‘This is an opportunity I could not turn down’ – Galway dealt blow as Burke steps away for 2024

Ian Burke has accepted a place at prestigious French University INSEAD, ranked second in the Financial Times 2023 MBA ranking.

STUDYING ABROAD: Ian Burke has accepted a place at prestigious French University INSEAD, ranked second in the Financial Times 2023 MBA ranking. Pic: ©INPHO/James Crombie

Galway will be without former All-Star Ian Burke for the 2024 season with the Corofin forward studying abroad for the upcoming academic year.

Burke returned to the Padraic Joyce’s squad last season and featured in all six championship games, starting five and coming on in one. The 2018 All-Star has accepted a place at prestigious French University INSEAD, ranked second in the Financial Times 2023 MBA ranking.

“It is an amazing opportunity to accelerate my professional career and allow me to do impactful work wherever in the world that takes me,” Burke told the Irish Examiner.

“It is something I always wanted to do and when I was lucky enough to be accepted, it was an opportunity I could not turn down. At this point of my life, it is a good time to do it. I just said I’d give it a rattle; it finishes up this time next year.” 

Burke previously withdrew from the Galway squad because of work commitments in the financial sector. He is a four-time All-Ireland club winner with Galway outfit Corofin. Speaking from France, he explained that he would be unable to commit to club and county for the next year.

“I’m based out here now. The intensity of the programme and the lack of training here, it wouldn’t be fair to the lads back there when you are missing so many sessions. I’ve always wanted to be successful in my professional career as well as my sporting career.

“I’ve always been conscious of my career in Dublin. I missed a year or two with Galway and the club because of that. Don’t get me wrong, I still love football; I love playing football. I’ll still follow Galway and I’ll be streaming Corofin in the club championship this weekend. It is a big move to go to France with the language and meeting 400 new classmates. It is daunting, but life is for living.”