Dessie Farrell has announced his intention to step down from his role as CEO of the GPA, at the end of 2016.
As a founding member of the organisation, Farrell was a passionate driving force which has seen the organisation grow and eventually join forces with the GAA, to try and improve player welfare.
Chairman of the GPA, Seamus Hickey said “Dessie has been an inspirational leader of the GPA. What he has achieved for inter-county players over his term has been extraordinary. He has nurtured a new generation of player leaders who will take the organisation to the next level. Throughout his career he has displayed passion and commitment in his service to players. On behalf of current and former players and our supporters at home and overseas I want to thank him sincerely and wish him every success for the future.”
Commenting on his announcement this morning, Dessie Farrell said: "I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to work in a career so intrinsically linked to the sports I love. It has been a tremendous honour to have led the GPA and to have served our county players over the past decade and half. We are all extremely proud of what has been achieved in that time and I feel truly privileged to have witnessed the growth, development and success of the organisation in that period.”
Previous GPA Chairman and founding member Donal Óg Cusack said: “It was my pleasure and privilege to have known and worked with Dessie Farrell for so many years. We fought many battles side by side and his passion, his integrity, his loyalty and his sense of right made the lives of all inter-county players a little easier. I owe Dessie a great debt as do, the GPA, all inter county players and the GAA generally”.
Farrell retired from inter-county football in 2005, after almost 15-years with Dublin. He won six Leinster titles and an All-Star but his crowning moment came in 1995, when he was part of the Dublin team that won the All-Ireland defeating Tyrone in the final by a point.
The GPA are already preparing to find Farrell's successor with recruitment process beginning on October 9th. A recommendation will be made by the end of the year, to take over from Farrell.
You can read the rest of Farrell's statement here.
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