Messages

French errors have kept Ireland just about in touch but will need something serious to get back in game. Ireland have  been error ridden too but French made more when they were close to scoring.

Some start. 10 down and then Never saw a try the like of that.

We don't usually  do parochial Provincialism in Connacht but great to see all 6 won their games this weekend.

A lot of us do though to be fair.

Mr. Prenty has credited the dome for the Connacht clean sweep.

"I also think the fact the FBD League was played here in the Dome, and if you look at the high scoring of all the teams, fellas are getting used to shooting now and not worrying about the consequences."

Bit of a false analogy that. Kids play soccer all around the globe and IFA (even with their religious Sunday football bans) were never going to stop kids of a nationalist persuasion play the game. Even when former manager and current captain of women's team have asked them to change anthem, they have not budged nor will they. They play soccer inspite of IFa, not because of any particular moves to make a nationalist feel more welcome.

Kids having a kickabout is one thing. But clubs in exclusively Nationalist area having IFA-affiliated teams, playing in  completely mixed leagues and cups, and routinely supplying players for NI representative teams at all levels is on another scale entirely and has no equivalent anywhere in GAA i9n the six counties.

Which is because for all our undoubted problems and faults etc, soccer in NI, both at official and unofficial levels, has addressed the issue, with ever more impressive results. (Note how few Nationalist players "defect" to the FAI, for instance).

While GAA has failed utterly to achieve anything like that sort of cross-particupation, preferring (as I see it) to ignore the problem, other than when a few token efforts are made when government funding is on offer..

P.S. There is no longer a Sunday ban, while many (most?) of the NI fans I know would happily replace GSTQ with some other anthem. Which itself is only played at international matches, unlike eg GAA games, where the Soldiers Song is meant to be played at every level, on every occasion, I believe. (Open to correction on that last one)

I know there's no longer a ban. Point is nationalists still played for NI even when the IFA was the sporting wing of the Free Presbyterian Church and sectarianism was rampant in terraces. It's a global game and it is ridiculous giving the IFA credit. Also I saw recent polls with NI supporters saying they are not willing to have a more neutral anthem. Will try and find.

I don't know the religion or political affiliation of anyone on the Down team. What I do know from personal experience is that unionists are welcomed in the GAA. Unfortunately, it's probably unionist politicians' continued lack of warmth for the GAA , that continues to discourage GAA involvement from the unionist community. In the Ards area, Down's hurling heartland   Unionists politicians have presided over underfunding and lack of recognition of the GAA, thankfully there are signs that this is changing . The East Belfast initiative is an example of a vibrant snd genuine outreach in a predominantly unionist area. Most unionists I know admire and respect the GAA and many have joined or actively support it. Times they are a changing, thankfully . A friend of mine was chatting to a prominent ulster unionist a couple of years ago, who compared the GAA to the Orange order. Incredibly the politician was shocked by the very obvious answer. The Orange order excludes Catholics from joining, the GAA wants Protestants to join. Whereas one of the reasons the GAA thrives is its Irishness, we must work hard at ways of reassuring unionists they will be warmly welcomed and that Politics in reality is  irrelevant to GAA clubs and members .

I've no doubt you and many other GAA are fans are entirely sincere.

But in your wishes/efforts to persuade people from the Unionist community in NI to give Gaelic games a try, you have completely failed. And have been for decades, with no real sign of anything much changing (East Belfast notwithstanding)

Compare that with the ability of the IFA to get people from the Nationalist community involved at every level, male and female, young and old, on and off the pitch. And that's while up against the counter attraction of the FAI, for which the GAA has no equivalent.

So never mind a few Carlow boys acting the maggot, this is the real "elephant in the room".

Bit of a false analogy that. Kids play soccer all around the globe and IFA (even with their religious Sunday football bans) were never going to stop kids of a nationalist persuasion play the game. Even when former manager and current captain of women's team have asked them to change anthem, they have not budged nor will they. They play soccer inspite of IFa, not because of any particular moves to make a nationalist feel more welcome.

Kerry v Dublin - Draw
Armagh
Monaghan
Donegal

Galway
Clare
Roscommon
Derry

Antrim v Limerick - draw
Westmeath
Longford
Fermanagh

London
Sligo
Cavan
Tipperary

As an aside, thanks for compiling Gaamod and may be good idea to also have a weekly winner to keep the interest in those who fall behind.

Is it naive to think the ethnic Russians in Ukraine (about 17% of population) are akin to Unionists with an empire next door that want to force an Act of Union/encroach on rest of population. The only difference is Ukraine has the outside support Ireland never had at partition or during Act of Union. Can a United Irelander justify Russia's actions here. Their ethnic minority should not be allowed decide fate of a nation, nor should that ever have happened in Ireland. Polls show there's a sizable majority that looks West.

Round One- 29/30 January

Dublin
Kerry
Draw
Monaghan

Derry
Clare
Galway
Roscommon

Longford
Fermanagh
Laois
Westmeath

Carlow
Cavan
Tipperary
Sligo

The South definitely left Nationalists behind in the lack of spine when fellow Irish men and women were under siege. Even up to modern times, the lack of intervention when the British gave a state funeral to a soldier who shot a young man with special needs John Pat Cunningham in the back, while Unionists were getting selfies with the murderer. Multiply stuff like that by any number you want and that was and continues to be shameful.

Southern establishment did do a good job with Brexit by using their influence in EU to stick it to Tory's.  But that was late in the game after everything that went before. And even with that, I'm not sure people in South were invested in the implications of Brexit for nationalist community. Most may not even understand how it would have cut nationalists off further.

The one good thing was Irish passports and perhaps all-island state funding for sports like Olympics. Some think this happened with GFA but everyone  born in North was always entitled to an Irish passport. Small consolidation I know when faced with state murdering machine, state collusion with Loyalists, job discrimination, etc.

Perhaps the last good thing is I do feel the economy has been integrated in a deep way with all-island electricity grid, tourism, agri-food, now essentially keeping North in same customs Union with Protocol so that unity will bring less infrastructural challenges. That work often goes unnoticed. But it's leading to a less painful economic  unity which i expect in the next decade.

While brilliant to win Connacht Club senior and intermediate, it means we'll start league without a big part of spine in 3 Dalys, Davy Murray, and 2 Murtaghs. Diarmuid reminded us how good he is yesterday. AC gave a good run out to next generation in FBD and while a lot of talent coming through, conditioning is not there yet. I will be happy with maintaining Div 2 this year but I would expect us to give Connacht a serious go with a full slate of players.

Roscommon

Hope: promotion to Div 1, win Connacht and make an All-Ireland semi, win All-Ireland U20, win Connacht minor

Expectation: Retain Div 2 status but miss promotion, win Connacht senior thanks to a good draw, fall just short of winning an underage title

Ulster was always the most Gaelic of the provinces and hardest for the English to control until Kinsale.

We are the real pure bred Gael. Leinster and Munster full of Anglo Normans . Connacht not to bad to be fair.

O Donnell and O Neill Abú

Most Connacht would be pre-Gael. The Gaels themselves were invaders (circa 400 BC) and the oldest passage tombs on island are in Connacht, 3000 years before the arrival of Gaelic culture. We are an island of muts. There's plenty of ancient Fir Bolgs still knocking about instantly recognisable by the thick heads.

Good to see a couple of well worked creative goals. Great awareness by Knight for both of them. 9 points still a poor return in a group like that but heading in right direction and Kenny has given youth it's chance. Will have a settled team for Euro qualifiers.

Tense in the end but Ireland brutalised them for much of that game. That said, the way NZ can create a try out of nothing is something else. Lowe fortunately made that tackle on half way line - especially as he often misses those. He had a great game today in fairness.

Good game. But Ireland should have taken the 6 points on offer from penalties. NZ go down pitch and  get two easy scores.