Laois GAA club appoints former Dublin GAA All-Star as senior football manager for 2026
He joins the club with an impressive coaching CV
A Laois GAA club has announced Dublin legend Paddy Christie as their new Senior Football Manager for the 2026 season. The club confirmed the appointment on their official Facebook page.
"Arles Killeen is proud to announce Dublin GAA legend Paddy Christie as the new Senior Football Manager for the upcoming 2026 season.
"As a player, he made his inter-county senior debut for Dublin against Armagh in April 1995. Following many successful seasons, he was then selected in the 2002 GAA All Stars Awards team at full-back. In total, he won three Leinster Senior Football Championship medals in 2002, 2005 and 2006.
"Paddy Christie has carved out a reputation as a coach and manager after undertaking stellar work with his club Ballymun Kickhams and DCU at college level.
"He was part of the David Power-led Tipperary senior management team that landed a first Munster SFC title for the Premier County in 85 years back in November 2020. During his time in Tipp, he also managed the county under-20 team and led them to a Munster final.
"With Longford after joining them in 2022, Christie saw his team win back-to-back O’Byrne Cup titles during his tenure. We want to wish Paddy and the Senior team the very best of luck for the season ahead," the Facebook post said.
Christie succeeds Anthony Rainbow, who managed Arles-Killeen in 2025. Rainbow’s one-year tenure included a victory over Clonaslee St Manman's in the ACFL Division 2 final and a run to the Laois SFC quarter-finals, where county champions Portarlington beat them by 20 points. Rainbow has since been appointed manager of Raheens for 2026.
The former Dublin star will likely be a spectator in Ratheniska on Saturday afternoon as his native county Dublin takes on Laois in the opening round of the O'Byrne Cup.