Race to become 41st GAA president to be concluded at Annual Congress 

DEPARTING: The race is on to replace current Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Larry McCarthy. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Either Leinster will be celebrating their fourth GAA president since 2006 or Ulster their second in 20 years at Annual Congress in Croke Park on Friday night.

The first three-horse race since 2014, Jarlath Burns (Armagh), Niall Erskine (Donegal) and Pat Teehan (Offaly) seek to succeed Larry McCarthy next February, thus becoming the 41st uachtarán of the association. 

If voted in, Burns or Erskine will become Ulster’s eighth GAA president, Teehan the 15th from Leinster. Burns would be the sixth from the six counties.

Running again having narrowly lost out three years ago, Burns will be hoping the history of strong-running nominees becoming president at the second time of asking will work in his favour. Not since Albert Fallon in 2002 has the previous runner-up not been elected when seeking the office in the following election.

However, Erskine and Teehan will be buoyed by recent history and the fact the last three winning candidates have all been first-timers – McCarthy (2020), John Horan (2017) and Aogán Farrell (‘14). Liam O’Neill ran uncontested in 2011 having lost out to Christy Cooney in the 2008 race.

If successful, Teehan will continue the pattern of every second president hailing from Leinster since Nickey Brennan 17 years ago. The Faithful County’s previous GAA president was John Dowling (1988-91). Armagh have also been represented in the office by Alf Murray (1964-67) whereas Erskine would be Donegal’s first.

It had been anticipated that Burns (Silverbridge) and Teehan (Coolderry) were going to run for the position months before they were nominated by Armagh and Offaly in early November. Killybegs man Erskine was officially backed by his county last September.

The chairman of the World GAA committee these past five years, Erskine is expected to draw support from oversea delegates. As Ulster are twinned with Scotland, both he and Burns will be seeking their support, while Leinster have links with Europe, The Middle East and Australasia. Munster GAA partners’ North America and Connacht’s ties with Asia might be seen as the associations up for grabs.

At this stage, none of the candidates are expected to reach the quota on the first ballot like Horan did in 2017. Given the quota three years ago was 139 (278 total valid poll), a similar figure is expected to be the final target for the three men in an election based on the proportional representation system.

Three years ago, Burns led McCarthy by 17 votes after the first round but they were tied following the distribution of Jerry O'Sullivan and Mick Rock’s transfers. McCarthy eventually came out on top by 10 votes after Jim Bolger’s votes were split between the remaining pair The final result of the election is due to be announced at approximately 9.45pm.