Burns elected as GAA president at congress

An emotional Jarlath Burns was voted in as president at GAA congress on Friday night

Former Armagh football captain Jarlath Burns has been elected as president of the GAA.

It is the second time Burns has run for the presidency after missing out to Larry McCarthy in February 2020.

McCarthy will hold the presidency until 2024 before the position passes over to Burns at next year's congress.

Cork-born New York delegate McCarthy took over from John Horan in 2021 and will see out his three-year tenure.

With 277 votes on offer, Burns easily passed the benchmark of 139 and was voted in on the first count with 158 votes.

Offaly's Teehan was a distant second with 70 votes while Erskine, who was bidding to become the first GAA president from Donegal, was third with 49 votes.

• The GAA Social podcast with Jarlath Burns

Teehan was aiming to become only the second Offaly person to be elected to the GAAs highest office after John Dowling held the position from 1988-91.

Burns is best known for captaining Armagh to an Ulster Football title in 1999.

However, he has served in numerous high-profile GAA administrative roles, including as Armagh's delegate to the Ulster Council and as a member of the Armagh and Ulster GAA Management Committees.

He also served as chairman of both the standing committee on the playing rules and the 125th anniversary committee.

Burns is currently principal of St Paul's High School Bessbrook near Newry.