In a statement on July 20, 2025 a spokesperson for Comhairle Uladh (Ulster Executive), Sinn Féin Poblachtach said: “We condemn the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) for continuing to enable the British Colonial Police (RUC/PSNI) within Occupied Ireland to shove their ongoing British policy of normalisation in the faces of nationalists.

“Sinn Féin Poblachtach has stated that the GAA should cease its corporate relationship with the RUC/PSNI. We are aware of an ongoing discussion within the GAA about potentially banning RUC/PSNI adverts in match-day programs, questioning whether it aligns with GAA values.

“We note the ongoing failure of the RUC/PSNI to provide the family of former GAA official Seán Brown’s justice. This GAA stalwart was kidnapped whilst locking the gates at Bellaghy Wolfe Tones in 1997 and later murdered by the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF).

“While Sinn Féin Poblachtach acknowledges GAA President, Jarlath Burns. supportive role to Seán Brown’s family although continuing to show leadership on one hand and taking it back with the other, is morally misaligned.

“The RUC/PSNI paying for advertising space in GAA match programmes has become a common occurrence, especially in more high profile GAA match days. In the All-Ireland hurling final match day programme we had in essence of 82,300 patrons seeing an ad featuring the phrase Déan slí bheatha de which translates from Irish to English as ‘make a career out of it’, a slogan commonly used by the RUC/PSNI in the Occupied Six Counties.

“In March 2024 a British coroner said Seán Brown’s inquest could not continue due to material being withheld on the grounds of national security by the RUC/PSNI. Also, early last year a British court heard that more than 25 people, including (RUC/PSNI) State agents, had been linked by intelligence material to Seán Brown’s murder. Further oversight of the RUC handling of the murder was deemed incomplete and inadequate.

“Sinn Féin Poblachtach calls for a permanent ban on all adverts from the British Crown Forces (RUC/PSNI) in all programmes associated with GAA games. We also call on those who make decisions within the GAA to stop promoting the RUC/PSNI as a positive career path to the youth of Ireland.”

PRO
Comhairle Uladh (Ulster Executive),
Sinn Féin Poblachtach

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