The president of the Gaelic Athletic Association ( ga, Uachtarán Cumann Lúthchleas Gael) is the head of the

Gaelic Athletic Association The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA; ga, Cumann Lúthchleas Gael ; CLG) is an Irish international amateur sporting and cultural organisation, focused primarily on promoting indigenous Gaelic games and pastimes, which include the traditional ...

(GAA). The president holds office for three years. The role of president has existed since the foundation of the GAA. The president of the GAA is one of the leading figures in civil society in

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

, as the association has around one million members and is present in every parish in the country. The role of president involves representing the GAA in Ireland and across the world. Former presidents of the GAA have a key role within the GAA, sitting on the motions committee which rules if motions to the annual Congress are in order. They also have become known for other roles such as Seán Kelly, who is now an MEP. The president travels across Ireland and the world to promote the organisation and attend games; former President

Nickey Brennan Nicholas "Nickey" Brennan (born 3 December 1953) is an Irish former hurler, manager and Gaelic games administrator. He played as a right wing-back at senior level for the Kilkenny county team. More recently, he served as the 35th president ...

travelled 160,000 miles in Ireland alone during his three years as president, and visited Great Britain, Europe, North America, Asia, Australia and the Middle East on several occasions, meeting dignitaries such as

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

mayor

Michael Bloomberg Michael Rubens Bloomberg (born February 14, 1942) is an American businessman, politician, philanthropist, and author. He is the majority owner, co-founder and CEO of Bloomberg L.P. He was Mayor of New York City from 2002 to 2013, and was a ca ...

along the way. The current president is

Larry McCarthy Lawrence C. "Larry" McCarthy (born 1952) is an American political consultant and media advisor to Republican Party (GOP) campaigns. He is best known as a master of the attack ad, having produced the infamous Willie Horton TV spot during the 1988 ...

, installed at the 2021 GAA Congress.

Selection

The president is elected at Annual Congress. He then serves as ''

-elect An ''officer-elect'' is a person who has been elected to a position but has not yet been installed. Notably, a president who has been elected but not yet installed would be referred to as a ''president-elect'' (e.g. president-elect of the Unit ...

'' for one year.

History

In 1981, John Kerry O'Donnell became the first overseas member of the GAA to run for president. In 2020,

became the first overseas member of the GAA to be elected as president.

List of presidents of the Gaelic Athletic Association

Births and deaths

The following presidents (listed chronologically from their term in office) are missing dates of birth and/or death in the list above: Edward Bennet (birth), Peter Kelly (birth), Frank Dineen (birth), Michael Deering (birth), James Nowlan (birth), Patrick Breen (birth/death), Seán Ryan (birth), Seán McCarthy (birth), Bob O'Keeffe (death), Pádraig MacNamee (birth/death), Séamus Gardiner (birth), Dan O'Rourke (birth), Aodh Ó Broin (birth), Donal Keenan (birth), Paddy McFlynn (birth), Peter Quinn (birth), Joe McDonagh (birth), Seán McCague (birth), Christy Cooney (birth), Liam O'Neill (birth), Aogán Ó Fearghail (birth), John Horan (birth), Larry McCarthy (birth).

President's Awards

Seán Kelly introduced the President's Awards. They are awarded annually.

Player–presidents

Donal Keenan Daniel Patrick Keenan (10 March 1919 – 19 September 1990) was an Irish Gaelic games administrator, Gaelic football coach, selector and former player. He was the president of the Gaelic Athletic Association from 1973 until 1976. Born in Elp ...

, Con Murphy,

Paddy Buggy Paddy Buggy (15 March 1929 – 15 May 2013) was an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Slieverue and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 1949 until 1960. Buggy later served as the 27th president of the ...

and

all won All-Ireland medals as players before becoming president. John Dowling was with the

Tullamore Tullamore (; ) is the county town of County Offaly in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is on the Grand Canal (Ireland), Grand Canal, in the middle of the county, and is the fourth most populous town in the Midland Region, Ireland, midlands reg ...

club as a

dual player Dual player or dual star is a term used in Hiberno-English to describe someone who competes in multiple sports — for example, in Victorian Ireland, cricket and hurling. The term today in Gaelic games typically describes a male player who plays ...

, but at inter-county level his involvement was more as a referee, officiating in five All-Ireland finals. Peter Quinn played for Teemore in Fermanagh, winning a Junior Football Championship. However, his only involvement with the

Fermanagh Historically, Fermanagh ( ga, Fir Manach), as opposed to the modern County Fermanagh, was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day County Fermanagh. ''Fir Manach'' originally referred to a distinct kin group of al ...

seniors was in the Dr Lagan Cup and some challenge matches; he was never even included in a championship panel.

Seán McCague Seán McCague ( – 24 November 2022) was an Irish Gaelic games administrator, footballer, referee and manager who served as the 33rd president of the Gaelic Athletic Association (2000–2003). He became the first Monaghan man to hold that office ...

played junior club football for most of the time but at inter-county level he was a

manager Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities o ...

. Jack Boothman played for the Blessington club. Liam O'Neill played with the Trumera club at junior level, though featured at senior level on hurling teams while studying at St Pat's and UCD. Aogán Ó Fearghail played locally for 12 years but won no championship games. John Horan played for Na Fianna in his late twenties. The highlight of Larry McCarthy's playing career was winning the 1977–78 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship with Thomond College.

Living former presidents

Currently, there are eight living former presidents. These, in chronological order from their term in office, are:

Mick Loftus Michael Loftus (born 9 August 1929) is an Irish former Gaelic footballer, referee and Gaelic games administrator. His league and championship career at senior level with the Mayo county team lasted four seasons from 1949 until 1953. Early life ...

, Peter Quinn, Seán Kelly,

, Christy Cooney, Liam O'Neill, Aogán Ó Fearghail and John Horan.

Statistics

*? was the oldest president to enter office, aged ?. *? was the oldest president to leave office, aged ?. * Seán Ryan was the youngest president to enter office, aged ?. *? was the youngest president to leave office, aged ?. *?, who died in office, had the shortest presidency of ? days. *?, who resigned, served for ? days. *

Maurice Davin Maurice Davin (29 June 1842 – 27 January 1927) was an Irish farmer who became co-founder of the Gaelic Athletic Association. He was also the first President of the GAA and the only man ever to serve two terms as president. Sports Davin was bo ...

uniquely served for two terms. *

James Nowlan James Nowlan (1862 – June 1924) was president of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) from 1901 to 1921 and is the longest serving president of that organisation. He was also a Sinn Féin representative and member of the Gaelic League. In 2 ...

is the longest-serving. * Pat Fanning was the former president to have survived the longest after serving. * Michael Deering was the only president to die in office. *Only twice have there been consecutive presidents from the same province:

Joseph Stuart James Joseph Stuart, known as J. J. or Joe Stuart (9 June 1904 – 21 March 1980) was the 19th president of the Gaelic Athletic Association. Born in Ogonnelloe, County Clare, he won two Fitzgibbon Cup medals with UCD and also hurled in Clare, ...

(1958) and

Aodh Ó Broin Aodh Ó Broin (Hugh Byrne), (d. 3 July 1993) was the 20th President of the Gaelic Athletic Association, president of the Gaelic Athletic Association. Born in Rathdangan, County Wicklow, he attended secondary school in Knockbeg College and went ...

(1961) of Leinster and

Séamus Ó Riain Séamus Ó Riain (2 April 1916 – 27 January 2007) was an Irish hurler, Gaelic footballer and Gaelic games administrator. He served as the 22nd president of the Gaelic Athletic Association from 1967 until 1970. Born in Moneygall on the O ...

(1967) and Pat Fanning (1970) of Munster. *Leinster had three consecutive presidents from different counties (Kilkenny, Dublin, Wexford) between 1901 and 1926. *Munster then had three consecutive presidents from different counties (Limerick, Tipperary, Cork) between 1926 and 1935. *Five of the seven Ulster presidents came from north of the border. The other two were

(Monaghan) and Aogán Ó Fearghail (Cavan). ;By county *The following counties have had multiple presidents: ;By province

References

{{Gaelic Athletic Association