‘Big into the Orange’: GAA president Jarlath Burns presents Emma Little-Pengelly with Armagh scarf

The Silverbridge man has become the first GAA president to attend an NI match in Windsor Park.

GAA President Jarlath Burns presenting Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly with an Armagh GAA scarf

Newly appointed GAA President Jarlath Burns has presented Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly with an Armagh GAA scarf after hearing she is “big into the Orange”.

Mr Burns was elected to the role on Saturday, and on Tuesday night attended the NI women’s team’s Nations League play-off match against Montenegro at Windsor Park.

The 1-1 result meant the side have maintained their status in the B section of the competition, winning 3-1 on aggregate.

Sinn Féin’s Michelle O’Neill attended the match – the first Sinn Féin First Minister to do so – alongside Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, while Mr Burns and a number of other GAA officials also attended after meeting UEFA officials in relation to the Casement Park project.

After the match, Silverbridge native Burns made a beeline for Mrs Little-Pengelly – who is from Markethill, Co Armagh – to present her with the gift of an Armagh GAA scarf.

The Lagan Valley MLA took to X to joke there had been a “huge misunderstanding”.

"New GAA boss Jarlath Burns gifts me a scarf after hearing I am ‘big into the Orange,” she said.

"Joking aside, I congratulated him on his new role and it is good to see broad support at Windsor Park for our wonderful NI Women’s team (and thanked him for his gift!).”

The post has been viewed more than 79,000 times on the platform, with one user suggesting Armagh GAA “need all the help they can get”.

After the match, Ms O’Neill and Mrs Little-Pengelly both praised the efforts of the NI team on the evening, with the Sinn Féin MLA saying it had