Jack Boothman, whose death has been announced, was the first member of the Church of Ireland community to be elected president of the GAA. With a veterinary practice in Wicklow, he was a stalwart of the Blessington club and went on to serve the association at the highest administrative levels, as both chair of the Leinster Council and president of the Association.
He was elected to the top post in 1993 having been runner-up to Peter Quinn three years previously and served in office from 1994 to 1997.
His term of office was an interesting time. In 1996 the GAA voted to dilute for the first time the primacy of knock-out competition in the championships by voting to allow defeated Munster and Leinster hurling finalists re-enter the All-Ireland.
It was also on Boothman’s watch that the GAA allowed sponsorship of the All-Ireland hurling championships (football had been given the go-ahead a year earlier) and the Guinness campaign, begun in 1995, played a major role in a very exciting time for the game, as Clare, Wexford and Offaly all won All-Irelands.
He also supported the deletion of Rule 21, which prohibited members of the British security forces from membership of the GAA, in the aftermath of the 1994 IRA ceasefire. Although the contentious rule survived his presidency Boothman listed its survival as a regret when making his final presidential address to congress.
“My presidency was a time of great hope and fierce disappointment in Northern Ireland,” he said. “I am sad to say that as regards Rule 21 which excludes British soldiers and policemen from GAA membership, we did not make the strides that might have been expected in changing circumstances.”
As a retired president Boothman was more conservative in his instincts and vehemently opposed the modification of Rule 42, which was until 2005 used to ban the playing of rugby and soccer in GAA grounds – even though he had been a talented rugby player and featured for King’s Hospital in a Leinster Schools Cup final.
His successor as president Aogán Ó Fearghail said: “Jack Boothman was a man I considered to be a friend and he served the GAA with distinction. I had the privilege of knowing him since the 1980s and have very fond memories of attending an Irish language course with him and Joe McDonagh in the Meath Gaeltacht of Rath Chairn. He was great company.
“He had great interest in the club and the last conversation I had with him recently he told me ‘don’t forget about the clubs’. On behalf of the Association as a whole I would like to offer my condolences to his wife Nuala and his extended family and his wide circle of friends.”
