Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I also wholeheartedly welcome the president of the GAA, Mr. John Horan, to the Seanad today. I also welcome his guests, his wife, Paula, sons Jack and Liam, sisters Mary and Therese and their husbands, Alan Milton and Teresa Rehill from Croke Park, and all our distinguished guests.

Not wishing to sound in any way triumphalist, coming from the county of Kerry, I can speak with some authority on the marvellous contribution the GAA has made to the sporting and cultural life of this country. We are a modest people in Kerry and some might say that, recently, we have a lot to be modest about. I will not boast about how frequently over the years we have been to Croke Park and have come home with medals and trophies, whether at club or county levels. Even as recently as this weekend we had a very encouraging win over Tyrone. I will not say anything about the Dubs but I am wearing the wrong colours today, being more in blue than I would like.