GAA men take up VEC positions

Former GAA president Joe McDonagh is to become chief executive officer of County Galway Vocational Education Committee (VEC) …

Former GAA president Joe McDonagh is to become chief executive officer of County Galway Vocational Education Committee (VEC) and former Galway footballer Brendan Colleran is to head Galway city's VEC.

Both have been involved in vocational education in the county for a number of years.

Mr Colleran was principal of Coláiste Colm Cille in Inverin, while Mr McDonagh has also been in the teaching profession for most of his life and deputised for a time as chief executive officer of the county VEC.

The two appointments, formally recommended by the Public Appointments Commission, are set to be formalised this month when the VEC boards meet.

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Mr McDonagh will take over as county VEC head from Philip Cribbin, who retires this month after five years in the job.

A former president of the GAA, Mr McDonagh taught for many years at Coláiste Éinde before working as Irish officer with the county VEC.

A fluent Irish speaker from Ballinderreen, he has worked as CEO of Foras na Gaeilge in recent years and he deputised as CEO of Co Galway VEC when then chief executive Conor Morris was ill.

Mr Colleran will take over from the current CEO of the city VEC, Pat Ryan, following his retirement.

A teacher for most of his life, Mr Colleran has also worked on secondment for the Department of Education.

He is from one of Galway's best known GAA families in the Mountbellew-Moylough area.

He played for a number of years on the Galway football team of the early 1970s and at one point, contested the position of chairman of the Galway Football Board.

Chairman of County Galway VEC, Cllr. Jarlath McDonagh said: "Both of those people will bring a wealth of educational experience and expertise to these positions. I wish them well in their new positions."

Michelle McDonagh

Michelle McDonagh

Michelle McDonagh, a contributor to The Irish Times, writes about health and family