Why so anti GAA? [Archive] - Page 2

A face

18/05/2006, 1:21 PM

There is a guy that posts on this forum who this story is about.

We were in school, lunchtime and kicking a ball about as you do, anyway this guy twists his ankle and is actually in a good deal of pain. The school is renounced for its hurling and as he hobbles down to the main building he meets the principle and he sees the situation and goes and askes him if he is alright, does he want some help, does he want ice etc. as you would think ..... he then continues to question him on how it actually happened and when he found out it happened while playing 'a foreign game' he turned around as if he just bit into a lemon and said "well it serves you right so" and turned and walked off. Un-b-f�cking-lieveable !! :p

A face

18/05/2006, 1:24 PM

Bloody Russians :D

It think you'll find its actually the chinese .... the worstist of the lot !! :p

sullanefc

18/05/2006, 1:30 PM

It think you'll find its actually the chinese .... the worstist of the lot !! :p

Russians, chinese, sure aren't they all foreign!!:p

A face

18/05/2006, 1:35 PM

Russians, chinese, sure aren't they all foreign!!:p

Sectarianism is never picking �. Tar them all with the one brush !! :D :p

ifk101

18/05/2006, 1:46 PM

So its ok for the IRFU and FAI to use Croker but not for the GAA to want to use a soccer ground ?

I'd imagine that Croke Park, as it currently stands, is a massive financial drain of resources. I believe this is the prime motivation behind the opening of Croke Park's doors to the FAI and IRFU. I know there are plenty of heads in the GAA hierarchy that are fans of football and rugby, but surely the decision to open Croke Park was made all the sweeter considering the amount of money the GAA will receive for each football/rugby game played there? The opening of Croke Park paints the GAA is a positive light but the amount of money they are receiving for doing so is rarely brought up. Why?

The GAA has come out now stressing that the dimensions of Lansdowne Rd arent accommodating to GAA games. Fair enough. But Croke Park wasn't built with rugby and football in mind, despite the massive investment of State money, so why should Lansdowne be re-designed to GAA games specifics? And, being prefectly honest, I doubt the FAI and IRFU would dismiss GAA usage of Lansdowne Rd if the GAA is willing to pay the same amount as what the FAI and IRFU are doing to use Croke Park. Have they actually said that Lansdowne Rd is off-limits to the GAA?

But why would the GAA pay that amount when Croke Park is empty for 8 months of the year, if not more? Why on earth would the GAA need usage of Lansdowne Rd?

If there is one thing the GAA should be applauded for, is how well the GAA is organised. They know how to use the media, fight for their interests and how to play the innocent samaritan. Just ask Shamrock Rovers.

You started this thread - and the question remains why? Everything you have said is all just general crap without any facts. Why are you so anti FAI and IRFU?

Bald Student

18/05/2006, 1:50 PM

So its ok for the IRFU and FAI to use Croker but not for the GAA to want to use a soccer ground ?It's OK for them to use the ground. It's not OK for them to want it knocked down and rebuilt to suit them.

82,000 and i said ever. There wasn't always an 82,000 seater stadium there.

Have they ever asked ? Good point. Have the IRFU or FAI ever asked the GAA ? And were they ever turned down when they did ask ?I read in the paper a while back that Lansdown Road has been offered for Ladies and underage GAA matches, for which it is big enough, but the offer has been turned down.

On the general point: There are people in both soccer and GAA who dislike the other code. To claim otherwise shows up a bias.

Macy

18/05/2006, 1:58 PM

Anti GAA the top ten...
1) Glass spreading and the ban
2) The sectarianism and bigotry implicit in the foreign games ban (American Football, Aussie Rules, Boxing are all Irish apparently).
3) Tallaght
4) The way they pay managers and administrators - basically the only people that don't benefit directly are the players
5) "Sales rep" and Bank jobs for the top players as opposed to an equitable pay for play system for all players to keep the so called amateur status.
6) The millions of Government funds that actually went into build Croke Park and other GAA grounds, and the lies about them being great for doing it themselves
7) The political power they wield and the amount of money they get when compared to other sports, when they don't even have the most people playing for them.
8) The way they treat their players and then complain about burn out
9) The way that GAA fans will give you sh�t for an eL jersey, whilst wearing a Celtic/Liverpool jersey themselves (even when the el jersey is from the same county as they're there to support!)
10) The constant moaning about tickets for big games when the league games have attendances of a few thousand if they're lucky

clash

18/05/2006, 2:01 PM

Somehow I don't think the founders of cultural nationalism had this in mind when they thought about instilling pride in Irish identity.

It's just getting petty now. "We nivir ast them de play at ders!!"

Anyway. One thing about 'soccer' - at least it wasn't made up in the late nineteenth century to mimic 'soccer'.

I'm all for the hurlin, but 'football' is a tad sh1te and false.

Well in fairness i do agree with u, hurlings the best game in the world. Nothing comes close to it, and i'm not "that" much of a gaelic footy fan.

But i think your comments are a bit unfair, gaelic football did exist in "some" state for a long time before soccer/rugby in their present forms. The rules today may not represent much the "ancient" game but it did still exist.

After all soccer was originally a game played by kicking a ball between 2 people without goalposts etc :P

John83

18/05/2006, 2:10 PM

...when [the principle] found out [that the kid's injury] happened while playing 'a foreign game' he turned around as if he just bit into a lemon and said "well it serves you right so" and turned and walked off.
That's the attitude I've seen a lot, and it doesn't surprise me to see "soccer" fans sore about it.

So its ok for the IRFU and FAI to use Croker but not for the GAA to want to use a soccer ground ?
If you want to criticise that, read up on it. The ground's not frigging big enough. The GAA have plenty of facuilities in the area and are either just angling for funding and/or planning permission or they're being spiteful enough to just be hassling Rovers. Either way is a disgrace.

clash

18/05/2006, 2:16 PM

I'd imagine that Croke Park, as it currently stands, is a massive financial drain of resources. I believe this is the prime motivation behind the opening of Croke Park's doors to the FAI and IRFU. I know there are plenty of heads in the GAA hierarchy that are fans of football and rugby, but surely the decision to open Croke Park was made all the sweeter considering the amount of money the GAA will receive for each football/rugby game played there? The opening of Croke Park paints the GAA is a positive light but the amount of money they are receiving for doing so is rarely brought up. Why?

Financial Drain ? On the contrary its the opposite. The GAA have never being raking in as much ��'s and thats before the Rugby or Soccer guys are considered. Just look at attendances in Croke Park the last few years, the concerts (which i disagree with) etc. Its ANYTHING but a financial burden mate.

The GAA has come out now stressing that the dimensions of Lansdowne Rd arent accommodating to GAA games. Fair enough. But Croke Park wasn't built with rugby and football in mind, despite the massive investment of State money, so why should Lansdowne be re-designed to GAA games specifics? And, being prefectly honest, I doubt the FAI and IRFU would dismiss GAA usage of Lansdowne Rd if the GAA is willing to pay the same amount as what the FAI and IRFU are doing to use Croke Park. Have they actually said that Lansdowne Rd is off-limits to the GAA?

Croke Park wasn't built with them in mind but they'll still going to be played there. And about the state money, PLEASE, the FAI and IRFU had access to the same cash if they actually went ahead with a project like the GAA did. And the majority of the cash for Croke Park did not come from the government.

You started this thread - and the question remains why? Everything you have said is all just general crap without any facts. Why are you so anti FAI and IRFU?

I'm not anti-IRFU nor am i anti-FAI, i play rugby with a club here and i used to play soccer. My point is that i am not anti-any sport. I like soccer and Rugby, my point is against people who ARE anti-sport (GAA). Its sickening the way some people are so anti-GAA, even now they've opened Croker people r complaining about them for being anti-IRFU/FAI.

Schumi

18/05/2006, 2:22 PM

When has Landsowne hosted a GAA match ?
When has it hosted an athletics meet? Now why would that be... :rolleyes:

wws

18/05/2006, 2:24 PM

i can just about watch what they call "football" in the gaa, especially if theres a big melee or Joe Brolly says something ribald but for the life of me hurling is just rubbish to watch, if they took the ball away tv viewers would be none the wiser

Bald Student

18/05/2006, 2:27 PM

And about the state money, PLEASE, the FAI and IRFU had access to the same cash if they actually went ahead with a project like the GAA did.I think you'll find that the FAI did plan a similar project but were denied state funding and had to abandon the project in favour of the Bertie Bowl which was never built.

A face

18/05/2006, 2:30 PM

When has it hosted an athletics meet? Now why would that be... :rolleyes:

Monster Trucks meet Rollercoasters (as in monster trucks on rollercoasters) !! :eek: :p

A face

18/05/2006, 2:32 PM

John83

18/05/2006, 2:33 PM

Monster Trucks meet Rollercoasters (as in monster trucks on rollercoasters) !! :eek: :p
Don't be daft. Throwing away decades of tradition of shunning anyone who drives a monster truck? Where would that get us?

ifk101

18/05/2006, 2:43 PM

Financial Drain ? On the contrary its the opposite. The GAA have never being raking in as much €€€'s and thats before the Rugby or Soccer guys are considered. Just look at attendances in Croke Park the last few years, the concerts (which i disagree with) etc. Its ANYTHING but a financial burden mate.

Croke Park wasn't built with them in mind but they'll still going to be played there. And about the state money, PLEASE, the FAI and IRFU had access to the same cash if they actually went ahead with a project like the GAA did. And the majority of the cash for Croke Park did not come from the government.

I'm not anti-IRFU nor am i anti-FAI, i play rugby with a club here and i used to play soccer. My point is that i am not anti-any sport. I like soccer and Rugby, my point is against people who ARE anti-sport (GAA). Its sickening the way some people are so anti-GAA, even now they've opened Croker people r complaining about them for being anti-IRFU/FAI.

Who are the people that are anti-GAA? I ask again because you are strugglig to give facts. Who are the people that are anti-GAA? And what EL match were you at?

Billy Lord

18/05/2006, 2:55 PM

The whinging from GAA folk about Lansdowne and Tallaght makes me sick. They will make at least ten million from opening Croke Park - for one year - and they act like they're doing the nation some great favour. Besides, accomodating football or rugby on a GAA pitch is easy, while vice versa is impossible due to the dimensions involved, so it's just bull to moan about Lansdowne.
Given that the GAA are trying to screw Shamrock Rovers and take Tallaght, I have surrendered my support of the Dublin gaelic footballers and hurlers (which goes back more than 30 years) and I have vowed to never enter Parnell or Croke Park again. I would even be in favour of playing Republic of Ireland 'home' games in Buenos Aires rather than Croke Park given that the GAA are trying to screw Rovers.
The GAA has lost many Rovers fans who supported the Dubs, and I cannot back a sport that is so clearly out to kill something (SRFC) that I love.
As for GAA whingers coming on here with their pious nonsense, give me a break! GAA fans are the most fickle, glory-hunting day-trippers I've ever met in my life. How many Dubs were at Parnell Park when Dublin beat Kilkenny to win the Walsh Cup a few years ago? About 2,000 - and I, a 'sawkir' fan, was one of them. Yet Croke Park will be full of self-proclaimed diehards this summer, many of whom have never even been to Parnell Park.
And they only know two songs.

CharlesThompson

18/05/2006, 2:58 PM

Who are the people that are anti-GAA? I ask again because you are strugglig to give facts. Who are the people that are anti-GAA? And what EL match were you at?

I am. I f�cking hate them.

clash

18/05/2006, 3:03 PM

It's OK for them to use the ground. It's not OK for them to want it knocked down and rebuilt to suit them.

Ah sorry i'm not 100% on the issue your talking about. I didn't know that.

I read in the paper a while back that Lansdown Road has been offered for Ladies and underage GAA matches, for which it is big enough, but the offer has been turned down.

On the general point: There are people in both soccer and GAA who dislike the other code. To claim otherwise shows up a bias.

On the offer point -> Why would the GAA need/want Landsowne for ladies/underage ? They have more then enough stadia to fill ladies/underage if Croker was ever unavailible. What they don't have is stadia for (or at least stadia in Dublin) to fill senior mens football and hurling.

I know there are people in both codes who hate the other. My point is that the vast majority of GAA fans would watch soccer. a LOT of soccer fans wouldn't watch/support GAA.

clash

18/05/2006, 3:05 PM

clash

18/05/2006, 3:06 PM

I think you'll find that the FAI did plan a similar project but were denied state funding and had to abandon the project in favour of the Bertie Bowl which was never built.

Croker was well under construction at that stage.

rerun

18/05/2006, 3:11 PM

82,000 and i said ever. There wasn't always an 82,000 seater stadium there.

Have they ever asked ? Good point. Have the IRFU or FAI ever asked the GAA ? And were they ever turned down when they did ask ?

But it was always (last 30 years) probably as big as Lansdowne.

clash

18/05/2006, 3:12 PM

Anti GAA the top ten...
1) Glass spreading and the ban

What ban is that ?

2) The sectarianism and bigotry implicit in the foreign games ban (American Football, Aussie Rules, Boxing are all Irish apparently).

1. I'm COI, Sam McGuire was COI and one of the last Presidents of the GAA was COI. Theres no Sectarianism in the GAA.

2. I don't agree with American Football being played in Croker but they were a "once" off.

3) Tallaght

Don't know anything about it.

4) The way they pay managers and administrators - basically the only people that don't benefit directly are the players

Your point ?

5) "Sales rep" and Bank jobs for the top players as opposed to an equitable pay for play system for all players to keep the so called amateur status.

Again, your point ?

6) The millions of Government funds that actually went into build Croke Park and other GAA grounds, and the lies about them being great for doing it themselves

The government funding was relatively small compared to the price of Croke Park and other grounds. The FAI have access to the same funds.

7) The political power they wield and the amount of money they get when compared to other sports, when they don't even have the most people playing for them.

1. What political power ?

2. And what sport has a higher participation then GAA in this country ?

8) The way they treat their players and then complain about burn out

Your point ? If i didn't want to play all year round then i won't. The fact is i do.

9) The way that GAA fans will give you sh�t for an eL jersey, whilst wearing a Celtic/Liverpool jersey themselves (even when the el jersey is from the same county as they're there to support!)

???

10) The constant moaning about tickets for big games when the league games have attendances of a few thousand if they're lucky

Most GAA league games have higher attendances then EL finals.

rerun

18/05/2006, 3:14 PM

So its ok for the IRFU and FAI to use Croker but not for the GAA to want to use a soccer ground ?
No, but if the GAA get to use soccer grounds then GAA grounds should be available to football and rugby...

And they won't be using it for free, it's not like they just decided to play there and went ahead and did it.

sullanefc

18/05/2006, 3:24 PM

I know there are people in both codes who hate the other. My point is that the vast majority of GAA fans would watch soccer.

Would they watch EL games or are they just glory hunting premiership fans?

clash

18/05/2006, 3:33 PM

Would they watch EL games or are they just glory hunting premiership fans?

That i couldn't answer. I wouldn't be overly pushed about watching the premiership but i used to go to a lot of EL games.

My point is that don't EL people see your losing a lot of potential fans with this anti-GAA bile a lot of EL people have ?

Look at your attendances compared to the GAA, i know myself and several others who have stopped going to my clubs matches because of the vile and filth we've witnessed.

And for the last time i do agree that my club might be worse then others, the town is nothing but a knacker hole and i have met several Cork City and Derry City fans who don't have the feelings towards GAA as my own "towny" countymen.

sullanefc

18/05/2006, 3:44 PM

Look at your attendances compared to the GAA, i know myself and several others who have stopped going to my clubs matches because of the vile and filth we've witnessed.

And for the last time i do agree that my club might be worse then others, the town is nothing but a knacker hole and i have met several Cork City and Derry City fans who don't have the feelings towards GAA as my own "towny" countymen.

Well I can say that I have never got that same feeling anytime I have attended a CCFC game at turners cross. I'm sure they are there (just read the CCFC website), but they are not vocal in TC. I can't comment on your town as you have not said where you are from.

A face

18/05/2006, 3:49 PM

As for GAA whingers coming on here with their pious nonsense, give me a break! GAA fans are the most fickle, glory-hunting day-trippers I've ever met in my life. How many Dubs were at Parnell Park when Dublin beat Kilkenny to win the Walsh Cup a few years ago? About 2,000 - and I, a 'sawkir' fan, was one of them. Yet Croke Park will be full of self-proclaimed diehards this summer, many of whom have never even been to Parnell Park.

On that point, i HATE the advert on RTE that has one of the GAA pundits saying "surely we can call ourselves a sports mad country" .... With a rule saying the 'foreign games' cannot be played SURELY says different !! :eek:

How in gods name can you say we are sports mad with that sectarianism existing and no one batting an eyelid .... that fact that they can actually over look that in that advert (which doesn't have an eL) spells it out.

I know there are people in both codes who hate the other. My point is that the vast majority of GAA fans would watch soccer. a LOT of soccer fans wouldn't watch/support GAA.

But the 'soccer' they watch is in a country where the game they banned has its origin.

clash

18/05/2006, 3:55 PM

How in gods name can you say we are sports mad with that sectarianism existing and no one batting an eyelid .... that fact that they can actually over look that in that advert (which doesn't have an eL) spells it out.

We're sports mad because for our size we have a LOT of sports and a LOT of sports attendances and a LOT of diversity.

What "ban" on foreign games ? So the GAA doesn't let foreign games into their stadia unless asked and paid for. Its their property, their stadia why shouldn't they only let in who they want to and get money for it ?

I play Rugby, have done for years. Do any of the GAA people i know care ? No because some of them play soccer/rugby too.

But the 'soccer' they watch is in a country where the game they banned has its origin.

Again, whats your point ?

GAA fans/players would almost all watch soccer/rugby whereas you can't say the same for soccer fans.

A face

18/05/2006, 4:07 PM

What ban is that ?

GAA members in Kerry spreading broken glass on pitches where a foreign game is played

1. I'm COI, Sam McGuire was COI and one of the last Presidents of the GAA was COI. Theres no Sectarianism in the GAA.

There is .... i'm sorry clash, there is no getting away from it. I hate saying it but there is.

2. I don't agree with American Football being played in Croker but they were a "once" off.

Three or four times wasn't it ?? Am i wrong here ??

Don't know anything about it.

You're better off ... horrible story

Your point ?

I think they are just general points about the GAA

Again, your point ?

Same again

The government funding was relatively small compared to the price of Croke Park and other grounds. The FAI have access to the same funds.

Dont want to go here but all i'll say is it isnt a level playing field

1. What political power ?

That'll be the power the exercise on a regular basis, clash .... its there, its a can of worms bring this one up but believe me, its there

2. And what sport has a higher participation then GAA in this country ?

That'll be a foreign game ...... Sawkir !!

???

Double standards, and hypocritical is what he's saying.

Most GAA league games have higher attendances then EL finals.

Not a chance .... i only go to GAA league games because of the rat race that is tickets for All Ireland, attendance are brutal. Either Cork or Kilkenny have been in the All Ireland final for the last few years .... when they play a league game in either Cork or Kilkenny the attendances are very poor, same team barr a few changes you know yourself but the crowds are nowhere to be seen. Good games, seriously ... nothing to suggest there would be a low attendance but there is.

A face

18/05/2006, 4:20 PM

We're sports mad because for our size we have a LOT of sports and a LOT of sports attendances and a LOT of diversity.

We do have different codes but if you were to compare funding, resources, media coverage you wouldn't see that picture.

What "ban" on foreign games ? So the GAA doesn't let foreign games into their stadia unless asked and paid for. Its their property, their stadia why shouldn't they only let in who they want to and get money for it ?

GAA members in alot of clubs cannot play other sports, this has relaxed in recent times but is definitely still very evident. Alot of schools even go to the extent that not only do they ban 'foregin games', they ban either hurling or gaelic (whatever county is stronger) .... i mean clash, if its on that kind of level, you'd have to admit .... it is a problem.

There are countless stories to be told on this topic

I play Rugby, have done for years. Do any of the GAA people i know care ? No because some of them play soccer/rugby too.

Likewise in soccer football, but people are allowed to open play for other codes and would not suffer at the hands of selectors, obviously if you dont train then its a different matter but that can be said for every sport.

Again, whats your point ?

Do you not see anything wrong with that?

GAA fans/players would almost all watch soccer/rugby whereas you can't say the same for soccer fans.

I'd say more so with soccer crowds, there is actually not restriction on that level. What i'm saying is that if you are a member of a GAA club and it was common knowledge that you went to the FAI cup final or something, heads would turn, not from all but i have seen this myself.

reder

18/05/2006, 5:07 PM

I like this debate.

Anyway I have 2 personal experiences to add.

Firstly in my final year in uni, we all had to complete individual projects and we had to select our topic before the end of the 3rd year. During the summer of 3rd year a guy from my class who played intercounty football won a Leinster Championship medal. He had always been struggling with the course barely passing each year and by his own admission was really screwed with the final year project. Anyway we all arrived back in Sept after his win and noticed that a new but very easy project had appeared on the list and it was assigned to him. He still struggled but managed to submit it and ended up with a 1:1. The next year he pursued a masters but dropped out but still managed to get a job as a consultant in a financial company, (with no industrial experience) where he got extra time off for games. I know people with 1-1 on scholarships who couldnt get even an entry level job!

Secondly I worked in research in BOI on Baggot street and once in a blue moon we had "team jersey" day for charity. Unofficially, it was made abundantly clear that non-gaa jerseys were not allowed.

Face it clash, there is a serious sectarian problem running right through the GAA.

How well was the minutes silence for the London bombings observed last year during the Ulster final in Croke Park. (Look up archives of the Herald and see the front page from the Monday after if you dont know.)

MariborKev

18/05/2006, 5:48 PM

What "ban" on foreign games ? So the GAA doesn't let foreign games into their stadia unless asked and paid for. Its their property, their stadia why shouldn't they only let in who they want to and get money for it ?

And even if you ask and offer to pay, you still won't get in......

bigmac

18/05/2006, 5:57 PM

On the offer point -> Why would the GAA need/want Landsowne for ladies/underage ? They have more then enough stadia to fill ladies/underage if Croker was ever unavailible. What they don't have is stadia for (or at least stadia in Dublin) to fill senior mens football and hurling.

You asked had the FAI/IRFU ever offered Landsdowne to the GAA - the answer is clearly yes. The same courtesy was not extended reciprocally.

We're sports mad because for our size we have a LOT of sports and a LOT of sports attendances and a LOT of diversity.

No we don't have a lot of attendences. Aside from the bandwagon support and occasional big day out, Irish people in general are not passionate, committed and loyal supporters of Irish teams. The lowest attendences for any team's home match is an indication of how many "sports mad" people follow that team, and I think you'll find, in all sports, that it's pretty pathetic when compared to a final.

Most GAA league games have higher attendances then EL finals.

Not comparing like with like. There are 5 premier division teams in Dublin (plus Rovers), who each play 16-17 home matches a year. Therefore supporters are split amongst these 6 clubs. If you add up the average gate of each of the clubs, then you get just under 8000 attending soccer matches in Dublin.
There is one Dublin football team, who play 3-5 home matches in the league (depending on progress.). What is the average gate for a Dublin league match? Even more interestingly, what is the average gate for a Dublin Hurling league match?

On the GAA's attitude towards other sports, why is it that soccer and rugby are given special status in the pantheon of foreign sports? Why was there boxing and American Football in Croke Park, and All-Ireland dates changed to accommodate a few rounds of golf, but there was such a furore over rugby and soccer?

In a final point, both Croke Park and Merrion Square are unrepresentative of the grassroots of both associations. There are hardcore power-hungry people who love nothing more than being on committees and wielding the rule book for their five minutes of fame, when the people who really do all the work, the coaches, players and parents just go about their business quietly. I KNOW that this is the case in the FAI and no less than Sean Kelly said that the ordinary people in the GAA don't care what Croke Park says.

clash

18/05/2006, 7:07 PM

GAA members in Kerry spreading broken glass on pitches where a foreign game is played

Never heard that, when was it ?

There is .... i'm sorry clash, there is no getting away from it. I hate saying it but there is.

So your saying "my" kind isn't welcome in the GAA ? :confused:

Three or four times wasn't it ?? Am i wrong here ??

By "Once off" i sort of meant its more a "show for shows sake". i.e > American Football is never going to take off in Ireland, it isn't a competitior to the GAA at the moment. I don't see it as any different to allowing Bono into Croke Park. (Which i also don't like).

Dont want to go here but all i'll say is it isnt a level playing field

And why not ?

Not a chance .... i only go to GAA league games because of the rat race that is tickets for All Ireland, attendance are brutal. Either Cork or Kilkenny have been in the All Ireland final for the last few years .... when they play a league game in either Cork or Kilkenny the attendances are very poor, same team barr a few changes you know yourself but the crowds are nowhere to be seen. Good games, seriously ... nothing to suggest there would be a low attendance but there is.

But lower then your standard EL match ? I highly doubt it. I was in Semple there for the league semi's.

anto eile

18/05/2006, 7:26 PM

I think you will find that this is an issue in the majority of schools the length and breadth of the country. It was certainly the case in Primary school for me. Not so much in secondary.

10 years ago me and my classmates in primary school (an irish school) approached the headmaster to set up a football team in the school. we all played gaa and basketball,and both quite successfully too, for the school,yet the idea of the school haveing football wasnt even considered.

ive played both football and gaa for many years,enjoyed both immensely,and successfully,so im in a good place to pass comment,when i say that sporting bigotry is a one-way thing in this country,and it doesnt stem from the association kind of football

anto eile

18/05/2006, 7:28 PM

.... talk about WUMage :rolleyes:

Although I agree that the fuc|<ers shouldn't be booing Rangers players.
youre right there.
they should be booing every opposition player

Terry

18/05/2006, 8:02 PM

right going by what you have said, it fairly obvious that you are/were a limerick supporter if indeed you did support a club. I cant believe that the hatred in the city towards the GAA is as big as you say? Im not a support of the GAA at all as a few GUFC supporters could tell you but I would never go to such lengths as you have said that you say you have seen.

daveh

18/05/2006, 9:13 PM

All i can say lads is that i love the eircom league and the GAA equally and i cant see why others dont

I never saw the rivalry thing in my own community and i happily played both soccer and hurling and football with no hastle whatsoever,maybe i was just lucky but i know of other people on this forum who do the same even today, its just not a big deal to anyone where I live

For what its worth I only play Hurling now but I gave up soccer on my own, no pressure to do so

khoop

18/05/2006, 9:47 PM

Asking an Irish soccer fan why he hates the GAA, would be a bit like asking the Jews why they hate Hitler.

Sam Savic

18/05/2006, 9:59 PM

A few people posting here seem to be under the impression that the gaa have opened up Croke Park. Not really. Rule 42 still exists. Munster needn't ask to play at the Gaelic Grounds etc.
Personally, I would rather Ireland played their home matches in Celtic Park until Lansdowne is ready. The FAI should not be funding an organisation that has a racist rule on its' books.
Also, the gaa have received more structural funding than ALL other sports that are registered with the Sports Council.
You only have to read about the bigoted comments coming from the hierarchy at Thomas Davis to understand why Rovers fans, who formerly supported gaa in the county, have given up.
Another reason why I dislike the gaa - compare a coaching session of 12 to 15 year olds at a gaa club to coaching at a football club: gaa club - "you have to turn up for us on Sunday or else......". football club - "I don't mind what sport you play, whether it's running, swimming or cycling, it can only benefit you in the long run". Not typical at every club of course, but the above is a genuine case of two Level 2 coaches in their respective sports.

R�iteoir

18/05/2006, 11:36 PM

Didn't the GAA rufuse to let Omagh Town use a larger capacity GAA Ground to host a friendly against a Liverpool XI to raise money for the families of the victims of the bombing up there - because a game of football would be played on perceived "sacred ground"?

MariborKev

19/05/2006, 12:15 AM

Correct!!!

sullanefc

19/05/2006, 12:50 AM

R�iteoir

19/05/2006, 1:01 AM

Correct!!!

Thought so - there was a double page article on it in "When Saturday Comes" a few years back

Marked Man

19/05/2006, 3:01 AM

Anyway. One thing about 'soccer' - at least it wasn't made up in the late nineteenth century to mimic 'soccer'.

.

And football was?

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/03/0308_020315_gaelicsports.html:

Ancient Origins

Gaelic football and hurling have been arousing Irish passions for a long, long time. Football became popular as early as the 16th century, when teams might have consisted of all the able-bodied men of a town or parish. In those earliest days, the rather unorganized game would begin between the two towns and end when one side had managed to force the ball across a line into the other's territory.

Or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaelic_football:

The first reference to any code of football in Ireland occurs in the Statute of Galway of 1527, which allowed the playing of football and archery but banned "hokie' — the hurling of a little ball with sticks or staves" as well as other sports. However even "foot-ball" was banned by the severe Sunday Observance Act of 1695, which imposed a fine of one shilling (a substantial amount at the time) for those caught playing sports. It proved difficult, if not impossible for the authorities to enforce the Act and the earliest recorded match in Ireland was one between Louth and Meath, at Slane, in 1712.

By the early 19th century, various football games, referred to collectively as caid, were popular in Kerry , especially the Dingle Peninsula. Father W. Ferris described two forms of caid: the "field game" in which the object was to put the ball through arch-like goals, formed from the boughs of two trees, and; the epic "cross-country game" which lasted the whole of a Sunday (after mass) and was won by taking the ball across a parish boundary. "Wrestling", "holding" opposing players, and carrying the ball were all allowed.

I think you'll find that the only truth to the "mimicked" idea is that the founders of the GAA liked the way that soccer's rules had been codified, and that the GAA could learn from this--not that the game was invented by mimicking soccer. http://gaa.ie/page/the_birth_of_cumann_luthcleas_gael.html:

Cusack professed he admired the English Amateur Athletics Association and stated that the GAA "could not do better than adopt somewhat similar rules".