From:Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

The Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Neale Richmond TD, today (12 June) announced a grant of €500,000 to support the development of the Lancashire GAA Centre of Excellence at Broughton Park in Manchester.

The GAA, Manchester City Council and Broughton Park Rugby Club have partnered to redevelop a state of the art facility for Lancashire GAA that will provide a focal point for Gaelic Games in Northern Britain and support the year-on-year growth in playing numbers in schools, clubs and universities across the region.

Speaking ahead of the Northern Community Gaelic Games taking place in Broughton Park this weekend, Minister Richmond stated: “I am delighted to announce a grant of €500,000 from the government’s Emigrant Support Programme to the GAA for the development of a Centre of Excellence at Lancashire GAA. I had the honour of turning the sod on this major development last June when I visited for the 2025 Northern Community Gaelic Games. Our funding for this flagship project will support the GAA in providing a state of the art facility for Gaelic Games in the region and a new hub for the Irish community in the region for many years to come.

“I have seen the central key role the global GAA network plays as a sporting community and social touch point for many of our diaspora abroad.

“Partnering on flagship projects like Broughton Park aligns with priorities set out in the Government’s Diaspora Strategy and International Sports Diplomacy Strategy. I am committed to ensuring this long-running partnership between the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the GAA continues to grow Gaelic Games abroad, while also providing a platform to deepen our connection with Irish communities overseas and to share our heritage with the world.

“I look forward to welcoming the 2,000 players from more than 100 overseas GAA teams to Waterford next month for the GAA World Games.”

President of the GAA, Jarlath Burns added: "The official opening of the new GAA facilities at Broughton Park in Manchester is another glorious chapter in the success story that is World GAA. We are enormously grateful for the support and assistance that we receive from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and it is a partnership that has allowed our network of international clubs to continue to be community hubs for our Diaspora.

“Next year the GAA's Provincial Council of Britain will celebrate its centenary. It will mark the occasion confidently looking to the future thanks to developments such as Broughton Park. It recognises the legions of Irish men and women who played our national games and celebrated our culture over many decades and will enable current and future generations to do the same."

Founded in 1926, Lancashire GAA has players from nursery age to adult senior level across 12 clubs who will use the playing facility weekly. The new Centre for Excellence will serve as the primary hub for Gaelic Games in Northern Britain. To launch the Centre, the 2026 Northern Community Gaelic Games will be held on June 12-13 with 60 school teams and 115 club teams due to compete.

The Emigrant Support Programme is central to the Government of Ireland’s engagement with our communities abroad. Established in 2004, the Emigrant Support Programme has assisted over 900 organisations across 53 countries with grants totalling over €265 million.

Since 2012, a match-funding partnership arrangement with the GAA has facilitated Emigrant Support Programme funding of just over €8.3 million towards GAA’s Games Development projects worldwide.

The Global Games Development Fund provides financial support for projects that increase opportunities for the Irish Diaspora and other communities abroad to play Gaelic Games, strengthening Irish networks and Irish identity internationally.

At present, the GAA estimates it has more than 550 GAA clubs operating outside of Ireland and throughout the Americas, Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and the Middle East.

The support announced for the Broughton Park redevelopment is in addition to Emigrant Support Programme funding provided annually to the GAA through the Global Games Development Fund (GGDF). The GGDF is a co-funding partnership between the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the GAA to support GAA clubs overseas. In 2026, the GGDF supported 153 clubs and 164 projects across six continents.