Quotedoes anyone even listen to the guy anymore?
Dave Hannigan's article today.
In Dave Hannigan's article, which featured in the Evening Echo's Sports Special today, he spoke about the GAA's decision to open Croke Park to "foreign" sports. Proving yet again - he claimed - that it is the "most democratic sports organisation in the country". A bizarre statement to make, considering the fact that Cork did not even take a vote on the subject.
He went on to quote a 'cautious' FAI statement that the organisation would "investigate all venue options available". Apparently, this mystified Mr. Hannigan, who said that he "thought he'd heard it all". One must presume that he expected the FAI to just be greatful and happy that the GAA would let mere mortals into their mighty tax-funded stadium and not care about the terms and conditions of its useage. Don't make me laugh! After all, they never asked for it to be opened up.
Yes, it's true to say that the GAA are owners of Croke Park, but millions upon millions of tax-payers money was handed over, no questions asked, to the organisation. Why? Because, put simply, the government would not dare tell the GAA that there was a catch, that the FAI should be allowed use the facility aswell. No, this would cost them votes.
Also mentioned in his article was - not for the first time - the situation at Shamrock Rovers Football Club. Last week, Rovers went into examinership. Yes, there is something serioulsy wrong there, but he has pointed this out on numerous ocassions, in - irritatingly - a smug, holier-than-thou attitude, as if to boast. Sickening. He then said, jokingly, that SRFC may ask for the use of Parnell Park rent-free for the remainder of the century. Here, he was having a go at the fact that they have no ground of their own. Then again, as a professional club, they have a wage bill to pay.
It's not just in this case, he seems to take joy in Irish soccer clubs' failings and in the success of the good-old GAA. Never mentioned, however, are the eircom League's success stories. Shelbourne's and our fantastic European runs last season, for instance. Perhaps Mr. Hannigan has a chip on his shoulder when it comes to our National League. I wonder.
He has also, on several ocassions, taken stabs at the quality of the league. Well, I put it to him that Gaelic Football and Hurling may not look so fantastic in Ireland if the sports were played worldwide. The fact is, there's nothing to compare GAA players to, no standard, and that's why they are superstars in the eyes of many.
He ended by quoting Seán Kelly on the temporary changing of Rule 42, "I think very few other organisations would have done it," said Mr. Kelly. No, but then again, few other organisations would have such a moronic rule in the first place.
does anyone even listen to the guy anymore?
*Slightly off topic in the CCFC section*
Agree with you Anti-Dub.
Did anyone see the report on 6.1 sports section when it asked GAA fans in Parnell Park if they were happy with Croker being opened up? They showed 3 people, the first 2 said it was fine but the last (real Anto accent) said "Jayz, I wouldn' even let them the car park". Fair enough, but the guy was wairing a Celtic hat!
... Typical!
As I say, we're just young & a bit nieve.
Yes, typical. What a moronOriginally Posted by Troy.McClure
the last (real Anto accent) said "Jayz, I wouldn' even let them the car park". Fair enough, but the guy was wairing a Celtic hat!
Last edited by adamd164; 18/04/2005 at 5:40 PM.
Dave likes to write doom laden articles. He's on a seriously bad run at the moment. He can't attack Limerick, Derry or Drogs any more, so hes limited to picking on the Hoops.
Did ye catch his article a few weeks ago where he tried to pick an alternative Irish squad to demonstrate the huge selection available to Kerr? He picked players from every lower league in the UK (and of course he picked Ronnie O'Brien coz Dave lives in the US and is convinced Ronnie is the answer to all Irelands problems).
He picked Rory Delap as a striker! No mention of any eircom league players, despite the fact that there are at least 6 eircom league players and probably more who are better strikers than Rory Delap.
yeah gonna move it
erra, hannigan seems to like writing articles just to p!ss people off.. i ignore them to be honest
Whatever it was I am sure it was better than my plan to get out of this by pretending to be mad. I mean, who would have noticed another madman around here?
Dave Hannigan is no friend of EL football and most of his articles are written from the prospective of a ball ox !
As I've stated in other posts, we have a serious problem with good football writers in this country. It's ironic that two of the better ones, Pauls Hyland and Lennon, write for tabloids! One "expert" in a Sunday rag used to boast of the few Eircom matches he attended and that the fare was brutal. What a dipstick! Far too many "soccer journalists" have no interest in the game and are merely waiting to move on to their own sports. Tony O'Donoghue is another keen footie fan, played junior until a few years. John Creedon was at quite a few Cork City in St. Mel's Park and Con Murphy of RTE is a Shamrock Rovers fan, I think. Derek Foley is another keen football fan, does a great job on Tuesdays in The Star Junior/Schoolboys section but spends far too much time on eggball.
A couple of facts here.
"but millions upon millions of tax-payers money was handed over, no questions asked, to the organisation."
COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY UNTRUE.
In total, €19 million of "taxpayers money" has been "handed over" to the GAA. The rest of the money for the stadium has been generated by the GAA itself, or came from grants from Lottery funding, just like hundreds of golf, soccer, boxing, rowing etc clubs recieved grants.
€19 million is a pittance to contribute to an organisation that has provided a playing ground, social centre and youth club to virtually EVERY parish in this country. The estimated financial contribution from the GAA and it's members to these facilities is €2.6 BILLON, so 19 million is really small in comparison.
Parishes with populations of 300 and less have managed to build these facilities through sheer hard work, effort and digging deep into their OWN pockets. Any grants they have got is a tiny proportion of the overall cost.
The secratery of an average small-sized GAA club, can run his club, and organisation in a far more professional manner than the entire team of well-paid morons who have been employed by the supposedly professional FAI.
The most important fact of all is that THE GAA ARE NOT TO BLAME FOR THE INCOMPETENCE OF THE FAI.
AS for few other organisations would have such a moronic rule in the first place, what about the IRFU?
They might not have it actually written down somewhere, but this is the most elitist, class-based, exclusionary organisation in the world possibly.
How many players from Knocknaheeny/Togher/Gurranabraher play with Cork Con or some other shower? How many facilities built and community work has your average rugby club done around your area? How many coaches/parents from rugby clubs have knocked on doors in the poorest areas of this country to see if children want to come to a safe place where they can get healthy exercise, make good friends and be well looked after, all while enjoying themselves?
SWEET F*CK ALL, thats how many.
These c*nts are sitting on massive parcels of development land around the country, playing the property market to increase their financial reserves, yet is there ever a word of criticism about them?
It makes me PHYSICALLY SICK to think that these privileged, middle class, want for nothing f*cking gurriers will be allowed on to the hallowed turf of Croke Park, when for years their spiritual masters and wannabee west Brit ancestors killed and maimed the ordinary decent people of this country. I'm no SFer, or hold with any of that crap, but these rugger f*ckers make me gag.
It's very easy to run off the usual trite old bullsh*t about the GAA, but a closer look at the real facts wouldn't go amiss with anyone who wants to have yet another tedious go off them.
I'm no friend of the GAA, but that is absolutely spot on. As for rugby- well I wouldn't agree there. In fairness, rugby (in Limerick in particular) is played by all sections of the community. Part of the problem with rugby is the stigma attached to it by people- same as saying GAA is for culchies/soccer is for west-brits etc etc
Bullsh*t Eanna.
I didn't attach any stigma to rugby, it has an elitist exclusionary policy, pretty much in the same way that golf clubs do. It's not written down anywhere, it's a nod and a wink, did you go to the right school attitude.
I'm not saying YOU attached a stigma to it, but you're way off the mark there Pat. I know plenty of people who play rugby, watch rugby etc who are ordinary joe soaps- just like you, me and anyone else. I also know plenty of people involved in rugby who are complete tossers- the "rugger bugger" stereotype exists for a reason- they are out there, but they are not a majority IMO.
Ahh you know so much about the inner workings of rugby circles I feel that I may not be qualified to converse with you. I will however give it a go. Now barring Cork Con (exclude Leinster altogether from this) what clubs would adhere to this elitist policy in Munster? I have a lot more to say on this but I reckon you dont so go ahead and knock yourself out.
Well said Patsh. I see eggball is trying to get into the Olympic games. This is the sport who disgraced the country when playing against the nazis who controlled South Africa and fcuked up the Melbourne Olympics when a host of countries (many African) withdrew due to the eggball tours to that part of the planet. Until, the IRB and its constituents publicly apologise for their arrogance and support of racism they should be barred from the Olympics, period. To be utterly fair, I'm still outraged over the Irish Soccer team playing Chile (included one Mr. Dunphy) straight after the murder of Allende by CIA supported Pinochet and his thugs in the early 70's. Also, there are still so-called rugby schools who will not allow soccer in and treat Gaelic games as an afterthought. I have no problem with ALL GAMES being played in schools but no elitism - that breeds the mentality that led to tours of South Africa.
Agreed. Add to that the legions of volunteers who work in all weathers to develop youth teams right up to inter-county players. Go to the Rockies any saturday morning. About 500 to 600 kids are there, being coached by anything up to 50 voluntary coaches.
For as long as I can remember, the GAA has been responsible for unpaid social workers and youth workers. In my humble opinion, they have been the glue which held Irish community life together.
If they got 100 times the financial support they got from the government, so what? It is coming from tax payers' pockets, that is true, but for those of us who are not GAA members, we can be damn glad the organisation is there.
By the way I never played any Gaelic games, and I think a lot of GAA spokesmen down the years were l@ngers, but without that organisation I think we would be a lot poorer as a country.
Injustice anywhere threatens justice everywhere - Martin Luther King Jnr.
Well said Patsh. I see eggball is trying to get into the Olympic games. This is the sport who disgraced the country when playing against the nazis who controlled South Africa and fcuked up the Melbourne Olympics when a host of countries (many African) withdrew due to the eggball tours to that part of the planet. Until, the IRB and its constituents publicly apologise for their arrogance and support of racism they should be barred from the Olympics, period. To be utterly fair, I'm still outraged over the Irish Soccer team playing Chile (included one Mr. Dunphy) straight after the murder of Allende by CIA supported Pinochet and his thugs in the early 70's. Also, there are still so-called rugby schools who will not allow soccer in and treat Gaelic games as an afterthought. I have no problem with ALL GAMES being played in schools but no elitism - that breeds the mentality that led to tours of South Africa.
Time to get over yourself there, times have moved on. Any names for those so called rugby schools that dont allow soccer in?
Terenure College is definately one. Or are you only referring to Munster?
Well I wouldn't know the ins and outs exactly of most Leinster schools but I doubt very much that soccer and gaelic is not allowed. I'm almost 100% that all rugby playing schools in Munster allow whatever sport you want to be played.
Get over the 1950's post-colonial anti-rugby chip, Patsh.
Claiming that rugby fans/officials/players in the 21st Century are in any way linked to the actions of the British army in Ireland in the 20th century and prior is absolutely feckin ridiculous. If that's the case, then the GAA - it's players, fans and officials - are likewise to blame for IRA atrocities. Ignoring the fact that the GAA's links to republican paramilitarism have arguably been much stronger than any rugby link to British militarism, the fact is that neither of those assertions is true.
Time to move on Patsh....
Well in the aformentioned school in 4th year some of us tried to organise a soccer team for the senior years with people not involved in rugby to play friendlies against other schools with a view to seeing how it went so we may eventually apply to play in competition. We had a couple of teachers agreed to coach us. As soon as the main rugby guy who is now principal found out he ripped the notices down and that was that. I know the school has also not played GAA sports since the 1910's when it fell out with the GAA (I think, though may be wrong, not sure, that it was ironically over playing 'foreign' sports). I cannot speak for Blackrock, Belvedere or Marys or any of the others but certainly in Terenure College there is no chance of even the willing organising the school on a competitive level in GAA or soccer.
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