Australia is a sports mad nation. With a population of 24 million, it is home to an extraordinary 90 professional men’s and women’s teams.

Mayo GAA Board chairman Mike Connelly has slammed the Gaelic Players’ Association, saying they were of “zero support” during the county’s recent managerial controversy.

Man Up is the romantic comedy of the moment, But the phrase ‘man up’ really annoys, Caroline Allen who thinks it sends out the wrong message to men about mental health

Younger and hungrier, the GPA has been quick to spot opportunities where money streams can be created or increased

Club players are being abused and having their needs entirely ignored by the Gaelic Players’ Association (GPA), according to the head of the Football Review Committee.

Former Clare manager Mike McNamara has admitted alcohol and substance abuse were issues he encountered amongst players during his two-year spell in charge.

Olympic walker Colin Griffin believes Irish athletes need some kind of representative body similar to the GPA (Gaelic Players’ Association).

A group of Cork transition year students are to lobby TDs to have mandatory cardiac screening introduced for all young people playing sport to help reduce cases of sudden adult death syndrome (SADS).

The Munster SFC seeding row took another dramatic twist last night as Clare, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford threatened to pull out of the 2015 competition.

Wexford chairman Diarmuid Devereux has slammed The Sunday Game for gross inequality in their analysis of games.

The GAA and Gaelic Players’ Association are facing renewed calls to review their relationship with British sportswear firm Sports Direct, which operates the recently-launched website gaelicboots.com.

The transfer of Ireland out-half Johnny Sexton to Racing Metro has acquainted Irish fans of the oval ball with a fact of life: A new breed of owner now holds sway in French rugby and they will allow little to get in their way.

New York will host one of the National League finals as part of their county board’s centenary celebrations in 2014.

The Gaelic Players’ Association (GPA) are set to request all county boards sign up to the players’ charter before the end of next January.

Our nation’s leaders need to avoid putting all their educational eggs in one basket, writes education correspondent Niall Murray

Watching Mark Mc Govern closely at a press event in Croke Park yesterday, it was evident he is still feeling the effects of the sickening incident that befell him just over 12 months ago.

Christy Cooney haspromised to delivera speech on thedivisive payments tomanagers issue in one of his last acts as GAApresident.

As difficult as it is to believe for such an organisation integral to Irish society, the role of the GAA president remains undefined. Director general Páraic Duffy is widely regarded as the most powerful administrator in Irish sport yet the Uachtarán is viewed by GAA members as the embodiment of the association.

Gaelic Players’ Association (GPA) chiefs admit that Joe Sheridan’s decision to emigrate is a “stark reminder of how bad things are in the Irish economy”.

THE Gaelic Players’ Association (GPA) have launched a 24-hour confidential counselling helpline for its members during the festive period.

GAA head of games development Pat Daly has expressed his concern at teams openly admitting they cynically foul to gain an advantage.

FIVE of us were sitting in the canteen last Wednesday.

MORE than half of the senior inter-county hurlers and footballers in the country have been screened forheart problems by a new company working with the Gaelic Players’ Association, it has emerged.

GAA players who are heavily critical of referees and administrators via the Twitter social networking website could soon be called to account for their tweets.

BACK in the early part of 2007 I worked in Finland as a commissioning engineer on a new cement plant.

TWO of the GAA’s most high profile managers have backed preliminary plans to replace the current close season with a pre-season devoted to strength and conditioning work.

THE GAA’s much-maligned collective inter-county winter training ban could soon be replaced by an enforced pre-season.

THERE’s no clear favourite for the title of Cork Person of the Year but, according to the bookies, five people — including a sporting father and son — are definitely in the running.

LAST year the wise old men from Crossmaglen tabled a motion at the Armagh convention calling for the Gaelic Players’ Association (GPA) to publish a detailed account of how GAA funding for their organisation was spent in 2010. Crossmaglen asked that these accounts be made available to all clubs in the GAA.

ALL-IRELAND finalists Kilkenny and Tipperary dominate the Opel GPA Hurling Team of the Year for 2009, winning 13 of the 15 available places between them.

Look, I’ve come back from the other side of the world just for the jersey so it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. Leaving the professional game is an example of what it means to me and the Kerry people to wear the Kerry jersey anyway.

“IT LOOKS like this coming weekend’s game will be the last time we will hear from inter-county players on TV and radio as a result of the edict last week from the Gaelic Players’ Association (GPA).

Dessie Farrell has said Gaelic Players’ Association (GPA) will continue to protest until the GAA formally recognises the players’ body.

With each new GAA presidential term comes a fresh determination to grapple with the problems that continue to limit the scope and ambition of the country’s largest sporting organisation.

OFFICIAL recognition of the Gaelic Players’ Association is a certainty in the near future, GAA President Nickey Brennan confirmed last night.

GAA TALKS with the Gaelic Players’ Association (GPA) on official recognition for the players’ body are set to resume shortly, according to GAA president Nickey Brennan.

SYDNEY SWANS coach Paul Roos has expressed doubts about the proposed new Australian Rules team, the Sydney Celtics, which is to feature Irish players.

THE strike called by the Gaelic Players’ Association presents the GAA with a unique opportunity of reverting to its roots.