Protests and elections in store at GAA Congress

It's GAA Congress week, which normally passes by most people, except perhaps every three years when a new President of the GAA is elected.

Jarlath Burns, the present incumbent, will have completed two years of his three-year term this coming weekend but tomorrow a new President will be elected, and subsequently given 12 months to prepare for the biggest achievement of his sporting career as Uachtarán Tofa - President Elect.

There are three men standing to become the next President of the GAA on Friday night - Derek Kent (Wexford), Ger Ryan (Tipperary) and John Murphy (Sligo).

Kent has just concluded three years as Leinster Chairman, and for one year of that term he overlapped as Head of the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC).

Ryan was Munster Chairman from 2022 to 2025. At the moment, he heads up the Central Referees Appointment Committee (CRAC), and has led national medical, scientific and welfare and communication groups.

Murphy is a current Trustee of the GAA and held the office of Connacht Chairperson between 2021 and 2024. He has been chairman of the Sligo County Board as well as the national infrastructure body.

There are 25 Motions down for discussion at this weekend’s Congress.

The Key Motions as I see it are:

To extend the inter-county season where the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final would be played on or before the second week in August. Included in this motion is the adjustment that the inter-county season would not start until the fourth Sunday of the year, in effect ending pre-season competitions.

The Gaelic Players Association (GPA) want it enshrined that the inter-county season lasts no more than 30 competitive weekends - a safeguard to ensure that should the All-Ireland finals be played in August at the end of the calendar, the start of the season would be adjusted accordingly to ensure it remains 30 weeks.

Clontarf GAA in Dublin want players to fulfil the criteria of playing eight league or championship games with their club in a season to be eligible to play for their county team the following year.

A motion will be proposed by Laois to end the format whereby Joe McDonagh Cup finalists play All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals in the Liam MacCarthy competition.

Dissent in hurling would see a free moved forward 30 metres or up to opponents 20-metre line.

The Ard Chomhairle (Central Council) are proposing that provincial senior football finals would go to a replay if they finish level after extra time.

To re-instate the minor hurling and football finals as curtain raisers on the day of the All-Ireland senior finals which will be proposed by Fermanagh.

A proposal to allow County Boards to organize competitions down to 11-a-side, in a bid to help clubs continue to field teams where depopulation has had an impact on numbers.

County Boards would be required to obtain a high-performance licence to be permitted to enter teams in senior inter-county competitions.

A protest against Allianz’s sponsorship of the GAA is planned to happen outside Croke Park as Congress continues inside.

Organisers are planning a protest at 11am on Saturday to register opposition to the partnership.

The insurance giant – through its German parent company - was among a number of companies named last June in a report by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Palestinian territories as being involved in sustaining and paying for Israel's actions there.

Some protests have been happening at venues where league games have been staged in recent weeks.

Nine counties passed motions calling for an end to the sponsorship links, but none of the motions have made the Congress Clár.

The Irish Sport for Palestine movement now intends to bring their protest centre stage outside the 2026 GAA Annual Congress.

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