Mr. Iain Cheyne:

I will speak with a specific focus on integration and how this is an area already working well within the association. GAA Rounders has grown rapidly over the last six years. What once started with three championships, in senior men, ladies and mixed, has developed into a total of nine divisions, spanning junior, intermediate and senior championships. This growth is replicated in the number of clubs registered with the association. In the same six-year period, GAA rounders-registered clubs have prospered, increasing from 13 to over 60 in 2024, with 11 new clubs already registered this year alone.

Some 19 counties have adopted the code of rounders in men’s, ladies’, mixed and juvenile categories.

Currently, GAA Rounders is set up like a large county structure. As the organisation continues to grow, a move to provincial-style structures will be required to ensure the correct level of support is afforded to all clubs. Currently, among the championships, more than 300 national fixtures are held in any given championship year. In addition, national events for novice adult clubs and our newest junior clubs are also undertaken to help them gain experience in the game. Rounders may be a unique Gaelic game in structure, but it replicates similar skills used in football and hurling. Its non-contact nature is a welcome difference. Furthermore, it has afforded non-traditional GAA groupings the opportunity to play rounders with like-minded individuals, form clubs and, importantly, be a part of the Gaelic games family.

The competition structure of GAA Rounders consists of a men’s championship, a ladies’ championship and a mixed championship. Indeed, it is the GAA mixed championship which demonstrates the integrated nature and unique selling point of GAA Rounders. Differing from all other Gaelic codes is the fact that both male and females can play alongside one another on the same team. This inclusive nature of the mixed championship brings families together and speaks volumes of the underlying ethos of the GAA organisation, underscoring that GAA Rounders is a sport for all.

Currently, GAA Rounders uses facilities which are GAA-owned, but plans include the provision of GAA Rounders-specific facilities in the not-too-distant future. As an example of inclusion, the shared membership system, which is already used by all codes, has been very positive. Rounders now has access to shared services through the Croke Park team, which has been very beneficial. Having people in specialised roles who can advise and guide us on how to promote and manage an organisation will only improve when the whole organisation is fully integrated into one GAA family.