realGAA

GAA and GPA don't share the same vision for fixtures reform

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 19:00:00 +0000

Yesterday the Examiner hinted how the GPA and the GAA are heading for confrontation on the proposals for fixtures reform and presented further evidence of this again today.

The GPA represented by Sean Potts, their head of communications, are insisting that their proposal for changes to the championship structure should be considered by Congress. Despite being contrary to the objectives of Pairic Duffy's reforms which aim to achieve less inter-county matches, the GPA want more. Almost 40 games more. And they're not shy about reminding us that as the inter-county bring in 80% of the funding of the GAA - according to Potts - they should be listened to.

However, in a separate piece the Examiner also reports on comments from Peter Twiss, the Kerry GAA Secretary who is in favour of the GAA's reforms: “If people really want something done about club fixtures then they should give these proposals serious consideration".

It's too early to judge whether Twiss' position is reflected in the County Boards in other counties. But it is clear that we're in for an interesting three months in the build-up to Congress in February. If club players really want to see the reforms voted through then they need to start making their voices heard.

Promoting the GAA Internationally

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 30 Nov 2015 21:30:00 +0000

There's been lots written over the past week about promoting the GAA internationally following the International Rules game in Dublin and the 'Classic' Hurling match between Galway and Dublin in Fenway Park.

Keith Duggan in Saturday's Irish Times claimed that 'The world is happy to leave Gaelic Games to the Irish' and that the exposure gained from such an event is not going to impact playing numbers in the US. His opinion was echoed by many others who don't see the point.

However, as Dessie Farrell pointed out if the right strategy is adopted then games like the Super 11 can have an important promotional as well as developmental role. But then who is going to adopt the right strategy? Is it the GAA's role or the GPA's role? Or shouldn't they be working together?

Why weren't hurling teams based in the US and Canada invited to participate in a Super 11 tournament that could have taken place the same weekend in Boston with the Galway v Dublin match the culmination of a hurling weekend? Am sure teams like Indianapolis and Milwaukee who are made up of almost all Americans would have been thrilled to be invited, take part and see the best players in their chosen sport in action.

And we don't have to look very far abroad to see that Gaelic Games ARE growing outside of Ireland with keen interest from non-Irish to grow the game. For example, in France this weekend the French Gaelic Football Federation welcomed Azur Gaels, the 23rd club to join the federation and in the same weekend Brittany inaugurated the first women's championship with three teams participating.

But that's not all, there's more to come with several more Gaelic football teams planned in Angers, Caen, Narbonne and Saint-Lô.

There may be trouble ahead...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 30 Nov 2015 19:30:00 +0000

There are growing signs that the GAA and GPA are once again on collision course.

In today's Examiner John Fogarty suggests that the two could be at 'loggerheads' over their opposing plans for the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. The GPA want more inter-county games - with 31 out of 32 county panels in support of their proposals for more games per year - while the GAA want less games in order to rebalance county fixtures with club fixtures.

It's hard to see how the GPA will want to go along with a GAA administration that is advocating change in the direction of the clubs.

"The bottom line is quite simple. This is about shifting the balance unashamedly, unapologetically from inter-county to club activity," says Aogán O Fearghail, GAA President, in an interview with Martin Breheny in Saturday's Indo.

Perhaps Donal Óg Cusack was hinting that more friction was on its way when he said that 'There always needs to be friction between players and administrators’. Afterall the five year protocol agreement signed in 2011 only continues another 10 months so it will be interesting to see if the GPA make reform of the football championship a central part of a new agreement with the GAA.

Will be interesting to see what happens in February at Congress as the GAA has a very big call to make.

Super Clubs, Super Rangers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 Nov 2015 20:00:00 +0000

The Irish Post draws a good comparison between Crossmaglen Rangers and Nemo Rangers, pointing out how these two powerhouses in club football prioritise coaching young players and keeping all players involved with their clubs.

Templates many other clubs would like to replicate.

GAA Club Players 'Demoralised'

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 Nov 2015 19:30:00 +0000

Senior club players are 'very frustrated and demoralised' according to Donal Murphy, Chairman of Rathmore GAA Club.

The Examiner reports that their frustration is such that the players and management of the club were behind a motion put to the Kerry County Board to postpone all SFC games between July's Munster final and Kerry's exit from the All-Ireland football championship.

They were so fed-up with the current situation that they would prefer to know in advance that they have no championship games at all in the summer months, than to be training for games that may or may not happen.

Thankfully, the Kerry board have rejected the proposal but it demonstrates the feelings of club players in the GAA who want certainty in the fixtures and to be able to plan their lives.

Recently on newstalk, Tomás Ó Sé, having experienced a season as a club player he thinks they get a 'raw deal' and are 'struggling to get their voice heard'.

Club players come second. It's time to change that.

Club Fixtures: Joe.ie calls it 'A Plaster for an Open Wound'

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 21:51:00 +0000

I'm with Kevin McGillicuddy. The proposals for the fixtures problem just don't go far enough.

The real problem lies in the summer when the provincial inter-county championships monopolise the fine weather and deny club players the best conditions to play the club championships.

And as Kevin points out, the County Boards are left in charge of this problem but their priority is not giving club players meaningful games it's chasing the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and doing anything and everything to ensure the county team's success. They are caught in the Catch-22 of pumping money into the preparation of county teams and dependent on the county team's success to recoup the money invested.

Club Fixtures: Jackie Cahill raises the issues

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 21:40:00 +0000

Interesting comments in Jackie Cahill's piece on the GAA section of The42.ie on Padraig Duffy's fixtures proposals.

Perhaps it is time for a Gaelic CLUB Players Association. Inter-county players are 'selfish' as Tomas O'Se admitted on Off the Ball. Although that's not something we didn't know already given the GPA's words and actions since its inception.

The club players have no-one to convey their collective voice despite representing the vast majority of the GAA's playing membership. The 'elitist cartel' as Joe Brolly calls them has Croke Park and the County Boards under its control and the national media only care about the county scene as that's what sells papers, gets them clicks and pays their wages. And it seems anytime there's a committee or panel created to look into these matters it consists of ex-county players who have a bias towards the inter-county game.

But how could a Club Players body come into existence? It was hard enough to form the GPA.

The Fermanagh Herald on Club Fixtures

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 21:26:00 +0000

Padraig Duffy's proposals for fixtures and player burn-out have generated some commentary since their publication recently.

Chris Breen in the Fermanagh Herald has a good piece today and makes some important points on how the proposals fall short.

Bringing forward the All-Ireland finals by two weeks is positive and is to be welcome. But, the problem doesn't lie in August no September for most countries it's the months preceding it. Couldn't agree more. Despite the 13 day rule few counties play their club championship fixtures between inter-county championship matches. The predominant discourse in the media led by ex-county players and managers is that the two can't be played side-by-side. This is wrong and treats club players as second class citizens.

Ending replays as Chris points out could hurt the GAA financially but the players - the vast majority of them being club players - are the real 'currency' of the GAA and need to be protected. It's about time the GAA recognised this. Giving club players a regular and meaningful fixture of matches should be the top priority in securing the GAA's future. Otherwise they will find something better to do with their time.

It's time to say goodbye to the International Rules

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 19 Nov 2015 22:18:00 +0000

With the International Rules this weekend it's worth recalling that on the 19th November last year France played Italy in an international GAA match in Toulouse.

Perhaps France's overwhelming victory on the day meant a re-match was not sought by the Italians this year. Nevertheless this match was a sign of things to come. The French are intent on sending a well-prepared team to represent France in the GAA World Games in Ireland next year and were recently unlucky not to beat an Ireland side comprised of Irish players based in France.

While it will take at least a decade before a French team can take on a real Irish team the growth of GAA in France over the last ten years has been impressive and the standard of Gaelic football is improving all the time.

Which begs the question. Why does the GAA want to promote a game that no-one in Ireland plays? It doesn't have any identity and it certainly doesn't have a future.

If the GAA really wants to promote its games internationally then investment should be made in countries like France where there's an appetite for the game. Not some made-up sport that no actually plays.

Around the World in 80 GAA Clubs

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 19 Nov 2015 20:00:00 +0000

Great initiative by Joe to feature some of the GAA clubs from around the world. Although eighty sounds like a large number of clubs it's just over a third of the 315 international clubs affiliated with the GAA. That number is based on figures from the GAA's last annual report 2014 and am sure the number of clubs has grown since then.

1. Berlin GAA Club
2. Helsinki GAA Club
3. Qatar GAA Club

GAA in France

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 19 Nov 2015 18:00:00 +0000

Seems only appropriate that as my last post on this blog a few years ago was about the GAA in France, then my next post should address the same subject.

Recently, the France GAA team played Ireland in Paris, with the Irish team made-up of Irish players living in France from clubs such as Paris Gaels, Toulouse and Rennes.

France are hoping to send a team to the inaugural GAA World Games which will take place in Dublin in 2016 to coincide with the 1916 commemorations.

Based on their performance it looks like they'll be sending a strong team to Ireland next year; it took the last kick of the game from Ireland to level the scores at 3-10 to 3-10.

Enjoy some of the highlights.

Gaelic Football in France

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 18:56:00 +0000

Thought I'd share some extracts from a recent piece in the Sunday Times on Gaelic football in France. And it's 110% real GAA all the way...

"...Rennes are one of six gaelic football clubs in this small region of France and every single male playing member are French. It would be a mistake to think that they’re rabble outfits, just playing a different sport for variety or a means for keeping fit; in 2007, Brittany won the Shield competition at the European Gaelic Games Championships.

Although they struggled at the top level in last year’s European Games, the standard in the region is improving all the time and so is the level of competition. Liffre were only founded two years ago and they won last year’s Brittany championship. That domestic championship kicks off again on February 7th, when the first tournament of the season will be held in Vannes. Five tournaments will take place between February and the end of May, where a points system decides who is crowned champions. “The competition is very intense and it is a huge honour to win it,” says Guillaume Kerrien, a founding member of the Nantes football club.

Although there are gaelic football clubs now in every department of the region, they hope to expand the base even more. Lannion and Vannes were only founded last year and they expect a club to be up and running in Lorient before the end of this season. Two other towns have also expressed interest in forming clubs and plans have already been drawn up to form a Breton league.

...

Although the growth of gaelic football in Brittany in such a short time has blown away all convention, the region always had the potential to be a fertile soil for its promotion. Historically, Brittany is a very Celtic region and its people have always been acutely attuned to their Celtic identity. As well as the cultural links through the vast number of twinning relationships enjoyed between towns in Ireland and Brittany, there is also a huge student-exchange culture.

The first GAA club in Brittany was founded in Brest in 1998 by Yann Guenneguez, a Frenchman who had spent some years in Westport. The club in Rennes was set up a year later by Dan McGuigan along with Benoit Jeannin, who is still the club president. Rugby and soccer have a strong presence in the region but Gaelic football has become so popular there now that it was passed last year as a subject choice of the Bach, which is the equivalent of the Irish Leaving Certificate.

Having such a presence within the schools is a massive promotional tool. A network of PE teachers, who play gaelic football, have introduced the game to many of the schools but the crusade was effectively launched by Anne-Marie O’Rourke. From Coolkenno in Wicklow and a member of the Wicklow ladies side which won the 1990 All-Ireland Junior title, O’Rourke is the only Irish member of the Rennes club and is pretty much a one-woman GAA promotional machine.

...

The clubs in Brittany get some assistance from the ECB but their budget, which comes from GAA Central funding, has to stretch over 30 clubs across the whole of mainland Europe. In the last two years, 30 French people have taken GAA foundation level coaching courses and have been trained as GAA instructors, some of which are Bretons. In Rennes on Wednesday, there was a coaching session organised by the Youth Development Officer of the Federation Francaise de Football Gaelique, which effectively governs the game in the region.

Gaelic football is taking root at all levels. INSA, a third level institution in Rennes, have created their own team and they competed in the British Universities Championships last year. INSA also hosted their own gaelic football tournament, which included three British Universities.

Unlike most other Breton clubs, Ar Gwazi Gouez (Rennes) want to be associated with all forms of Irish culture and they are the strongest club in the region. Through intense fundraising and sponsorship, their self-financing potential is far greater than all other Breton clubs. “It is quite hard because we have to fund everything ourselves,” says Nantes’ Guillaume Kerrien. “It’s difficult to get financial help from the town and city councils because the sport is not nationally known or recognised by the head sporting organisations. But we have a pragmatic approach and we help each other.”

The game in Brittany will always have to survive on indigenous talent because it doesn’t have the same pulling power that attracts Irish people to other cities and regions around the world. Brittany is one of the poorest regions in France, with the minimum wage only E1000 a month...

...Sheamus Howlin, Chairman of the Overseas Work Group has attended some games in Brittany and has been “very impressed with the quality of football,” Breton championship matches are officiated by Irish referees based in Paris and every player is well aware of official rules. Even when a beach gaelic football competition was held in Pornichet last year, which featured on the TV programme The Road to Croker, the competition was still organised under the umbrella of the ECB.

The first pioneers of gaelic games in Europe date as far back as 1747, when an Irish Brigade at the Battle of Lafelt, near Maastricht, played hurling matches amongst themselves during breaks in the fighting. But the deep embedding of such a strong GAA culture in Brittany is a first because of its dominant French influence. And given how fast gaelic football is developing there, it’s unknown where it may lead to."

125 birthday wishes for the GAA

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:08:00 +0000

The Herald has put together a wish-list, some tongue-in-cheek, for the GAA's 125th anniversary. Here's a few i liked from the list:

26 ...the Lilywhites unilaterally abandon the handpass. (I blame Micko)
30 That GAA officers in power finally start looking at the small picture. (I hope by that they mean the clubs)
35 That Dublin get rid of those ridiculous new jerseys before anyone mistakes them for Man City.
54 That the Meath county board gets rid of that awful accordion/snare drum CD it plays before (and sometimes during) matches in Páirc Tailteann.
60 That Dublin fans are on time every time.
65 That cowboy hats are confiscated from all supporters. Bring back the furry cap, we say! (Before the Leinster Final in 1986 I was promised one if Meath won... )
76 That Fermanagh kick the ball from their own half at least once.
102 That football boots of any colour other than black are banned.
113 That Eamon O'Brien rediscovers that long-lost species - Homo Royal Teak Tough Erectus - that once produced Lyons, Harney, Foley, etc. (They don't make Meathmen like they used to...alas)
119 That GAA club players rediscover that magical experience of playing a championship match with moulded studs on a hard pitch in the middle of summer.

Keep Croker open

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:34:00 +0000

Why not? Just for the games when capacity requires it.

Technically, neither the IRFU nor the FAI will require Croke Park once Lansdowne Road is redeveloped but with such a huge capacity differential between the two stadiums there's a clear logic in continuing the current arrangement for major games.

Full article.

Carr says anti-Ulster agenda inspired changes

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:33:00 +0000

Ross Carr agrees:

Carr believes that overuse of the handpass leads to scrum-type situations on the field and he stated: "It's the handpass that needs to be looked at. The amount of handpassing is creating the problems and the one thing we can't do is take the physical confrontation out of Gaelic football.

Full story.

All-Ireland fixture change will leave teams facing five games in month

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:24:00 +0000

You know what this means for club footballers--if their county progresses in the qualifiers they can kiss playing football in the summer goodbye yet again. Croke Park likes to say it's forcing action on "meaningful programme of games" for club footballers but they don't really mean it. It's just blah, blah for the annual report and strategy documents.

A change to the timing of the All-Ireland football quarter-finals, combined with the return of Division 4 teams to the qualifiers, could leave some counties facing an unprecedented fixtures congestion problem this summer.

A county that progresses from the first round of the qualifiers to the All-Ireland quarter-finals will face five games in a month, between July 4 and the first weekend in August.

Full article.

Cusack's GAA vision just the tonic as reality bites

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:19:00 +0000

Martin mentions, but doesn't elaborate, on how exactly "the last 10-15 years undid some of the good" in the GAA. I know where I'd start...

The GAA has been an integral part of an Ireland that has changed beyond recognition over the years. Most of it was for the better, although the less savoury sides of Irish life over the last 10-15 years undid some of the good.

Ireland is now facing a new reality, one where if you believed the pessimists you wouldn't get up in the morning. It's at a time like this that the GAA can play a crucial role in lifting the nation's spirit, just as it has done over many years.

Full article.

Meath v Cork: Not a dirty game and well refereed

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:53:00 +0000

Maybe the Meath team of the '80's weren't such a dirty team afterall! What Gaelic football really needs is a rule limiting the number of consecutive handpasses not messing around with yellow cards.

FOR A GAME that gained a reputation for being ill-tempered, both McEnaney and Reilly agreed - while there was a certain amount of niggle - it was far from dirty. Indeed, aside from the aforementioned bookings, half of the starting 30 players emerged without so much as a ticking.

The free count at full-time was 57 - one every 72 seconds. Because frees were all taken from the ground, this slowed the game down a great deal. Every time a foul was committed it would take around 10 seconds at least before the match was under way again.
It's worth bearing in mind that 43 frees were awarded in the 2008 final, but 58 in 2007...

Aside from the disciplinary aspect of the match, there was one glaring difference between the style of football then and now. In the 2008 All-Ireland final, Tyrone and Kerry between them hand-passed the ball 205 times - a quite astonishing tally. Tyrone accounted for 110 of this total, but Kerry, known for a direct style, came not far behind on 95.

Contrast this to 1988, when Meath and Cork used the fisted pass a grand total of 73 times, with Meath - as if to underline their catch-and-kick approach - accounting for just 23 of that total. It's an amazing comparison and an interesting insight into the way the game has changed over the years.

Full article.

Fears allayed as new rules get thumbs-up

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:33:00 +0000

Surely it's too early to pass any judgement. Was there still physical contact? If these new rules result in the elimination of physical strength and a good hard shoulder then Gaelic Games will be the poorer for it.

DESPITE the 80 yellow cards that were flashed on the first weekend of the season, GAA officials yesterday declared the introduction of their experimental new disciplinary rules as a great success.

Full story.

GAA must resolve to stop rot of lies and deception

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:27:00 +0000

Hear, hear!

The continual refusal of managers and other team officers to admit to players' transgressions, the perceived obstinate stands taken by county boards and other bodies when justice is required to be dispensed and the almost indecent haste with which those who feel they have been 'victimised' have recourse to all manner of appeals and hearings committees is, at best, indicative of intransigence and, at worst, a serious blemish on the image of the GAA as a whole.

Full story.

Coney quits Swans

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:23:00 +0000

The traffic is not all one way!

OPPONENTS of the International Rules series were given a major boost last night when Tyrone teenage sensation Kyle Coney confirmed he was turning down a two-year contract with Sydney Swans...

"It was a once in a lifetime offer to travel to Australia and I had to go and see what it was like but the lure of coming back to play for Ardboe and Tyrone was just too much in the end."

Full Story

GAA Paying managers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 19:20:00 +0000

The Sindo focuses on the GAA "hypocrisy" of failing to acknowledge the industry of paying managers to train club teams. Yes, the GAA's pig-headed refusal to acknowledge the situation is exasperating. Claiming that "All GAA members play and engage in our games as amateurs" is downright laughable.

But, the Sindo's view that clubs are voluntarily scouring the country to find the best manager to land the county title is in most cases very far from the truth. A lot of the clubs are forced, yes forced, to pay someone to do the job. When a club contacts 50 ex-players, ex-coaches and ex-managers all from within inside the club, to ask if they are interested in managing the senior team and receives 50 No answers, what the hell else is it to do, but spend its already meagre resources to pay someone to do the job. This is the sad reality the GAA finds itself in today.

GAA Club players

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 19:09:00 +0000

What exactly was Keith Duggan trying to say about playing club games at this time of the year in the IT on Saturday?

The basic fate of club teams is they train like dogs in the blue cold of January and February and the best two football and hurling teams in Ireland play for their great prize on St Patrick's Day. League promotion and relegation duties are taken care of through the April showers.

Then, the sun comes out in May and the clubs are told to run laps until late September, when it is getting dark and rainy and the glories of the All-Ireland are finished with. It means most clubs worth their salt are training for practically every month of the year and that the truly great club franchises, like Crossmaglen Rangers, can go a full decade without taking a break from training.

What he should of said is that it is a disgrace and shouldn't be allowed to happen.

GAA Strategic Vision and Action 10 Plan 2009- 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 19:34:00 +0000

"We wanted to make sure that the views of our volunteers would be the main influence when we drew up this plan."

Páraic Ó Dufaigh, Ard Stiúrthóir

"It was developed by thousands of volunteers. It is the true voice of all our members and their vision for the future."

Criostóir Ó Cuana, Uachtarán Tofa

The methodology is simple. It is based on consulting the membership at all levels and enabling them to develop the plans of the Association for the future.

In 2016 we will be able to say:
“All units at all levels provide a coordinated programme of meaningful games for players, appropriate to their needs and abilities. All games are regulated so that players experience fair play and can take part in well-planned and scheduled games as part of a balanced lifestyle. We have in place a locally effective and efficient, nationally co-ordinated, fixtures planning system.”

Key project: Fixtures planning
Committee: we will appoint a National Fixtures Planning Committee (NFPC).
Three-year plan: We will put in place a three-year rolling National Fixtures Plan.
Fixtures planners: We will recruit and train volunteer fixtures planners at all levels of the Association. They will plan and monitor fixtures plans in all units.

Time to form a Club Players' Association

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:31:00 +0000

It may have been tongue-in-cheek but the Sindo's call for a Club Players' Association merits serious consideration.

"Much energy and ink is expended on the apparent indignities suffered by our unfortunate inter-county footballers and hurlers. But at least they're getting the opportunity to play. Pity the poor clubman, denied games when the pitches are good and forced into wars of attrition on days not fit for man nor beast when the weather can turn the game into a lottery".

Why do the County Board's let this happen? Why do the clubs tolerate this situation?

It's almost as if the GAA is conspiring to keep lads sitting around all summer and then drawing the club leagues and championships out as long as possible to keep players away from rugby and soccer. Nah, they surely wouldn't?

Croke Park has acknowledged this as a serious problem. But, as with all problems identified by Croke Park they needed to first write a report, The Club Fixtures Report (no copies available on the 'net). And now, it seems, on the basis of this report they are proposing a Charter to sort things out. Huh, a Charter?

Like some charter outlining the problem and calling on County Boards to make sure players have regular games is going to make a real difference. All we have to do is look at all the UN Charters for proof. Whatever we read in the papers about the threat posed to GAA by the best players opting for Aussie Rules, rugby or soccer, this is where the greatest danger to the future of the GAA lies. Players getting cheesed off because they have to wait until November to play the most important games of the season. What other sports have regular gaps of 3 months between rounds in their championships?

But, lets be realistic. Nothing will change for the clubs so long as Croke Park, the County Boards and the GPA are the main stakeholders at national level. And the situation for the clubs will only worsen, if, more likely when, the GPA is officially recognised.

As I've said before the Club Forum is a good start, but it's not enough, the situation of the vast majority of the GAA's members--the clubs and the club players--need a representative to speak and lobby on their behalf. Just look what that's done for the inter-county players.