GAA president Burns yet to finalise makeup of hurling development group 

DELAYED: Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Jarlath Burns. Pic: Sam Barnes, Sportsfile

GAA president Jarlath Burns is still waiting to finalise his hurling development group.

It is believed the establishment of a development taskforce by Burns’ predecessor Larry McCarthy a few months ago has delayed the completion of the Tiomáint group.

In his inaugural address at Congress in Newry last Saturday week, Burns said he had identified a number of people for the body aimed at increasing the number of hurling club teams in weaker counties.

“I will call this initiative Tiomáint and it will be driven from the coaching and games section along with the inspirational figures on this committee, many of whom have been selected for having successfully created hurling in their own clubs,” said Burns.

He added: “What I have done with this hurling development committee is take members of clubs that have been set up in those areas. There won’t be any big names like on the football review committee. These are just brave people, who have set up hurling clubs in areas where football is dominant and have succeeded.

“It’s a very, very long-term project, which will see probably no benefits in three years, maybe in 10 but that’s the way the GAA need to be thinking – 20 years ahead.” 

Burns expressed his hope that Kildare man Colm Nolan, who chaired the previous body, would remain on but confirmed that McCarthy’s group had been disbanded having held their first meeting in December.

“This new hurling committee will be a brand new committee and I would hope to keep Colm Nolan on,” said Burns. 

“They have done really good work. The hurling committee I have has a different focus and specifically to do with the setting up of new clubs. We want to create a toolkit for that.

“There are a lot of really inspirational people there, pig-headed people who didn't care what happened, they were going to set up a hurling club. Some of them are the guys who set up Craobh Rua, that hurling club in south Armagh. They know the pitfalls.” 

Among the names being linked to the Burns’ group are former national hurling development officer Martin Fogarty and Sligo and Leitrim hurling development officer Darragh Cox and Kieran Farmer of Fermanagh. Both Cox and Farmer worked on the Nolan-led group.

Burns is also in the process of putting together his integration committee. 

It had been anticipated a leading Munster figure would head up the group that is expected to oversee the process of merging the three Gaelic playing organisations by 2027. However, the chair has yet to be confirmed.