Jarlath Burns set to take over GAA presidency today

Jarlath Burns will become the 41st president of the GAA today when he succeeds Larry McCarthy of New York at GAA Annual Congress in Newry.

A member of the Silverbridge GAA Club in Armagh, Burns has served his club, county and province in a multitude of roles over several decades.

He played with Armagh for 13 seasons and was midfield and captain when they won the Ulster senior football title in 1999 – their first Anglo Celt Cup since 1982.

Prior to that, he was a part of the St Mary’s team which captured the Sigerson Cup in 1989.

He served as chair of the inaugural Players’ Committee in 2000 and was chair of the GAA’s 125th anniversary committee in 2009 and Scór Naisiúnta.

Burns has been Armagh’s Central Council delegate as well as sitting on the GAA’s Medical and Scientific Committee and Pitch Presentation group, and the Standing Committee on Playing Rules. He also managed the Ireland Women’s International Rules team that defeated Australia.

He is the first former senior inter-county player to be Uachtarán CLG since Kilkenny’s Nickey Brennan (2006-2009) and is the first official from a club in the Six Counties to lead the Association since Fermanagh’s Peter Quinn (1991-1994).

Having been runner-up to Larry McCarthy three years earlier, Burns was elected on the first count at the Uachtarán Tofa election in Croke Park held at GAA Congress in 2023, claiming 158 of the 277 votes available.

He is the second Armagh man to be GAA president after Alf Murray held the position from 1964-1967.

Burns’ term of office will run until February 2027.

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