Should the gaa allow the Liam Miller testimonial in Pairc hi Caoimh - poll

[dublin7]

Duff was the highest profile person that they could wheel out. I might be wrong, but I feel it's all a little orchestrated. Including our friend from Balbriggan. paul kimmage

Duff was doing a press launch for an autism charity he does work for and was asked by a journalist what did he think of the PuC situation. To say he was "wheeled out" as some sort of stooge is an insult to the organisers of the Liam Miller event and also Damien Duff.

The reason this has become such an issue is when Roy Keane was launching the game for Turners Cross one of the journalists asked why aren't you playing it in PuC. Organisers told them they asked Cork county board but were told they couldn't use the ground. It's the journalists and GAA's ability to keep shooting themselves in the foot that has turned this into such a story.

Well then he should have said I don't know much about it, which would reflect his knowledge on the issue better, rather than getting laid into a load of volunteers.

As someone who knew and played with Liam Miller I think he has every right to have an opinion. It's amazing how you seem to think Damien duff is the bad guy in all this despite everything the GAA have done in relation to this to date.

[Baile Brigín 2]

Duff was the highest profile person that they could wheel out. I might be wrong, but I feel it's all a little orchestrated. Including our friend from Balbriggan. paul kimmage

Duff was doing a press launch for an autism charity he does work for and was asked by a journalist what did he think of the PuC situation. To say he was "wheeled out" as some sort of stooge is an insult to the organisers of the Liam Miller event and also Damien Duff.

The reason this has become such an issue is when Roy Keane was launching the game for Turners Cross one of the journalists asked why aren't you playing it in PuC. Organisers told them they asked Cork county board but were told they couldn't use the ground. It's the journalists and GAA's ability to keep shooting themselves in the foot that has turned this into such a story.

Well then he should have said I don't know much about it, which would reflect his knowledge on the issue better, rather than getting laid into a load of volunteers.

He knows enough to have an opinion, and is involved with the event.

Has he said anything that controversial? The top table in the GAA are disconnected from members.

[Jim_Murphy_74]

It's amazing how you seem to think Damien duff is the bad guy in all this despite everything the GAA have done in relation to this to date.

Quite true.  As a GAA member I don't particularly care about Duff's opinion but I can see why he said it.

As a GAA member I have issues with how the association top brass have handled things since the story broke:

1) They release a statement saying they support the charity but are hamstrung by their rules. Why hadn't they have the judgement to use ambiguity in rules to avoid this?
 
2) Why if the GAA are determined not to let it go ahead (to the extent of releasing a statement that they had sought legal advice on the matter) did they then go and have a meeting with organizers. A meeting that drags the controversy on another while.  Then no result from the meeting except the GAA will consider the matter.  What did the meeting add to this, given that the GAA state that this is about their rules, not the event itself.

3) They do this at a time when the Department of Sport have just released a document stating that best value for sporting investment is multi-use stadia and such projects should get priority.  What a time to suggest you are heading in the opposite direction!  The 3 big ticket items in for capital funding this year are RDS, Tolka Park and Pairc Tailteann.  Precedent suggests that the GAA would get the largest share here.  I wonder how this will impact on department officials decisions now.

Regardless on one's view on sharing of facilities, no GAA member can be happy with the handling of this incident.

/Jim.

[Jinxy]

Just on the 'multi-use' stadia thing, it would be interesting to look at the number of different sports, across different age grades and genders that are played in GAA stadiums & facilities when compared with those owned/run by other bodies.

[Jim_Murphy_74]

Just on the 'multi-use' stadia thing, it would be interesting to look at the number of different sports, across different age grades and genders that are played in GAA stadiums & facilities when compared with those owned/run by other bodies.

What is equally interesting is to step out of the single association box and look at the macro picture.   Kieran Shannon gives a good example in today's examiner of Limerick.  Look at Thomond Park and Gaelic grounds, two stadia within sight of each other.   Neither filled to capacity that often and both got government funding.  From a government point of view it would have been better to develop one stadium for use for big Munster championship games and big European rugby games.  A smaller 15K stadium would do for most GAA and rugby pro-12 games. 

Instead you end up splitting your funding for under-used 25k and 50k stadia that are not quite the fit for either group.

When spending in sport is limited then that is the picture that the department are looking at and this is what they are talking about in their policy paper.  Also you might find that the likes of rugby and soccer do have all age groups and genders using their facilities.

/Jim.

[Syferus]

Just on the 'multi-use' stadia thing, it would be interesting to look at the number of different sports, across different age grades and genders that are played in GAA stadiums & facilities when compared with those owned/run by other bodies.

A comparison of ones that are cross-organisation rather than cross-sports wild give a fairer reflection, Jinxy. Ladies football/hurling being counted as different sports would be a serious fudge if that's what you're thinking, too.

[Jinxy]

Why though?
They're different sports.
I played football all my life and wouldn't know one end of a hurley from the other.
Plenty of people for whom the opposite is true.
I've been to one game of hurling in my entire life.

[Syferus]

Why though?
They're different sports.
I played football all my life and wouldn't know one end of a hurley from the other.
Plenty of people for whom the opposite is true.
I've been to one game of hurling in my entire life.

But isn't it obvious why hurling and football use the same grounds. The parent organisation is the same.

If FIFA were the parent organisation of international rugby don't you think there would be a lot more ground shares between those two sports? It's like comparing an apple and an orange, to my eyes.

[Jinxy]

That's my point re the definition of 'multi-use'.
If rugby and soccer were governed by FIFA, they'd still be two different sports.
If the GAA decided to ban hurling tomorrow, the players and administrators would go away and set up their own association, they wouldn't all take up gaelic football.

[Jim_Murphy_74]

Why though?
They're different sports.
I played football all my life and wouldn't know one end of a hurley from the other.
Plenty of people for whom the opposite is true.
I've been to one game of hurling in my entire life.

If you look at the example I gave you, the point is that they are not chasing "multi-use" as a point of principle but really to get "maxi-use".  While many GAA clubs are well used, their higher-profile capital investments are not.

Take PuC and forget about charity events and other sports.  Waterford hurling fans had no home games in the round robin and for Limerick game Cusack Park Ennis had no toilet facilities for 3/4 of the ground.   From a Munster hurling point of view why did the Munster Council sanction investment in a ground to compete with Thurles ahead of getting all county grounds up to a basic level first?  The All-Ireland quarter-final got 10k at it because it didn't suit Clare and Wexford fans.  That is two years running that hurling quarter-finals were fcuked around with to "pay back" for PuC.

Myopic stuff when you sit on the boundary and look at it.

Equally the Department of Sport are saying that they don't want to split the limit pot to develop under-utilized stadia.  One could argue this is quiet-wise.   Go back to the Limerick example.  Who loses out if Munster rugby used Gaelic grounds for big games outside of summer?  Especially if they had reciprocated by giving the old smaller Thomond over to Limerick GAA for Limerick football games or as a smaller more atmospheric spot for club championships?

/Jim.

[Jinxy]

I agree with you Jim that 'maxi-use' is more appropriate than 'multi-use'.
Where there is excess capacity and a mutually beneficial arrangement can be entered into with the agreement of all parties, that is the way to go.

Best wishes,

Jinxy.

[trailer]

Duff was the highest profile person that they could wheel out. I might be wrong, but I feel it's all a little orchestrated. Including our friend from Balbriggan. paul kimmage

Duff was doing a press launch for an autism charity he does work for and was asked by a journalist what did he think of the PuC situation. To say he was "wheeled out" as some sort of stooge is an insult to the organisers of the Liam Miller event and also Damien Duff.

The reason this has become such an issue is when Roy Keane was launching the game for Turners Cross one of the journalists asked why aren't you playing it in PuC. Organisers told them they asked Cork county board but were told they couldn't use the ground. It's the journalists and GAA's ability to keep shooting themselves in the foot that has turned this into such a story.

Well then he should have said I don't know much about it, which would reflect his knowledge on the issue better, rather than getting laid into a load of volunteers.

He knows enough to have an opinion, and is involved with the event.

Has he said anything that controversial? The top table in the GAA are disconnected from members.

I think he has said something controversial.

.

There has been a pronounced shift in the general tone of the conversation since Duff's comments.
The longer it goes on the more it will be reduced to 'gaelic people' (as he calls us) vs. 'soccer people'.
I don't think his comments will influence the ultimate decision but maybe HQ aren't the only people mixed up in this affair that could do with some PR lessons.

True, but Duffer is speaking for himself. He isnt a vastly paid PR manager.

I think Duff's comments have done more harm than good. I know a lot of people in GAA some in high positions in club and county. They are on the road, home late, taking calls during the day, late at night, organising, sorting, arranging. Giving up their time. To be labelled 'Dinosaurs' by some indulged millionaire just pisses me right off.

In short, whether he was told to do it, or did it off his own accord, it hasn't helped.

Kildare co board after the newbridge fiasco fixed club games last weekend at the same time as their U20 team was playing in an All Ireland semi final. My dad  knows the kildare co board chairman and he was giving out that Cian O'Neill was doing all the press/rte news about newbridge. He felt as chairman he should be the one doing all that.
Meath  co board sent an e-mail to clubs that had dual players that player welfare is the clubs responsibility not the county board and fixtures will have to played. If they are worried about playing too many games, then don't pick the players for the team!!!

I'm sure some of the delegates who attend congress have been involved in GAA for 20/30 years, but I do believe they are out touch with today's players.

Another point that's been raised is this disconnect or being out of touch. Where is it, as the same people taking decisions in Croke Park are members of GAA clubs up and down the country. They follow their clubs, volunteer etc, so how are they exactly disconnected? This is just repeating something that has been said in the media by lazy journalists.

Why though?
They're different sports.
I played football all my life and wouldn't know one end of a hurley from the other.
Plenty of people for whom the opposite is true.
I've been to one game of hurling in my entire life.

If you look at the example I gave you, the point is that they are not chasing "multi-use" as a point of principle but really to get "maxi-use".  While many GAA clubs are well used, their higher-profile capital investments are not.

Take PuC and forget about charity events and other sports.  Waterford hurling fans had no home games in the round robin and for Limerick game Cusack Park Ennis had no toilet facilities for 3/4 of the ground.   From a Munster hurling point of view why did the Munster Council sanction investment in a ground to compete with Thurles ahead of getting all county grounds up to a basic level first?  The All-Ireland quarter-final got 10k at it because it didn't suit Clare and Wexford fans.  That is two years running that hurling quarter-finals were fcuked around with to "pay back" for PuC.

Myopic stuff when you sit on the boundary and look at it.

Equally the Department of Sport are saying that they don't want to split the limit pot to develop under-utilized stadia.  One could argue this is quiet-wise.   Go back to the Limerick example.  Who loses out if Munster rugby used Gaelic grounds for big games outside of summer?  Especially if they had reciprocated by giving the old smaller Thomond over to Limerick GAA for Limerick football games or as a smaller more atmospheric spot for club championships?

/Jim.

Totally agree, multi use Stadia are the way to go. But that would require joined up thinking at Government, and at the head of these organisations. The ROI has a history of supporting projects in the ministers constituency. In NI we just don't get on which makes things a bit trickier.

I want to also say again clearly. I have no issue with the game going ahead in PUC. My issue is with the berating of the GAA by people from inside and outside the organisation.

[Jinxy]

Has he a no-nonsense public persona, Syf?
I've never been that aware of him making public statements about anything until now.
I'd be curious to read some of his stuff if you've any links.
Given the ineptitude of the FAI and the disastrous state of the domestic league in this country, I'm guessing he has given John Delaney and the higher echelons of the FAI both barrels at some stage.

Again, I'd love to read some of the previous instances where Duff has had a go at the FAI, Syf.
I've heard him speak in general terms about the coaching culture but I've never seen him have a go at anyone.
It's particularly relevant at the moment, with the ongoing row between the PFAI and the FAI regarding the 'wage assistance' fund to support LOI clubs who can't pay their players; 50% of which would be provided by, wait for it, the players...
Go get 'em, Duffer.

[sid waddell]

We've had a lot of "backlash" against Duff's comments but still nothing of substance to dispute the accuracy of them.

If I wanted "backlash" which doesn't deal with reality, I'd read a Daily Mail comment section.

[TheClubman]

We've had a lot of "backlash" against Duff's comments but still nothing of substance to dispute the accuracy of them.

If I wanted "backlash" which doesn't deal with reality, I'd read a Daily Mail comment section.

That's just rdiciculous. Any fair minded person would have to agree that the GAA is a reasonably well run organisation and contributes handsomely to Irish society. Calling the people who run it "dinosaurs" is completely over the top and at best childish. You may not like some of the rules but overall, it's a strong, sustainable and self sufficient organisation.