The Ladies Gaelic Football Association currently employs 21 full time staff. 12 of whom are based in Croke Park and and 9 of whom are based at various locations around the country. Chief Executive Officer: Helen O’Rourke Helen took up the position of CEO of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) in 1997 after a term as President. As CEO she is responsible for the day to day running of the Association and for the management of all employed staff. Helen can be contacted at info@lgfa.ie Operations and Planning Manager: Paula Prunty Paula started working for the LGFA in 2003 and worked as National Development Manager until January 2018. As the Operations & Planning Manager, she is responsible for managing all operational aspects of the Association including the management of the operations team. Paula is also responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Association’s Strategic Plan and the overall planning structures and processes used by all units of the Association. Paula also holds the role of National Children’s Officer, Mandated Person and Data Protection Officer for the LGFA. Tel: 01 836 3156 Mob: 087 2741393 Email: paula.prunty@lgfa.ie National Development Manager: Lyn Savage Lyn Savage is the National Development Manager and she is responsible for the overall development and implementation of all development initiatives and programmes within the Association across strands of coach development, volunteer development, match official development, player development and growth and participation. Lyn worked previously as our National Development Officer since 2007 and had worked with Dublin GAA prior to that as a Games Promotion Officer. A native of Louth, Lyn played with her home county for 15 years and her club Cooley Kickhams. A graduate of the University of Ulster, Lyn now manages the development team. Tel: 01 836 3156 Mob: 087 1316944 Email: lyn.savage@lgfa.ie Commercial and Communications Manager: Jackie Cahill Jackie Cahill is the Ladies Gaelic Football Association’s Commercial and Communications Manager. Jackie is responsible for the Communications output from the Association, while he also works closely with the LGFA’s sponsors and partners. A former journalist for almost 20 years, Jackie was appointed to his LGFA role in November 2017. He boasts an extensive knowledge of Ladies Gaelic Football at club and inter-county levels, and was renowned as the leading authority on the LGFA’s top fixtures during his journalistic days. A native of Tipperary, Jackie is also the author of four Gaelic Games books, namely the autobiographies of current Wexford senior hurling manager Davy Fitzgerald, former inter-county football referee Paddy Russell, ex-Mayo footballer Conor Mortimer, and former Tipperary hurling goalkeeper Brendan Cummins. Tel: 01 836 3156 Email: jackie.cahill@lgfa.ie National Finance Officer: Barbara Rossiter Barbara is responsible for the management of all Financial Controls within the Association up to preparing annual accounts for submission to auditors. She is also responsible for the ongoing development and maintenance of accounting systems and controls within the Association. She has over 20 years experience as a qualified accountant and is a native of Limerick but now living in Kilkenny. Tel: 01 836 3156 Email: finance@lgfa.ie Injury Fund Co-Ordinator: Amy Coll Amy started working with the LGFA in 2020. She administers the LGFA Injury Fund working with members who sustain injuries during games. This involves processing the notification of all claims, handling the approval procedure for private treatment and assessing claims for the payment at the end of a players treatment. Tel: 01 865 8642 Email: amy.coll@lgfa.ie National Fixtures Administrator: Andrew Cunningham Andrew is responsible for organising the LGFA’s National Fixtures at various grades and levels, from Post Primary Schools to senior inter-county. Andrew is a keen Gaelic footballer himself and is a member of the St. Sylvester’s Senior Team. Andrew has previous experience working in start-up companies in Ireland, such as Bounce Insights & SportsKey, helping them grow their presence in Ireland, the United Kingdom and beyond. Andrew works closely with county boards and the National Fixtures Committee to ensure that venues are organised for the many fixtures that fall under the LGFA remit. Andrew has been working with the LGFA since 2023. Tel: 01 836 3156 Mob: 087 2523998 Email: andrew.cunningham@lgfa.ie Programme Officer: Aislinn Harkin Aislinn has been working for LGFA since summer 2011. Having previously worked in the role as Coaching Officer for the LGFA now plays a key role in supporting third level colleges, the implementation of the Association’s Code of Ethics and the point of contact with key sponsors. Aislinn also oversees the organisation of Feile Peil na nÓg on behalf of the LGFA. Tel: 01 836 3156 Mob: 087 112 7264 Email: aislinn.harkin@lgfa.ie Operations Co-Ordinator: Deirdre Hiney Deirdre is the first point of contact in Head Office for all clubs, committees and general public, answering queries and assisting with any information required on the telephone, email and face to face. Deirdre also deals with all transfers, sanctions and permits, organising meetings and collating information from committees. Tel: 01 836 3156 Email: info@lgfa.ie Heads of Development Areas: William Harmon, Vincent Whelan, Niall Mulrine, Lizzie Flynn and Eilish Ward Working under the National Development Manager Lyn Savage, the role of the NDO is to assist in the development and implementation of all development initiatives of the Association. Each Head of Development has a specific remit area and manages a National Development Officer to assist with that area. Coach Development: William Harmon William Harmon has been working as National Development Officer since 2007, now Head of Coach Development since August 2023, and has been involved in all LGFA development areas throughout his time. For five years prior to that Tralee IT graduate William worked with Kerry GAA as their 3rd Level Games Promotional Officer in IT Tralee. He is married with two children and living in Firies, Co. Kerry. Key Areas include: Coach Education Programme Teacher Training & Support High Performance Player Pathway Development Academies Club Coaching Roadshows Gaelic4Teens Mob: 087 979 4955 Email: william.harmon@lgfa.ie Head of Growth and Participation: Vincent Whelan Vinny, a native of Clontarf in Dublin, who’s now living in Beaumont, joined the LGFA Development team in June 2019. A graduate of the University of Greenwich, London, Vinny has ten years of experience working with Dublin GAA as a Games Promotion Officer. A qualified PE Teacher, Vinny specialises in volunteer coaching and coach education at club and college level, and he is a huge addition to the LGFA team. Key Areas include: Participation/Recreational Initiatives including Gaelic4Girls and Gaelic4Mothers&Others Club/School Links Post Primary School Initiatives Inter-firms GAA link for Cul Camps, 5 Star Centres Mob: 087 1821668 Email: vincent.whelan@lgfa.ie Head of Volunteer Development: Niall Mulrine Niall Mulrine has been working as National Development Officer since January 2018, now Head of Volunteer Development since August 2023, and he has previously worked with a number of charities, such as the Prince’s Trust and Guide Dogs for the Blind accumulating over 10 years’ experience in Volunteer Management. Tyrone native Niall plays for his club, Augher St. Macartans, and he is also heavily involved in volunteering there. In 2015 Niall was named the Ulster GAA Young Volunteer of the Year. Key Areas include: Volunteer Training and Support including officer training Development of Volunteer Programmes including the Club2Gether Programme Volunteer support for Clubs, County Boards, & Provincial Councils Healthy Club Initiative Mob: 087 163 1112 Email: niall.mulrine@lgfa.ie Match Official Development: Lizzie Flynn Lizzie Flynn has been working as National Development Officer since 2023, now Head of Match Official Development since August 2023. Key Areas include: Referee Pathway and associated supports Referee Accelerate Programmes Grab Your Whistle Academy Grab Your Whistle Education Programme Mob: 087 788 6505 Email: lizzie.flynn@lgfa.ie Head of Player Development: Eilish Ward Eilish Ward began working for the LGFA as Head of Player Development in November 2023. Previously working for organisations such as Athletics Northern Ireland and British Gymnastics, Eilish has accumulated over 10 years’ experience working in sports development. Eilish has previously played county football for Donegal and club football with her home club, Naomh Naille. She is currently completing a Doctorate focusing on coaching in DCU and plays her club football with Bredagh in Belfast, Co. Down. Key Areas include: – Player Education & Welfare – Player Pathway – Former Players Engagement – #SeriousSupport Programme – Minor Players Initiative – All Ireland Sevens Mob: 087 476 2049 Email: eilish.ward@lgfa.ie National Development Officers: Emily Martin, Clodagh Flanagan, Vivienne Nee and David Lernihan Managed by the Heads of Development, the role of the NDO is to assist in their specific development area and they form part of the overall development staff. Growth and Participation: Clodagh Flanagan Clodagh is a native of Moate in Co. Westmeath and began working with the LGFA in March 2023. Clodagh worked as part of the development team within Leinster before taking the role of National Development Officer in August 2023. A graduate of the Institute of Technology Sligo and experience of working in social care Clodagh’s work with inclusion and participation will greatly enhance development within the LGFA. Match Official Development: David Lernihan David, a native of Kilmihil in Co. Clare, joined the LGFA Development team in August 2023. David is a graduate of the University of Limerick with a MSc in Sports Performance and has experience coaching with multiple Gaelic football teams, both male and female, both on-field as a Sport coach and as a Strength & Conditioning coach. David is also an avid Gaelic footballer himself with his native Kilmihil GAA Club. Coach Development: Emily Martin Emily is from from Burren, Co. Down and she started working with the LGFA in August 2023. She graduated from Ulster University, Jordanstown with a BSc in Sports Coaching and Performance, from this she has been a Gaelic4Teens Ambassador since 2020. Emily has played county football for 10 years and has been on the 2014 and 2023 All Ireland Winning teams for Down whilst also playing senior football for her club St. Mary’s Burren. Volunteer Development: Vivienne Nee Vivienne joined the LGFA Development Staff in August 2023, A graduate from Limerick Institute of Technology, she previously worked with Mayo GAA as their Gaeltacht Coach. She has always been involved with her local club in Connemara, Cárna Caiseal, while also been on the Galway LGFA Development Committee along with being the Development Officer with Connacht Council. Player Development: Michelle Hackett Michelle is from Bornacoola in Co. Leitrim and she started working with the LGFA in March 2025. She graduated from the University of Limerick with a MSc in Sports Performance and has gained valuable experience in roles as LGFA Higher Education Colleges Secretary and as Leitrim County Development Officer. Michelle has played county football with the Leitrim ladies and was a member of the panel that won the All-Ireland Intermediate Championship in 2024. National Registration Co-Ordinator: Austin McKenna Austin has been working for the LGFA since May 2022. He administers the LGFA registration process for clubs, counties and provinces to ensure all clubs are properly constituted as regards membership. This involves approving all registrations and supporting clubs, counties and provinces in relation to any registration issues. Austin previously worked with GAA Handball as their Fixtures and Events Officer and has held many handball volunteer positions within Monaghan, Ulster and nationally. Tel: 01 865 8647 Email: nationalregistrar@lgfa.ie National Development Support Administrator: Margaret McCorry Margaret is responsible for the administration of all of the coach and referee education programmes. She also provides support for the national development staff in relation to their programmes and initiatives. She can be contacted at developmentsupport@lgfa.ie Operations Support: Ciara Matthews Ciara is responsible for providing administration support in the LGFA Office. She can be contacted at infosupport@lgfa.ie Provincial Development Officers: Each of the Provincial Development Officers are answerable to their respective provincial employers but are managed by the National Development Manager. They are responsible for the development and implementation of general games development within their province. Connacht: Michelle Filan: gdo.connacht@lgfa.ie North Leinster: Leah Doyle development.northleinster@lgfa.ie South Leinster: Emily Jacob Harris development.southleinster@lgfa.ie Munster: Gearóid Balfry: gdo.munster@lgfa.ie Ulster: Ciaran Murtagh:.ciaran.murtagh.ulster@gaa.ie Provincial Administrators: The provincial administrators are responsible for the day to day running of the provincial councils. They can be contacted on the details below. Connacht: Ita Hannon: admin.connacht@lgfa.ie Leinster: Margaret Brennan: admin.leinster@lgfa.ie Ulster: Rónán McCarthy: admin.ulster@lgfa.ie About Us National Congress Staff Structure of the Association Governance