Former Armagh captain Jarlath Burns elected as 41st GAA president

Jarlath Burns has been elected as the 41st president of the GAA following Friday night’s vote at Congress in Croke Park.

The former Armagh senior football captain saw off the challenge of Donegal’s Niall Erskine and Offaly’s Pat Teehan on the opening night of the 2023 Annual Congress.

Burns will now spend a year as Uachtarán Tofa (president elect) as the current incumbent Larry McCarthy has one year left to run in the post.

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The Silverbridge native lost out to McCarthy in the 2020 election when he was considered the front-runner for the role.

Despite missing out on the job three years ago, the Armagh county board ratified his nomination for a second bid back in November.

Speaking ahead of Friday night’s vote, Armagh GAA chairman, Paul McArdle, said: “A leader both on and off the pitch, he fully understands the challenges facing our association and will undoubtedly address them with vigour and fairness.

“We believe Jarlath is the standout candidate for the position and sincerely hope he is the next Uachtarán CLG to take up post in 2024, exactly 60 years on from our previous president, the late Alf Murray – it certainly would be a proud and poignant moment for our county.”

Jarlath Burns captained Armagh to the 1999 Ulster Senior Football Championship title (©INPHO\Andrew Paton)

Burns captained the Orchard County to a breakthrough Ulster title win in 1999 and stepped into GAA administration soon after his inter-county retirement.

He served as Armagh’s delegate to Central Council and is currently the county’s Ulster Council delegate. Burns, a former Sigerson Cup winner with St Mary’s, is also Silverbridge’s club secretary having served as club chairman for a number of years.

The St Paul’s Bessbrook principal is also a well-known GAA commentator with TG4 while his son, Jarlath Óg Burns, is a key member of Kieran McGeeney’s Armagh squad.

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