Topics

44 years ago today agents of the British State murdered :

"Patrick Askin
Josie Bradley
Marie Butler
Anne Byrne
Thomas Campbell
Simone Chetrit
Thomas Croarkin
John Dargle
Concepta Dempsey
Collette and Baby Doherty
Patrick Fay
Elizabeth Fitzgerald
Breda Grace
Archie Harper
Antonio Magliocco
May McKenna
Anne Marren
Anna Massey
Dorothy Morris

[O'Brien Family]:
John O'Brien
Anna O'Brien
Jacqueline O'Brien
Anne-Marie O'Brien

Christina O'Loughlin
Edward John O'Neill
Baby Martha O'Neill
Marie Phelan
Siobhán Roice
Maureen Shields
Jack Travers
Breda Turner
John Walshe
Peggy White
George Williamson."

Starts in 4 days and not a word here about it Does anybody care?
Sligo to bate London by 5 points
NY v Laythrum -loads of people expecting NY to get their first ever win here.
CC Secretary and the 5 County Treasurers feverishly praying in Knock that this doesn't happen.
Jamie Clarke, Tom Cunniffe, Neil Collins supposed to be on NY team.

Signed on 10th April 1998.
Thoughts?
Not perfect but better than the previous 30/76 years.

Is it an early April 1st story?

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/gaa-report-envisages-reduced-focus-on-intercounty-schedules-1.3445030?mode=amp

Seeing as the International Rules thread is turning into a discussion on the playing rules maybe the subject should have its own thread.
I'll start by saying :-

Enforce the four steps rule rigourously
Restrict throwball
Abolish throw points
Black card to include cynically holding on to the ball when the opposition get a free.

Now that the 2017 Inter County season is history and the annual Autumn flurry of big club games is upon us -
What sort of timescales are proposed for Provincial and All Ireland Championships next year?
Has anyone seen any type of draft calendar or are they waiting for the hurley crowd and the Special Congress?
I suspect Club League games will have to go ahead without County Players in the main.

I presume it will be another defeat for our boys if we can find the place and the Bus can negotiate the laneway?
Our 2 away trips yielded easy victories for Tyrone and Mayowestros and Monaghan aren't too far behind either of them so anything other than a comfortable home win will be a big surprise.

Launched today I believe.
Being played weekend 10/11 December.

Does anyone care?

Seeing as the Kerry thread has turned into a Championship structure thread and as most Counties have exited the Championships I thought it's time to give this old chestnut another whirl.

Any new,innovative, exciting, revolutionary practical proposals folks?
Don't forget to take Clubs and th'oul hurley into account.

We're off for another season if it.
Mick O'Dowd gone from Eastmeath
Shane Ward gone from Laythrum
........

A revenge mission if ever there was one.
Despite the big win Sunday improvements are needed.
Hopefully those improvements will happen which should get us through to the CF v London/ Rhus/ Galway.

Before the comedians start I'll get it in - venue is the Hyde till further notice, then Carrick.

Iar Uachtaràn CLCG Joe McDonagh passed away tonight.
At lamb dheis Dé go raibh a anam dìlìs.
No doubt him and Jamesie Murray will be belting out the West's Awake in Heaven tonight.

Fresh from the humiliation in the Bronx it's straight into a dogfight in Attirory ( or is it Attyfinlay) against our most annoying and hate filled neighbours.
Jasus they'll burst themselves for this one as memories of 2000 will fire them to fierce heroics altogether.
Hope it doesn't spell the end of the McStay/Fergus project.

[Connacht]

It starts next Sunday at 9pm Irish time with the Community Service obligation in Gaelic Park New York and will, barring a replay, end on 18th September.
A few predictions to give ye all a good laugh

Connacht -
We play NY followed by Leitrim, winners v Sligo
Rhus play London followed by Galway. We shpuld fulfil our potential and reach the Connacht final where I wouldn't be surprised to see us face Galway but still expect the Rhus to be there and to put us to the sword.

Leinster -
Only question here is who loses to Dublin in the Final - Wexford v Kildare, winners v Longford/Offaly or Westmeath. I expect our nice neighbours from Longford to come through and then we'll have the equivalent of a slow bicycle race to try and avoid Dublin. Lillies to have that dubious honour.

Munster - Cork v Tipp/Waterford - will be Tipp and Cork to advance to play Kerry  who will have beaten Clare ( bt Limerick).
On the law of averages must be Cork's turn to win this so Cork it is.

Ulster -
Fermanagh to beat Antrim and lose to Donegal v Monaghan who will have beaten Down.
Tyrone to beat Derry and beat Cavan who will have beaten Armagh.
Tyrone to win final.

Round 4
Ros and Kerry v 3A winners
Donegal and Kildare v 3B winners

Qtr Finals
Mayowestros v Kerry
Ros v Cork
Dublin v Donegal
Tyrone v 4B winner ( who will have beaten Kildare)

Semis
Cork v Dublin
Kerry v Tyrone

Final Dublin to beat Tyrone

I believe the 26 Cos officially became a Republic and also left the British "Commonwealth" on 18th April 1949.

PS it stopped being the " Free State" 11 or 12 years previously.

The League is done and dusted, Division 1 status secured for 2017 and the last3 games have shown up our frailties.
Time to turn eyes on the real World but first we have to do our Community Service to the semi official twilight GAA world of NY plus the free holiday for the Connacht blazers.
First about 10 days rest for those who soldiered right through the NFL and a load of training for those who missed a lot of it.
Then get this nonsense game out of the way and avoid injury.

For the benefit of certain 6 Co. posters ----
Today marks the 78th anniversary of the abolition of the "Irish Free State" as the new Bunreacht na hÉireann came into effect at midnight.
This renamed the State "Eire, or in the English language Ireland".

Do try and get up to date buicìns

This will upset a few of the "everything is grand " bucks here 
http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=245534

Having watched the highlights of Club Finals on GAA 2015 last night one thing I think they need to look at  is the 2 handed push/throw goals. 2 were scored last night where balls were handpassed across to an unmarked chap and in both cases they basically controlled/half caught the ball in their 2 hands before pushing it into the net using both hands.

So far I'm only aware of Stephen Bray of Eastmeath and from the hurly world Rory Jacob.
any other rumours, half truths or even a few  :ofacts ?

Donegal - Current man most likely staying
Derry -vacant
Antrim - does anyone know or care?
Down- McCorry resigned - vacancy
Armagh - Hmmm??
Monaghan - Will Malachy stay?
Cavan - Hyland reappointed
Fermanagh - I expect Pete will be a shoo in
Tyrone - St Mickey re appointed 15/9/15.

Sligo - Carew re appointed I believe
Leitrim - Shane Ward resppointed I believe
Ros - vacant
Mayowestros -still in Championship
Galway - Walsh most likely to be reappointed
London - Paul Coggins again I presume

Clare -vacant?
Limerick- Brudair recommended for re appointment.
Tipp - Vacant
Waterford - vacant?
Cork -Vacant
Kerry - still in Championship

Louth - ??
Meath - Dowd for 2 more years
Westmeath - Cribbin for another year?
Longford - Denis Connerton appointed.
Laois -Vacant
Offaly - Flanagan for another year?
Carlow -??
Wexford - ?
Wicklow- Johnny Magee ratified 27/8.
Dublin - still in Championship
Kildare -  Vacancy.