The anticipated absences stem from a pre-booked team holiday to Florida that clashes directly with the ceremony.
The travel party is scheduled to fly out on October 27—three days before the event at the RDS—and return on November 5. The trip was arranged shortly after the county’s All-Ireland final defeat to Mayo in July to coincide with the mid-term break for teachers within the squad. Kerry’s nominees for the accolades include the Clifford brothers, Shane Murphy, Jason Foley, Mike Breen, Mark O’Shea, and Dylan Geaney.
Scheduling Conflicts and GPA Contact
The Gaelic Players Association contacted the Kerry County Board last week regarding the fixture clash, though no resolution has been found. The Florida getaway is positioned between the Clifford siblings’ commitments with East Kerry in the senior county championship and Fossa’s upcoming Munster intermediate semi-final on November 22 against either the Clare or Waterford representatives.
A parallel situation emerged with Limerick’s All-Ireland winning hurlers, whose original team holiday also overlapped with the awards night before being altered. Limerick and Mayo are both set to depart for their team trips during the same weekend as the All-Stars gala.
Historical Precedents of Gala Absences
Missing the annual presentation event is not unprecedented among top Gaelic games competitors. In 2023, recipients Eoin Cody and TJ Reid were absent due to a stag party in Cheltenham. Previous absences also include Galway’s Cathal Mannion while travelling, and Tyrone goalkeeper Niall Morgan when he claimed his award in 2024.
Last year, David and Paudie were among eight Kerry winners who cut short a US and Mexico team trip to attend the ceremony. David Clifford is shortlisted alongside Mayo players Ryan O’Donoghue and Jack Carney for the top individual accolade.
