GAA Response to Coronavirus

[didlyi]

If the GAA got the championship up and running now the sports would get priceless global attention. Hurling is far more interesting than the Bundesliga.

Hurling doesn't even get attention in most of Ireland.

It’s  better than the bogball/basketball game that used to be football, before they changed the rules about a thousand times, still making a Horlicks of it and dominated by one team for past ten years 

I wonder what rules they’ll bring in next

The top level of Gaelic football as played now is a better spectacle than it has ever been.

I love hurling but the fact is that interest in it is very esoteric in this country, and that's the way a lot of "hurling people" (let's face it, to be accepted as a hurling person you have to be a man - the clique of hurling men, great hurling men, true hurling men etc.) like it.

2019 saved by a replay after a man was sent off in final. Kerry Donegal being an excpetion
2018 Super 8's saved by a last minute goal by Kerry from being a complete flop
2017 One decent game. The final

Top level football ie:super 8's has not been a great spectacle. Mediocre at best. There were well over 60 championship games each year since the beginning of the super 8's and just a handfull of great spectacles. Not a great return IMO

[sid waddell]

If the GAA got the championship up and running now the sports would get priceless global attention. Hurling is far more interesting than the Bundesliga.

Hurling doesn't even get attention in most of Ireland.

It's  better than the bogball/basketball game that used to be football, before they changed the rules about a thousand times, still making a Horlicks of it and dominated by one team for past ten years 

I wonder what rules they'll bring in next

The top level of Gaelic football as played now is a better spectacle than it has ever been.

I love hurling but the fact is that interest in it is very esoteric in this country, and that's the way a lot of "hurling people" (let's face it, to be accepted as a hurling person you have to be a man - the clique of hurling men, great hurling men, true hurling men etc.) like it.

2019 saved by a replay after a man was sent off in final. Kerry Donegal being an excpetion
2018 Super 8's saved by a last minute goal by Kerry from being a complete flop
2017 One decent game. The final

Top level football ie:super 8's has not been a great spectacle. Mediocre at best. There were well over 60 championship games each year since the beginning of the super 8's and just a handfull of great spectacles. Not a great return IMO

The best games of Gaelic football over the last seven or eight years have been the best games in the history of the sport.

People continually mistake the general level of competitiveness between teams, which has declined, with general standard, which has gone far up.

Games between Dublin, Mayo, Kerry and occasionally Donegal, Monaghan and Tyrone over the last eight years have been compelling spectacles and exhibitions of quality.

[APM]

Look at the level of competitiveness in the 1970s and early 80s.  Ulster and Connaught not at the races and apart from Offaly it was all about Dublin and Kerry. 

For my money the golden era started with Meath in 87.  Then you had a succession of new and different winners and every province was competitive. Meath, Cork, Down, Donegal, Derry, Dublin, Kerry, Galway, Armagh and Tyrone all won all-irelands in that 15-20 year period.  During that time, Monaghan, Clare, Offaly, Kildare, Laois, Westmeath, Roscommon, Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim all won provincial titles.  The closest thing to that in the past was probably the 60s. 

Domination of one or two teams has been the norm and that 20 year period was the exception.  We are now back to complete domination by Dublin, and while the technical quality of the football and players' fitness has never been better, there is less left to chance and the old addage of "it's all on the day" has gone and part of the charm and spectacle has gone with it.

[yellowcard]

If the GAA got the championship up and running now the sports would get priceless global attention. Hurling is far more interesting than the Bundesliga.

Hurling doesn't even get attention in most of Ireland.

It's  better than the bogball/basketball game that used to be football, before they changed the rules about a thousand times, still making a Horlicks of it and dominated by one team for past ten years 

I wonder what rules they'll bring in next

The top level of Gaelic football as played now is a better spectacle than it has ever been.

I love hurling but the fact is that interest in it is very esoteric in this country, and that's the way a lot of "hurling people" (let's face it, to be accepted as a hurling person you have to be a man - the clique of hurling men, great hurling men, true hurling men etc.) like it.

2019 saved by a replay after a man was sent off in final. Kerry Donegal being an excpetion
2018 Super 8's saved by a last minute goal by Kerry from being a complete flop
2017 One decent game. The final

Top level football ie:super 8's has not been a great spectacle. Mediocre at best. There were well over 60 championship games each year since the beginning of the super 8's and just a handfull of great spectacles. Not a great return IMO

The best games of Gaelic football over the last seven or eight years have been the best games in the history of the sport.

People continually mistake the general level of competitiveness between teams, which has declined, with general standard, which has gone far up.

Games between Dublin, Mayo, Kerry and occasionally Donegal, Monaghan and Tyrone over the last eight years have been compelling spectacles and exhibitions of quality.

In terms of skill, quality, fitness levels your argument is undoubtedly true. In terms of spectator entertainment I think the game has declined since Jimmy McGuinness reinvented football. The balance has redressed itself a little in the last few years but Gaelic football is now still largely a hand passing possession based game which leads to less action, one on one duels and genuine contests for possession which subsequently reduces it as a spectacle.

[Rossfan]

Absolutely Yellow Card.
Those people who did up the Government "road map" must have looked at some footage of modern games when they decided Gaelic football wasn't a contact sport.

[Ed Ricketts]

Look at the level of competitiveness in the 1970s and early 80s.  Ulster and Connaught not at the races and apart from Offaly it was all about Dublin and Kerry. 

For my money the golden era started with Meath in 87.  Then you had a succession of new and different winners and every province was competitive. Meath, Cork, Down, Donegal, Derry, Dublin, Kerry, Galway, Armagh and Tyrone all won all-irelands in that 15-20 year period.  During that time, Monaghan, Clare, Offaly, Kildare, Laois, Westmeath, Roscommon, Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim all won provincial titles.  The closest thing to that in the past was probably the 60s. 

Domination of one or two teams has been the norm and that 20 year period was the exception.  We are now back to complete domination by Dublin, and while the technical quality of the football and players' fitness has never been better, there is less left to chance and the old addage of "it's all on the day" has gone and part of the charm and spectacle has gone with it.

Agree with all this.

To go further, I've seen little evidence to suggest that football has ever been much of a spectacle. So that chat about the styles and rules and that sort of stuff seems like a distraction from the real issues with the game today.

The competitiveness, the tribalism, the fever that rises in an area when a team is going well. These are the things that get the blood pumping.

Monopolies are what slows the blood and drains the life out of the sport, and that's what we have now. If we want to drive more interest and get some of the magic back then this is the issue we have to tackle.

[didlyi]

If the GAA got the championship up and running now the sports would get priceless global attention. Hurling is far more interesting than the Bundesliga.

Hurling doesn't even get attention in most of Ireland.

It's  better than the bogball/basketball game that used to be football, before they changed the rules about a thousand times, still making a Horlicks of it and dominated by one team for past ten years 

I wonder what rules they'll bring in next

The top level of Gaelic football as played now is a better spectacle than it has ever been.

I love hurling but the fact is that interest in it is very esoteric in this country, and that's the way a lot of "hurling people" (let's face it, to be accepted as a hurling person you have to be a man - the clique of hurling men, great hurling men, true hurling men etc.) like it.

2019 saved by a replay after a man was sent off in final. Kerry Donegal being an excpetion
2018 Super 8's saved by a last minute goal by Kerry from being a complete flop
2017 One decent game. The final

Top level football ie:super 8's has not been a great spectacle. Mediocre at best. There were well over 60 championship games each year since the beginning of the super 8's and just a handfull of great spectacles. Not a great return IMO

The best games of Gaelic football over the last seven or eight years have been the best games in the history of the sport.

People continually mistake the general level of competitiveness between teams, which has declined, with general standard, which has gone far up.

Games between Dublin, Mayo, Kerry and occasionally Donegal, Monaghan and Tyrone over the last eight years have been compelling spectacles and exhibitions of quality.

Just because top teams have managed to put together hundreds of slick hand passes without error does not necessarily mean the standard has got better. You are not the first to confuse hype with quality in Gaelic football.

[Rossfan]

Back on track.....
Any whispers from the GAA Covid Committee?

[clarshack]

If the GAA got the championship up and running now the sports would get priceless global attention. Hurling is far more interesting than the Bundesliga.

Maybe not so much as important for the global game, but for the domestic. I'm not saying do it this week or next, but if the GAA don't make a move soon. Other sports will, how many players will the GAA lose forever with participation already a major issue? At it's core the GAA is completely dependant on the next crop of youngsters coming year after year without fail. We might well see that collapse the longer it takes to put something out there.

can see the GAA losing a good amount of young players, and once the dust has settled I think clubs that were already struggling with numbers will now likely find themselves having to amalgamate a few years sooner than expected.

[Smurfy123]

Ross you have fair changed your tune
You had all but written off the season a few weeks ago

[Rossfan]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2020/0603/1145307-gaa-reveal-guidelines-for-opening-walkways/

[clonadmad]

Open letter to Laois CB and HQ from Laois Chairman

https://twitter.com/parkratheniska/status/1268515342055280641?s=21

Attn: Peter and all GAA administrators,

     Peter, we have spoken in past weeks and I expressed my views regarding the reopening of the GAA grounds. Further time has passed whereby I feel the need to write to you and the GAA leadership in general. The GAA 'lock out' has gone on long enough. 

COVID19 has obviously had a huge impact on all our lives and I am very concerned regarding the impact on people in general and in this case GAA people and clubs. As we know the GAA is rooted in communities across Ireland and GAA people have been doing their best to help in any way possible in their local areas. However, regretfully, I feel in other ways, the GAA is not helping enough.

The national GAA 'lock out' closing gates of all GAA clubs across the country is too draconian in my view and fails the people that we pride ourselves in caring for. It fails in a number of ways:

1.   The GAA is currently not functioning as a result. Interaction, young and old, interest in our sport is paused and connection with the community waning.

2.   Physical Wellbeing: GAA and sport is about exercising, testing yourself and staying physically fit. The closing of clubs sends out the message this isn't important currently.

3.   Mental wellbeing: It's obvious the national COVID19 lockdown is having a huge impact on mental health. For the vulnerable, mentally fragile at this time, locking the gates fails these members. I think of the quiet fella that just loves to smack the Sliotar off the hurling wall on his own and let it all out. Or the father that can only get some life from his son/daughter by going to the pitch to kick a few balls. I could go on and on.

4.   Safety: Referring back to point two, physical exercise. The 'lock out' has resulted in new road exercise. In my case, I have 3 kids and to get them to do any exercise we take to the local roads on the bikes. Trying to keep this fresh within 5km, using different routes if possible is tricky. I see many, many other locals doing similar things. While this is good, it's now silage season and the roads can be dangerous places. Ending the 'lock out' will allow families to return to off road activity and reduce the road safety issues.

5.   The elderly. I can't imagine the isolation of not meeting anyone for a full day or a number of days. Here I think of the local bachelor/widower that loves to drive into the club, park on the grass bank and watch any game that's on or training session. He might make it as far as lying against the pitch side fence. I noticed two such elderly local members 'hanging' in their cars at the statue of Mary in the village. We need to support these people better.

6.   Participation: I would have a great fear that kids/adult players who are lukewarm about sport or parents who are lukewarm about driving their kids everywhere will get out of the habit of the GAA and sport in general. The loss to the Association may only felt in the coming years, not just 2020. The loss to the individuals and society might be much greater in terms of a lack of sport in people's lives. I won't even get into girls participation in sport. I have two girls and I would worry about their interest level to return to GAA. The GAA has approx. 2,200 clubs in Ireland. If each club averages 8 teams across all ages. If each team in every club was to lose 3 players in 2020. That's over 50,000 players lost! If like in many clubs those 3 players make numbers at for example U15 too tight to make a minor team next year, the club may lose a team. You get my point, which I don't believe is too far fetched

7.   Financial: Not the main concern of my letter but a huge area also.     

I could go on. I see golf clubs now reopened and that is good. However, I can see the odd occasion on every round where players are rooting in the trees for a ball and social distancing is compromised, or on the green by the flag. None of this will be perfect, and the GAA should not expect to be either.

People are showing compliance out on the public road outside the grounds, I have no reason to doubt it won't be the same inside. There will be some exceptions, some urban clubs will open slower/differently, some members in every club will stay away for a bit longer due to personal/family health situations. But let these be understood exceptions. 

I am not calling for matches to return at this time, not full time training, just to open again to our members and community. Let the walkers return, let the Kelly's puck around in one goal, the Baileys kick around at the other goals. Let the local bachelor sit on the grass bank and look at what's going on, even if that is very little. The GAA need to step up now, end the 'lock out' and open our arms once again to our communities.

Le mise,

John Kelly

Chairman Park Ratheniska GAA

[Blowitupref]

From the Irish examiner.

Inter-county teams will be told by the GAA that they cannot officially return to collective training until September.

The stipulation comes as details of the Association's plans to restart Gaelic football and hurling were released to their management committee and Central Council on Thursday evening.

                 Learn more
GAA director of player, club, and games administration Feargal McGill, who is on the organisation's Covid-19 advisory committee, was among Croke Park officials who briefed delegates about the roadmap in a teleconference.

Details of the plan will not be released until the Government confirm on Friday that the phase two of its own roadmap will go ahead on Monday. Not only is it expected that pitches with walkways will reopen pending application next week but the GAA are set to allow training to resume on June 28, the start of the Government's phase three, instead of July 20.

In news that was greeted with relief and cheer by delegates, it is envisaged that club action will return in mid to late July with the possibility that counties could have 10 weeks or more to complete their championships. It had been suggested that the provincial and All-Ireland club competitions could be jettisoned but that has yet to be confirmed.

The GAA maintain the inter-county scene will recommence in October with a straight knock-out format being adopted in both senior football and hurling championships. It is expected that will run up to the end of November with a strong chance one of the major games could coincide with the Bloody Sunday centenary commemoration in Croke Park on November 22.

The Central Competitions Control Committee are expected to provide further information on how they envisage the Championships being structured and scheduled although a new provincial draw is not required in football but will be needed in hurling as both Leinster and Munster competitions currently run on a rota system.


A press conference outlining exactly what the remainder of the season from a national perspective could take place next week. The GAA's roadmap will require approval from the Government's Return To Sport expert group but that is not expected to be an issue.

The GAA have been buoyed by the expert advice of the medical expertise on their coronavirus advisory body that the extent of the disease is weakening, and while restrictions will be in place for the foreseeable future it is envisaged crowds will be able to attend Championship games in the autumn.

/quote]

[FermGael]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/gaelic-games/52928253?at_campaign=64&at_custom1=link&at_custom2=twitter&at_medium=custom7&at_custom4=5D133D7C-A6A2-11EA-94A4-B7BB4744363C&at_custom3=BBC+Sport+NI   

[thewobbler]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/gaelic-games/52928253?at_campaign=64&at_custom1=link&at_custom2=twitter&at_medium=custom7&at_custom4=5D133D7C-A6A2-11EA-94A4-B7BB4744363C&at_custom3=BBC+Sport+NI   

It's almost like this lad isn't aware that there has been a global pandemic and not everything is going to follow the same plan as before.