Tom Ryan is to remain as Ard Stiúrthóir of the GAA for at least another five years.
The Carlow native, who is a member of the Faughs GAA Club in Dublin, has been Ard Stiúrthóir since succeeding Páraic Duffy in 2018.
His continuing stewardship of the Association was announced by GAA Uachtarán Jarlath Burns at the opening of the 2025 GAA Congress in Donegal on Friday night.
Ryan joined the GAA in 2007 as Director of Finance, having previously worked at Brown Thomas in Dublin. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant.
He is the 19th Director General of the GAA stretching back to Michael Cusack, John Wyse Power and John McKay in 1884, and the fourth person to hold the top post since 1964, following Paraic Duffy, Liam Mulvihill and Sean Ó Síocháin.
“It is a privilege I do not take lightly and a responsibility I do not take lightly. I promise I will do my utmost to repay the trust you have put in me,” he said.
GAA President Jarlath Burns had announced the extension of his role saying “I have learned so much from him in the last year in terms of leadership.”
“Tom Ryan is a model of diligence, diplomacy, discretion and decency. I am delighted to announce that we have offered Tom a five-year extension to his term as Ard Stiúrthóir.”
SPORT FOR BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE
Tom Ryan faced perhaps the greatest challenge in the GAA’s history when steering a path through the shut down of the sport and indeed the country through the Covid pandemic. His calm demeanour was hugely valuable at a time when everybody was finding their way without a map. We have always found him to be open and honest and this extension is a welcome one.
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