Offaly GAA announce partnership agreement with Shane Lowry
Golf star Shane Lowry, the 2019 Open champion, has pledged his support as a partner with Offaly GAA.
Offaly GAA are in the process of preparing a strategic plan which will have a significant focus on player development. As an elite international sportsman, Shane has offered his experience and expertise to inspire and help improve the development of players.
The Clara native will also support Offaly GAA's commercial and fundraising initiatives to help fund improvements in underage coaching programmes, and to develop educational bursaries for young players.
Shane, who started his golf career with the Esker Hills club, comes from a family steeped in the history of Offaly GAA. Shane's passion for Gaelic games is well known and he is a devoted supporter of Clara and Offaly teams.
Shane's father Brendan was part of Offaly's famed 1982 All-Ireland winning senior football team, as were his uncles Mick and Seán. The extended Lowry family, who originally hail from Ferbane, played a hugely prominent role in Offaly GAA over the years.
Like many other counties, Offaly experienced a very difficult financial year in 2020 and the county is presently on a fundraising drive following a very successful Grand Canal Walk in aid of Offaly county teams and clubs.
In support of the fundraising drive to put Offaly GAA on a more sustainable financial footing, Shane has also pledged a personal annual financial contribution to Offaly GAA over the next five years.
Offaly GAA chairperson Michael Duignan sincerely thanked Lowry "for coming on board as a Partner of Offaly GAA".
Duignan said: "We are all excited by the prospect of working with Shane in the coming years as we strive to improve the fortunes of the county. Shane has inspired us all in Offaly by the way he has progressed to the upper echelons of world golf and we are all extremely proud of his achievements. Shane has pledged his support to help our players of all ages to fulfil their potential. His passion, ambition and honesty of endeavour, while at all times remaining humble and grounded, are leadership attributes that we are looking to enhance in the culture of Offaly GAA.
"We are on a journey in Offaly GAA and it is fantastic to have Shane on board particularly supporting our coaching and games initiatives, which we hope will benefit all our clubs and players. Offaly GAA are also very thankful that Shane has committed to support Offaly GAA financially and we are very grateful for his commitment to offer his time to help our players and support our commercial and fundraising initiatives."
"The Lowry name has always been synonymous with excellence within Offaly GAA and we once again thank Shane for joining us on the Offaly GAA journey,” Duignan added.