Armagh All-Ireland winner Aidan O’Rourke says the GAA has failed young people in their approach to the Covid-19 pandemic and has called for a return to play for the benefit of their mental health.

Writing in his coaching column for RTE Sport, the current GAA Performance Manager with Queen's University says the association needs to support young people if and when outdoor activities are allowed to resume in the coming weeks.

He also added that “the fault line between ‘The GAA’ and GAA communities has never been wider” than at the present time - a year on from when pandemic initially forced the GAA to cease its activities for more than three months.

“Following England’s lead, Stormont are expected to move to allow sport for young people to resume outdoors in the coming weeks,” O’Rourke wrote. “Soccer, Rugby, Hockey, etc. will quickly provide environments for our members to begin to find their feet and rebuild their confidence and identity as sports people.

“The GAA’s next challenge is to support those young people who will be permitted by public health to return to their clubs in an organised fashion and to resume our games. Every child matters and any self-imposed barriers to participation should be discarded.

“There is a school of thought that the GAA should only move as one in any resumption but that attitude will again fail our young people.

“After all, there were six counties left behind last summer as the association mandated a return to games and there are only six counties with their coaching and games staff furloughed. Exceptions can be made it seems.”

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