Paddy Neilan

Paddy Neilan is a Gaelic football referee. He has refereed several All-Ireland Finals and the Connacht and Munster Senior Football Championship Finals.

Career

He was a controversial selection to referee the 2017 National League final.^[1] But he refereed the game very well and then got booed and dissected on TV the night of a qualifier between Armagh and Tipperary in Thurles went wrong.^[2][3] Another escort from the pitch a Guard either side of him followed after Meath and Tyrone played out a 2018 All Ireland Qualifier.^[4]

He refereed the 2017 Munster Senior Football Championship final.^[5] Dublin manager Jim Gavin criticised him after Kerry won.^[6]

By 2019, he had refereed in every county except Waterford, Wexford, and Westmeath. ^[7] He was referee for the Donegal and Kerry Super 8s game in the 2019 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. He is considered the top referee in Connacht (including Roscommon). ^[7]

He refereed the 2022 Munster Senior Football Championship semi-final, which Limerick qualified for the final for after twelve years of absence.^[8]

Neilan refereed the 2022 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship semi-final between Dublin and Kerry.^[9] He did the game without Hawk-Eye because it broke down the day before.^[10][11]

After praise for how he handled the semi-final, Neilan was named as standby referee and linesman for the 2022 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final.^[12]

He spent a year on the sidelines because he hurt his foot while he was officiating at a match of the 2023 National League.^[13] He returned to referee in the later rounds of the 2024 National League, and his first championship match since his return was a Quarter Final of the 2024 Leinster Senior Football Championship.^[14]

He was the referee for the 2024 All-Ireland U-20 Final in May 2024.^[15]

Then, for what was a second time over 3 seasons he was involved officiating in an All-Ireland Final when he was linesman for the 2024 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final when Armagh and Galway clashed.^[16]

Then he was in charge of the 2025 All-Ireland Club Final in January 2025.^[17][18] With a Galwayman refereeing the Hurling Final, it meant Connacht had the referee for both Senior Club Finals that year.^[19] Then he was in charge for the 2025 Connacht Senior Football Championship Final.^[20]

Personal life

Neilan is a member of St Faithleach's GAA club in County Roscommon. ^[7] He is an electrician in Sligo. He is married and, as of 2019, was a father of two, living in the Ballyleague area of Roscommon.^[7]