Seeing is believing for GAA National Club Draw winner
2026 GAA National Club Draw first prize winner, Dermott McConnall, and his wife Eibhlin, pictured getting the keys of their new Toyota Corolla Hybrid from GAA President, Jarlath Burns.
By John Harrington
It was only when GAA President, Jarlath Burns, handed him the keys to his new Toyota Corolla Hybrid in Croke Park on Monday that Dermott McConnall finally fully believed he had won the top prize in the 2026 GAA National Club Draw.
Remarkably, it was the second time in three years that the winner had purchased their ticket from Cloughaneely GAA club in Donegal.
McConnall, a Tyrone native, has been living in Cloughaneely for the last 25 years and has always made a point of supporting GAA clubs by buying fundraising tickets whenever he’s been offered them without ever really believing his luck would ever be in.
How did he feel when he got the call he was the owner of a brand new Toyota Corolla Hybrid?
“It was unreal!”, said McConnall with a shake of his head. “I did not think in my wildest dreams that I was ever going to win a car.
“I was coming from work tired, didn't think a thing about it, and just threw the ticket on the table. Didn't pass any remarks on the ticket at all, just got it one day.
“When they rang me to tell me I'd won a car I told them, not a chance, I never bought a ticket. But then I started to remember that actually I had. But, to be honest, I never really believed I had won a car until seeing it here today.
“It's just brilliant to have won it, so it is. Any time the club are selling these tickets again, I'll be buying them! If you're not in you'll not win, and it's great to be able to support GAA clubs if you can.
“I have nephews and children of friends of mine all playing for the club and it's brilliant to know that money raised from draws like this goes to support them.”
The 2026 GAA National Club draw raised a record-breaking €2.045 million for GAA Clubs nationally. GAA President, Jarlath Burns, believes it’s one of the easiest ways that GAA clubs can raise money.
“The National Club draw allows clubs to do a massive fundraising drive without any risk,” says Burns.
“The GAA provides all of the prizes and we provide all of the infrastructure around it as well.
“So, it is a really easy, straightforward way for clubs to raise money and a lot of clubs have done really well out of it. €2Million is an incredible figure and when I go around the country opening walking tracks, playing fields, ball-walls, and 3G pitches, you can see the benefit of all of that fundraising.
“Clubs are always looking for new, novel ways to fundraise, but whenever you see the prize fund for the National Club Draw these are prizes that people will win and when you talk to winners like Dermott and (his wife) Eibhlin, they are genuinely over the moon because everyone thinks I'll go for it but I'll never win but somebody has to win and that somebody could be you.
“Congratulations to them both. I would urge all clubs to become participants in this fantastic draw.”
The 2026/2027 GAA National Club draw will launch in early September. Clubs looking to take part can do so by selling tickets online through Foireann or request physical tickets via email at nationalclubdraw@gaa.ie.