Gaelic Players Association
Encyclopedia
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
ers and Hurlers
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
in Ireland. The GPA's aim is to promote and protect all aspects of player welfare and to provide an independent voice for players.
The GPA was formed in 1999 when former IMG employee Donal O'Neill and a number of high profile inter-county players including Tyrone's Fergal Logan and Peter Canavan
Peter Canavan
Peter Canavan is manager of Fermanagh and an Irish former Gaelic football player for Tyrone, and is one of the most decorated players in the game's history, winning two All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medals, six GAA All Stars Awards , four provincial titles, and two National Leagues and...
, Derry's Fergal McCusker and Dublin's Dessie Farrell were instrumental in the birth of the organisation. Farrell became the first chairman in 2000 and was subsequently appointed as full-time chief executive of the GPA in 2003.
Farrell and O'Neill helped secure a sponsorship deal with drinks manufacturer C&C (now Britvic) in 2003 which underpinned the growth and development of the GPA as a self-funded, not-for-profit organisation. Membership grew rapidly as the GPA lobbied vigorously for improvements in player welfare entitlements, making a significant breakthrough in 2007 when it successfully introduced Government Funding for inter-county players.
Following a lengthy camapaign for formal recognition led by CEO Dessie Farrell
Dessie Farrell
Dessie Farrell is a former Irish Gaelic footballer who played for Dublin. He plays his club football for Na Fianna although his playing days may be numbered due to suffering a suspected torn cruciate ligament...
and chairman, Cork hurling goalkeeper Dónal Óg Cusack
Dónal Óg Cusack
Donal Óg Cusack is a well-known Irish hurler and Ireland's first openly gay elite sportsman. He plays hurling at club level with Cloyne and has been a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 1999....
, the GPA was formally recognised as the players' representative body by the GAA at its annual Congress in 2010. An interim agreement was also reached to provide support for the GPA's player welfare initiatives. In 2010 the GAA's amateur ethos was enshrined in the GPA's constitution.
GPA Activity
Since reaching an interim agreement with the GAA in 2009, the GAA has supported the GPA's Player Development Programme which provides off-field support services for inter-county players in the areas of education, career development, health and wellbeing and general such as a benevolent fund. With the Programme running since March 2010, inter-county players can now avail of scholarships, educational advice, an enhanced injury scheme, job searching advice, benevolent fund assistance for players in difficulty and a nationwide counselling service, gum shields, financial and budgeting advice, business start-up support and media training.GPA Structures
The GPA is governed by three elected officers, a national executive committee and three sub-committees - management, finance and remuneration.Two Development Officers liaise with county squads on an on-going basis. Each county panel has two GPA reps.Government Funding
Following a lengthy campaign including the threat of strike action, the GPA secured Government Funding for all inter-county players in November 2007, and although there was protest among grass roots GAA members, the agreement was passed by GAA Congress in April 2008 when it was 'stressed that the scheme in no way impinged on the GAA's amateur status' and that the GAA would not be liable should the government withdraw its funding.Potential Strike 2007
On Friday November 11, 2007, The GPA members voted to strike. The results were 95.3 % in favour. The GAA met this statement of a potential strike with regret and negotiations began to come up with a settlement. It was argued that the cancellation of the O'Byrne CupO'Byrne Cup
The O'Byrne Cup is a Gaelic football competition organised by the Leinster GAA. The competition is named after Matt O'Byrne, a former Wicklow GAA club officer. Participants include the twelve county teams and four colleges. The O'Byrne Cup 2011 champions are Kildare, who beat Louth in the final by...
could have the opposite effect for the welfare of Gaelic players as the cup was used as a tournament to raise money for the players' welfare funds. This allegation was met with assurance that the GPA would compensate in the event of a strike. Eventually the grants of 3.5 million euro went ahead and the pending strike was subsequently cancelled. This agreement was eventually officially recognised by both the GAA and the GPA and it was agreed that the GAA's amateur status would stay intact.
Representatives
GPA Officers:- President : Brian WhelahanBrian WhelahanBrian Whelahan is an Irish sportsperson. He currently plays hurling with his local club Birr and was a member of the Offaly senior inter-county team from 1989 until 2006...
- Chairman: Donal Óg CusackDónal Óg CusackDonal Óg Cusack is a well-known Irish hurler and Ireland's first openly gay elite sportsman. He plays hurling at club level with Cloyne and has been a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 1999....
- Secretary: Ronan Sweeney
- Chief Executive: Dessie FarrellDessie FarrellDessie Farrell is a former Irish Gaelic footballer who played for Dublin. He plays his club football for Na Fianna although his playing days may be numbered due to suffering a suspected torn cruciate ligament...
- National Development Officers: Dara McGarty, Tomás Colton
- Sponsorship and Marketing: Siobhan Earley
- National Executive Committee Secretary: Cathal Ó Torna
- Accountant: Ciaran Mc Ardle
- Communications: Sean Potts
The GPA Awards
The association launched an award in 2006 entitled the GPA Gaelic Team of the YearGPA Gaelic Team of the Year
The GPA Gaelic Team of the Year known for sponsorship reason as The Opel Gaelic Team of the Year awards were an awards ceremony to honour the performances ofGaelic Athletic Association players...
, sponsored by Opel
Opel
Adam Opel AG, generally shortened to Opel, is a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1862. Opel has been building automobiles since 1899, and became an Aktiengesellschaft in 1929...
cars, to recognise the achievements of Gaelic football and hurling players in parallel to the long-established GAA All-Star awards. An annual award was also given to the Footballer of the Year
GPA Footballer of the Year
The GPA Footballer of the Year is awarded annually by the Gaelic Players Association, as part of the Opel Gaelic Players awards scheme, established in 2006. The title was first awarded in 2001, at the foundation of the association, and was first sponsored in 2005, also by Opel. The award honours...
and the Hurler of the Year
GPA Hurler of the Year
The GPA Hurler of the Year is a hurling award that honours the achievements of a hurler of outstanding excellence. At the end of every Hurling Championship the members of the Gaelic Players Association, the players 'union', vote on which of its members has played the best hurling in the previous...
. In 2011 it was announced that the GAA All Stars Awards and the GPA Awards would merge under the sponsorship of Opel. The move announced by Christy Cooney
Christy Cooney
Christy Cooney is the current President of the Gaelic Athletic Association...
in September 2011 saw the achievements of players recognised jointly by the two organisations for the very first time.
Partnerships
The GPA's extensive Player Development Programme is supported by the GAA. However, two commercial partnerships remain in place - Opel Ireland who sponsor the GPA's annual awards and Energise (now owned by Britvic Ireland). In May 2008, the GPA announced a strategic partnership with the Communications ClinicCommunications Clinic
The Communications Clinic is an Irish communications company in Northumberland Road in Dublin, set up by the founders of Carr Communications.The company was set up by Terry Prone and Tom Savage following the resignation of former MD Terry Prone...
, providing career development and communications training for GPA members. The GPA also has arrangements with the Sports Surgery Clinic Dublin and Setanta College.