Jarlath Burns is the 41st GAA President
Uachtarán
Jarlath Burns - GAA President
Jarlath Burns became the 41st President of the GAA since 1884 when he succeeded Larry McCarthy of New York at GAA Annual Congress, held in the Canal Court Hotel in Newry, on February 24, 2024.
A member of the Silverbridge GAA Club in Armagh, Jarlath has served his club, county and province with distinction on and off the field.
He was his club’s secretary at the time of his election and inauguration and served the club in a multitude of roles over several decades. He will continue in the role of club secretary during his term.
On the field, Jarlath 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. During his school years he attended St Colman’s College in Newry, a place where Association founder Michael Cusack had taught prior to the foundation of the GAA.
As an administrator at national level, 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. He has served as 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.
Passionate about the Irish language and a fluent speaker, he has been a prominent co-commentator on TG4 for many years. Jarlath is a secondary schoolteacher and as Principal of St Paul’s in Bessbrook in Armagh has overseen its growth to a student population of 1,800.
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, Jarlath 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. Born in 1968, he is married to Suzanne, and they have five children.
He is the second Armagh man to be GAA President after Alf Murray held the position from 1964-1967. Jarlath’s term of office will run until February 2027.
IARLAITH Ó BROIN – Beathaisnéis
Is é Iarlaith Ó Broin an 41ú hUachtarán de chuid CLG ó bunaíodh an Cumann thiar sa bhliain 1884, tar éis dó teacht i gcomharbacht ar Labhrás Mac Carthaigh, Nua-Eabhrac, ag Comhdháil Bhliantúil CLG in Óstán an Canal Court in Iúr Cinn Trá Dé Sathairn, 24 Feabhra, 2024.
Is ball é Iarlaith de chuid CLG Bhéal Átha an Airgid in Ard Mhacha a shaothraigh go cumasach thar ceann a chlub, a chontae agus a chúige ar an bpáirc imeartha agus amuigh ón bpáirc imeartha i gcónaí.
Bhí sé ina rúnaí ar a chlub féin ag an am a toghadh agus a insealbhaíodh é agus bhí an iliomad rólanna éagsúla aige leis an gclub céanna thar na blianta. Leanfaidh sé leis ina ról mar rúnaí club le linn a thréimhse Uachtarántachta.
Ar an bpáirc imeartha, d’imir Iarlaith le hArd Mhacha ar feadh 13 bliain. D’imir sé i lár na páirce agus bhí sé ina chaptean nuair a bhuaigh siad Craobh Shinsear Uladh sa bhliain 1999 – an chéad uair dóibh Corn an Anglo Celt a bhuachan ó 1982 i leith. Roimhe sin, d’imir sé le foireann Naomh Muire a bhuaigh Corn Sigerson sa bhliain 1989. Le linn a leathanta scoile, d’fhreastail sé ar Choláiste Cholmáin, Iúr Cinn Trá, áit ar mhúin duine de bhunaitheoirí Chumann Lúthchleas Gael, Micheál Cíosóg, ar feadh seal dá shaol sular bunaíodh an Cumann.
Le linn dó a bheith ina riarthóir náisiúnta, chaith Iarlaith seal ina Chathaoirleach ar chéad Choiste na nImreoirí sa bhliain 2000 agus bhí sé ina chathaoirleach ar Choiste Comórtha 125 bliain de CLG a bheith ar an bhfód sa bhliain 2009. Bhí sé ina thoscaire Ard-Chomhairle thar ceann Ard Mhacha chomh maith le bheith ina bhall de chuid Choiste Leighis agus Eolaíochta CLG, de chuid an Ghrúpa um Láithriú Páirce agus de chuid an Bhuanchoiste um Rialacha Imeartha.
Tá sé an-tugtha do Scór agus don Ghaeilge agus chaith sé na blianta ina chomhthráchtaire iomráiteach le TG4. Múinteoir meánscoile é Iarlaith agus le linn a ré mar Phríomhoide ar Naomh Pól sa Sruthán i gContae Ard Mhacha, tháinig fás as cuimse ar an scoil. Tá 1,800 scoláire ag freastal ar an scoil anois.
Is é an chéad iarimreoir idirchontae le bheith ina Uachtarán CLG ó bhí Nioclás Ó Braonáin ina Uachtarán (2006-2009) agus is é an chéad oifigeach ó chlub sna Sé Chontae le bheith ina Uachtarán ar an gCumann ó bhí Peadar Ó Cuinn ann (1991-1994).
Toghadh Iarlaith ar an gcéad chomhaireamh i dtoghchán an Uachtaráin Tofa i bPáirc an Chrócaigh ag Comhdháil Bhliantúil 2023, nuair a d’éirigh leis 158 as 277 vóta a fháil. Trí bliana roimhe sin tháinig sé sa dara háit taobh thiar de Labhrás Mac Carthaigh. Rugadh é sa bhliain 1968. Tá sé pósta le Suzanne agus tá cúigear clainne acu.
Is é Iarlaith an dara duine de bhunadh Ard Mhacha le bheith ina Uachtarán ar Chumann Lúthchleas Gael tar éis d’Alf Ó Muirí a bheith sa ról idir na blianta 1964-1967. Mairfidh a thréimhse oifige go dtí mí Feabhra, 2027.
