Messages

It saddens me greatly to see Gaa people tear and be torn apart over something that really could have been avoided. I am chairperson of my club for many years now and as such in this instance would have carefully studied the situation with my committee re the request etc. We as a club would have examined all the pro's and cons and the fall-out from the eventual decision to either refuse or go ahead. As chairperson I could not stand over knowingly breaking the rules of the association whether I agree with them or not.

For insurance reasons and others etc the buck would stop with me chairperson of the club. I would accept the committee decision but I would make it quite clear that as Cathaoirleach I cannot preside over the decision to go ahead and play the games even though in my heart I would have the greatest sympathy and support for the family and person in question . Unfortunately the Gaa decision has placed me in this position and I either step down or abide by it. 

I would approach the family and explain carefully the situation however unpalatable it may be and offer every ounce of support in every other way possible.  I could not and never will countenance the F%%%k you approach we will do what we want.

I want to make it clear this is no reflection on that particular clubs committee or chairperson. I would definitely not wish this particular scenario on any club.

Violence in our game is the elephant in the room.

 Would have problems with the rosary on my dev.team. Three of my players are devout Muslims

Does anyone really care what Roddy Doyle aays.

No, I don't really care what Roddy Doyle says but he is symptomatic of the attitude by certain parts of our nation to its national sports, Gaelic football and hurling. It's been said to me many many times.To many of those outside our organisation and indeed to some inside it we are seen as a money grabbing bunch of con men who trade in the wares of bog ball, stick fighting, welly wearing country and western yahoos straight out of the turf with the Heather hanging around their ears etc. It's as wrong as it is hurtful. I have no issue with soccer, rugby, hockey cricket or indeed any other sport. I greatly respect them and I enjoy a lot of their games and like many other GAA people if I get a chance I will watch Ireland soccer or rugby in the Aviva and cheer them on as much as anybody. Sport is sport and I love the GAA. My father taught me the love of it and my family are deeply immersed in it to the exclusion of all other sports but they love going over to watch the Arsenal or cheering on the rugby or like tonight watching the transfer deadlines in soccer. It's no big deal. Roddy and many others should show us respect. In the north here we have fought a long and hard battle to get respect. Certain elements here are being dragged screaming and cursing and have yet to show it and probably never will. The Dublin fans deserve respect. Many attend for different reasons and they like many other counties have lukewarm fans who love the craic etc but aren't fully up to speed with the club and GAA in general but so what. They make matches in Croke Park or anywhere else they go a great occasion and my little girl who is only 7 couldn't wait to hear the dubs sing "come on you boys in blue' at a recent game we were at ( and we are from the North). It's an iconic image of Irish sport.  It's not everybody's cup of tea but leave us alone to enjoy it with out making us feel like we should be ashamed of the antiquated bog ball and stick fight.  Roddy, (and I hope I haven't read you wrong)  please give us the  respect we deserve, no more no less. The GAA with all it's faults has been a blessing in my family and I dare say many many more. We watch, appreciate, enjoy and support all sports but the GAA is our life and we love it. For me it's real and certainly no con job.

I agree entirely  That flag should never be flown but it has been in the past for years and years and very few if any muttered a word. It had the same connotations then as it has now. This is what sickens me about today's PC world. I hated it then and I hate it now despite any recent events. Come on Cork get rid of it.(and I know sometimes easier said than done.)

This type of incident or incidents occur when the match tickets and train tickets taken out of the hands of the county board and the clubs. Tickets were on sale on line and in shops throughout Armagh and anyone could buy them. The train tickets were sold on a booking system and you received your ticket in the post. This does not happen when demand out weighs supply. I knew there could be trouble when tickets were open season.

I am not against this system as it has its advantages but this is one of the drawbacks. Heavy drinking and anti- social behaviour happens quite often in Clones particularly in the first round or semi final matches when tickets can be bought the same way or even on the day. I may also add that many of the drunken louts do not even go to the game. It's a cheap day out binge drinking etc. It's a societal problem not peculiar to the GAA.

If Tyrone gets to the All-Ireland and even though they beat us well, I hope they do, there will not be this trouble and there will be special trains etc. It's because the ticket sales are strictly controlled via clubs.  Some might say they are not playing Armagh but they did a few years back and absolutely no bother either at the ground or on the trains. 

The trouble on the trains was caused by a very very small minority and yes it can cause havoc for those close round but TransLink is to be condemned here. There was no checking on which train you were on. The trouble occurred on the last train at 9 .20. Most had been drinking flat out all day on every type of fuel god could dose them with. A huge crowd rolled up for the train including I may add soccer fans who should not have been on as these were specifically Gaa specials(not being anti Soccer). A good few had left it to the last train and should have been on the other earlier specials leaving.

The officials at Connolly station just fired them on to the train as to avoid it being their problem no checking of tickets etc or anything hence the gross overcrowding, drunkenness and mayhem. My only wonder was that it wasn't worse, bad and all as it was. This does reflect badly on us in the GAA who pride ourselves on the camaraderie and friendship that is the GAA. I can see the Newsletter rubbing it's hands in glee. To make out it was a Tyrone -Armagh thing was unfortunate. That is most def not the norm.
There are those who will use this as a stick to beat us with and we have to take it on the chin. I understand where itchy is coming from. I am a proud Armagh man and know that the vast vast majority of GAA people on the train are abhorred. It was a drunken brawl that could have happened anytime anywhere.

Surprised to see some of those involved though, certainly not the thuggish types. I know for a fact they will be more disgusted with themselves than anything else and to be fair so they should be. I'll leave it at that

I was standing just behind the photographer when he was taking this photo of the Armagh manager watching CJ McGourty line up a penalty on Saturday night that would have put Antrim a point up with a few minutes left.

Mc Geeney is saying to himself "If this goes in and we get beaten by Antrim at home I'm for the high jump".

Jamie Clarke was in Conor Hamills back pocket for 70 mins.

The penalty would have levelled the game on Saturday night.

Eire Og Craigavon Co Armagh. (Young Irelanders)

There are lots of gaels in Armagh who are gutted that Jamie is not lining out on Sunday for Armagh and yes if I am honest it does give me a sense of frustration when I see him line out for a junior soccer team in the same way I see Aaron Kernan commenting on the games as I would like  him to be there on Sunday as I would love Caolan Rafferty to be available .kyle Karragher , Paul McKeown, Stephen Kernan , Stephen Harold . Declan McKenna etc etc . But thats the way it goes. They're not there but they are still fit alive and good luck to them . They have their own reasons and it's their business. Why should they serve my interests of greed for success. It's  a bad call Tony, you can't host your personal need or greed for happiness in the form of a win or success. To think like you do shows a very base side to your personality . Many may think like that but the wiser choose to keep their mouth shut.

Well done . It was super . Made me so proud to be part of the Gaa. To hell with the begrudgers .. Take a bow folks.

I am really looking forward to it. My family and I have tickets .. The fact that its on with the two games makes it even a greater spectacle. I know Tyrone and Cavan Supporters will have a long sit if the wish to remain to the end. As chairperson of my club I am delighted to be heading down and watch a part of history. If they do it as well as the 125 celebrations it should be worth waiting on.

My son has recently taken up work in Dublin and living in Malahide where he trains with the local club. He travels home at weekends for training or matches. He says himself if he was going to be working in Dublin long-term(a few years) he would def move. Great club and great bunch of fellas to train with. They made him so welcome and absolutely no pressure whatsoever to transfer allegiance . It's the same for many young fellas I know, not just the high profile names.

Its not just the ethos of the organisation its actually the rules of the organisation.

If a large number of people are openly flouting both the rules and a core element of the ethos of the organisation what do you think the organisation should do?

I know it's the rules and believe it or not I am not arguing with you. It happens and is happening? The Gaa can try all they want and probably do but like the supposedly closed season the rule is the easy part, the policing of it the harder. Like those in cars driving on the red diesel or not declaring all incomes, brown envelopes , magnets on the electricity metres to name but a few . All against the rules but like managers being paid, it happens. The bottom line is , we can all speculate as to who is being paid and how much they are being paid, by whom and when. Rumour had it McGeeney was getting a fortune in Kildare. I am sure there are those in Armagh and outside who think he is getting a fortune with the Orchard county. I don't know, nor will I, or you for that matter ,ever find out exactly but as far as I am concerned my club doesn't pay for him. Anyway it's probably of the topic of the thread and I respect your opinion on it. 

As an Armagh man I find a lot of this difficult to read . Tony, I had the pleasure of knowing and playing alongside your late brother, an absolute gentleman. It's a pity that you bring this debate up and I readily acknowledge your wind-up credentials and if I have fallen into the trap then so be it. What Jamie Clarke decides to do with his own life, in his own time and with his own money is a matter for Jamie Clarke and most certainly no-one else. I like you am gutted that he isn't playing. Like you I feel that the best players in armagh are not playing for their county ,be it not asked , be it not wanting to or be it retired, thats life . In my own club we have had a bellyfull of it . If only he would, could, or in your case with Jamie, should , i have heard it all. Let's get over it and get on.

On the subject of
Keiran McGeeney , the manager , all this talk about his money etc is frustrating. I was at the county convention I studied in detail the financial report . I brought it back to the club etc etc and any to be truthful no delegates complained and all parts were queried as i am sure happens in every other county, so give that one a rest.
As for the argument that Cross would beat many county sides, that remains to be seen and when Cross play in the first round of the county senior football championship in Ulster i'll give my verdict then.
As for Cross, the club team, I like many in my county, would prefer a change and a greater challenge at the top and I'm sure Cross would be the first to admit they would prefer a tougher challenge but it's up to the clubs to come up to scratch It aint Crossmaglen's problem No argument there.
The problem with county training etc and huge comittment six nights a week training or whatever, is that it's a double edged sword. While on the one hand we have managers and coaches pushing players to the limit we have players expecting to be pushed further etc . Many managers fall on the sword of , look at what theyr'e doing . Look at the coaches they have . I have heard in the past from a number of players . we're not being trained coached or prepared to the same level as other more successful teams . I had this chat with members of a great bunch of lads from leitrim .They complained that they hadn't the financial resources  to compete and many were literally pissed of and with drawing from the county.
In the past in Armagh some withdrew from the county squad as they felt they were getting better coaching and S&C with their club.  The demand also comes from players not just coaches. The players in some cases are as demanding as well as coaches( and in many cases quite rightly so) and this is driving the whole scenario skyward.
I know of one great club in Tyrone whose players complained that the lack of lighting on one of their training pitches was crucial in their failure to compete in the top four . Rightly or wrongly the club are out selling tickets to remedy this . To those players at club level it's inches as well. Coaches drive hard but so to do players and probably rightly so.

Good luck Cross on the 13th  I'll be there to support the team as an Armagh man first and foremost and Tony if I see Jamie I'll tell him you were asking about him and make sure he sends you a postcard.

Do you genuinely think that Kieran McGeeney is not being paid to be the Armagh manager? If you do you are the only Armagh fan (and I include Kieran McGeeney in this) who thinks that.

The county board nor no club pay any money towards the payment of Keiran McGeeney and if you know how he is paid ,please enlightened us dim folk. My club and countless others pay their fees to the county board .  Where the money goes is there in black and white . Have a look sometime.  Is Keiran McGeeney doing it free ,not likely , Is he gathereing his own funds, most likely . Does it cost the clubs, no it doesn't anymore than it would cost any manager no matter who he was to manage Armagh.

Did anyonne ever say he was paid by the clubs pr the board? It was you who reference looking in the county board's annual report whe of course nobody would expect to see a trace of a whiff of inkling of a trace of a payment there. It would be bit like concluding that there was no collusion between the RUS and paramilitaries because you ask the RUC and they said no and there was no record of it in an official report.

You say yourself that McGeeney is unlikely to be doing it for free. Why do you say that and do you think it is acceptable?
I say that because the situation is the same in many clubs and counties. Armagh are no different. McGeeney allegedly got huge sums of money from Kildare . While everybody talked about it nobody could say how much etc etc . By the time he left Kildare he was buying a house in the Bahamas according to some.If McGeeney has worked out some deal with individuals etc I mighn't like it, it's contrary to the ethos of the GAA and all that  but he is no different than many others. The clubs and the county board are not being financially hit albeit in a roundabout way. The same was said about Joe Kernan. If we believe other counties and clubs up and down the country aren't doing the same well then I refer you to your analogy.

As an Armagh man I find a lot of this difficult to read . Tony, I had the pleasure of knowing and playing alongside your late brother, an absolute gentleman. It's a pity that you bring this debate up and I readily acknowledge your wind-up credentials and if I have fallen into the trap then so be it. What Jamie Clarke decides to do with his own life, in his own time and with his own money is a matter for Jamie Clarke and most certainly no-one else. I like you am gutted that he isn't playing. Like you I feel that the best players in armagh are not playing for their county ,be it not asked , be it not wanting to or be it retired, thats life . In my own club we have had a bellyfull of it . If only he would, could, or in your case with Jamie, should , i have heard it all. Let's get over it and get on.

On the subject of
Keiran McGeeney , the manager , all this talk about his money etc is frustrating. I was at the county convention I studied in detail the financial report . I brought it back to the club etc etc and any to be truthful no delegates complained and all parts were queried as i am sure happens in every other county, so give that one a rest.
As for the argument that Cross would beat many county sides, that remains to be seen and when Cross play in the first round of the county senior football championship in Ulster i'll give my verdict then.
As for Cross, the club team, I like many in my county, would prefer a change and a greater challenge at the top and I'm sure Cross would be the first to admit they would prefer a tougher challenge but it's up to the clubs to come up to scratch It aint Crossmaglen's problem No argument there.
The problem with county training etc and huge comittment six nights a week training or whatever, is that it's a double edged sword. While on the one hand we have managers and coaches pushing players to the limit we have players expecting to be pushed further etc . Many managers fall on the sword of , look at what theyr'e doing . Look at the coaches they have . I have heard in the past from a number of players . we're not being trained coached or prepared to the same level as other more successful teams . I had this chat with members of a great bunch of lads from leitrim .They complained that they hadn't the financial resources  to compete and many were literally pissed of and with drawing from the county.
In the past in Armagh some withdrew from the county squad as they felt they were getting better coaching and S&C with their club.  The demand also comes from players not just coaches. The players in some cases are as demanding as well as coaches( and in many cases quite rightly so) and this is driving the whole scenario skyward.
I know of one great club in Tyrone whose players complained that the lack of lighting on one of their training pitches was crucial in their failure to compete in the top four . Rightly or wrongly the club are out selling tickets to remedy this . To those players at club level it's inches as well. Coaches drive hard but so to do players and probably rightly so.

Good luck Cross on the 13th  I'll be there to support the team as an Armagh man first and foremost and Tony if I see Jamie I'll tell him you were asking about him and make sure he sends you a postcard.

Do you genuinely think that Kieran McGeeney is not being paid to be the Armagh manager? If you do you are the only Armagh fan (and I include Kieran McGeeney in this) who thinks that.

The county board nor no club pay any money towards the payment of Keiran McGeeney and if you know how he is paid ,please enlightened us dim folk. My club and countless others pay their fees to the county board .  Where the money goes is there in black and white . Have a look sometime.  Is Keiran McGeeney doing it free ,not likely , Is he gathereing his own funds, most likely . Does it cost the clubs, no it doesn't anymore than it would cost any manager no matter who he was to manage Armagh.