The GPA was founded in Belfast in 1999 as an official autonomous representative body for GAA players in response to a rapidly changing inter-county landscape. The GPA is a wholly self-funded, not-for-profit membership organisation dedicated to player welfare and the protection of the rights of players. Since its inception, the GPA has constructively highlighted the issue of player welfare and the status of the player within the GAA.
In 2003, a ground-breaking sponsorship partnership was formed with Energise Sport (then Club Energise). As well as securing the very future of the GPA and providing a wide range of promotional opportunities for players, this deal has funded the country’s most extensive Gaelic games scholarship programme.
The success of the GPA can be measured by the dramatic improvements in player welfare, particularly the development and implementation of the Government funded awards schemes for inter-county players in 2008.
With an inter-county membership of nearly 1900 players, the GPA is now regarded as the most powerful, progressive and highest profile players’ representative body in Ireland.
