Forty motions will be heard by the GAA's Annual Congress which starts in Donegal today, but perhaps some of the biggest concerns facing the association won’t be tabled as official proposals.
Instead, much-needed work is ongoing behind the scenes to address some key threats that are providing daunting challenges to the GAA.
One such issue is demographics.
At the moment 44% of the island's population is serviced by just 19% of the country's GAA clubs as people move in numbers from rural to urban areas.
It has left rural GAA clubs struggling to field teams due to a lack of numbers.
Meanwhile, urban GAA clubs are overwhelmed; too many players, not enough teams or pitches.
The country’s increasing urbanisation is something that has been on the minds of GAA officials for some time.
It may even be indirectly acknowledged at Congress this weekend through a St Mary’s Rosslare motion driven by former Wexford manager Liam Griffin.
Griffin’s Congress proposal seeks that every club in Ireland would field at least one hurling team between the under-7 and under-10 grades, with an initial fine of €250 installed for clubs who do not comply.
This fine would double every subsequent year if no action was taken.
Within the motion, Griffin has made an exception for clubs who can demonstrate that they simply do not have enough players to field a side, which reflects the struggle for numbers that some rural clubs are experiencing.
Overall, it will be a Congress dominated mostly by potential changes to the football series and the possible reintroduction of replays for provincial and All-Ireland finals, but there are a number of hurling-related motions on this year’s Congress Clar.
The Hurling Development Committee yesterday announced its latest scheme to help grow the game in low-participation areas.
The HDC has offered free hurleys, helmets and sliotars to encourage more hurling clubs to open across Ireland for clubs who have either established hurling in 2024 or wish to do so in 2025.
Clubs must offer hurling at nursery level (ages 4-6) throughout the year as a minimum, actively engage with games development staff, tie in with feeder schools and commit to the Go Games programme in the second year of existence.
The GAA can point to the success of the Táin Óg League, which covers parts of Ulster, Connacht and Leinster.
Two years ago, Croke Park sent equipment packs totalling 750 helmets, 500 hurleys, and 6,200 sliotars to 85 clubs from the 15 counties that entered that competition.
The Cú Chulainn League formed after that and saw 54 teams from 31 clubs take part - these teams also received equipment packs for participation, up to €1,500 worth of gear depending on how many age grades they competed in.
The 2025 giveaway scheme is the latest in a series of programmes and initiatives to be rolled out in the months and years ahead.
National Head of Hurling Willie Maher will officially take office at the start of April and as part of his overall strategic development plan, it is likely that start-up grants will also be available for newly-formed hurling clubs.
Separately, around Ireland, moves are afoot to start, enhance and intensify the growth of the game.
In Dublin, leading dual players at under-15 and under-16 level will now have to choose between football and hurling. The decision has been approved to embrace a single code policy for young players on a trial basis.
It is hoped that Dublin hurling will gain much from this move.
This weekend’s Congress sees a motion calling for New York and Europe GAA to enter into the Lory Meagher Cup in the near future, but, in tandem, much work is needed here at home to make sure the small ball game survives, grows and thrives.
