Paula Doherty elected first female President of GAA Rounders
Mayo native, Paula Doherty, is the new President of GAA Rounders .
GAA Rounders has announced the election of Paula Doherty as its first-ever female President, marking a historic milestone for one of the fastest-growing sports in Ireland. With over 70 clubs, over 2,500 adult players, and new clubs forming every week, the sport enters a period of major expansion under Doherty’s leadership.
A native of Castlebar, Co. Mayo, and a long-standing member of Breaffy Rounders, Doherty brings more than three decades of experience to the role. Having first played Rounders at age 11, she has served as a player, coach, manager, club secretary, treasurer, and national secretary — making her one of the most influential figures in the modern development of the sport and a current All-Star.
On the field, she is among Rounders’ most decorated players, having won:
• 4 Senior Women’s All-Ireland titles (2022–2025)
• 2 Senior Mixed All-Ireland titles (2024, 2025)
• 3 All-Star Awards at 3rd Base (2022, 2023, 2025)
All earned with her home club, Breaffy.
Paula Doherty is a three-time GAA Rounders All-Star.
Beyond her playing career, Doherty brings over 20 years of professional experience as a lecturer and programme director at ATU St Angela’s, Sligo, where she leads the B.Ed Home Economics Initial Teacher Education programmes. Her background in education, leadership, governance, and communication is well aligned with the needs of a national sporting body experiencing rapid growth.
In her acceptance speech, Doherty reflected on Rounders’ longstanding place within the GAA:
“Rounders was recognised in the GAA’s original constitution in 1884. We are not on the edges of the Association — we are part of its foundation.”
She outlined her priorities for the coming years, including:
• Strengthening club structures and coaching pathways
• Enhancing referee development and training
• Improving communication and national connectivity
• Expanding digital promotion and visibility
• Growing participation among women, youths, and adults
• Supporting and retaining volunteers nationwide
Her leadership will be guided by a clear principle:
“There is one question that will guide every decision we make: does this help all our clubs? If it does, we push ahead. If it doesn’t, we rethink.”
She also reaffirmed her commitment to strong governance:
“Fairness, respect, accountability, transparency. If you don’t have those, you have nothing.”
Doherty succeeds outgoing President Iain Cheyne, and acknowledged his service and the work of the previous Ard Chomhairle in strengthening governance and competition structures.
Her election represents a significant moment for GAA Rounders, symbolising progress, representation, and the sport’s continued evolution as part of the GAA family.
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AGM Decision: Move from “Ladies” to “Women”
At the same AGM, GAA Rounders members voted on motion brought by St Kieran’s GAA Club, Limerick to formally transition the naming of all female competitions, teams, and communications from 'Ladies' to 'Women'.
This change aligns Rounders with modern sporting standards, reflects inclusive language used across the wider GAA, and ensures consistency across all levels of the Association.
The decision will take effect immediately across national communications and will be implemented in full across competitions for the 2026 season.