Details of the Gaelic Players Association AGM after a year of historic changes in GAA

The AGM of the Gaelic Players Association took place this afternoon at the Gibson Hotel, Dublin

And enhancing those qualities through our Player Development Programme is an important objective of the GPA. A leader on the field can be a leader off it and through the intervention of our various support services for players, we can help them realise this potential and develop a new group of future influential leaders in Ireland.

It is interesting to note the growth in players engaging with our Entrepreneur Programme. By harnessing the many skills honed as a county player many are ideally placed to drive a new business and the GPA is now in a position to support these moves providing key start-up advice and marketing supports.

I'd like to pay tribute to the hard-working GPA staff members for their commitment to achieving our substantial objectives. Flexibility, dedication, efficiency and ambition are prerequisites to our work and our team displays those traits in abundance. I'd like to thank our various squad reps, our GPA Officers and voluntary Executive members for their outstanding contribution to the players' body over the past 12 months.

A special word of thanks to our service providers whose professionalism and efficiency has helped propel the Development Programme. Based on the measured outcomes and increasing body of testimonial feedback, players are being extremely well served.

We have an excellent productive working relationship with the GAA ensuring that players' views, opinions and issues are represented at the heart of the decision making process. I'd like to thank Director General Paraic Duffy for his on-going support for the work of the GPA and wish Uachtarán Liam Ó Néill the very best of luck during his tenure.

Our efforts to set up a long-term support network for players and the GPA Programmes in the US have been very successful over the past year with an increasing number of supporters coming on board. However, critical to the long-term success of these efforts will be raising awareness of our games through increased promotional work and exhibition matches.

I must acknowledge the incredible efforts being made on our behalf in the US by our Advisory Group and the many people helping to organise our Ireland-US Heritage Awards and Dinner Gala in New York in November 2012. Their interest in and respect for the contribution made by county players to Irish culture and society is extraordinary and is greatly appreciated by our players.

Congratulations to all squads on your contribution to another hugely successful GAA county season with all the attendant drama and, significantly, excellent attendances. As always this success is a testimony to your dedication.

Finally I would like to pay tribute to GPA member and Fermanagh footballer Brian Óg Maguire who was tragically killed in an accident this year, a year in which we also lost Jim Stynes and John Egan. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-ainmneacha.

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Nster.com