Incoming GAA president Jarlath Burns lines up county chairs as  committee heads

The incoming GAA president wills soon make appointments to his new committees.

Jarlath Burns at 2023 GAA Congress, Croke Park. Pic: Morgan Treacy, Inpho

At least four current county chairmen are expected to head up incoming GAA president Jarlath Burns’ new committees.

Waterford chairman Seán Michael O’Regan is in the frame for the infrastructure portfolio, which is considered a significant brief given capital projects such as centres of excellence that are being planned by several counties.

As previously reported by the Irish Examiner, Roscommon chairman Brian Carroll is set to become chief of the Central Competitions Control Committee while Down chair Jack Deveney is in line to head up the national referees development group.

Wexford chairman Micheál Martin is to command the coaching and games body and it is anticipated World GAA will be given to Ulster chair Ciarán McLaughlin.

A leading official in Munster has also been linked to the new integration committee. On Tuesday, the steering committee on integration led by former President of Ireland Mary McAleese will announce a roadmap for the amalgamation of the GAA, Ladies Gaelic Football and Camogie Associations. Representatives from all three organisations will also be at the event in Croke Park.

It is anticipated Armagh’s Michael Geoghegan will lead the central referees appointments committee having been head of development the past three years, while former Leinster and Offaly chairman Pat Teehan is shaping up to take over the rules advisory brief and Down’s Fergal McCormack could become the finance chair having previously led the audit and risk body in the mid-2010s.

Former Central Hearings and Appeals Committee chair and Disputes Resolution Authority (DRA) secretary Liam Keane might return to the GAA’s management committee. The Meath man was previously nominated to Coiste Bainisti by former GAA president John Horan. Rory Hanniffy will be reappointed as DRA secretary at Congress in Newry on Friday evening.

Meanwhile, provincial councils have put forward their female nominations to serve on management committee. Joan Kehoe (Leinster) and Keelin Kissane (Munster) are among those set to be rubberstamped by Central Council.

Kilmacud Crokes chair Kehoe was part of the Club Players Association leadership and the founder and chief executive of Alcheyst, a global fund administrator and outsourcing partner. Wexford-born Kehoe was previously JP Morgan’s global head of alternative investment services.

Kerry woman Kissane is Ballymore Properties’ head of finance for the UK having served as a director at KPMG for almost 20 years. All four women will serve up to Congress 2026.

Armagh man Burns becomes the 41st president of the GAA on Saturday and the first from the northern six counties since Peter Quinn 30 years ago.