Football

GAA President Larry McCarthy makes first official visit to the six counties

Back to school President of the GAA, Larry McCarthy has some fun with young Hayley Lanch during a visit to St Malachy PS Armagh Picture by Hugh Russell
Back to school President of the GAA, Larry McCarthy has some fun with young Hayley Lanch during a visit to St Malachy PS Armagh Picture by Hugh Russell Back to school President of the GAA, Larry McCarthy has some fun with young Hayley Lanch during a visit to St Malachy PS Armagh Picture by Hugh Russell

CELEBRATING 100 days in the GAA’s highest office, President Larry McCarthy’s burning desire is to return the Association back to the days of 2019 and building on the early potential of the split season between club and county.

The Cork native, who became the 40th GAA President at a virtual congress in February, made his first official visit to the six counties yesterday morning – St Malachy’s Primary School in Armagh City – to watch the P1, P2 and P3s be put through their paces by local club coaches who have linked up with the Chapel Lane school.

Brimming with enthusiasm, the Bishopstown man was delighted to have a degree of freedom of movement since assuming the presidency.

“Not only is this my first visit to the six counties, it’s been an historic weekend for me, personally. I went to my first match as Uachtarán on Sunday - Louth versus Fermanagh in a Division 3B hurling final in Darver - I was in my first club in Galway yesterday and I’m at my first school today in Armagh as Uachtarán.

“Apparently I’m 100 days in office and it’s been brilliant; it’s the best job I ever had in my life. Now, obviously it’s strange but it’s strange for society so I’m no different in that regard. Getting out to meet people for the first time has been absolutely brilliant.”

McCarthy assumed the presidency at one of the most tumultuous periods in the Association’s 137-year history due to the global pandemic that shut down society for much of the last year.

“My objective is to get back to 2019 in the way we operated and how successful we were,” said McCarthy, who has spent the best part of the last 40 years in New York and is also an associate professor of business studies specialising in management, sponsorship and marketing of sport.

“Obviously it’ll be different because we’ll be in the split season. Getting us back to 2019 is key because our funding model has been busted for the last two years now, so once we can get crowds back in we’ll be well on our way.”