A Brilliant Day at Croke Park: Play Us at the 2026 Club Forum
On February 7th, we had the privilege of attending the GAA Club Forum in the iconic Croke Park, and what a day it was.
My son Fionn and I travelled up on the Friday and got set up that evening inside the Hogan Stand. Even then, there was a real buzz building. Exhibitors were putting the finishing touches to their stands, conversations were starting to flow, and you could feel the anticipation building for Saturday.
Fair Play to Every Club That Made the Effort
Before anything else, huge credit must go to every single person who travelled to Croke Park for the forum.
Club life is busy. Volunteers are stretched. Calendars are packed. Yet chairpersons, secretaries, PROs, coaches and committee members made the effort to give up a full Saturday, and in many cases travel long distances to learn, connect and bring fresh ideas back to their clubs.
That deserves real recognition.
Events like this only work because people care enough to show up. The willingness to invest time in improving your club speaks volumes about the strength and ambition within the GAA community right now.
A Morning That Built Momentum
By Saturday morning, the doors opened and the energy quickly ramped up. As people began to flow through the Hogan Stand, it didn’t take long before the place was buzzing.
What really stood out was the openness of the conversations. People weren’t just browsing, they were engaging. Asking questions. Sharing challenges. Exploring solutions. There was genuine enthusiasm and a clear appetite for ideas that could help clubs move forward.
We spent most of the day in conversation, talking fixtures, coaching, planning, opportunities and how Play Us can help clubs get more meaningful games organised outside of their formal programmes.
Brilliant Support & Connections
A special shout-out to the team at GameSense Coaching and Benchmark Sports, who were set up either side of us. It was great to chat, share thoughts and learn from each other throughout the day.
We were also delighted to meet representatives from the Ladies Gaelic Football Association, including Lyn Savage, Willie Harmon, Vinnie Whelan and Niall Mullrine. It was good to connect and exchange views on supporting clubs and participation across the board.
A Special Moment at the Stand
A big thanks to the ladies from Craobh Mhartain CLG who brought Monaghan footballer Conor McManus over to our stand.
Fionn had a great chat with Conor — a brilliant opportunity to connect and share what Play Us is about. Moments like that add to the occasion and highlight the shared passion that runs through clubs at every level.
The Volunteers Who Keep It Moving
It was also great to meet volunteers Dean and Aoife, who were stewarding on the day, welcoming people, guiding them and keeping everything running smoothly. Volunteers like this are the backbone of every successful event.
Looking Ahead
From our own perspective, it was especially encouraging to make connections with clubs from all over the country. We had a really positive conversation with Eamon Fitzgerald from Dr. Crokes GAA and are looking forward to calling down to him in Killarney. There are many other clubs we’re excited to visit in the months ahead.
We wrapped up around 3pm, as everyone gradually headed back to their respective corners of the country, hopefully bringing fresh ideas, renewed motivation and a sense of possibility back with them.
All in all, a hugely successful day for Play Us.
But most of all, fair play to every club representative who made the effort to be there. That commitment to learning, sharing and improving is what keeps our games strong.
If we didn’t get enough time on the day, we’d love to continue the conversation, and hopefully call to your club soon.
