Culture of respect marked the Duffy era

Mild-mannered. Genuine. Diligent. Workaholic. As Páraic Duffy prepares to wave goodbye as GAA director general this Saturday, there has been similarities in the tributes paid to him. Rightly too: He is all of the above but we can add steeliness to it.

That was abundantly evident at Annual Congress in Mullingar seven years ago when he stepped down from the top table to confront Croke Park Streets Committee protesters who managed to get into the room to disrupt proceedings and brandish a banner in front of the media area. Politely but firmly, Duffy asked them to leave before stewards ushered them out.

To take it upon himself to deal with the protesters demonstrated leadership as it did bravery. Here was a potentially awkward moment but the assertiveness with which Duffy dealt with the incident ensured it never became that.