Liam O'Neill

For other people named Liam O'Neill, see Liam O'Neill (disambiguation).

Liam O'Neill is a Gaelic games administrator, who served as the 37th president of the Gaelic Athletic Association. He is from County Laois.

Biography

A former chairman of the Leinster Council, O'Neill initially sought the GAA presidency at the 2008 Congress, but Christy Cooney defeated him.^[1]

In June 2010, O'Neill became the first person to declare his candidacy to succeed Cooney.^[2] He became president-elect at the annual GAA Congress in April 2011 following the withdrawal of three other candidates,^[3] and succeeded Cooney in the post on 14 April 2012 at the Congress held at Killenard in Laois - becoming the 37th president of the GAA.^[4]

A primary school principal,^[4] O'Neill set out in his inaugural address a manifesto centred on sports issues (refereeing, discipline, fixtures planning and the promotion of hurling), organisation (finance, infrastructure and the development of officers) and growth (youth involvement, recruiting new members, forming new clubs and the challenge of urbanisation).^[5]

Following the 2012 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, O'Neill related that All-Ireland winning captain Michael Murphy, as they exchanged the Sam Maguire Cup, had offered his condolences on the sudden death of O'Neill's sister the previous day. President O'Neill went on to express his admiration for Murphy and called him an "exceptional young captain".^[6]

Post-presidency

Since departing as president, O'Neill has acted as a spokesperson for the GAA, such as in the aftermath of the Armagh eye-gouging incident in 2022.^[7]

References

1. "Cooney to be next GAA President". RTÉ. 12 April 2008. Archived from the original on 14 April 2008. Retrieved 14 April 2009.
2. "O'Neill to run for GAA presidency". Irish Examiner. 24 June 2010. Retrieved 24 June 2010.
3. "Howlin withdrawal clears way for O'Neill". RTÉ. 28 February 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
4. Kerry GAA report on election (Some reports refer to him as the 38th; the founding President, Maurice Davin, uniquely served a second term.)
5. "Óráid an Uachtaráin nua Liam O'Neill". GAA.ie. 14 February 2012. Archived from the original on 17 April 2012. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
6. "President praises Murphy for gesture". Hogan Stand. 5 October 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
7. "Former GAA president Liam O'Neill calls on GAA to 'tidy up its act' after brawl". RTÉ. 27 June 2022.

Sporting positions
Preceded by Christy Cooney	President of the Gaelic Athletic Association 2012–2015	Succeeded by Aogán Ó Fearghail