Britain GAA building for a sustainable future
Seán Hopkins, Chairperson of the Provincial Council of Britain GAA. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
By Cian O’Connell
Throughout the past couple of decades, a significant emphasis in Britain GAA has been placed on developing and retaining homegrown talent.
At the start of January at Britain GAA’s Annual Convention, it was revealed that there has been a 34 per cent increase in youth registrations since 2022. That is a hugely encouraging development, further underlining the relevance and value of employing Community Development Adminstrators (CDAs).
Seán Hopkins, Britain GAA President, is excited about the progress being made. “There is a great feel and atmosphere here in Britain at the moment, we're really going places,” Hopins says.
“Our growth has gone up 34 per cent from 2022 to 2025 with our official youth registrations. We know in 2026 that it will be increasing again. We know that homegrown is our future. That is the way to go.”
The All-Britain 2025 Final between Tara and Seán McDermotts offered further optimism. “In the region of 95 per cent of the two squads were homegrown,” Hopkins adds.
“That shows the work going on. In my address, you can see the work and investment, when you get to an All-Britain Final and it is nearly all homegrown. This has been harnessed through our strategic plan, which we're very much on with.
“There is a great positive outlook for the future with all of our clubs. This is a great moment for us because next year is the centenary year for the fifth province. We will be highlighting that next year, we've quite a lot of events planned to celebrate our centenary.”
Hopkins knows that the planning and plotting doesn’t stop, but the CDA scheme continues to work well according to Hopkins. “This all happens because of the help from the DFA and GAA, you can see that this investment is bearing fruit,” Hopkins says.
“We've got a great bunch of CDAs at the moment. They're very passionate, they've a lot of drive and a lot of ideas, and without them it wouldn't be the same.
“We've a great Provincial Board, our County Boards are buying into it, they're working very well. Our volunteers are the hidden heroes. So, collectively there is a great feel. We're really marching forward.”
Seán Hopkins speaking at the GAA's Annual Congress last year. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
That knowledge and information is shared matters because Hopkins is adamant that meaningful connections have been forged between people involved in different sections of Britain GAA. “The ABCs and the Northern Games have been a massive help in the sense that when people volunteer and are working at these all week, setting up, they get to know each other,” he explains.
“They build a working relationship. So, the whole country has come together. We've the Northern Games, the Hertfordshire Games, the ABCs, everyone just jumps in the car, if they can get down on a Wednesday to help, they will do. Even the Thursday or Friday.
“So, that is a massive reason why everyone is working together. Everyone knows that collectively we've to be on the same. It is something I speak about a lot. I join County Board meetings and youth meetings; we're very hands on and supportive. We're engaging.”
Ultimately, it means that there is real hope for a positive future. “We want to know what is happening, how we support our CDAs on the ground, see what the County Boards are doing, where they're engaging,” Hopkins says. “It is all to help and support and to share ideas.
“I go around everywhere, I talk about the investment, the volunteerism, the direction we've to go. We're having a lot of successes.
“I think we've 10 clubs with their underage structure, where we've got roughly 10,000 pounds each from the National Lottery. You've loads of things going on. Everyone has upped their game; everyone has a good feel factor about it.”
Britain GAA are always ready, willing, and able to forge links. Hopkins provides an example. “UA92 (education institution) has a big media department here in Manchester, just near United's ground,” Hopkins says.
“Gary Neville and a few of the boys are involved, it is called UA 92 University, they've a big student media department. We used them for the Northern Games because these youngsters don't get experience of events. How to organise and videography, so basically, they went out live doing interviews and our social media.
“The lecturers are delighted the students are getting hands on work experience, and we're delighted we're getting the videography and getting our message out on social media.”
A busy stint looms with various activities taking place, on and off the field, but Hopkins wouldn’t have it any other way. “We've a great team,” he says. “Everyone is talking every day. It is relentless. People say you're busy, but I go, it is a nice busy. It is a lovely busy.” The hard work continues.