Seán Kelly (GAA President)

Seán Kelly (Irish: Seán Ó Ceallaigh) is a former President of the Gaelic Athletic Association (2003-2006) He was the first Kerry man to hold that prestigious office being elected at the first attempt by a record margin at the GAA Congress in 2002.

In July 2006 he took up the position of Executive Chairman of the Irish Institute of Sport, a body that was set up in Ireland to support elite athletes and players, and served as Executive President until he announced his resignation in July 2008. [Irish Examiner, 30/07/2008 http://www.irishexaminer.com/breaking/sport/mhqlkfqlgbsn/]

Seán Kelly was born in Knockataggle, Kilcummin, Killarney, County Kerry in 1952. Kelly was born into a family that was deeply involved in the Gaelic Athletic Association. His grandfather had been chairman of the local club and his four uncles had distinguished playing careers, with his uncle, also Sean Kelly, starring at full-forward for Kerry in their All-Ireland Championship success over Armagh in 1953.

Kelly was educated at Kilcummin National School, Tralee CBS and St. Brendan’s College Killarney. He qualified as a primary school teacher in St. Pat’s College of Education and then attended UCD where he received a B.A. and Higher Diploma in Education. (first class honours) He worked as a teacher in Dublin (Cromcastle Green, Kilmore West) and in St. Brendan’s College, Killarney.

Before being elected president of the GAA he served as Chairman of the East Kerry (1975-1987) and County Kerry Boards (1987-1997) and Munster Council (1997-2000). As the first Kerryman to hold the position of President of the GAA his presidency is seen as a landmark one in moving forward the Association on so many fronts – the introduction of Christy Ring Cup and Nicky Rackard Cup, Tommy Murphy Cup, All-Ireland Junior and Intermediate Championships, he also oversaw the completion of the Croke Park re-development through the completion of Hill 16/Northern end and the building of the Croke Park Jury’s Hotel. He introduced the President’s Awards and developed a great working relationship with the GPA and initiated major improvements in player welfare matters.

He is also credited with the successful conclusion of arrangements for the use of Croke Park, the GAA’s 82,500 capacity national stadium, by the Irish Rugby Football Union and the Football Association of Ireland while Lansdowne Road is being re-developed.

He is generally regarded as one of the most successful, innovative and media-friendly president’s in the Association's history as is evidenced by the string of awards he has received including Person of the Year 2005, Community Entrepreneur of the Year 2006, Business Person of the month (April 2005) and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Dublin Institute of Technology in February 2007.