Jarlath Burns GAA: Latest president challenged to address IRA tributes in the sport and resulting unionist alienation

Mr Burns, who captained Armagh to an Ulster Football GAA title in 1999, has spoken repeatedly of the need to accommodate unionists respectfully in order to achieve a united Ireland.

"It can’t be our culture and nobody else’s," the principal of St Paul's High School in Bessbrook said in a recent BBC podcast. "There is a significant British population who reside on this part of Ireland and they feel under siege."

Speaking of potential changes to the Irish flag to accommodate unionists, he added: "I would be open to a situation in a new Ireland that wants to be fully inclusive of all traditions and faiths that it may be a compromise we have to make."

Fellow south Armagh man Kenny Donaldson, Spokesman for Innocent Victims United, wished Mr Burns well in his new role.

He noted that Mr Burns has been "on his own journey" since 2011 when he endorsed Martin McGuinness' bid for the Irish Presidency with a speech containing "coat trailing references to the IRA" which caused "considerable angst for IRA victims".

However, since then, he said Mr Burns has "put his money where his mouth is" in seeking to better understand others' experience of Troubles violence, and has reached out extensively to the Orange Order and minority Protestant community of South Armagh.

Mr Donaldson added that the GAA itself has "made some positive strides" in recent years but said more needed to be done.

"We will await with interest how Jarlath addresses issues within the GAA concerning Irish Republican politics; whether that be the naming of sports grounds, trophies or competitions after IRA personnel or where clubs allow premises to be used by other interests for non-sport purposes, or for memorials to IRA members to be erected".

Former Ulster and Irish rugby International Trevor Ringland, who now does much work for reconciliation through sport, also congratulated Mr Burns on his election.

But he also urged him to bear in mind the words of former Ulster GAA Chief Executive Danny Murphy.

"He once said that when Down played he wanted all the people of Down to support them," Mr Ringland said.

"And that was a challenge not only to those who don't normally support the GAA but also to the County itself to see how they could reach out to those who feel alienated from the game.

"If Jarlath puts that out to the wider GAA then it is a challenge to reach out to those who feel that they cannot support the organisation. The GAA has to challenge themselves to see why that is and to listen to proper constructive debate around that.

"If people say that problems from the past cannot be tackled then they should look at an organisation that has already done it - the Irish Football Association and the Northern Ireland football fans. They transformed their sport through the Football For All campaign."

This successfully removed sectarian songs from NI matches, changed the supporters colours to politically neutral options and performed outreach to potential young players right across the community, he added.

Mr Burns and the GAA were both invited to comment.

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