Most of us believed the stereotype of GAA women “washing the jerseys and making sandwiches for the lads” had been definitively banished.
Yet ending that dreary cliche, while vital to healthy sports development, is a far cry from full gender equality required in the modern era.
In 2022, GAA Congress delegates endorsed plans to fully integrate the women’s organisations in Gaelic football and camogie. The change was supported by the players’ association, GPA, and by GAA rank and file through a wide-ranging survey, leading to an implementation deadline of spring, 2027.
Now things have gone badly wrong, and the GAA management appear less than serious about gender equality as they seek to delay integration. Former President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, has quit as chair of the Integration Steering Group amid scathing comments about delays by Croke Park.
The future of the merger between the three bodies is in doubt. The response from GAA director general Tom Ryan disappointed many.
He failed to identify an alternative timeframe, and he angered others by suggesting that understanding merger structures was beyond some members’ grasp.
It must be acknowledged that the GAA has made progress in including more women in decision-making. It is also time to moderate the tone of this debate.
History teaches us that the Gaelic Athletic Association has, over its almost century-and-a-half existence, shown a capacity to manage serious divisions to ultimately thrive. We look forward to everybody in the GAA working together in this spirit.