Former Armagh captain Burns finally lands top job at second attempt
football in helping to protect the traditional skill of high-fielding. A principal of St Paul’s High School, Bessbrook, Co Armagh, he offers the GAA a dynamic, articulate figurehead and someone finely in tune with the demands of the association, on and off the field. Earlier on the opening night of Congress, director general Tom Ryan skipped through his own annual report, from the post-pandemic recovery in terms of crowds and finances to integration with the Camogie Association and Ladies Gaelic Football Association. ‘As a governing body we’re back on our feet,’ he declared. ‘Put the players foremost in your mind,’ he urged delegates ahead of the age-grade debate that will take place this morning and the future of those competitions that intersect with adult competition at club and county level. One curveball came with a query over the GAA’s handling of the All-Ireland club football final controversy and the ultimate decision to award the match to Kilmacud Crokes. ‘There was a breach of rule here,’ said Fermanagh’s Phil Flanagan, who felt that the fact that Crokes had 16 active players on the field for the dramatic denouement which they won left the door open to future abuses – a statement which was strongly rebutted by Larry McCarthy. A video message from former President of Ireland Mary McAleese on the subject of integration between the GAA, Camogie Association and LGFA struck a chord in the room. While currently out of the country, she took the time to send an update on her role as chair of the steering group on integration and the move towards ‘one association’. ‘Why do we so strongly desire it?’ she asked. She pointed to the ‘the united power and genius of this trinity’ that will create something ‘so much more powerful than the sum of their parts’. As that message went out, Calgary in
Canada was confirmed as the venue for the 2023 PwC Camogie All-Stars tour. The touring party will consist of the 2021 and 2022 teams and will travel over to the destination in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains from May 19-25. The first proposal on the clár was to change the structure so that Special Congress is the same size delegates-wise as a normal Annual Congress. It was narrowly carried with 63 per cent in favour, just above the 60 per cent majority required. Next up was a motion from St Mary’s Rosslare, that wanted all clubs to provide juvenile hurling to everyone from U7 to U10. There wasn’t enough goodwill in the
room though and it only received 34.6 per cent. Paul Bellew, Galway chair, spoke on motion 14 and what he described as a ‘very important motion for Galway GAA’, namely one which would allow Galway enter the provincial minor hurling championships. ‘We want equal access to games, the same as everybody else,’ he said, namechecking Leinster where Galway already compete at senior and under-20 level. Nickey Brennan, former GAA president and Leinster chair, spoke strongly in support, as did Seán Kelly. It was carried with 72.8 per cent in favour. The GAA is also going to clamp down hard on any assault of match officials.