JP McManus hands GAA clubs €3.2m cash boost

ULSTER GAA counties are in line for an unprecedented cash windfall after millionaire racehorse owner JP McManus announced he is donating 100,000 euro to every county board in Ireland to be divided equally among their clubs.

The 3.2m euro gesture by the businessman has been made on the back of Limerick’s All-Ireland Hurling Championship win this year. McManus (below) has been a main sponsor of Limerick GAA for several years.

A letter to each county board said the money is for the continued development of gaelic games in the country.

The horse racing magnate was feted in the Limerick dressing room after the All-Ireland hurling final win over Galway, after which he spoke of the impact that winning the Liam McCarthy Cup made on him and his wife, Noreen.

“Waking up? I don’t know if I went to sleep,” he said when asked what it was like to wake up with Limerick as All-Ireland champions.

“I wanted to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. And for Noreen, as a kid, she was at all the matches. I mean, the tears were flowing. They were rolling down her cheeks.”

Former Armagh captain Jarlath Burns welcomed the gesture, saying: “I’ve heard lots about JP McManus down through the years and how decent a man he is. Regardless of how much money he has, its lovely to think he is still rooted in the values of love of a place and how an All Ireland victory can galvanise people and give so much genuine happiness to people.”