Former GAA president Liam O’Neill has died at the age of 70 after a brief illness.

The Laois native, who was the association’s 37^th president, held the position between 2012-15.

He was only the second Laois person to be elected to the role, following in the footsteps of Robert O’Keeffe, 1935-38. O’Neill was the first president to be elected unopposed and succeeded Christy Cooney.

A former chairman of the Leinster Council, O’Neill was one of the first high-profile Croke Park figures to strongly advocate for integration of the GAA, Ladies Gaelic Football Association and Camogie Association.

RM Block

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A highly-respected administrator, O’Neill’s straight-talking approach helped him climb from filling several roles with his club Trumera to the highest office in the GAA.

During the former school principal’s presidency, the GAA introduced the contentious broadcast deal with Sky Sports while Hawk-Eye was installed at Croke Park for the first time.

A former underage hurler with Laois – with whom he won an under-16 B title – O’Neill is survived by his wife Áine, daughters Caoimhe and Cliodhna and son Ciarán.