Wexford’s Tommy in line for
top job
 By David
Thorpe
With just days to go to London GAA’s annual convention the position
of County Board chairman Larry O’Leary looks to be under serious
threat from the current secretary, Tommy Harrell.
The 64-year-old Wexfordman has been secretary of the board for more than
a decade and has also served as a manager and selector of the London hurling
team. That breadth of experience is thought to have found favour with
County Board delegates and informed sources told The Irish Post this week
that if the vote were held today Mr. Harrell would have far more support
than sitting chairman Larry O’Leary.
The Corkman has been at the helm for seven years and has been tipped for
defeat in the past, only to recover his position. But O’Leary has
been haemorrhaging support in recent weeks and it has been noted that
at least three clubs which would have been firm supporters of the current
chairman in recent years are backing Tommy Harrell this time around.
From the parish of Horseswood, near New Ross in Wexford, Harrell has been
a board officer for more than two decades, first as assistant secretary,
then secretary. He managed the London hurling team for a spell and has
been a selector for a number of years. He is expected to continue as a
selector under new manager Brendan Bolger when the Exiles resume training
after Christmas.
There are six nominated candidates for the position of chairman, in addition
to O’Leary and Harrell: Dermot O’Brien, Eamonn Brennan, Noel
O’Sullivan and past chairman Tom Connelly are also in the race.
Several of those men have already indicated that they will not contest
the position, so a straight fight should ensue between Tommy Harrell and
Larry O’Leary.
If that were the case then many knowledgeable figures in the London GAA
community believe that Harrell would be the next chairman. O’Leary
has pulled victory from the jaws of defeat in the past but this may be
a bridge too far for London’s longest serving chairman.
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