O'Neill confirmed as GAA president

Laois native Liam O'Neill will succeed Christy Cooney as President of the GAA in 2012.

O'Neill took office as Uachtaráin-Tofa Chumann Lúthchleas Gael last night on the first night of GAA Congress in Mullingar, County Westmeath. He was the only remaining candidate following the withdrawals of Tom Daly, Con Hogan and Sheamus Howlin.

A principal of the Gael Scoil in Trumera, County Laois, O'Neill lost the previous election in 2008. He will be the second ever GAA President from Laois - Bob O'Keeffe served in the 1930s - and second from Leinster in three terms, following in the footsteps of Kilkenny's Nickey Brennan.

He is a former Leinster GAA Chairman and his 36-year long spell in GAA administration began as Secretary of the UCD Hurling Club.

Speaking at Congress, the GAA's new President-elect said: "Normally this President-elect speech is delivered in an emotionally charged setting, often by a person who reaches into his pocket for one of two prepared speeches in the hope that he has pulled out the correct one.

"But thankfully tonight you and indeed I have been spared that and I am delighted to accept your unanimous approval as President-elect of the Association I have served for the past 36 years.

O'Neill, whose candidacy was proposed by Laois GAA Chairman Brian Allen, will take over as the 37th GAA President in April of next year, on a three-year term.

"I want to thank my club Trumera and my county Laois for nominating me for this position. It is a source of great pride to us in Trumera that I was formally proposed by the Laois Cathaoirleach who is also a Trumera man," added O'Neill.

"We are facing into interesting times. I hope we can remain strong in our support of the values we hold dear. I spent some time yesterday with representatives of our GAA units from around the world and it was great to hear the term 'the global GAA' being coined. In a time when others speak of doom and gloom it was refreshing to hear people talk confidently of development and expansion.

"I want to help to facilitate that optimism. At times lately we have begun to take things too seriously at the expense of the fun side of being involved in the GAA. I want to do the important things well but I want people to enjoy being part of our wonderful organisation.

"I know some of you are thinking that its odd that a person with a reputation for seriousness should be saying this but I put it to you that if a person who loathes elections could be elected without an election then it's not beyond the bounds that a former serious person could help put a smile on the faces of others!"