The GAA has thanked Sport Ireland for the comprehensive assistance package made available to clubs during the Covid-19 crises, which has seen more than €11m go to GAA clubs.

In 2020 Sport Ireland provided assistance worth €5.2m to Gaelic games and this funding targeted clubs throughout the 26 counties.Additional support funding of €6m was received from Sport Ireland in December 2021 to support clubs still recovering from the impact of Covid19. These funds were distributed to the clubs in 2021 and 2022 respectively. 

In addition to relief payments to clubs there was support provided through the waiving of 2020and 2021 registration fees and more than €1.1m allocated to the Injury Benefit Fund.

Uachtarán CLG Larry McCarthy said: “Our ability to emerge from the harrowing pandemic is made possible because of the significant support the Association received from the Government and from Sport Ireland.

“As our community and health manager Colin Regan put it, when the world stopped, our people didn’t. The worst of times brought out the best in the Irish people and this was exemplified by the community response to Covid harnessed through our club network all over Ireland.

“The assistance provided by Sport Ireland is an acknowledgement of the role that our clubs make to the communities they represent, and it is greatly appreciated.”

GAA Director General Tom Ryan added: “In any given year the financial burden on clubs to operate is significant and not playing games did not erase the financial burden that was on our clubs during Covid because of insurance and similar types of costs that remained in place.

“Like all sports we worked closely with our colleagues in Sport Ireland and valued their advice and guidance to navigate our way through the Covid-19 crises.

“This specific funding was invaluable aid and ensured that when restrictions lifted our clubs, and our members were in a position to go back to doing what they do best – staging and playing games and promoting a healthy lifestyle and culture of volunteering in our communities.”

Sport Ireland funding assisted more than 1,100 GAA clubs in the 26 counties, while there was also funding made available to the LGFA and Camogie Association.

Separately, the GAA also assisted clubs in the six counties with Covid relief aid.