The inaugural class from the Gaelic Players Association’s Legacy Leadership Programme graduated in Dublin on Friday, March 6th. In total 24 players from 15 counties were represented on this bespoke leadership programme which was developed by experts in education, sport and business. The class was split evenly among 12 female and 12 male players.
The GPA Legacy Leadership Programme builds on the remarkable legacy of the Jim Madden GPA Leadership Programme which for over a decade helped current and former players to develop their leadership skills to allow them to thrive in their professional careers.
It retains all the proven elements that have proved so successful: immersive leadership workshops, in-depth development centres, one-to-one coaching, and the powerful peer learning that happens when driven, like-minded athletes challenge and support each other. It is elite-athlete friendly, real-world relevant, and intentionally reflective.
The full class of graduates are:
Antrim: Arron Graffin, Eoghan Campbell, Cathy Carey, Gerard Walsh
Armagh: Caroline O’Hanlon, Eugene McVerry
Clare: Louise Griffin, Conor Cleary, Sinéad O’Keeffe
Dublin: Eric Lowndes
Galway: Adrian Varley
Kildare: Brian McLoughlin
Laois: Anna Moore
Leitrim: Charlene Tyrrell
Limerick: Sophie O’Callaghan, Niall Moran, Niamh Ryan
Meath: Seán Geraghty, Mary-Kate Lynch
Offaly: Mairéad Teehan
Roscommon: Colm Lavin
Sligo: Finnian Cawley
Tipperary: Clodagh McIntyre
Waterford: Orla Hickey
Commenting on the graduation, GPA CEO Tom Parsons said; “Congratulations to each of our 24 graduates from the class of 2025. They are the first class on the newly titled GPA Legacy Leadership Programme but they do follow very closely in the footsteps of all the players who have gone through the GPA Jim Madden Leadership Programme before them.
“I both hope and expect that these 24 leaders will go on to further their careers and their positive impact in their communities by using the skills they have honed as part of this programme.
“I want to thank course facilitator Martin Kelly of Think HR for his outstanding work on behalf of inter-county players. I also want to acknowledge the contribution of the GPA’s Wellbeing and Development Team and Karen Thorpe of Kick-Off Event Management for ensuring the smooth running and success of the programme.
A further 22 players who had previously undertaken the Jim Madden GPA Leadership Programme also graduated from the 2025 class of the Maynooth Special Purpose Certificate in Professional Leadership. Majella Dempsey, Head of Maynooth University’s Department of Education, and Programme Director Paula Kinnarney also attended the event.
