The chairman of the Tyrone County Board said last night that the GAA needs to embrace minority groups and to seek new members from all religious persuasions.

Speaking at Tyrone's annual convention, he envisaged the prospect of a MacRory Cup title being won by a school from the unionist community.

"Recruiting children and young people to our games is a key grassroots activity. We face new challen'ges from demographic trends," said Darcy.

"Birth rates are falling. School rolls are falling. The young population we traditionally recruit from will continue to decline in the future.

"The challenge we face is to broaden our participation base by reaching out to all regardless of creed in an Ireland which is becoming more complex, diverse, multicultural and secular.

"In particular we must embrace minority groups, migrant communities and the underprivileged in urban areas. It will not be enough, however, to say our games are open to everyone. We need to be proactive and we can because we are a grassroots organisation."

Darcy issued an invitation to schools with no GAA tradition to consider the introduction of Gaelic games to the curriculum.

"In moving forward I also look to schools whose traditions did not facilitate Gaelic games in their sports curriculum.

"In doing so I do not envisage a school from the unionist community winning a MacRory Cup in the next decade. However, in the longer term future - why not?"