Last time around when he was expected to romp home as the 40th president of the GAA, Jarlath Burns was shocked when New York-based Larry McCarthy came with a late run to pip him at the post in the later rounds of voting.
This time though there was no surprise as the former Armagh Ulster-winning captain had an emphatic victory at the 2023 Congress in Croke Park by winning on the first count.
The Orchard County man won with 158 votes, a course and distance winner against the two other candidates, Offaly's Pat Teehan (70) and GAA World Chair Niall Erskine (49). Once he passed the 139 benchmark, he was automatically victorious as the President in waiting and will take up the chain of office in early 2024.
Visibly moved at the announcement and size of his victory, the former teacher said he was all too conscious that his assumption to the top job carried "immense responsibility" before outlining values he would champion as president.
."We have six very important values in our association. Community, amateur status, respect, player welfare, inclusion, and keeping all our volunteers. It will be my job to defend those values. I will do so to the best of my ability,” he emphasized.
"Leadership is exhilarating and it can be very frustrating. Particularly when the organization you're leading is called the Gaelic Athletic Association. I will need your help to do it, I will need your support to do it, because you all know what my very clear agenda is and I will do my best to pursue it in the three years I have in this incredible organization, the GAA, where we all belong."
Speaking later on radio, he added: “I'm so proud for everybody who's out there supporting me and for my county. It's a very solid mandate and I will use it to the best of my ability. I'll work every single day for this association."
