News
First AGM of merged Gaelic Players Association held
Matt O’Hanlon and Maria Kinsella elected as Co-Chairs of new GPA NEC
(Monday, July 12th) The first Annual General Meeting of the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) since the merger with the Women’s Gaelic Players Association took place remotely via a video call this evening. A number of key decisions were taken, most notably the selection of a new National Executive Committee (NEC).
Sixteen players have been selected to lead the association, ten male and six female, representing proportionally our membership. They are:
- Podge Collins – Clare Football
- Niamh Collins – Dublin Football
- Naos Connaughton – Roscommon Hurling
- Philip Greene – Sligo Football
- Ciaran Kilkenny –Dublin Football
- Maria Kinsella – Carlow Football
- Kate McKay – Down Football
- Neil McManus – Antrim Hurling
- Chloe Morey – Clare Camogie
- Niall Morgan – Tyrone Football
- Michael Murphy – Donegal Football
- Aoife Murray – Cork Camogie
- Donal Og Cusack – Cork Hurling
- Matt O’Hanlon – Wexford Hurling
- Mickey Quinn – Longford Football
- Lorraine Ryan – Galway Camogie
Immediately after the AGM the new NEC met for the first time to elect its executive officers. Matt O’Hanlon and Maria Kinsella were elected as Co-Chairs. Matt replaces Tom Parsons who officially took over as GPA CEO today.
Aoife Murray was elected Secretary and Donal Óg Cusack was elected to continue as President of the association. As such the breakdown of executive officers is a fifty, fifty gender split, as was agreed as part of the merger.
A motion proposing that the maximum period of membership of the NEC (6 years) be extended from the AGM 2021 to the next AGM 2022 only, was overwhelmingly passed. This had been proposed to allow for the retention of expertise and knowledge during the ongoing integration of the association.
It is important to note that the 2020 Annual Report reflects activities associated to the male membership only as the merger took place in mid-December. Key highlights include:
- 1312 individual players were supported
- 1981 programmes delivered
(This player support was provided against the backdrop of Covid-19 which meant a re-think of the delivery of these services and the adoption of new technologies)
- Four-year Protocol Agreement with GAA
- Establishment of GPA Member Support Text Line
- Representation on Fixtures Calendar Review Taskforce
- Google Business Mentoring Partnership established
- 2,500 players completed anti-doping education
- Representation on GAA’s Covid-19 Advisory Committee
- Implementation of Centralised Expenses System
- 219 attendees at Balance 2020 player welfare conference (online)
- 95 players helped through counselling services
- 292 cardiac screenings
- 15 players supported through the Enhanced Injury Scheme
- 9 players supported through the Past Players Medical and Surgical Intervention Fund
- Various social outreach projects supported including key HSE messaging around Covid-19
- 81% of net revenues spent on Player Development and Welfare Programmes
Further detail on these key highlights and other activity that took place in 2020 can be found in the Annual Report here: https://www.gaelicplayers.com/publications/
