Sligo GAA county chairman on rovers
By Gerry McLaughlin
The GAA have passed an historic Sligo sponsored motion allowing ‘foreign games’ to be played at Croke Park.
But there will be no soccer at Markievicz Park on the Pearse Road for the foreseeable future.
That’s the firm message from Sligo county board chairman Joe Queenan following the momentous verdict giving Central Council the power to rent Croke Park to the IRFU and the FAI while Lansdowne Road is being developed over the next few years.
Delegates at the weekend Congress voted by 227 to 97 for a “temporary change” of Rule 42 which was proposed by Sligo Central Council delegate Ciaran McDermott.
County chairman Mr Queenan stressed that this decision only applied to the period while Lansdowne Road was being developed.
I have nothing against soccer and am a Liverpool fan but you won’t be seeing Sligo Rovers trotting out on Markievicz Park
“That is not a runner and we in Sligo knew that we had to be pragmatic if we wanted this motion to get through.
“This is no disrespect to Rovers who have their own fine facilities but it was only Croke Park we were concerned about.
“The motion made it quite clear that no other GAA facilities should be used by other bodies for non-GAA purposes.
“Our Central Council delegate, Ciaran McDermott, came up with the idea and we are delighted to steer it through.
“We could not have completely shelved the rule because there would not have been the necessary two-thirds support for such a move but it is a very positive step.
“I have been personally interested in this issue since the time Shamrock Rovers were looking to share facilities with the GAA in Dublin back in 1991.
Mr Queenan said the weekend decision was a measure of how much attitudes towards other sports have changed in Sligo since 1971.
“Sligo was one of only two in the entire island who voted to keep the ban on our members attending or playing foreign games.
“We have moved on and had an almost 85% majority in favour of opting for a temporary leasing of Croke Park when we put it to our County Convention at Christmas.
“In Sligo people tend to follow all sports and that includes Rovers, the county GAA team and Liverpool in my case.
“We got great support from many soccer fans in Sligo in 2002 and long may it continue.
Two of Sligo’s former top GAA stars, Michael McNamara and Philip Gallagher, are now lining out with Rovers.
The county chairman said he was proud to be involved in such an historic occasion.
“We have been accused of being conservative in the past but the weekend showed that we have taken the lead on major questions.
“This decision will allow the GAA to make a gesture to other sports which many thought we were not capable of doing.
“It is a major PR victory and also opens up the possibility of increased revenue which should ultimately benefit the clubs”
