St Cedd's GAA

📣 Meet Our 2025 Committee – Final Day

Last but definitely not least — our PRO, Bríd.

If you told anyone from home that Bríd would end up on a GAA committee, you’d get the same reaction every time: laughter. She was never the one chasing a sliotar or a football across a pitch. But moving abroad has a funny way of reminding you what matters — and what you want to pass on.

Born and raised in The Banner, hurling was always around the edges of life, even if she wasn’t immersed in it.

Her earliest and best GAA memory is Clare winning the All-Ireland in 1995 — that rare day when every room in the house buzzed with joy, and even the quiet ones shouted at the TV. That feeling never really left.

As she says herself, the dream for St. Cedd’s is simple:
That the club grows alongside the Irish community here in Chelmsford, and that the children discovering Gaelic games today carry this culture with them into adulthood - no matter where life takes them.

One of her favourite things?
Watching her nephew and neice - born here - support Clare with absolute conviction, and seeing them genuinely care about hurling and football. Because that’s what St. Cedd’s is already doing: giving children born in England a chance to experience something that is so deeply woven into Irish childhood.

As PRO, Bríd tells our story - not just as a sports club, but as a growing community of families, friendships, and shared roots. 💚🤍

Here’s to the beginning. The best chapters are still ahead.

📣 Meet Our 2025 Committee – Day 6

Today we’re delighted to introduce our Player Liaison Officer — Paula Purssord.

Paula might be the last person you'd expect to see on a GAA committee, but she puts her reasons for joining best herself:

“I moved to London in 2002, met my husband and settled in Chelmsford in 2014. Although I was never interested in GAA growing up, it suddenly felt important once my son was born. He loves sport, and I wanted both kids to have a little connection to home—something that would let them sit beside their grandad on visits and follow a match with him, even if their mother still hasn’t a clue what’s happening on the pitch.

A chat in O’Connors during a Chelmsford Irish session led me to Darren, Martin and Joe, and I asked if they’d ever consider starting something locally. None of us expected the turnout at the first taster sessions or the huge enthusiasm for GAA in Chelmsford. Seeing so many children return each week with excitement and confidence made it clear we’d started something special.

The passion and commitment the coaches have brought to getting St Cedd’s off the ground has been genuinely inspiring. And it’s been brilliant to see parents stepping up as coaches and supervisors—we’re incredibly lucky to have such strong support from the local community.

I’m proud of my very small part in sparking the idea, but the credit belongs firmly to the coaches and the growing community around them. My hope is that St Cedd’s becomes a club that lasts long after my own two have moved on—a welcoming place where families from Ireland, England and everywhere else can come together and give this wonderful game a try.”

Paula brings warmth, empathy, and a genuine passion for bringing people together — the exact qualities that make a brilliant Player Liaison Officer. 💚🤍

More committee introductions coming tomorrow — stay tuned! 💚🤍

📣 Meet Our 2025 Committee – Day 5

Today we’re delighted to introduce our Registration Officer — Lee.

Lee’s connection to Gaelic games began at home, through his wife from Galway. What started as a family link quickly grew into something bigger. Here's Lee in his own words:

“I'm Lee, and my connection to Ireland and Gaelic Football comes through my wife, who is from Galway. It was inspiring to see so many young people at the taster sessions, including my own children, and it has motivated me to get involved—albeit mostly behind the scenes with memberships and registrations.

My hope for the new club is that it creates opportunities for young people to take part in Gaelic sports and that it brings wider benefits to the community.”

Behind every great club is someone who makes the administration run smoothly — and that’s where Lee shines. He brings order and reliability, creating opportunity, ensuring every player who walks through our doors has a place to belong.

More committee introductions coming tomorrow — stay tuned! 💚🤍

📣 Meet Our 2025 Committee – Day 4

Today we’re introducing another valued member of our founding committee — our Treasurer, Martin Donoghue.

Born and bred in London and growing up through the GAA system here, Martin knows first-hand the importance of opportunity, inclusion, and belief — all things he wants to help build into the future of St. Cedd’s.

🏡 Home County: London
⭐ Favourite Hurler: Tony Kelly
⭐ Favourite Footballer: Michael Donnellan

💚 Best Memory in the GAA:
Representing London at underage level hurling

🌟 Dreams for St. Cedd’s GAA:
To have teams at all levels in football — including senior — and one day become a dual club with hurling as well. 🤞

As Treasurer, Martin keeps our feet on the ground while pushing us forward. He combines ambition with discipline, ensuring every pound raised is invested wisely for the long-term success of our club. From fundraising strategy to responsible planning, he’s already helping turn dreams into something real.

He also rocks an impressive tache every November — and was delighted with the timing of this committee announcement!

More committee introductions coming tomorrow — stay tuned! 💚🤍

📣 Meet Our 2025 Committee – Day 3

Today we’re introducing another member of our founding committee — our Secretary, Joe Byrne.

Joe may have been born in the UK, but his Irish roots run deep. With family ties to Waterford and a lifetime love of the GAA, he brings organisation, calm, and commitment to the heart of St. Cedd’s.

🏡 Home County: Supports Waterford where his Grandfather is from
🏐 Home Club: Played underage for Thomas McCurtains
⭐ Favourite Hurler: Joe Canning (but John Mullane comes very close!)
⭐ Favourite Footballer: Seán O’Shea

💚 Best Memory of GAA: Stephen Cluxton scoring a last minute point to win the All Ireland for Dublin in 2011

🌟 Dreams for St Cedd’s GAA: Just to see it grow as a team and community, and to have teams at all ages over the coming years.

Joe brings a calm, steady presence and a genuine love of community to his role as Secretary. With people like Joe helping to shape the club from day one, the future of St. Cedd’s GAA is full of promise.

More introductions coming tomorrow — stay tuned! 💚🤍

📣 Meet Our 2025 Committee – Day 2

Today we’re introducing another member of our founding committee — our Chairperson, Darren Mulcahy.

Darren has been the driving force behind getting St. Cedd’s GAA to where it is today. His energy, commitment, and sheer determination push everyone around him to give their best — and it shows in how far the club has already come.

🏡 Home County: Limerick 💪🏼
🏐 Home Club: Killeedy GAA
⭐ Favourite Hurler: Ciarán Carey
⭐ Favourite Footballer: Ciarán McDonald

💚 Best Memory in the GAA:
Winning a County Final in 2010 with his father, uncle, brother and cousin while playing half back for Killeedy — a moment he’ll never forget.

And more recently, one that means just as much: watching his daughter Ivy pull on a Limerick jersey and head out training with St. Cedd’s for the very first time.

📸 And a special note: today’s photo of Darren was taken by none other than Ivy herself — keeping it all in the family. 💚

🌟 Dreams for St Cedd’s GAA:
To make sure this club always supports the underage before anything else and grow the club to not only be playing underage football but to have all codes of the GAA in the coming years.

With Darren’s passion and leadership, the future of St. Cedd’s GAA looks incredibly bright.

More introductions coming tomorrow — stay tuned! 💚🤍

📣 Meet Our 2025 Committee – Day 1

We’re kicking off the introductions to our founding committee for St. Cedd’s GAA — and who better to start with than our Honorary President, Gerry Donohue.

Here’s a little bit about Gerry:
🇬🇧 Years in the UK: 53 years
🏡 Home County: Galway
🏐 Home Club: Cappataggle
⭐ Favourite Hurler: Joe Cooney
⭐ Favourite Footballer: Seamus Leydon
💚 Best Memory of the GAA: Galway winning three in a row in football 1964, 1965, 1966
🌟 Dreams for St Cedd’s GAA: That the club will progress and prosper and all the young players will stay loyal and have great memories.

As a member of our founding committee, Gerry brings warmth, humour, and a genuine passion for keeping Irish culture and community alive here in Essex. We’re delighted to have him helping guide St. Cedd’s GAA in its very first year.

More introductions coming each day this week — stay tuned! 💚🤍

A massive thank you to everyone who came along to the AGM last night. What a crowd. What a night. You could feel the pride in the room.

We’re proud to share the name of our new club — St Cedd’s GAA. 🇮🇪

St Cedd is the patron saint of Essex. He lived in the 7th century, studied under St Aidan, and even spoke Irish. Though he wasn’t born Irish, he built bridges between people and carried a spirit of friendship that still means something today.

That same spirit lives on in all of us — in our families, our friendships, and the way we’ve come together here in Chelmsford and across mid-Essex.

This isn’t just a crest. It’s a statement of who we are. Proud of our Irish roots, proud of our Essex home, and ready to build something special together.

Something big is coming… 👀
Just 1 day to go until our official reveal.

Join us at the AGM – Monday, Nov 10, 7:30 PM at O’Connors for a night that marks the next chapter in our journey. 🇮🇪💚