Mayo participant among 24 revealed for LGFA’s 2025/26 Learn to Lead programme

The Ladies Gaelic Football Association has announced the list of 24 participants in its fourth Learn to Lead female leadership programme. Among them is Mary T. McTavish of Mayo's Shrule/Glencorrib club.

Learn to Lead – a unique programme launched in 2019 – was devised to develop the next generation of female leaders within ladies Gaelic football.

Twenty graduates from the inaugural programme were honoured in February 2020, followed by the celebration of 2021/22 graduates in May 2022, before 2022/23 participants were saluted in February 2024.

The 2025/26 course will be delivered once again by experts in the fields of leadership, coaching, officiating, administration and PR/media.

There was a huge response to the LGFA’s call for applicants, with a long-list whittled down to 24 – six in each strand.

Over the course of four days and six evenings, diverse leadership skills will be examined, with the focus firmly on developing the skill sets and techniques required to master each of the four strands.

The final list of 24 participants includes leading coaches (including Mary), officials, administrators and players representing the four provinces.

The LGFA’s Strategic Plan (2024-2029) is driving focus in a number of areas, including supporting and growing volunteers, and leading innovation.

The association’s Learn to Lead programme plays a key role in this, and came into being as a result of a key area in the LGFA’s Strategic Roadmap 2017-2022 to ‘define a model to promote female leadership across the association'.

Ladies Gaelic Football Association president Mícheál Naughton commented: “We are delighted to announce details of our fourth Learn to Lead female leadership programme. Organisations thrive on strong leadership and we must always be cognisant of the leaders of the future, and to hone and refine their already outstanding skills.

“Twenty-four participants will now begin their Learn to Lead journeys, and we have seen from previous programmes how beneficial and life-changing this initiative can be.

“I am looking forward to following the progress of the participants across the four strands and they will learn to much from leaders in the fields of leadership, coaching, officiating, administration and PR/media.

“It has been superb to witness the progress and career paths of our previous recipients, many of whom are thriving in their professional lives and as proud members of our association, and serving in various roles.”

The programme will commence in the coming weeks and run until February 2026.