Anna 
In his seventh annual report, GAA Director General Tom Ryan offered a provocative mix of reflections on the current state of Gaelic games and bold proposals for the future of the Association. Ryan’s report, which ranged from practical insights on calendar adjustments to visionary thoughts for the GAA’s 150th anniversary in 2035, touched on a range of issues—from spending to fixture structures.
Ryan prefaced his forward-looking ideas by noting their speculative nature, explaining they were “not targets, not even hopes, but possibly idle musings” on what the GAA might look like in the coming years. Among the key concepts he presented were:
- A unified governing body for all Gaelic games codes
- A restructured competition calendar, with football and hurling played in succession, not concurrently
- A more inclusive approach to team composition, with senior intercounty teams reflecting diverse backgrounds and nationalities
- A single, tiered competition structure for both football and hurling
- Flourishing hurling in the northern half of the country and consistent club championship structures across all counties
- International provinces and counties managing their own championships without needing to enter Irish competitions
- A more robust commitment to youth development, with every school fielding multiple teams across all age groups
- The sharing of county grounds among neighboring counties, with all facilities in public ownership
- A commitment to a reduced, less travel-intensive training schedule for players
A notable idea that caught attention was the suggestion to separate the seasons for hurling and football, a concept Ryan acknowledged was speculative. “There are 101 reasons why that might not work, but it’s worth considering to challenge our thinking,” Ryan said.
Calendar reform was another focus. While Ryan acknowledged the experimental nature of the current season, which has seen All-Ireland finals scheduled in July for the past three years, he indicated that moving the finals into August could be an option moving forward. Ryan also floated the idea of extending the championship by a couple of weeks, although he dismissed the notion of returning to September finals.
Further, Ryan raised concerns about the rising financial burden on county teams, with total spending reaching €44 million in 2024, a 30% increase over the previous two years. He called for a collective effort to address this unsustainable trend, emphasizing the need for more centralized procurement and a more coordinated approach to team-related spending.
The report also proposed changes to the current rules around replays, citing the contentious ending of the Clare-Cork All-Ireland hurling final last year. A motion before the GAA Congress later this month will consider reintroducing replays for drawn provincial finals and eliminating extra time for a drawn All-Ireland final, in favor of an immediate replay.
Finally, Ryan praised the work of Jim Gavin’s Football Review Committee, which was hailed as a model for a similar review in hurling, focused on discipline and governance.
Looking ahead, Ryan concluded his report by acknowledging the challenges facing the GAA but remained hopeful that the changes proposed—though ambitious—could help future-proof the Association for the next 150 years.
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