The GAA has been historically championed as our leading amateur sport in Ireland, but the games have become increasingly professional in recent years.
Warm weather training, commuting from Dublin and the spectacle of 12-month seasons; the GAA and unwavering dedication go hand in hand.
With the centrepieces of the GAA county calendar amassing crowds of over 80,000 each, as well as attracting worldwide media attention, the players seem to be the only ones not benefitting from the added exposure that Gaelic Games are experiencing.
The passion, pride and love for the game has always been a prevailing reason as to why men and women sacrifice so much of their lives for our national sport, but has the line into professionalism been crossed?
Professionalism: gone too far?
Despite many players – like All-Ireland Winner Conor Cleary – downplaying the element of sacrifice in the GAA, describing playing as a ‘privilege,’ it is still a burning issue around the country.
The demands are increasing. Simple proof of this is the dying art of the ‘dual player,’ whereby a player plays both hurling and football for their county team.
Aidan Walsh of Cork was one of the last dual players in 2014, and he remarked on the Smaller Fish GAA Podcast with Colm Parkinson that he wouldn’t advise players to play both codes at county level.
Along with advancements in sports science and nutrition, players now play in an era where fitness is more important, especially in football, which has seen an evolution from a kicking game to defensive setups and the modern-day phenomena of two-point arcs and the ‘3v3’ rule.
Indecon published a report in 2024 that detailed the time-consuming nature of inter-county lifestyle, with over 21 hours being spent fulfilling its commitments weekly, 8.3 of which were spent travelling.
Inter-county players have routinely displayed their commitment over the years, one particular example being when Clare hurler John Conlon left his brother’s wedding to face Limerick in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship in 2022, before returning to the celebrations later that night.
The Club Scene
The club scene has also gotten more elite, with former Dublin footballer and Naas manager Philly McMahon claiming that club management is more difficult than county management.
And who could forget the infamous players charter that went viral on social media in late 2023? Clarinbridge hurlers were threatened with panel expulsion should they go on holidays during the championship season, or break the alcohol ban proposed by management.
Aussie Rules
A considerable development in the GAA world has been players venturing to Australia to play in the professional Australian Football League (AFL).
Stars like Oisin Mullin (Mayo) and Mark O’Connor (Kerry) are examples of household names who have traded the O’Neills size five for the Sherrin leather oval, and young Mayo ace Kobe McDonald also signed for St. Kilda of Melbourne in recent weeks.
The panicked narrative among the GAA public is often that we are ‘losing’ young talent to the AFL, but maybe theirs is a model there that we could learn from, rather than dismiss and push away.
Pay the players?
In 2024, the GAA reported a surplus of €6.3 million, as well as gate receipts of €39.1 million. According to GAA.ie, this represented an increase from 2023.
The game is growing financially, so is it finally time to talk about paying our players?
While figures such as the GAA President and Director General benefit financially from their roles, it could be interpreted as disrespectful that the players, arguably the most essential cog in the wheel, are not getting remunerated.
Murky waters surround the topic of GAA payments, and while players and managers don’t get paid, they generally receive expenses for fuel, as well as provisions of food and training gear.
In 2018, Director General of the GAA Paraic Duffy spoke about payments to county and club managers in his Annual Report, acknowledging that there were breaches when it came to paying managers and coaches outside of “legitimate expenses”.
The Gaelic Players Association reported in their 2025 pre-budget submission that players were out of pocket by over €4,600 each year and face a net professional loss of €5,500, as well as having a reduction in grant amounts since 2007.
Statistics like this show disservice to players, living a professional lifestyle with no reward in return.
Amateur vs Professional balance
But is it possible for the GAA to achieve a perfect balance between professional and amateur status?
During an interview as part of an RTE Series Pairc Life, former Ireland soccer player Stephen Hunt argued that even though a switch to professionalism would make players faster and stronger, it would affect the ethos of the game.
This is perhaps the main reason the GAA is still an amateur sport, the weight of tradition and the fear of change makes us feel protective about the sacredness of our national game. It could also be argued that this very opinion is holding players back from being paid for their efforts.
The issue has been discussed further following the establishment of the Amateur Status Review Committee in March 2024. Uachtaráin CLG Jarlath Burns said:
“The amateur status is such an important core value of the GAA that it is only right that we carry out a review to ensure that it is fit for purpose in 2025.”
“I know of no one in the GAA who feels that our amateur status is something to be abolished – yet within that, we have a situation where the preparation of inter-county teams is costing more than €40 million and placing unsustainable burdens on our volunteer-led county boards, and the time demands on players are also at an all-time high.”
The statistics – and now the speeches from head honchos – back up a move towards an increased level of commitment necessary to perform in the GAA at a high level. Whatever your thoughts on whether the organisation needs to remain amateur and community-based or transition to a more professionalised approach, there can be no doubt that the game is changing, and questions need to be asked.
