GAA President Jarlath Burns has urged members of the association to take part in a protest next week to support a campaign to upgrade one of Ireland's most dangerous roads.
Objectors to the upgrade of the 93km A5, which links counties Donegal and Monaghan, are taking legal action in an attempt to halt work on the first phase.
Preparation work is under way at a number of locations for that first phase of the £1.2 billion (€1.1 billion) project to upgrade the road after final approval was given by Stormont's Department for Infrastructure in November last year.
Since plans for the project were first announced 18 years ago, 57 people have been killed in incidents along the road.
Tyrone GAA has played a leading role in a campaign backing the upgrade, setting up the A5 Enough is Enough group.
It was delayed by a series of legal challenges and funding issues, and another legal challenge will be mounted in the High Court in Belfast on Tuesday.
The GAA president has now intervened and sent emails to the chairs of all county boards in Ulster.
Mr Burns is urging them to take part in a protest outside the court to show support for the campaign.
"I write to you today with a deep sense of urgency and solidarity, lending my full support to the A5 Enough is Enough campaign and urging all GAA counties, particularly in Ulster, to help promote the upcoming peaceful demonstration on Tuesday," he said.
"This campaign is not simply about upgrading a road, it is about protecting lives," he added.
The email lists a number of Tyrone GAA members who lost their lives on the A5.
It states: "For those of us who travel the A5 occasionally, it's dangers are stark.
"But for the people of Tyrone, this road is a daily reality, a reality that has already claimed too many lives.
"It is indefensible that, after decades of promises and delays, families are still being robbed of loved ones due to inaction."
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Speaking to RTÉ News at GAA headquarters in Croke Park, Mr Burns rejected any suggestion that he had overstepped his remit and was trying to influence a judicial process.
"It really is time now for this road to be brought up to a level commensurate with the amount of traffic needs that a road of that quality requires," he said.
"The last two captains of Tyrone's under-20 teams have lost brothers on this road and that's only an example of many, many of the dozens of people who have been lost on this road," he added.
Mr Burns said the reason the GAA is involved in the campaign is because it is "a community organisation, a community movement, as much as a sporting organisation".
"This is a very good cause," he said, adding "there have been too many lives lost on the A5".
"I think all of the community should come together to campaign for a new road here," he added.
Mr Burns said the association "are not trying to influence a judicial process".
"What we are saying is that while this is going on, lives are continuing to be lost on this road, and we just want this road built and the GAA is fully supportive of the Tyrone GAA’s campaign to ensure that everything possible can be done to focus minds on this piece of infrastructure and the fact that it needs to be finished," he said.
Mr Burns will not be attending the protest in Belfast as he will in New York as a guest of New York GAA for the city’s St Patrick’s Day parade over the weekend.
"The fact that I wasn't able to be there is disappointing for me and that is why I sent the email to all chairs in Ulster to try and ensure that they can use all of their social media influences to get as many people there as possible, just to demonstrate that there is a different narrative here," he said.
The GAA president said the narrative is "that we want to save lives because too many lives are being lost on the A5".
More than 3,000 acres of land on over 300 farms will be affected by the upgrade and vesting orders for the land needed for the first phase have already been issued.
The latest legal challenge has angered those campaigning for the upgrade.
"There is massive disappointment, verging on anger," Chair of the A5 Enough is Enough group said.
Niall McKenna said: "Throughout our campaign we have always said to people who have been objecting, because of the amount of carnage and slaughter on the road, we've always asked them to reflect and reconsider.
"But unfortunately, again with a small number that has fallen on deaf ears."
Mr McKenna said the group hopes this matter can be "resolved quickly and that the judge understands the urgency of the situation".
"Our priority is simply to try to save lives," he added.
They have welcomed the intervention by Mr Burns.
"We're delighted with Jarlath's intervention, he's been a very strong supporter of our campaign throughout, as has the entire GAA community at all levels," Mr McKenna said.
The Government has said it will contribute £500 million (€458 million), almost half the total cost of the project.
Stormont's Department for Infrastructure has expressed disappointment at the latest level challenge, saying any further delays will have huge consequences for the public purse as well as road safety.
