Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Jarlath Burns greets Bridie Brown, the wife of Sean Brown, and his family during day one of GAA Congress at The Abbey Hotel, Donegal. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
By Cian Murphy
GAA President Jarlath Burns pledged the Association’s full support to the family of the late Bellaghy Wolfe Tones Chairman Seán Brown in their campaign for a public inquiry into his abduction and murder in 1997.
Members of Seán’s family, led by his widow Bridie, were guests of the Association on the opening night of GAA Congress 2025 at the Abbey Hotel in Donegal Town.
Seán was murdered as he attempted to lock the gates of his local GAA grounds.
His family have led a campaign since his death to have the full facts about what happened and who was responsible on the night he was killed to be established.
Uachtarán CLG Jarlath Burns said: “GAA Congress brings together the largest contingent of GAA members every year, people who are representatives of the likes of Seán Brown, a family man, a community man and a GAA man who was abducted and murdered while he stayed back alone to lock up the club grounds of Bellaghy Wolfe Tones.
“Volunteerism is the energy that fuels the GAA, people who put others first, who think nothing of selfless acts like sending everyone else home to stay back and lock up the gates on their own.
“Two different High Court Judges, having reviewed all available evidence, in its original unredacted form, have come to the conclusion that the circumstances surrounding Seán Brown’s murder in Bellaghy merit a full statutory public inquiry.
“The dignity and determination that the Brown family have shown in the face of the obfuscation of the British Government and Northern Secretary is admirable.
“Tonight, to mark the opening of Congress and the gathering of the membership of the GAA and representatives of our counties at home in Ireland and its 1,600 clubs and the nearly 500 who make up World GAA, I have invited Seán’s widow Bridie and the rest of the Brown family to see at first hand the esteem in which they are held and how their resolve is acknowledged.
“We as an Association are fully committed to supporting them on their journey and search for truth and justice for Seán.
“As Martin Luther King said: ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.’
“Seán was one of our own and we make no apologies for doing all we can to assist the long-suffering, dignified but steadfast and resolute family that are the Browns.
“To do otherwise would be a failure to live up to our ideals and values as an organisation and as their extended family.”
Speaking in response on behalf of the Brown family, Clare Brown, Seán’s daughter addressed Congress and said: “The outpouring of support from the GAA family has been a source of strength for us. To Jarlath Burns, Brian McAvoy, Michael Geoghegan and John Keenan, who have stood with us in court, and to all of you who have lent your voices to our cause – we are deeply grateful. The GAA is more than a sporting organisation, it is a community, a movement, a force for good.
“Tonight we ask for your continued support. When we stand together, we cannot be ignored. We need your help to lobby senior figures in both governments to demand a full transparent and independent public enquiry into the murder of Seán Brown we will not be silenced we will not stop until we have justice.”