Irish Independent - letter to editor

[Paddyfield]

I see a GUFC fan wrote a letter to the editor of the Irish Indo last Saturday, giving out about the GAA......

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/letters/gaa-playing-the-money-game-1345717.html

Saturday April 12 2008


On the day after two Champions league quarter-finals, and the eve of probably the greatest of all the majors in golf, the Independent gives its back page yet again to Mr Breheny and his never ending crusade concerning the finances of the GAA.

No mention of millions of taxpayers' euros injected into the GAA at the last minute, but yet we still should feel "grateful" to the GAA for allowing us to use a stadium that we have all paid for and yet feel sympathy for the GAA and its financial headache for the clash with the Munster tie.

Mr Breheny's comments about the disappointing returns of "just" €2.9m from the league this year beggars belief, and just confirms that people like Mr Breheny live in the past and are devoid of reality and are wrongly fearful of sports other than the GAA.

Oh, what my local League of Ireland club would give for just such a "disappointing" budget this year.

Yet again, Mr Breheny's comments confirm what the GAA is all about: An outdated money-grabbing organisation that thinks paying its players might upset the gravy train.

F MURTAGH,

GALWAY

[gufcfan]

Yet again, Mr Breheny's comments confirm what the GAA is all about: An outdated money-grabbing organisation

Unfortunately, from all my dealings with my local GAA club, I can only concur with your opinion that it is an out-dated money-grabbing organisation.

When I played underage soccer, certain members of the team were warned that they would be barred from playing GAA if seen playing soccer.

The bias against soccer contiues to this day. The same people who shouted at children for playing soccer are the same ****ers down the pub shouting for Man Utd and Arsenal.

The main pub, which is seen as the GAA pub, easily turned its back to GAA before on a Paddy's Day when the premiership and rugby clashed with a Galway team in the All-Ireland Club final. 3 TV's, and 2 with soccer and the other with rugby.

I'm on a bit of a rant, but the fact is that the GAA think the world of themselves, and cry treason when anyone questions them.

The GAA haven't got a penny from me in years and hopefully never will again.

[pixiehead]

Great Letter

[Terry-Lander]

Anyone who knows me will know that I'm no fan of the Grab All Association but on a local level I have recently witnessed the dedication of some members and the time they give to train kids as young as four. I no longer paint all of them with the same brush because there are individuals who are only concerned with putting something back into their local community..... Even reading this back I can't believe I'm actually defending individuals within the GAA. (get the restraints)

[MyTown]

:D You'll never guess where Martin Breheny is from.................

Mountbellew, Co.???????????????????????:D

He's had a major gripe since Denis O'Brien came up with the readies for Trap.

But I've always been of the view that the GAA & Rugger were always amateur associations in NAME only. (even before Rugby Union went pro).

It's always been an old boys network when you look at the number of past GAA and Rugby players - even on a local level - who occupy senior positions in Financial Services and Marketing jobs.

Soccer has always been the poor relation when it came to crumbs from the top table & the GAA apologists who bang on about its amatuer ethos and all that happens at a voluntary level always conveniently ignore the FACT that JUST as much happens at a voluntary level within soccer in Ireland.

[Terry-Lander]

:D You'll never guess where Martin Breheny is from.................

Mountbellew, Co.???????????????????????:D

He's had a major gripe since Denis O'Brien came up with the readies for Trap.

But I've always been of the view that the GAA & Rugger were always amateur associations in NAME only. (even before Rugby Union went pro).

It's always been an old boys network when you look at the number of past GAA and Rugby players - even on a local level - who occupy senior positions in Financial Services and Marketing jobs.

Soccer has always been the poor relation when it came to crumbs from the top table & the GAA apologists who bang on about its amatuer ethos and all that happens at a voluntary level always conveniently ignore the FACT that JUST as much happens at a voluntary level within soccer in Ireland.


I'm not a GAA apologist and I'm not ignoring the fact that just as much happens at a voluntary level within soccer in Ireland. I am simply acknowledging the FACT that there are those who give freely of their time to kids in the gaa too. By the way senior posts in Education are also filled by the old boys network

[MyTown]

I'm not a GAA apologist and I'm not ignoring the fact that just as much happens at a voluntary level within soccer in Ireland. I am simply acknowledging the FACT that there are those who give freely of their time to kids in the gaa too. By the way senior posts in Education are also filled by the old boys network

:confused: Chill T-Lander. I wasn't replying to your post in particular, but to the thread in general.

People who put in voluntary time to any sporting endeavour are worthy of respect IMO - regardless of the code. To read some of the stuff you'd think volunteerism was restricted to one organisation.

[Terry-Lander]

My apologies. In my confused state whereby I actually said something nice about the gaa I mis-understood your post.:o

[Eire06]

GAA has more following than LOI
No Irish teams in Champions League
As for Golf I don't follow it but as far as I know only Harrington was in it and wasn't winning.

Why not have the back page of an Irish paper dedicated to an Irish sports story..

Knock that GAA chip off your shoulder

[eamo1]

I wrote a similar letter to that around 3 years ago,"Breheny is a broken record etc etc".They heavily edited my letter though,that Murtagh guys letter was probably edited too but they let him get his point across i suppose.
Anybody see the letter in the Galway Adver and Indo from that utd fan defending the board from the O.T.T criticism?

[deecay]

The GAA are a disgrace to this country,good letter

[snookerloopy]

GAA has more following than LOI
No Irish teams in Champions League
As for Golf I don't follow it but as far as I know only Harrington was in it and wasn't winning.

Why not have the back page of an Irish paper dedicated to an Irish sports story..

Knock that GAA chip off your shoulder

Completely agree! The GAA is a great organisation.Look at the facilities which have been developed at clubs through out the country. While it may be part funded by central council the community spirit involved is something refreshing.Why not give our national sport the back page?Its where the money is?Giving LOI the back page in order to appease the pockets of fans around the country will not sell papers. I have no connection wth the GAA I have always been a soccer man but have great regard for the GAA as an organisation. On the networking point, I remember being told that playing GAA is an important way to gain contacts even when I was in school.So be it.It shows the sense of community members of the organisation have.

[gilberto_eire]

Lads what has this to do with GUFC?.

I know your man is a fan but the letter is only about the GAA's greediness?!:confused:

[GuisaSaigon]

No Surrender to The GAA!:D

[WoodquayBoy]

People, the rallying call - for both sides of this argument - should be 'remember Europe'.
The club were refused use of Pearse Stadium for the first their European adventures because of a GAA rule (boo hiss), but the GAA communities in Carraroe and Ballinderreen supported the club and opened their grounds to it (will never be forgotten).
So as Terrylander said, while the GAA as a body is deserving of our scorn, don't tar all associated with the GAA with the same brush.

[GuisaSaigon]

The pitch in Carraroe is owned by the local community not the GAA, not sure about Ballindereen but I think it was a similar situation. So feel free to tar them all, No Surrender!

[WoodquayBoy]

And that was my point, the cvommunity - a predominately GAA community - opened their pitch to Galway United. They didn't have to but they did. Don't get me wrong, if Galway and Kerry were playing the All Ireland football final in my back garden, I'd pull the curtains and call the cops about a shower of muck savage trespassers who I want arrested, but the GAA communities in Carraroe and Ballinderreen did come to the club's aid

[Norm]

People, the rallying call - for both sides of this argument - should be 'remember Europe'.
The club were refused use of Pearse Stadium for the first their European adventures because of a GAA rule (boo hiss), but the GAA communities in Carraroe and Ballinderreen supported the club and opened their grounds to it (will never be forgotten).
So as Terrylander said, while the GAA as a body is deserving of our scorn, don't tar all associated with the GAA with the same brush.

The G.A.A refused access to Pearse Stadium,because to allow soccer to be played there would be breach of their rules at the time.

The fact that the "GAA communities in Carraroe and Ballinderreen" supported the club and opened their grounds suggests to me that the ground does not fall under GAA laws and is in fact a community ground.
If this issue was pushed and enough people were to get behind it, we would not be thanking "GAA communities" for allowing us to play on what are community grounds. A community ground should be open to all regardless.

Can you confirm if the pitch in question is a GAA ground or a community field?

[Norm]

The pitch in Carraroe is owned by the local community not the GAA, not sure about Ballindereen but I think it was a similar situation. So feel free to tar them all, No Surrender!

That was my point! Cheers GuisaSaigon!
If a field is a community ground, where does it state that we have to beg the GAA to use it?

[WoodquayBoy]

Oh for the love of God. It was a GAA pitch owned by the local community. The local community gave United access to their GAA pitch.

[Eire06]

LOI soccer has a case of little brother syndrome, it always wants what its 'big brother' the GAA has and throws a tantrum when it doesn't get it.

My advise is just get on with it and stop moaning and maybe in a few years when you grow up you can be as good, organised and well run organisation that the GAA is :cool:


And I agree with gilberto_eire this is the wrong forum for this - it has nothing to do with Galway United

[geezer]

Out with your foreign games

[Claret Murph]

As I hate the GAA so much , I think it's best not to comment :mad::mad::mad:

[Norm]

Oh for the love of God. It was a GAA pitch owned by the local community. The local community gave United access to their GAA pitch.

Fair enough. This is not really relevant to Galway United at this stage.

I honestly don't understand how a field that is owned by the Community can be classed as a GAA ground.
Its either a GAA ground or its not.

If the GAA Club own it then fair enough, but if it is owned and maintained as a community ground, should other sports not be allowed to play there?

[GuisaSaigon]

In the case of Carraroe it was a a community playing field that was used by the Local GAA club regularly, but the local community welcomed Galway United, as their community's LOI team, to use their pitch. TG4 made a good documentary about the whole thing. go http://www.tg4.tv click on the Faisneas Archive.
scroll down to UEFA Sa Ghaeltacht to watch it. No Surrender! :D

[Terry-Lander]

Fair enough. This is not really relevant to Galway United at this stage.

I honestly don't understand how a field that is owned by the Community can be classed as a GAA ground.
Its either a GAA ground or its not.

If the GAA Club own it then fair enough, but if it is owned and maintained as a community ground, should other sports not be allowed to play there?

Careful now......don't you realise that this whole island is a GAA ground:D. AHHH Carraroe......will we ever see those days again:p

[gufct]

Ballindereen wasnt vested in the GAA and thanks to Michael Kelly & Others we got to use that fantastic facility. Unfortunately Ballinderreen suffered for years after by being denied any big club games because of their generosity.

[MyTown]

Ballindereen wasnt vested in the GAA and thanks to Michael Kelly & Others we got to use that fantastic facility. Unfortunately Ballinderreen suffered for years after by being denied any big club games because of their generosity.

Spot on. That's the way it works...or doessn't work - depending what side of the argument you're on.

[gspain]

People, the rallying call - for both sides of this argument - should be 'remember Europe'.
The club were refused use of Pearse Stadium for the first their European adventures because of a GAA rule (boo hiss), but the GAA communities in Carraroe and Ballinderreen supported the club and opened their grounds to it (will never be forgotten).
So as Terrylander said, while the GAA as a body is deserving of our scorn, don't tar all associated with the GAA with the same brush.

I lived in Galway in 91 at the time of the OB game. Ballinderreen were very generous. They paid a high price though as they didn't get a local game for 8 years afterwards in their ground. They normally hosted plenty of Galway local club games. The club were very helpful and used the excuse to the local guys that they had no control as it was a community pitch.

Carraroe never suffered afaik.

Clearly not all of the GAA are bigots but they sure have some total nutjobs in positions of power.

[corbyeire]

jesus thats awful to hear how the generous crowd of ballinderreen got treated!!!

its slowly changing lads - very slowy!

[gufcfan]

Anyone who knows me will know that I'm no fan of the Grab All Association but on a local level I have recently witnessed the dedication of some members and the time they give to train kids as young as four. I no longer paint all of them with the same brush because there are individuals who are only concerned with putting something back into their local community..... Even reading this back I can't believe I'm actually defending individuals within the GAA. (get the restraints)

I take your point, but unfortunately 80-90% of the people involved in my local GAA are the sort of people that I hate the GAA for.

[gspain]

I take your point, but unfortunately 80-90% of the people involved in my local GAA are the sort of people that I hate the GAA for.

I think 80-90% is unfair. There is certainly still a rump of bigots left in the organisation. Many of these are in positions of influence however they are necoming increasily isolated and losing all the key votes now like the opening of Croke Park, allowing police in NI to play gaa and even the government grants.

Actually Galway was always one of the more liberal GAA counties. in 1974 just 3 years after the ban was lifted an Irish inyernational football side played the Galway GAA team in Tuam. It was meant to be a football match but the powers to be in HQ ruled that out but they went ahead and played gaelic with some rule changes like you can't use your hands. ;) They did use GAA posts and scoring system. The Irish side only won by a point

[gilberto_eire]

This thread still going?.

Obviously no mod' round here or it would have been binned!

[MyTown]

Actually Galway was always one of the more liberal GAA counties. in 1974 just 3 years after the ban was lifted an Irish inyernational football side played the Galway GAA team in Tuam. It was meant to be a football match but the powers to be in HQ ruled that out but they went ahead and played gaelic with some rule changes like you can't use your hands. ;) They did use GAA posts and scoring system. The Irish side only won by a point


There's a photograph of the Ireland selection in a book of Photographs published by the retired Connacht Tribune photographer Stan Shields. A renowned collector such as yourself probably has it already Gary. I asked a contact in the GAA to name the players. This is because the Ireland selection which included John Giles, Gerry Daly, Mick Martin and Paddy Mulligan had to be supplemented by some fringe players from the Galway senior Gaelic Football team of the day.

I understood it was a GAA fund raiser and that's why the game got the go-ahead. I also understood it was played as a half Gaelic and a half soccer. :confused: Paddy Mulligan (ex Galway United manager) was the link in the fixture as (although born and reared in Dublin) he was very proud of his Galwegian ancestry and had quite a few cousins around his own age in the Tuam / North Galway area.

In September that year Galway lost to Dublin in the senior football All-Ireland. The game heralded the arrival of the infamous Heffos Army, was characterised by a display of blatantly biased refereeing from Tyrones Patsy Devlin, and typical Dub boot boy tactics from the likes of Sean Doherty and Alan Larkin, but will be best remembered for the missed penalty by current senior manager Liam Sammon. Bertie Ahenr was presented with a framed photograph of the penalty save today by the SDLP on a trip to the north east. Oh and if you're still reading Gilberto, I love this thread:p

[gspain]

There's a photograph of the Ireland selection in a book of Photographs published by the retired Connacht Tribune photographer Stan Shields. A renowned collector such as yourself probably has it already Gary. I asked a contact in the GAA to name the players. This is because the Ireland selection which included John Giles, Gerry Daly, Mick Martin and Paddy Mulligan had to be supplemented by some fringe players from the Galway senior Gaelic Football team of the day.

I understood it was a GAA fund raiser and that's why the game got the go-ahead. I also understood it was played as a half Gaelic and a half soccer. :confused: Paddy Mulligan (ex Galway United manager) was the link in the fixture as (although born and reared in Dublin) he was very proud of his Galwegian ancestry and had quite a few cousins around his own age in the Tuam / North Galway area.

In September that year Galway lost to Dublin in the senior football All-Ireland. The game heralded the arrival of the infamous Heffos Army, was characterised by a display of blatantly biased refereeing from Tyrones Patsy Devlin, and typical Dub boot boy tactics from the likes of Sean Doherty and Alan Larkin, but will be best remembered for the missed penalty by current senior manager Liam Sammon. Bertie Ahenr was presented with a framed photograph of the penalty save today by the SDLP on a trip to the north east. Oh and if you're still reading Gilberto, I love this thread:p

The game was in aid of Tuam CBS school so not a fundraiser for the GAA. The attendance was 6,000.

Never saw the photo I'm afraid. I do have the programme. It was a strong
Irish side more or less full strength from what I can recall.

The original plan may have been to play a half in each game but my understanding is that this was deemed to be in contravention of the GAA rules so they had to play by GAA rules. They did of course then decide that nobody was allowed to use their hands. I imagine that it was effectively a football match with GAA posts and GAA scoring. As I'm not familiar with GAA rules I'm not sure what other differences there would be.

I have the score somewhere but I'm pretty sure the Irish team won by a point - something like 3-11 to 2-13.

[Terry]

Gilberto is right, when someone can tell me what this has to do with GUFC's current state I will reopen it.