New Ulster president Ciarán McLaughlin vows to ‘protect our provincial status’

Incoming president Ciarán McLaughlin pledged that the retention of the Ulster Championship will be one of his chief priorities.

Ciaran McLaughlin, Ulster Council president, pictured in 2016. Picture: Cody Glenn/Sportsfile

New Ulster GAA Council president Ciarán McLaughlin says he will fight any moves to axe the provincial football championships in plans to reform competition structures.

Tyrone man McLaughlin, who will be ratified this evening to succeed Cavan’s Oliver Galligan, pledged that the retention of the Ulster Championship will be one of his chief priorities, along with the completion of the much-delayed Casement Park project in Belfast.

The northern football series is by far the most competitive of the four provincial series, and McLaughlin insisted that the onus is now on the other three provinces to raise their standards on their own patches.

“The provincial status of our championship is of huge importance, and we have to make sure it is retained.

“I think there’s a groundswell of support behind that now,” he said.

“We all want change, but we want to make sure we protect our provincial status.

“We have the best provincial football championship, we know that ourselves.

“It doesn’t mean that we have the privilege to keep our provincial championship because of that, but what it does mean is that we expect our provincial championship to stay competitive.

“We say to other provinces — make yours as competitive, get your counties to compete as well as ours and ensure that they can compete with each other.”

A 10-year struggle with the Casement Park redevelopment, dogged by objections and court challenges, appears to be nearing the end.

“But while planning permission has been granted for a reduced capacity stadium to accommodate a crowd of 34,500, it still faces a judicial review.

“We have to get the Casement Park project over the line,” the incoming Ulster president said.

“There’s a judicial review going on at the minute, but the vast majority of people are behind us, and we need to make sure that this stadium gets built.

“The stated aim always was that we would have a stadium capable of delivering at the highest possible levels for the clubs of Antrim, for the city of Belfast, for the Association in Antrim itself, and then by extension for the Association in Ulster.

“All of those factors are contributing to what we are striving towards, to have a stadium in Belfast which will deliver for Ireland’s second city and the biggest centre of population in Ulster.”

The new Ulster chief lauded GAA clubs for the community support they have provided during the Covid-19 pandemic, and is keen to build on the relationships forged with various sections of society over the past two years.

“In Ulster, we have nearly 400 clubs, and throughout the Covid pandemic, our clubs have been very instrumental in what has happened across the communities.

“I want to ensure that the relationship we have developed in the wider community continues to be fostered.

“Within the six counties, we need to be seen as an organisation that is prepared to work with everybody.

“We want to be all-inclusive, and to be recognised as an all-inclusive association that wants to work for the betterment of the people in Ulster.