seen it,” he joked.