GAA gets higher ratings than Ireland Qualifier

[geysir]

So motions to GAA Congress have no impact on policy.

The GAA claim to be a democratic organisation and that even the smallest club can propose a motion to congress. So if a GAA club lets say proposes that a goal now be worth 4 points. It goes all the way to Congress and gets passed then it actually means nothing. I wonder why all those clubs spend so much time proposing motions and sending delegates to GAA Congress.

Why bother with Congress then and claim it is the highest decision making body of the organisation?

Unless of course there is the faintest possibility that you are totally wrong but then of course that isn't possible is it?

I´appreciate that you have refrained from highly charged bursts of emotion.

You are right, there is not the remotest chance of me being wrong in this instance. I have some understanding of what constitutes GAA policy in regard to annual congress, its constitution and the central GAA committees.
A motion at congress can only become policy if it affects amongst other things, rule changes, changes to structure and a general way of doing its business. The implementation of those decisions become part of what we call policy.
The motion you are referring to has no more status than an agreed opinion at a certain time some 30 years ago.
It had no effect on the constitution, the structure, evident policy of the GAA or the actions of the GAA in its daily business. It never was part of policy 30 years ago and it has remained in that state of not being a part of policy ever since.

[gspain]

I´appreciate that you have refrained from highly charged bursts of emotion.

You are right, there is not the remotest chance of me being wrong in this instance. I have some understanding of what constitutes GAA policy in regard to annual congress, its constitution and the central GAA committees.
A motion at congress can only become policy if it affects amongst other things, rule changes, changes to structure and a general way of doing its business. The implementation of those decisions become part of what we call policy.
The motion you are referring to has no more status than an agreed opinion at a certain time some 30 years ago.
It had no effect on the constitution, the structure, evident policy of the GAA or the actions of the GAA in its daily business. It never was part of policy 30 years ago and it has remained in that state of not being a part of policy ever since.

Since the GAA chose by amending their constitution at the 1979 congress (Rule 7) from being a "non political organisation" to being a "non party political organisation"

They then immediately passed the motion "supporting the struggle for national liberation" followed by other pro IRA motions on prisoners rights.

Some GAA members saw fit to qualify this support a year later to "the unarmed struggle" but were roundly defeated.

Subsequently clubs, cups and grounds have been named after IRA members who shall we say were killed on active service if the term terrorist offends you too much.

This is as blatant and obvious a change in GAA policy as there possibly could be. Yet you still claim that you are right on this. Why don't you argue Bulgaria beat Italy 2-0 the other night because you'd be much closer to being right on that.

These aren't opinions these are facts none of which you even try to refute.

Furthermore Tom Woulfe who has a long history (tried from the 50's to the 70's before eventually overturning the ban on foreign games) in the GAA tried for many years afterwards to get this policy reversed and he had numerous letters published on the subject in national newspapers and tried to reverse this at Congress.

Now the GAA just go ahead and do what they please confident that they won't get negative publicity on the matter in the Republic. When they get criticised in NI for postponing all the Tyrone league games to allow clubs to host and attend an IRA march they just claim the games were postponed because of the All Ireland hurling semi final on tv. Needless to say nobody bothers to question why they didn't even have to have the charade of postponing the games on the day of the final.

[paul_oshea]

GSPain no games are meant to be played on the day of either All-Irelands.

[gspain]

GSPain no games are meant to be played on the day of either All-Irelands.

A number of Tyrone league games were played incl a division 1 game in Eglish at 3.45. Maybe it is just the same code as Tyrone is hardly a hotbed of hurling. Anyway the semi final date would have been known for many months I assume so how come the games that day were postponed so late. Maybe it is because Tyrone people are all fans of Limerick hurling.

http://www.tyronegaa.ie/latestfixtures.jsp?type=res

1 division 1 game and loads of div 2 games played on Sunday Sept 6th.

[gspain]

Just for completeness here is the story re the games being moved

http://www.nwipp-newspapers.com/UH/f...1549489971.php

GAA accused of 'republican agenda' over fixture change



By Alan Rodgers

GAA chiefs in Tyrone have strongly rejected controversial claims that a decision to switch matches this weekend was taken to avoid a clash with the National Hunger Strike Commemoration being held in the county.

Thousands are expected to attend the high profile event which takes place in Galbally. But a leading Red Hand official says the move was made instead to accommodate those wishing to watch the All-Ireland Senior Hurling semi-final on television.

West Tyrone DUP MLA, Tom Buchanan accused the GAA of letting its 'sectarian mask' slip. However, the Association official defended the decision. He was reacting to complaints that the decision breached the GAA's rule designating it as a non-political and non-sectarian organisation.

"This decision was taken to give supporters a chance to watch the hurling semi-finals on television. That is the official decision of the CCC," he said.

"Obviously we are aware of the commemoration taking place in Galbally, although it is not an over-riding factor. There are members of the Association who would want to be in attendance.

"The fact that there are matches on television provided a reason to move the matches. The organisers will be relying on people from within the GAA to volunteer for stewarding and other official duties.

"As far as I am concerned the GAA is neutral, although there are those who genuinely want to attend this event and people are required to assist in the organisation."

The decision to move the games for an All-Ireland Hurling clash will be seen as breaching previous precedents where matches regularly clash with important inter-county ties elsewhere.

In a statement West Tyrone DUP MLA, Tom Buchanan, condemned the move.

"Despite all their grand words and statements, their plans to move their matches this weekend to an earlier time in order to allow their supporters to go to the hunger striker memorial proves just how sectarian this sporting organisation really is," he said.

"No right thinking Protestant person can now accept the GAA as being anything more than a sporting organisation with a sectarian and republican agenda. Their actions on this occasion demonstrate just how deeply rooted they are in republican politics.

"I call on the GAA to come clean and to admit that they are moving the timing of their matches to an earlier slot simply to allow their supporters to get to this commemoration later on Sunday evening. Their weasel words of unity will never wash with the people that I represent because it is very clear that the GAA has always been and will always be a sectarian sporting organisation."

The UH was contacted about the issue by a GAA member who said the earlier start times for the All-County League games would also impact on those hoping to attend Sunday morning Mass.

[kennedmc]

foot.ie is kind of famous....
http://forum.planet-rugby.com/index....68751&start=0&
OK maybe not!!

By the way don't take the opinions of the Plant Rugby forum too seriously as generally anything goes in there...and it does!!

For what its worth as somebody who loves football and rugby I think the rise of rugby is a good thing but I think it willl have a bigger impact on the GAA - the top players who may traditionally stayed in GAA willl be attracted to the professionalism of the rugby game. Also the GAA is becoming a good breeding ground for young players and there is a number of Irish professionals now in football and rugby that have played GAA at minor level.

As for the hurling I'm not surprised it got a bigger viewing than the Ireland game given the magnitude of it etc.

[tetsujin1979]

foot.ie is kind of famous....
http://forum.planet-rugby.com/index....68751&start=0&
OK maybe not!!

By the way don't take the opinions of the Plant Rugby forum too seriously as generally anything goes in there...and it does!!

it's run by the same people as football365. Their forum is legendary!

[Scram]

If the GAA do allow changes in fixtures or whatever in order for people to commemorate Irish Nationalism then fair play to them! Let's not forget who it was that made us the Republic of Ireland!

Total double standards to have British players and pundits come out wearing the poppy commemorating an army with a history of appalling attrocities and no cries of the FA, IFA etc. being Sectarian! And what's more can you imagine the reaction if any footballer or TV pundit refused to wear the poppy! Sectarianisn is OK as long as it is institutionalised?!

[Stuttgart88]

That army also had a history of Irish people fighting for it. I've worn a poppy over here as my family was represented in WW1. I've no issue commemorating the lives of young men that were lost in awful circumstances. I've several issues with the behaviour of the British Army in Ireland. I don't see the contradiction though.

[MeathDrog]

If the GAA do allow changes in fixtures or whatever in order for people to commemorate Irish Nationalism then fair play to them! Let's not forget who it was that made us the Republic of Ireland!

Certianly no thanks to the GAA anyway, although I'm sure they'll tell you differently.

Total double standards to have British players and pundits come out wearing the poppy commemorating an army with a history of appalling attrocities and no cries of the FA, IFA etc. being Sectarian! And what's more can you imagine the reaction if any footballer or TV pundit refused to wear the poppy! Sectarianisn is OK as long as it is institutionalised?!

Also double standards to have English turf on Croke Park too.