This is the next instalment of a series that will introduce the CGAA County Executive and Management Committee members, and shine some well-deserved light on the breadth and depth of experience that is working to support Gaelic Games across the country. Over the next few weeks, we plan to highlight all the Executive and Management Committee members.
Name: Kerry Mortimer
Position on Executive Committee/Management Committee: Treasurer
Since: December 2018
Home Club: Ottawa Gaels GAA
Years with current Home Club: 21 years, Player since 2000, Executive Committee member for several years and former Club Chairperson
Notable highlights:
- 2002 Represented Canada at International Senior Competition in Dublin playing Ladies Football
- 2016 Represented Canada at the 2016 GAA World Games playing Ladies Football in the Native Division (played in the finals at Croke Park, losing to New York GAA),
- 2017 awarded the GAA Club Person of the Year for the Ottawa Gaels
- August 2017 hosted GAA President Aogan O’Fearghail in Ottawa as part of his visit to Canada
- 2000 – Toronto Ladies Football League Winners
- 2004 – Toronto Ladies Football League and Championship Winners
- 2007 – Toronto Ladies Football Championship Winners
- 2010 – Toronto Ladies Football League Winners
- 2016 – Toronto Ladies Football Championship Shield Winners
Other GAA involvement current and previous: Player (Ladies Football) and Executive Committee volunteer
Kerry, far left in the back row, as part of the Ottawa Gaels ladies team that won the Toronto Shield in 2016.
GAA Leadership Experience: (roles and years on committees ie. Club, Division, County, Hearings, Overseas, etc)
- 10 years on committee and Club Chairperson in 2017
- 2017 member of Eastern Divisional Competition Controls Committee (CCC), drafted the inaugural set of ECGAA Divisional regulations
- Administrator/organizer of team apparel, sponsorship and fund raising for 2016 GAA World Games teams
- May to December2019 – Took on CGAA PRO role on an interim basis
- February 2020 – attended GAA Congress as one of four Canada GAA delegates
- December 2020 – appointed to World GAA sub-committee to contribute to drafting on the newly developed World GAA Constitution
- February 2021 attended GAA Congress virtually as one of four Canada GAA delegates
- March 2021 attended LGFA Congress virtually as one of three Canada GAA delegates
Personal Information
Where did you grow up? I was born in Sydney, Australia, moved to Ballymena, Co Antrim (my parent’s hometown), moved to Canada at the age of 5
When did you move to Canada? January 1975
Professional Background: Marketing Consultant
Occupation: President, Mortimer Marketing Group
Other Tidbits You’d Like to Share:
- Most memorable All Ireland final I attended was my first one in 2002 following the Senior International Competition. Attended with the Canadian contingent of players, coaches and managers (organized by Brian Farmer). Armagh beat Kerry and it was the first time Armagh had won the Sr Football Championship (SFC). It was memorable for many reasons: attending my first All Ireland final, attending with my Team Canada teammates and for it being Armagh’s first and only time to win the SFC and hoist the Sam Maguire.
- Side note, Diarmaid Marsden, Ulster GAA Head of Community Development, played on the wining Armagh team in 2002 so it was a thrill to meet Diarmaid at the 2019 Canada GAA Congress in Montreal.
- I started playing Gaelic Football at the age of 29, having played competitive soccer as well as many other sports throughout my life, made it easier to pick up Gaelic football. Breda Kelly, who started the Ottawa Gaels ladies football team in 1988 was on my soccer team when I moved to Ottawa and recruited me to try Gaelic, and I was hooked right away and haven’t looked back.
