Dave Hannigan's article today.

**adamd164** · 21/04/2005, 1:18 PM

razor there's no point in arguing with him, he won't listen

**patsh** · 21/04/2005, 2:59 PM

Originally Posted by razor

That is of course unless you are a community socccer team.

I know what you mean,razor, but what I mean are the facilities themselves.
Most soccer clubs develop a ground and dressing room set-up only, while GAA clubs tend to go in for much larger scale developments, and normally incorporate a bar and a function room which is used for community events. (bingo, youth clubs and stuff like that.)
Soccer clubs, unfortunately, tend to be associated with a particular pub, while GAA clubs tend to represent an area/parish/community.

And Macy, your point about eircom Park is correct, but that can be traced back to ONE politician really, B. Ahern. For a supposed soccer fan, that guy has done his level best to ruin things for soccer in this country. If the FAI were the type of organisation who commanded respect and had some clout, he wouldn't have been able to get away with that quite so easily.
The Government do decide on the lottery funds, and this is where the FAI are so sadly lacking. Given the soccer is the most widely played game in the country, you would think that they should get the most money, but because there is no political clout whatsover from within the game, soccer just doesn't get it's fair share. Compare the type of lobbying, if any, that soccer attracts, while the GAA and Rugby shower have very strong advocates within the D�il.

This thread was started as "criticism" of a journalist and then had yet another whinge and moan at the GAA. This seems to be common practice for a lot of posters on this board, who whinge and moan about the GAA constantly without knowing any FACTS, just mistruths and urban myths. I pointed out that you could level much of the same criticism at the rugby crowd, probably ten times over, in fact, and the response from that corner was childish abuse and not a solitary post actually debating the issue.

I reckon EVERY cent given to the GAA is more than defensible, I think you could argue that even if the FAI got ten times the amount they get know, it too would be defensible, but I think that the money that rugby gets, and it is after alll a minority sport, numbers wise at least, and the money the IRFU will get for the re-development of their ground is highly questionable to say the least, if not downright indefensible, yet that does not attract the same hostility that the GAA do. Horse Racing is another area where I think it is impossible to justify the money they recieve.

**Fair_play_boy** · 21/04/2005, 4:59 PM

Originally Posted by patsh

. . . This thread was started as "criticism" of a journalist and then had yet another whinge and moan at the GAA. This seems to be common practice for a lot of posters on this board, who whinge and moan about the GAA constantly without knowing any FACTS, just mistruths and urban myths. I pointed out that you could level much of the same criticism at the rugby crowd, probably ten times over, in fact, and the response from that corner was childish abuse and not a solitary post actually debating the issue.

That might be to do with the way this thread went way off topic. Maybe a mod can split this thread, as it looks as if this discussion still has a good way to go.