The Gaelic Players Association and the Kerry County Board have raised over $2 million through fund-raising drives in the U.S. since 2012.
The Irish Independent reports that in 2011 the GPA set up an advisory board in New York composed of lawyers, business people, journalists and other contacts to help the organization develop a network of supporters in North America. The board was established to bring awareness to the organization’s activities and to help raise funds for the GPA Player Development Programme.
Although the GAA's annual grant to the GPA serves as the main source of funding for the program, the GPA claims that fund-raising in the U.S. was established to help supplement costs and to address a shortfall in funding.
In a statement, the GPA said: "Since 2012 the GPA's US network and events have generated gross revenues of €2.07m.
"However, the relationship with US supporters of the organisation has yielded further benefits to the GPA – for example in 2014, one of the US network agreed to help fund the GPA Leadership Programme, a bespoke one year course for inter-county hurlers and footballers, male and female, past and present.
"Another donation was made recently to help fund a return to education/further education program for retired players. Developing a supportive network in the US has additional benefits for players, particularly for those who may are interested in developing relations and doing business with US companies, looking for investors in business start-ups, internships early in career or possibly broader career opportunities post-playing days."
In 2013, a delegation from the Kerry County Board that included legends Eoin 'Bomber' Liston, Mikey Sheehy, Ogie Moran and Darragh Ó Sé, traveled to New York. During the trip, two separate fund-raising events raised around $25,000 each, and a further $160,000 was raised in donations.
Kerry delegations returned the following year, when 350 businessmen and fans paid $1,000 a seat to attend the Kingdom’s Manhattan event. Close to $500,000 was raised.
In May 2015, a coordinated series of events in Boston, New York, and Chicago proved remarkably profitable, reports the Irish Independent.
The Boston events raised $107,000, Chicago fund-raisers garnered $85,000, and a golf outing and gala event at the Plaza Hotel, which included an auction, in New York raised $850,000.
The delegation also secured $100,000 in funding from the American Ireland Fund before returning home.
Other counties have also crossed the Atlantic to raise funds, and many others are exploring the possibility to do so.
Roscommon played New York in the preliminary round of the Connacht championship earlier this year and organized fund-raising events around the weekend of the game, with over €300,000 raised towards the construction of the Dermot Earley Centre in Runnabracken.
In June, Monaghan GAA organized a golf classic in New York with the Monaghan GAA Club in the city. The proceeds from the event were split 60-40.
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