Messages

I would add.  Didn't attend my 1st GAA game until 2009. 

I'm a fairly unique type.  I'm a born and bred Sheffield bloke.  But like watching GAA.  I've turned up at games from Manchester to Cork and few places in between as a lone traveller with a Yorkshire (or anywhere English) accent.  I've met people who call the GAA an anti-English faction.  I say very pro-Irish needn't mean anti-anywhere.  I come along to games for no other reason than to watch what I think are two great sports.  That said, I would never risk waving a Union Jack or even St.George cross at a venue.  But eh.  It would be greatly noticed if in view of what happened in Manchester last night there was some kind of solidarity gesture towards the victims, if not all Britain, at upcoming GAA games.

I am a Yorkshire born and bred individual with some Lincolnshire & Nottinghamshire blood.  It is thought my long departed Nottingham born grandfather may have had maternal Irish blood.  But without proof I'll say I'm as English as they come.

Nowadays I can claim to be something of a sports tourist.  How does paying spectator of 23 sports at 326 venues in a dozen different countries sound?  Furthermore, I am disappointed if I miss out on a live GAA fix once a year.  I have a weekend in Cork booked for end of February.

In the case of Soccer, both codes of Rugby and NFL a similar sized playing surface is used, that helps in terms of venue availability.  In Australia they have the AFL that relies a lot on venues shared with Cricket.  And the climate of Australia is helpful to doing so.  Arguably, I can't see cricket grounds of the British Isles being available in their entirety for football in winter.  GAA also has an irregular large playing area.  However, the AFL are looking at worldwide development of the game by simply reducing the number of players to a level appropriate to the available venue.  Outside of locations with GAA owned venues the GAA could do the same.  Furthermore, even though GAA is amateur there is no reason it can't promote itself to wider audience through the media.  I think the main problem is not so much the GAA being amateur but the lack of a situation comparable to fans of FA Premiership being able to dream of their club buying Lionel Messi.  Dublin and Cork as team names could be promoted worldwide but not as long as there is a strictly regulated path regarding who may play for either.  Conclusively, only a little change of attitude could help promote playing GAA by non-Irish.  But changes of biblical proportion would be needed to make marketing gurus helpful. 

Once I read "hatred of Manchester United sells soccer more effectively than love of Manchester United".  Just about sums it up really.

Never thought about the Hurling referee!!!

My own thoughts on cricket balls thought more about spectator safety than player safety.  Thing is, when the ball is hit to the boundary rope.  When it gets there the energy has been discharged or it would hurt the spectator who sometimes even catches it.  Though I wouldn't risk letting it hit me intentionally.

Anyway, I am not a doctor but.  I have read a book by a Neurosurgeon.  Who makes it clear the front of the head is more forgiving than the back.  And another on Sky Sports News the other day exhibited how, from what he could see, the ball hit Hughes in such a place that there wasn't even any skull bone to give some protection.  Thus, the force with which he was hit went to straight to the brain stem.  The brain stem is to a human what a CPU is to a computer system.

R.I.P.  Phil Hughes

In light of the tragic news about Aussie Cricketer Phil Hughes.  My simple question: Could it happen in a Hurling match?

This picture leaves me hoping it probably won't:  http://www.joe.ie/uncategorized/meet-the-man-who-has-been-wearing-personalised-hurling-helmets-including-batman-since-2008/48132

With reference to the original question about splitting Dublin. 

You could do it the other way. Merge smaller counties into one team so all teams draw from a similar population.  However, I realise it would leave about us with a line up of Dublin, rest of Leinster, Munster, Connacht & Ulster. 

It also suggests that if one day the GAA became a professional league of say 15.  It would be 3 teams in Dublin, 3 elsewhere in Leinster and 3 in each of the other provinces.  What an awful thought?

Greetings from Sheffield!

With live televised GAA on offer from Sky Sports, Premier Sports & occasionally BBC NI.  I have really taken to watching both codes.  Furthermore, I made a trip over to Kilkenny & Croke Park earlier in the summer. Suddenly, I am finding other sport, even the recent World Cup, a yawn to watch!

Now then.  There are plenty of people far outside England who like The FA Premiership - if that's the case who am I to stop them?  Funny how they all suddenly don the shirt and know every player of a select few members of the FAPL.  A select few that tends not to include West Bromwich Albion or Crystal Palace.  Am I right in thinking a comparable scenario in GAA Football might be for me to declare I am now a Dublin fan! No my choice is actually Wexford!  Don't know why it just felt good doing so.  The football may be over for this year, but as I like the Hurling much too what a three weeks I have enjoyed!  The first game in which I got into the Wexford spirit was the Hurling defeat by Dublin.

Anyway, I am proud to say I am staying Wexford!  And, like to think I am not just a glory hunter, having picked a WBA rather than an MU sort of team.  Still don't know why Wexford.  My grandfather was born in Nottingham, it is thought his mother or grandmother was an Irish immigrant in Nottingham, so potentially I am as Irish as Muhammed Ali, or not quite.  Wouldn't it be funny if she came from Wexford.  A matter on which research in ongoing.  Any single women from Wexford reading this?  Funny if I were to migrate there for the love of Wexford!

All that sounds logical.

As a newbie.  Can anyone give me a brief explanation on how a player in GAA becomes eligible for a particular county?  Or provide a link that explains?

I am guessing club affiliation, birthplace and residency all feature? 

Can a player appear for more than one county in a career?

Is there a pathway to the All-Ireland competitions for a player with no Irish blood in London say?  Or perhaps a Polish immigrant in Belfast, Cork or Dublin?

Original poster here,

Owing to a change of plans.  I am now planning to attend the London - Laois hurling game a week earlier instead.  Trust pretty much the same applies about turning up and paying at the gate?

As for getting there.  I'm not good at driving really long distance.  So, driving to Banbury - hopefully in about 1hr 50mins from my front door.  Then switching to the train there.   However, if I change my mind and drive all the way is parking ample at or near the ground?

Cheers!

Went to Croke Park on a day that included a semi-final and a semi-final replay a few years ago.  Dublin actually lost in the quarters.  Still bought a ticket in advance to play it safe, but seem to remember about 15,000 more could have got in on the day.

Know the facilities at South Ruislip are basic by comparison but have also been to watch Lancashire in Minor Championship before now.  Don't care as long as I can see the pitch!

Hi all

I am not a bit Irish (as far as I know), from Sheffield but very much an armchair fan of GAA.  Can anyone tell me if I'll need a ticket in advance to attend the upcoming London v Galway game at South Ruislip?  And if so a further contact?

Been to Casement and Croke Park before now.  Unbelievably, travelling from Sheffield to Belfast or Dublin sometimes works out cheaper than to London!  Thus, don't want to waste the journey.

That's good enough for me.  Should be able to plan a trip or two from England ahead.  And get cheaper flights.  And likewise train fares in the case of trips to London GAA.

Hi all

Typical newcomer to GAA question here: When will fixtures for next years NFL & NHL be released?[How many people will wrongly think I mean American Football & Ice Hockey?]

Great stuff indeed!

At the Lancashire v Cork game in Manchester last weekend.  One of Lancs players, after being subbed, was pacing up and down the touch line offering his mates encouragement.  He had a Lancashire accent, but I think he was an exception.  I reckon I was the only spectator without an Irish accent.

Some friends of mine in Australia have a son-in-law from Leitrim.  Last I heard he had taken to playing with a Gaelic Football team in Adelaide.  Where a lot of the players had no Irish connection.  However, as South Australia is an AFL heartland.  I imagine a lot of similar skills are already there to be harnessed.

Here in England.  Only one game is ever going to hold the aces.  It emerged from a rule book written here by Sheffield FC.  But if you read it by clicking the link below.  I am sure you might agree that what the FIFA rule book of today has gradually come from is something more like AFL or GAA.  Personally, I think they should have left it as it was.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheffield_Rules#Rules_of_1858