The BBC should be ashamed

[Tony Baloney]

There is merit in the statement that the GAA don't help themselves by their willingness to sell the TV rights to the highest bidders - what happens in the hopefully unlikely event that RTE "the national broadcaster" cannot show the national games as rights to live games have been auctioned off to Sky Sports or Setanta?!

Outside of covering GAA news on the tv, radio, website, "Season Ticket" and "The Championship" what more can be expected of the Beeb?! Apart from sacking Stephen Watson?! 

I have yet to see GAA being allocated headline coverage on the backpage.

Yes but there was a good half dozen GAA pages in the Tele last Friday which surprised me as I haven't bought it for months so I don't know how anybody could gripe about that. Again, this is people like Fearon going out of their way to be offended - every man and his dog knows it's readership is aimed mainly at the Unionist community so just accept that fact and buy the Irish News instead! Themmuns could rightly complain about the coverage of Irish League soccer in the Irish News but what's the point when they have the News Letter and the Tele to keep them well covered!

Just get over yourselves - the GAA is as strong as it has ever been and the BBC and Tele not dedicating their full resources to promoting it is obviously doing it no harm!

[stew]

Oh dear, not like you to spout Fearonesque bullshit. 

What do you mean? I thought this episode was pretty well known. Is this not also why he is despised on OWC?

The only 'episode' that I'm aware of with Jerome was when he turned up at WP in a GAA shirt to try and get a reaction. He didn't get a reaction so decided to spout some shite instead and has since backtracked. As far as being despised on OWC, I haven't even seen him mentioned in the last 2 or 3 years.

Why would you assume that Jerome was trying to get a reaction sammy? did he say that he was trying to get a reaction?  and was he wrong to wear a GAA jersey at wp?

[T Fearon]

Well the BBC is showing the Derry Monaghan game live.

I know we don't pay a licence fee for the Belfast Telegraph but the paper styles itself as middle of the road (as opposed to the nationalist Irish News, and ultra Unionist News Letter) and is forever preaching tolerance, harmony etc. Maybe its time it gave GAA its due coverage and practice what it preaches.

There is simply no excuse other than political bias, for excluding GAA from the headline stories on the back page

[Solomon Kane]

Well the BBC is showing the Derry Monaghan game live.

I know we don't pay a licence fee for the Belfast Telegraph but the paper styles itself as middle of the road (as opposed to the nationalist Irish News, and ultra Unionist News Letter) and is forever preaching tolerance, harmony etc. Maybe its time it gave GAA its due coverage and practice what it preaches.

There is simply no excuse other than political bias, for excluding GAA from the headline stories on the back page

The Tele can print whatever it likes - it does not need an excuse as it is a private business. If you don'y like what it has to print don't buy it. That was the trick people used with the Daily Ireland and look what happened there.

[Tyrone Dreamer]

Dont think there's any doubting that gaelic games are the biggest sports in the country. Motor sports dont come close and dont even mention rugby or soccer. 2 years ago the combined attendance at Tyrone games in the championship was half a million. Just think how long it would take to get a similar combined attendance at Northern Ireland or Ulster games. Tyrone is only one county too. The North West may attract 150000 with spectators coming from all over Ireland but this is a one off event in the year. This weekend up to 200,000 are expected to attend the big gaelic matches in Ireland. Ive never seen BBC's viewing figures but I know that GAA programs are the top watched programs on RTE and you guarentee that the trend doesnt stop at a line on the map.

[MW]

Why would you assume that Jerome was trying to get a reaction sammy? did he say that he was trying to get a reaction?

Indeed he was. He expressed some dissatisfaction that no-one came up and talked to him, despite the fact he would be known from the TV

[MW]

Jerome is still paying the price for daring to highlight the sectarianism at Windsor Park a few years back.

Except that barring the la-la land yourself and Fearon seem to inhabit, he didn't actually highlight any 'sectarianism'. Whinged about a flag saying 'South Belfast' though, and a song that apparently went "Stand up if you're an Ulsterman" , and no-one coming up and hugging him and telling him what a great chap they thought he was though...

[stew]

Why would you assume that Jerome was trying to get a reaction sammy? did he say that he was trying to get a reaction?

Indeed he was. He expressed some dissatisfaction that no-one came up and talked to him, despite the fact he would be known from the TV

Did you hear him say this MW or are you listening to what others told you about what he said.

I find that a strange thing for someone to say and I dont believe it to be true.

[SammyG]

Why would you assume that Jerome was trying to get a reaction sammy?

Because he said so.

and was he wrong to wear a GAA jersey at wp?

Nothing wrong at all, as the total lack of any reaction proved. I'm not sure the same would be true if I turned up at Casement with an NI top on.

[MW]

Why would you assume that Jerome was trying to get a reaction sammy? did he say that he was trying to get a reaction?

Indeed he was. He expressed some dissatisfaction that no-one came up and talked to him, despite the fact he would be known from the TV

Did you hear him say this MW or are you listening to what others told you about what he said.

I find that a strange thing for someone to say and I dont believe it to be true.

No, I read the article he wrote on the BBC website.

Do keep up, old son.

[magickingdom]

Nothing wrong at all, as the total lack of any reaction proved. I'm not sure the same would be true if I turned up at Casement with an NI top on.

sammy, i know your probably not going to be able to make it to semple stadium but the replay of that cracking hurling match you saw last week is on rte 2 at 6.30 saturday! 

[stew]

Why would you assume that Jerome was trying to get a reaction sammy?

Because he said so.

and was he wrong to wear a GAA jersey at wp?

Nothing wrong at all, as the total lack of any reaction proved. I'm not sure the same would be true if I turned up at Casement with an NI top on.

Hmmm, I am just surprised that the crowd didnt fawn all over him to get their picture taken with him so that everyone involved can show how inclusive the ni fans are a la Chicago, it was sickening to see that going on when I went last year, they just tried too hard and it felt akward, of course none of the photos were used on any pro north websites for publicity purposes.

As for you wearing a ni top at casement, I doubt  that anyone would give a damn, I certainly wouldnt.

[nifan]

Hmmm, I am just surprised that the crowd didnt fawn all over him to get their picture taken with him so that everyone involved can show how inclusive the ni fans are a la Chicago, it was sickening to see that going on when I went last year, they just tried too hard and it felt akward, of course none of the photos were used on any pro north websites for publicity purposes.

As for you wearing a ni top at casement, I doubt  that anyone would give a damn, I certainly wouldnt.

Stew, that hardly tallies with the comments bellow!
"What I found surprised the life out of me, the fans were for the most part fantastic in my opinion, they partied and although I would say the numbered at the most 500 they sang songs from start to finish and danced their way through the whole game, they even broke out the conga which was hilarious as the security men had to follow them wherever they went. I have never enjoyed a game of football as much as this one in my life, the atmosphere was fantastic and I have to say I was mightily impressed with them all."

[SammyG]

Nothing wrong at all, as the total lack of any reaction proved. I'm not sure the same would be true if I turned up at Casement with an NI top on.

sammy, i know your probably not going to be able to make it to semple stadium but the replay of that cracking hurling match you saw last week is on rte 2 at 6.30 saturday! 

Cheers for the info, unfortunately I can't get RTE over on the big island/mainland/imperial centre/delete as appropriate

[An Fear Rua]

Nothing wrong at all, as the total lack of any reaction proved. I'm not sure the same would be true if I turned up at Casement with an NI top on.

sammy, i know your probably not going to be able to make it to semple stadium but the replay of that cracking hurling match you saw last week is on rte 2 at 6.30 saturday! 

Cheers for the info, unfortunately I can't get RTE over on the big island/mainland/imperial centre/delete as appropriate

yes you can

http://www.rte.ie/live

just need to make sure your regional settings on the pc are set to Irish.....