Originally Posted by
G-Man
Firstly, I've been signed up here a while, but very rarely post, find the site great for local football news and for details on upcoming international fixtures and tickets etc. So apologies for those of you who will want to attack me for my lack of posts.
I've been reading this topic for a while now, and other topics on this DB, but chose not to post. But this time I feel like I should.
First things first, I think what Thomas Davis is doing is wrong and should not be happening. Not being from Dublin or knowing the exact circumstances, is it a personal issue with the TD chairman or just his hatred of football? Its petty, small minded and just down right dumb. Liam Griffin, of Wexford hurling fame is known to have said he wants to see every child in Ireland play hurling, but if they dont he'd want to see them out playing sports and he'd be happy to see them play soccer as long as they were involved. Mick Wallace is known to attend most Wexford GAA games, as is Kevin Doyle (who I played many a game of Gaelic against (and a couple with) when he is around.
Now I know there are some archaic ways in the GAA, but the way some of you on here brand every single follower of the GAA as biggotted and small minded is a bit off. I for one would be a GAA man first, and represented my county at gaelic football (I'm not going to start a debate on the term frequently used here of bogball).
But I also follow football a lot too, granted I dont go to a load of EL games, just a few Waterford ones, but I'd be a regular attender of Wexford games should Mick Wallace (a man I know personally and have a lot of time for) get a team in the league. I have been to all Ireland home games (bar the time I was aborad) and have been to a few away games too. I went to the World Cup in the summer as well, only seeing one game but travelling around germany for 3 weeks soaking up the atmosphere was brilliant.
One thing I dont get, is how a lot of posters here claim the GAA is biggotted but yet they abuse and put down everything they do, call for bans on going to Croke Park and other such things. Its really trivial stuff and do you not see the irony in your opinions and actions?
Secondly, the level of accuracy with regards to the funding of Croke park, mainly displayed on this thread is appaling. You should not put itno print things that you hear. Funding for Croke Park is as follows: (sorry for not having the link, I had this copied on an email from a previous link due to a similar argument)
Total cost 260million
Tax Man 19million
National Lottery 91 million
Sale of seats 20million
Private Funding 90Million
Outstanding loan 36 million
The original plan was 10m in tax mney, but as the special olympics was being held there, the money was pushed up. And some of you are complaingin that the GAA should foot the bill for the installation of floodlights. I really dont see your argument for this, when the GAA put forward a plan a couple of years ago for them, Bord Planala refused them due to the residents. Now that the FAI needs them for their midweek games, I really dont see why they should foot the bill. Another point, Lansdowne road is receiving 191m in funds, about 80m of which is taxpayers money and the rest lottery. So please, can all this talk of tax money going into Croke Park please stop.
The comments from that fool in Tipperary about the FAI is ridiculous, and the GAA have requested that no one unauthorised be allowed to comment on the matter. Everywhere there will be one or 2 old stled people, but the majority see a future and advancement. Its not a case of you must chose one or the other, but here it seems it is.
But you must also see what is perceived as pettiness on the GAA's side. Staunton has requested on 2 seperate occasions use of Croke Park. Now that is petty, and when refused for the latest one, he complained. I for one, dont see his logic. Playing away to San Marino, he wants to train in Croke Park, nearly 2 months before their first game there. There is a Gaelic game on 2 days before his requested date and the first rugby international is on 4 days after his date. It isnt logical and can be seen as annoying. They are having no such problems from the IRFU who have already submitted a time frame plan for use of the grounds for training and such like to the approval of Croke Park, so its not a case of use it on our terms.
I know many of you wont read all this, especially as I'm after stating I'm from a GAA background and that will already have set off the red lights, but all I'm saying is try not to be as blinkered in your hatred of the GAA. You'd be surprised at how many people like both sports and can play both and enjoy supporting both.
Now, after all that (been biting my tongue for a long time on here), you can beat me with 'you're biggot GAA supporter' stick!!
