Jarlath Burns secures unexpectedly emphatic victory to become president-elect of the GAA

Armagh’s Jarlath Burns swept to an unexpectedly emphatic victory to become president-elect of the GAA on Friday night at the association’s annual congress, held this year in Croke Park. He takes up office in 12 months’ time.

Addressing delegates, he paid tribute to his opponents and said that he had noted the esteem in which they were held by GAA people around the country. He also thanked his club Silverbridge and his family.

“This is an enormous privilege and an immense responsibility particularly for someone from the six counties. We have six very important values in the association: community, amateur status, respect, player welfare, inclusion and volunteerism. It will be my job to fulfil those values.”

From a relatively small field of three – there had been five candidates running in the last two elections – 55-year-old Burns emerged as the clear choice among this year’s delegates, getting elected on the first count, 31 clear of the combined total of his rivals.

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Runner-up Pat Teehan, from Coolderry in Offaly, came second, finishing ahead of Niall Erskine from Killybegs in Donegal.

The total valid poll was 277. Burns received 158, Teehan 70 with Erskine on 49.

Burns becomes the first Armagh president since Alf Murray, who held office between 1964 and ‘67, and only the second overall although it is just three terms of office since Ulster last held the office when Cavan’s Aodán Ó Fearghail was elected. His election means an eighth president for the province.

Currently a member of the Ulster Council executive and previously on the GAA’s Management Committee and Central Council, the new president-elect was originally best known as a player, captaining Armagh to the 1999 Ulster title but retiring before Joe Kernan led the county to All-Ireland success in 2002.

He has been very active however in administrative affairs since then, chairing the first Players Advisory Group, the committee to organise the GAA’s 125 anniversary in 2009 as well as sitting more recently on the Disputes Resolution Authority and the Standing Committee on Playing Rules.

A school principal, Burns comes from Silverbridge and is a lifelong member of the local club which he has chaired and served as secretary. He is unusual in his administrative path in that he was never chair of either a county board or provincial council.

Burns will be the 41st GAA president when he takes office in 12 months after a year as president-elect.

An articulate communicator, he has impressed many with the clarity of his vision for the association.

Earlier, in the debate on his annual report, director general Tom Ryan spoke strongly in favour of the integration process with the women’s Gaelic sports associations.

“We’ll be judged harshly if we don’t deliver that. I also feel strongly about how that is delivered. It could be damaging to all three if not delivered properly and we should be given time and space. We are three very well run organisations and have the best possible person leading the process in president Mary McAleese.”

Delegates heard an address from the former president, who chairs the implementation process between the organisations but who sent a message of support.

Also, on the DG’s report Phil Flanagan of the Fermanagh CCCC raised the issue of the All-Ireland club football final between Kilmacud Crokes and Glen, which had been the subject of an objection, “in the interests of clarity”.

“What really frustrates me is the statement put out by the CCCC that they had spoken to Kilmacud and Kilmacud had withdrawn their appeal and subsequently the CCCC had awarded the match to Kilmacud.

“I can see no mechanism in the official guide that allows a CCC to go to a party and ask them to withdraw their appeal and reverse their original decision. In my opinion it should have gone to the CAC, who could have upheld or rejected their appeal ...

“The problem I have as secretary of a competitions control committee is that it puts CCCs at county and provincial level in a difficult position because it sets a precedent that one team can ignore the requirement to have 15 players and that absolutely no penalty is imposed if that team says that it was not a deliberate act.

President, Larry McCarthy intervened to say that the matter had been dealt with by the CCCC.

“The CCCC dealt with the issue appropriately I think and to everybody’s satisfaction. We acknowledge your commentary and take it on advisement.”

Of the number of motions taken on Friday, the most striking was the decision to allow Galway minor hurlers to enter the Leinster championship, following the precedent of their senior and under-20 counterparts. Proposed by Galway chair Paul Bellew, the proposal received the support of 73 per cent of delegates.