As the organisation officially dissolves, Club Players Association (CPA) chairman Micheál Briody has said the highlight of his tenure is huge satisfaction that there is now fixture certainty in place for future generations.
Briody told RTÉ Sport that any youngster wishing to pursue an involvement in Gaelic games could now plan accordingly following last weekend's decision to implement a split season.
"The highlight is knowing the 18-year-old coming into GAA will now have fixture certainty," Briody says. "That hasn’t been there at club level since before qualifiers were introduced.
"I have to say too that another personal highlight of my involvement with the CPA was the hour-long chats every week that I had with Liam Griffin whilst coming home from work. They were always a welcome tonic," Briody added.
CPA officials held an executive committee meeting earlier this week to wind down the lobby group after being satisfied that the passing of the split season motion at last weekend's Annual Congress will resolve the longstanding fixtures issue.
While the pandemic was a catalyst for change, the CPA also feels their lobbying for club and county fixtures to have their own allocated time on the GAA’s fixtures calendar was a potent force in arriving at separate windows for club and county scheduling.
With that motion secured on Saturday, the Executive held an Extraordinary General Meeting last Monday night and decided unanimously to dissolve the organisation.
The decision was taken in accordance with the CPA Constitution, and there were no dissenters.
This was driven by alarm bells over GAA player participation and drop out levels
The group was established in 2016 and launched in 2017 by a group of GAA volunteers, with Monaghan man Declan Brennan to the forefront along with Liam Griffin, Derek Kavanagh, and Kieran Fitzgerald, who all played key roles in highlighting fixtures issues at varying junctures.
From the start the goal was to lobby and campaign on the single issue of fixing the fixtures for all players.
"This was driven by alarm bells over GAA player participation and drop out levels," a CPA statement said.
"It was due to serious concerns related to players' physical and mental wellbeing, because of the demands and uncertainty of the playing season."
With Congress at the weekend making the historic decision to institute a split season model, the CPA Executive considered its mandate to be completed.
"The responsibility is now with GAA management directed by An Uachtarán, Larry McCarthy and Ard Stiúrthóir, Tom Ryan, to implement Congress's unanimous and democratic decision," the statement continues.
"And it is the role of club and county players and officials to monitor the delivery of the new fixture arrangements and hold the association accountable."
Since 2017, the CPA has worked to keep the fixtures debate in the public forum.
"We advocated a split season approach as a sensible, fair and logical solution to the fixtures issue, and we warmly welcome Congress’s decision, though overdue.
"A rising tide lifts all boats, and over recent years, despite the ebb and flow of debate, the tide of public opinion and the stream of discussion in the GAA has brought all parties to this destination. It is a time for optimism.
"Thank you to all players and GAA members who participated in surveys, sent us season models and ideas (all were read and given consideration), offered feedback, provided encouragement and constructive criticism.
"We are grateful for the contributions of our executive members past and present, including Declan Brennan. We also thank the GPA for their cooperation and support. Thanks to GAA management for the ongoing engagement. We are also grateful to the media for the opportunities and platforms to discuss and debate our ideas."
The statement concluded by highlighting that the CPA included a diverse group of GAA volunteers from different backgrounds in clubs across Ireland who were brought together and united by their commitment to the association.
"We share a single-minded belief that the goal of a workable fixtures programme was achievable to make the GAA better as a sporting organisation.
"Our reasoning has always been that the right approach to fixtures would provide a vastly improved platform for participation in our games for all players at all levels. With that objective achieved, the time is right to step away.
"If other motivated individuals wish to champion another cause, the Joint Captains' Association perhaps, that is their choice. We have played our part, and our work is done."
