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GAA Discussion => GAA Discussion => Topic started by: seafoid on July 15, 2017, 06:45:02 AM

Title: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: seafoid on July 15, 2017, 06:45:02 AM
https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2017/jul/14/pitching-up-ancient-sports-for-children-in-irelands-most-ethnically-diverse-town

They might find a few forwards !
Great stuff
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: thefont on July 15, 2017, 11:32:37 AM
Amazing, proud to be from Mayo watching that.
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: Crete Boom on July 15, 2017, 12:20:03 PM
Quote from: seafoid on July 15, 2017, 06:45:02 AM
https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2017/jul/14/pitching-up-ancient-sports-for-children-in-irelands-most-ethnically-diverse-town

They might find a few forwards !
Great stuff

Maybe we will and maybe ye might win another championship match in Croker some time this century!

Super effort by Ballyhaunis Gaa, just shows what can be achieved.
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: seafoid on July 15, 2017, 12:23:18 PM
Pure dĂșthracht. A super advertisement for the town.
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: sligoman2 on July 15, 2017, 12:25:04 PM
Great stuff.  Well done to all involved - and it's not that short of a film. 

We need a few of those lads in Sligo...
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: Denn Forever on July 15, 2017, 12:40:40 PM
Good to see that.  What is it like sswhen play other clubs?  A bit of division here when the kids play against opposion clubs.  Not good at all.
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: theticklemister on July 15, 2017, 03:56:01 PM
Excellent, just superb that.
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: Itchy on July 16, 2017, 11:19:37 PM
Tremendous. Every club should reach out to any kid they can in their community.
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: magpie seanie on July 17, 2017, 02:15:23 PM
I saw that yesterday and it was brilliant. Thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the Pakistani hurler with the thick Mayo accent. This is a prime example of what the GAA is really about. Well done Ballyhaunis. Keep it up.
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: Syferus on July 17, 2017, 05:12:41 PM
Honestly, knowing the area well already Toreen (Ballyhaunis' opponents in the county final) is a more compelling story. People don't realise how tiny a club it is, or that it only plays hurling. It's a club that has no right to exist yet there it is every year competing with the best clubs at Intermediate in Connacht.

Ballagh, a short trip down the road through Brackloon and Lisacul, have had to try to integrate as much diversity as Ballyhaunis has so the bloviating by the lad at the start came across a little disingenuous.
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: Ballaghman on July 17, 2017, 05:17:07 PM
Quote from: Syferus on July 17, 2017, 05:12:41 PM
Honestly, knowing the area well already Toreen (Ballyhaunis' opponents in the county final) is a more compelling story. People don't realise how tiny a club it is, or that it only plays hurling.

Ballagh, a short trip down the road through Brackloon and Lisacul, have had to try to integrate as much diversity as Ballyhaunis has so the bloviating by the lad at the start came across a little disingenuous.
Ballagh is nowhere near Ballyhaunis' level  for immigration and integration Syf........yet. With the influx of Syrians the town will be similar to Ballyhaunis in time but is many years behind. Butler was dead right in saying Ballyhaunis is the most cosmopolitan and diverse town in Ireland, has been the case especially since the convent was converted into a refugee centre back in the 90s or thereabouts.
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: Syferus on July 17, 2017, 05:23:25 PM
Quote from: Ballaghman on July 17, 2017, 05:17:07 PM
Quote from: Syferus on July 17, 2017, 05:12:41 PM
Honestly, knowing the area well already Toreen (Ballyhaunis' opponents in the county final) is a more compelling story. People don't realise how tiny a club it is, or that it only plays hurling.

Ballagh, a short trip down the road through Brackloon and Lisacul, have had to try to integrate as much diversity as Ballyhaunis has so the bloviating by the lad at the start came across a little disingenuous.
Ballagh is nowhere near Ballyhaunis' level  for immigration and integration Syf........yet. With the influx of Syrians the town will be similar to Ballyhaunis in time but is many years behind. Butler was dead right in saying Ballyhaunis is the most cosmopolitan and diverse town in Ireland, has been the case especially since the convent was converted into a refugee centre back in the 90s or thereabouts.

The Syrians will be transient and few if any will remain in the area once their time in the hotel is up because they will be rehoused elsewhere. Ballagh has had a large Muslim community for nearly as long as Ballhaunis, and in the last twenty years many eastern Europeans have settled locally too. And with everyone under 20 leaving as fast as the ink dries on their Leaving Cert results thank God for them all or the town would be totally dead now.

I don't see why you're trying to defend what was simply a lad who saw a camera and decided to pump up his town a little. Unless he has census data on hand I'm sure he wasn't comparing Ballyhaunis scientifically to all the even more diverse small towns in the commuter belt in Leinster..
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: Tubberman on July 17, 2017, 07:21:19 PM
Quote from: Syferus on July 17, 2017, 05:23:25 PM
Quote from: Ballaghman on July 17, 2017, 05:17:07 PM
Quote from: Syferus on July 17, 2017, 05:12:41 PM
Honestly, knowing the area well already Toreen (Ballyhaunis' opponents in the county final) is a more compelling story. People don't realise how tiny a club it is, or that it only plays hurling.

Ballagh, a short trip down the road through Brackloon and Lisacul, have had to try to integrate as much diversity as Ballyhaunis has so the bloviating by the lad at the start came across a little disingenuous.
Ballagh is nowhere near Ballyhaunis' level  for immigration and integration Syf........yet. With the influx of Syrians the town will be similar to Ballyhaunis in time but is many years behind. Butler was dead right in saying Ballyhaunis is the most cosmopolitan and diverse town in Ireland, has been the case especially since the convent was converted into a refugee centre back in the 90s or thereabouts.

The Syrians will be transient and few if any will remain in the area once their time in the hotel is up because they will be rehoused elsewhere. Ballagh has had a large Muslim community for nearly as long as Ballhaunis, and in the last twenty years many eastern Europeans have settled locally too. And with everyone under 20 leaving as fast as the ink dries on their Leaving Cert results thank God for them all or the town would be totally dead now.

I don't see why you're trying to defend what was simply a lad who saw a camera and decided to pump up his town a little. Unless he has census data on hand I'm sure he wasn't comparing Ballyhaunis scientifically to all the even more diverse small towns in the commuter belt in Leinster..

I don't see why you have to turn it into a competition and completely miss the bigger picture.
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: Rossfan on July 17, 2017, 07:24:47 PM
Good work indeed by this club.
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: Syferus on July 17, 2017, 07:34:20 PM
Quote from: Tubberman on July 17, 2017, 07:21:19 PM
Quote from: Syferus on July 17, 2017, 05:23:25 PM
Quote from: Ballaghman on July 17, 2017, 05:17:07 PM
Quote from: Syferus on July 17, 2017, 05:12:41 PM
Honestly, knowing the area well already Toreen (Ballyhaunis' opponents in the county final) is a more compelling story. People don't realise how tiny a club it is, or that it only plays hurling.

Ballagh, a short trip down the road through Brackloon and Lisacul, have had to try to integrate as much diversity as Ballyhaunis has so the bloviating by the lad at the start came across a little disingenuous.
Ballagh is nowhere near Ballyhaunis' level  for immigration and integration Syf........yet. With the influx of Syrians the town will be similar to Ballyhaunis in time but is many years behind. Butler was dead right in saying Ballyhaunis is the most cosmopolitan and diverse town in Ireland, has been the case especially since the convent was converted into a refugee centre back in the 90s or thereabouts.

The Syrians will be transient and few if any will remain in the area once their time in the hotel is up because they will be rehoused elsewhere. Ballagh has had a large Muslim community for nearly as long as Ballhaunis, and in the last twenty years many eastern Europeans have settled locally too. And with everyone under 20 leaving as fast as the ink dries on their Leaving Cert results thank God for them all or the town would be totally dead now.

I don't see why you're trying to defend what was simply a lad who saw a camera and decided to pump up his town a little. Unless he has census data on hand I'm sure he wasn't comparing Ballyhaunis scientifically to all the even more diverse small towns in the commuter belt in Leinster..

I don't see why you have to turn it into a competition and completely miss the bigger picture.

Pointing out something and someone responding to it is hardly missing the bigger picture. What they're doing is lovely, but let's not think other communities haven't done the same.

It should also be noted that the Ballyhaunis team that won the Mayo county title last year contained no minorities at all - that is as much a sign as anything as to how incomplete a project the whole endeavour is.

Much more needs to be done, which is why all the back-patting this Guardian documentary is getting is a little harder to swallow as someone who knows how big the divisions remain in Ballyhaunis, Ballagh and I'm very sure throughout the country.
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: Main Street on July 17, 2017, 08:52:34 PM
That's a great little documentary.

It rains a lot in Ballyhaunis.
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: Captain Scarlet on July 17, 2017, 09:02:54 PM
2011 Census had it that 42% were non Irish in the town.
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: Eamonnca1 on July 17, 2017, 09:37:47 PM
Great film showing the potential for Gaelic games to unite and build communities from diverse backgrounds. The days are gone when they're just Irish games for Irish people. They're games for everybody.
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: Syferus on July 17, 2017, 09:45:51 PM
Quote from: Eamonnca1 on July 17, 2017, 09:37:47 PM
Great film showing the potential for Gaelic games to unite and build communities from diverse backgrounds. The days are gone when they're just Irish games for Irish people. They're games for everybody.

Again true, but the end result here is a still entirely homogenous team. What Shehroz Akram's undeniable talent can do in promoting the GAA among the same community may prove every bit as important as anything covered in the documentary. You need heroes to break these sorts of moulds.
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: seafoid on July 17, 2017, 10:04:40 PM
Quote from: Eamonnca1 on July 17, 2017, 09:37:47 PM
Great film showing the potential for Gaelic games to unite and build communities from diverse backgrounds. The days are gone when they're just Irish games for Irish people. They're games for everybody.
they are fantastic games as well
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: Crete Boom on July 17, 2017, 10:35:47 PM
Quote from: Syferus on July 17, 2017, 09:45:51 PM
Quote from: Eamonnca1 on July 17, 2017, 09:37:47 PM
Great film showing the potential for Gaelic games to unite and build communities from diverse backgrounds. The days are gone when they're just Irish games for Irish people. They're games for everybody.

Again true, but the end result here is a still entirely homogenous team. What Shehroz Akram's undeniable talent can do in promoting the GAA among the same community may prove every bit as important as anything covered in the documentary. You need heroes to break these sorts of moulds.

Especially Mayo Heroes. 8)
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: Ballaghman on July 18, 2017, 12:43:13 AM
Quote from: Syferus on July 17, 2017, 05:23:25 PM
Quote from: Ballaghman on July 17, 2017, 05:17:07 PM
Quote from: Syferus on July 17, 2017, 05:12:41 PM
Honestly, knowing the area well already Toreen (Ballyhaunis' opponents in the county final) is a more compelling story. People don't realise how tiny a club it is, or that it only plays hurling.

Ballagh, a short trip down the road through Brackloon and Lisacul, have had to try to integrate as much diversity as Ballyhaunis has so the bloviating by the lad at the start came across a little disingenuous.
Ballagh is nowhere near Ballyhaunis' level  for immigration and integration Syf........yet. With the influx of Syrians the town will be similar to Ballyhaunis in time but is many years behind. Butler was dead right in saying Ballyhaunis is the most cosmopolitan and diverse town in Ireland, has been the case especially since the convent was converted into a refugee centre back in the 90s or thereabouts.

The Syrians will be transient and few if any will remain in the area once their time in the hotel is up because they will be rehoused elsewhere. Ballagh has had a large Muslim community for nearly as long as Ballhaunis, and in the last twenty years many eastern Europeans have settled locally too. And with everyone under 20 leaving as fast as the ink dries on their Leaving Cert results thank God for them all or the town would be totally dead now.

I don't see why you're trying to defend what was simply a lad who saw a camera and decided to pump up his town a little. Unless he has census data on hand I'm sure he wasn't comparing Ballyhaunis scientifically to all the even more diverse small towns in the commuter belt in Leinster..
Syf you're completely missing my point. Yes Ballagh has a large Muslim population (considerably smaller than Ballyhaunis') and yes it has Eastern Europeans (as does every single Irish town). It's not a competition but what Eoin Butler said was true, Ballyhaunis is indeed considered Ireland's most diverse town. Just compare St. Nathys student population to Ballyhaunis Community school and there is no comparison, Ballagh is waaaay less diverse. Again it's not a competition, you're just picking a strange fight I have to say.
As someone else pointed out, the bigger point is the work the GAA club in that town are doing is fantastic. As is the work being done in Ballagh with the likes of Sharoize and Owais playing active parts in the club. It's great to see and we need to see plenty more of it.
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: Ballaghman on July 18, 2017, 12:45:16 AM
Quote from: Crete Boom on July 17, 2017, 10:35:47 PM
Quote from: Syferus on July 17, 2017, 09:45:51 PM
Quote from: Eamonnca1 on July 17, 2017, 09:37:47 PM
Great film showing the potential for Gaelic games to unite and build communities from diverse backgrounds. The days are gone when they're just Irish games for Irish people. They're games for everybody.

Again true, but the end result here is a still entirely homogenous team. What Shehroz Akram's undeniable talent can do in promoting the GAA among the same community may prove every bit as important as anything covered in the documentary. You need heroes to break these sorts of moulds.

Especially Mayo Heroes. 8)
👍🏻😉
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: whitey on July 18, 2017, 01:10:32 AM
Quote from: Ballaghman on July 18, 2017, 12:43:13 AM
Quote from: Syferus on July 17, 2017, 05:23:25 PM
Quote from: Ballaghman on July 17, 2017, 05:17:07 PM
Quote from: Syferus on July 17, 2017, 05:12:41 PM
Honestly, knowing the area well already Toreen (Ballyhaunis' opponents in the county final) is a more compelling story. People don't realise how tiny a club it is, or that it only plays hurling.

Ballagh, a short trip down the road through Brackloon and Lisacul, have had to try to integrate as much diversity as Ballyhaunis has so the bloviating by the lad at the start came across a little disingenuous.
Ballagh is nowhere near Ballyhaunis' level  for immigration and integration Syf........yet. With the influx of Syrians the town will be similar to Ballyhaunis in time but is many years behind. Butler was dead right in saying Ballyhaunis is the most cosmopolitan and diverse town in Ireland, has been the case especially since the convent was converted into a refugee centre back in the 90s or thereabouts.

The Syrians will be transient and few if any will remain in the area once their time in the hotel is up because they will be rehoused elsewhere. Ballagh has had a large Muslim community for nearly as long as Ballhaunis, and in the last twenty years many eastern Europeans have settled locally too. And with everyone under 20 leaving as fast as the ink dries on their Leaving Cert results thank God for them all or the town would be totally dead now.

I don't see why you're trying to defend what was simply a lad who saw a camera and decided to pump up his town a little. Unless he has census data on hand I'm sure he wasn't comparing Ballyhaunis scientifically to all the even more diverse small towns in the commuter belt in Leinster..
Syf you're completely missing my point. Yes Ballagh has a large Muslim population (considerably smaller than Ballyhaunis') and yes it has Eastern Europeans (as does every single Irish town). It's not a competition but what Eoin Butler said was true, Ballyhaunis is indeed considered Ireland's most diverse town. Just compare St. Nathys student population to Ballyhaunis Community school and there is no comparison, Ballagh is waaaay less diverse. Again it's not a competition, you're just picking a strange fight I have to say.
As someone else pointed out, the bigger point is the work the GAA club in that town are doing is fantastic. As is the work being done in Ballagh with the likes of Sharoize and Owais playing active parts in the club. It's great to see and we need to see plenty more of it.

If you read the comments on Facebook there's one person asking why there aren't more girls included and another person asking what the club does to make themselves accessible to those children's with disabilities.   I guess some people can't see their he good in anything and look for a reason to criticize.

The fact that Mayo is now the "second oldest" county in terms of population shows the impact that the recession has had on this part of Ireland and how important the newcomers are to towns like Ballyhainis
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: Syferus on July 18, 2017, 01:18:17 AM
Quote from: Ballaghman on July 18, 2017, 12:43:13 AM
Quote from: Syferus on July 17, 2017, 05:23:25 PM
Quote from: Ballaghman on July 17, 2017, 05:17:07 PM
Quote from: Syferus on July 17, 2017, 05:12:41 PM
Honestly, knowing the area well already Toreen (Ballyhaunis' opponents in the county final) is a more compelling story. People don't realise how tiny a club it is, or that it only plays hurling.

Ballagh, a short trip down the road through Brackloon and Lisacul, have had to try to integrate as much diversity as Ballyhaunis has so the bloviating by the lad at the start came across a little disingenuous.
Ballagh is nowhere near Ballyhaunis' level  for immigration and integration Syf........yet. With the influx of Syrians the town will be similar to Ballyhaunis in time but is many years behind. Butler was dead right in saying Ballyhaunis is the most cosmopolitan and diverse town in Ireland, has been the case especially since the convent was converted into a refugee centre back in the 90s or thereabouts.

The Syrians will be transient and few if any will remain in the area once their time in the hotel is up because they will be rehoused elsewhere. Ballagh has had a large Muslim community for nearly as long as Ballhaunis, and in the last twenty years many eastern Europeans have settled locally too. And with everyone under 20 leaving as fast as the ink dries on their Leaving Cert results thank God for them all or the town would be totally dead now.

I don't see why you're trying to defend what was simply a lad who saw a camera and decided to pump up his town a little. Unless he has census data on hand I'm sure he wasn't comparing Ballyhaunis scientifically to all the even more diverse small towns in the commuter belt in Leinster..
Syf you're completely missing my point. Yes Ballagh has a large Muslim population (considerably smaller than Ballyhaunis') and yes it has Eastern Europeans (as does every single Irish town). It's not a competition but what Eoin Butler said was true, Ballyhaunis is indeed considered Ireland's most diverse town. Just compare St. Nathys student population to Ballyhaunis Community school and there is no comparison, Ballagh is waaaay less diverse. Again it's not a competition, you're just picking a strange fight I have to say.
As someone else pointed out, the bigger point is the work the GAA club in that town are doing is fantastic. As is the work being done in Ballagh with the likes of Sharoize and Owais playing active parts in the club. It's great to see and we need to see plenty more of it.

The only reason you'd consider it such is because of the refugee centre - it's not a case of natural emigration, in that these people are being forced to settle there by the Government rather than it being a case of them choosing to settle there as it is in many other towns. Trying to label Ballyhaunis as diverse kind of misses the point - it's more about why people are there and if they'll actually be there long enough to meaningfully contribute to the community - a question Ballagh is also facing.

Take it from the horse's mouth, diversity and real integration is still a lie in Ballyhaunis and Ballagh - https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/direct-provision-has-to-go-says-former-asylum-seeker-1.2691343

There's a lot of more 'natural' immigrant communities that the GAA should be doing far more to serve and involve too, be it the Muslim communities in Ballyhaunis and Ballagh, the Brazilian community in Roscommon town or any other number of communities in small towns throughout Ireland.

Whatever about the fluff in this documentary the GAA has failed miserably to do this and even Ballyhaunis' own adult hurling team is a testment to that fact.

I usually don't hope for great things for Mayo footballers but I would honestly love to see Akram light up the senior grade, not only because he is talented enough but because it has the potential to be a watershed moment for the GAA locally and make clubs wake up to the benefits of integration. I'd describe what's happening right now as lip service at best.
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: magpie seanie on July 18, 2017, 09:19:08 AM
Don't feed the troll.
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: Farrandeelin on July 18, 2017, 09:54:28 AM
Syf, you probably do know more about East Mayo than I do. Then again for one who reads the Western and Mayo News you probably know more about all things Mayo than I do. However, does Tooreen not have the right to pick all the Aghamore area? Thought they were for the same catchment area anyway (plus one of the most talented hurlers from Ballina). I've seen a few Tooreen training tops at Aghamore matches so I assumed so. If that is the case then Knock would come into it as well. Also the point you make about no diversity on the Ballyhaunis hurling team, they are hardly going to get many hurlers when all their heroes as was pointed out earlier are footballers; or at least get way more exposure than their hurling counterparts.
Title: Re: Guardian short film about the GAA club in Ballyhaunis
Post by: Crete Boom on July 18, 2017, 10:05:46 AM
Quote from: Farrandeelin on July 18, 2017, 09:54:28 AM
Syf, you probably do know more about East Mayo than I do. Then again for one who reads the Western and Mayo News you probably know more about all things Mayo than I do. However, does Tooreen not have the right to pick all the Aghamore area? Thought they were for the same catchment area anyway (plus one of the most talented hurlers from Ballina). I've seen a few Tooreen training tops at Aghamore matches so I assumed so. If that is the case then Knock would come into it as well. Also the point you make about no diversity on the Ballyhaunis hurling team, they are hardly going to get many hurlers when all their heroes as was pointed out earlier are footballers; or at least get way more exposure than their hurling counterparts.

Sean Regan hurls for Tooreen because Ballina don't have a senior hurling team at the moment but that should change in the next year or two. As far as I know Tooreen lads can play football for Aghamore and vice versa Aghamore lads can hurl for Tooreen, for instance Cathal Freeman/Fegal Boland/David Kenny hurl for Tooreen and play big ball for Aghamore.