"GAA has sold out on its principles by opening Croke Park" - Ulster chairman

[AbbeySider]

GAA break own rules by opening Croke Park before Lansdowne work begins

Friday January 26th 2007

Ulster chairman Grennan insists wording of motion is being ignored

THE GAA has sold out on its principles by opening Croke Park to other sports and is also breaking its own rules by allowing rugby and soccer international to take place there next month.

That's the strident view of Ulster Council chairman Michael Greenan, who is also a vice-president of the GAA. He is due to step down as Ulster chairman at the end of next month, ironically on the day Ireland play England in a Six Nations rugby international in Croke Park, although he insists the provincial convention's clash with the big game is purely coincidental.

In a searing critique of the GAA's links with rugby and soccer, Greenan slams the decision to open Croke Park in advance of work commencing on the Lansdowne Road redevelopment.

"People are beginning to see now that not only have we been sold a pup, we have been sold a whole litter. The motion (regarding opening Croke Park) as passed by 2005 Congress is not being adhered to. Work has not started on Lansdowne Road, yet, we're opening Croke Park for rugby and soccer. That's a wrong decision," he said.

As a member of the GAA's high-powered Management Committee, Greenan will be entitled to tickets for the forthcoming rugby internationals. However, he won't be attending the games and will decide later what to do with the tickets.

Will he send them back? "We'll see - I haven't got them yet so the matter doesn't arise as of now," he said.

Opponent

Asked if he would watch the game against France on TV he replied: "If I have nothing better to do, I might - it all depends on the day. I have no particular interest in rugby. People who don't see fit to play our national anthem at all times do nothing for me."

A native of Cavan, Greenan has been involved in GAA administration since becoming assistant secretary of his club at the age of 14. He also played for Cavan and rose to the highest echelons as a referee, prior to progressing up the administrative ladder to Ulster chairman level.

A leading opponent of the move to amend Rule 42 and allow soccer and rugby into Croke Park, he famously failed to stand when former GAA President, Seán Kelly was being feted by Congress as he left office last April.

However, Greenan refutes the suggestion that he is a controversial figure, arguing instead that he merely backs up his own beliefs. He also insists that his views on Croke Park resonate with many GAA people and was delighted to have got such a positive reaction to his opposition to opening the stadium.

"I represent a broader view than some people think. You would be absolutely amazed at the number of phone calls I got after the 2005 Congress. They came from all over Ireland. People were saying 'well done, it's a pity we haven't more like you.'

"I don't run with the crowd just because it's popular. I have my views on the use of Croke Park and I'm prepared to express them. I'm afraid we've lost the plot on this one. We're giving away our best asset to other people to generate money to either help pay their share of the Lansdowne Road redevelopment or promote their sports.

"Despite opening Croke Park, we're not allowed into Lansdowne Road although we were supposed to. Where's the justice in that.

"I believe we should be promoting our games, not those of our rivals. By opening Croke Park, we're promoting their sports and raising finance for them to do so. The GAA will make money from opening Croke Park but rugby and soccer will make five times as much. There no point making a pound for yourself and five or six for the other fella.

"Nobody in business is doing that so why are we," said Greenan, who was speaking in Dubai where he's on tour with the Vodafone All-Star footballers.

Greenan dabbled in soccer and rugby during his playing days and says he has no problems with either sport.

"It's just a question of where they're being played. Anybody who plays Gaelic Games should have a prospect of playing in Croke Park. At the moment they don't, yet we're allowing other sports in. If you play soccer for the 26 counties - not for Ireland because it's a partitionist situation - you'll get into Croke Park but not all GAA players can. We should be looking after our own first.

"You wouldn't let other people in to your own house and stop your own family sleeping there," he said.

He claims that the international rugby team are being better treated than All-Ireland finalists in relation to Croke Park.

"How many training sessions do All-Ireland final teams get in Croke Park? One if they're lucky and even then they are restricted in what they can do but the Irish rugby team has five sessions. Was that the motion we passed? They get five sessions and our own people get one and in many cases none at all. Where are we going? Are we being fair to our own? No, is the answer."

He said that the Government were effectively paying for the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road, that's assuming it goes ahead.

"I'm not totally convinced about it. Planning permission has been very slow and the people who are objecting to the new Lansdowne Road would hold more clout than those around Croke Park. Pensioners wouldn't have as much clout as senior counsel in Dublin 4.

"The GAA is being penalised and run down for having something while others are being indulged for having nothing. The net effect is that the Government is going to build a stadium for non-GAA sports.

"They gave a few pounds to the GAA and both they and we were criticised for it. The Government are effectively building a stadium for the two biggest professional sporting organisations in the country and in the meantime the GAA has to accommodate them," he said.

We should be promoting our games, not those of our rivals. By opening Croke Park, we're promoting their sports and raising finance for them to do so.

Greenan is delighted by progress made during his three years as Ulster chairman and believes the GAA is well placed to continue its growth into the future.

"We in Ulster have moved very much forward over the past three years. We have put full time secretaries in place in the various counties, employed up to forty coaches, put floodlighting in three venues, while more are due to come on line.

"We have been depicted as backwoodsmen from time to time but if you examine Ulster's performance on and off the pitch it paints a different picture," he said.

"Look at what we've done and compare it with the rest of the provinces and ask yourself - who are the backwoodsmen?"

Greenan has no idea what his future holds after he steps down as Ulster chairman but did not rule out the possibility of running for GAA President.

He would be a controversial choice but he is adamant his views are widely held. "I speak my mind. It's pity more people don't do the same."

Martin Breheny


© Irish Independent

[thewobbler]

Mr Greenan should be reminded that while his views may be widely held, beliefs to the contrary are much more widely held.

[winghalfun]

Hear, hear.

To Mr. Greenan that is, not Wobbler

[lurganblue]

Mr Greenan should be reminded that while his views may be widely held, beliefs to the contrary are much more widely held.

ah but he is trying to state that he believes that the tide has turned as to who has the wider held beliefs

[thewobbler]

Lurganblue, you may be right, but I don't see quite how you've derived that synopsis from the article. The only mention of support for his ideas was directly after Rule 42 was changed. There's no talk (not even a whisper) of a wind of change.

[AbbeySider]

Hear, hear.

To Mr. Greenan that is, not Wobbler

I second that !

[thegael]

micheal greenan is spot on .

the gaa has lost its principle and is now more concerned with the liberal bigots within the o'reilly inspired press eg the irish independent.

it is a disgrace how the gaa fell for the media onslaught!

let us hope micheal greenan remains deeply involved in the gaa and this stomach churning behaviour stops.

the rule change is not being adhered to and let us all hope it is temporary and that was the rule change but sure enough the watery blueshirts will continue to push to take more of our principles from us. resist.

micheal greenan you speak for a large proportion of us who don't want 26 county teams representing us as a nation and a rugby side that is ashamed of our national anthem playing in croke park.

micheal greenan we need you more than ever .we salute you.

[Mayo4Sam]

Is this the same lad who made that disgraceful politic speech in croke park the day of the first ulster final played there?

[magpie seanie]

He makes very good points and he is entitled to. The whole thing was a smoke and mirrors exercise. They could play the games in Lansdowne - it might be "closed" but it's not closed for redevelopment, its closed for convenience. The farce that a lot of us saw has come to pass.

My anger has diminished since the vote, I've learned that I'm going to have to take it on the chin and move on. It doesn't make it right and frankly seeing people defend the indefensible just makes me remember of my pervading feeling at the time of the debate - a lot of people just wanted to see rugby and soccer matches in Croker and would go to any lengths to make it so.

[bingobus]

Is this the same Mr Greenan who at half time of an Ulster Club qtr final in Clones wouldn't let the subs warm up on the pitch at half time and counted them coming off so that he could fine the club in question?

Yet he is ranting about giving letting Rugby players play on a field and not letting our own on it. He should worry about his own house and not start ranting about a motion passed by a mojority of members.

I see he has not yet decided what to do with his tickets. I'm sure he'll not be refusing them.

I also see he conducted this interview in Dubai? What need is there for him in Dudai and the rest of the other hangers on out there?

[thewobbler]

and frankly seeing people defend the indefensible

Frankly, this is absurd.

[Hound]

I wonder if he's enjoying his junket in Dubai?

You would think that for one who holds such vehement views that it would take no more than a nanosecond to decide to not accept tickets to the rugby and soccer events....

Everyone's entitled to their views. Its when they talk shíte they get on my nerves:

"The GAA will make money from opening Croke Park but rugby and soccer will make five times as much. There no point making a pound for yourself and five or six for the other fella."

Well the 5 (or is it 6    ) is an exaggerration, but even so he's being stupid enough to assume the FAI or IRFU would make nothing otherwise. Without Croker they'd go to Wales or London, and they'd make £4 and GAA would make nothing. In Croker, the IRFU/FAI make £5 and GAA make £1. The marginal profit for both organisations is about the same in rugby, and the GAA make a bit more than the FAI.

The FAI and IRFU will be paying by a large distance the highest rent ever paid for a sporting match in a sports stadium in Europe. And I'd love to know if there's ever been a higer rent paid anywhere in the world for a sports match - I doubt it.

[magpie seanie]

Bingobus - that post is a disgrace. There are a lot more than players in this association and people like Greenan probably give more time than players for less reward.

And if you want his tickets why don't you ask him for them?

[Hound]

As for the idiots who go on about "26 counties" and "national anthem" - not worth debating with them as they are ignorant of the facts

[Border Fox]

From wrong calculation of scoring differences to dragging supporters to Breffni on a Tuesday evening to failing to deal with Mickey Harte's condescending atttitude - conclusion: Ulster Council is a joke

I said this earlier on the McKenna Cup thread - It is just as relevant here. Greenan is an arrogant man. While I agree with some of his sentiments, I disagree with his style of delivery, and I disagree with him prioritising national issues over sorting out problems in his province.

Is this the same Mr Greenan who at half time of an Ulster Club qtr final in Clones wouldn't let the subs warm up on the pitch at half time and counted them coming off so that he could fine the club in question?

Yet he is ranting about giving letting Rugby players play on a field and not letting our own on it. He should worry about his own house and not start ranting about a motion passed by a mojority of members.


I see he has not yet decided what to do with his tickets. I'm sure he'll not be refusing them.

I also see he conducted this interview in Dubai? What need is there for him in Dudai and the rest of the other hangers on out there?

Surely posessing these tickets would go against everything Mr Greenan stands for.

Would it not be more applicable for Mr Greenan to be in Omagh on sunday rather than in Dubai.

are a lot more than players in this association and people like Greenan probably give more time than players for less reward.

This however, is true, and I think to be fair the man took early retirement mainly to focus on GAA work