Roddy Doyle says the GAA is a bit of a con

[T Fearon]

It only attracts soccer fans who want to fill in the vacuum during summer months,citing largely empty stadia at other times of the year???

[Rossfan]

Irish Soccer Stadiums are always empty even when there are matches in them.

[whitey]

Maybe hes referring to Dublin GAA......


Down the country most GAA people wouldnt give a fiddlers about the Premiership

[larryin89]

Does he have a point though, how do we have a following of about 12k max for the league and then.40k for semi.final of championship. I dont get it, how can jim.pat tom or mick from ballina or castlebar justify not going to league games but is there for the big games in croker.

[BennyCake]

Does he have a point though, how do we have a following of about 12k max for the league and then.40k for semi.final of championship. I dont get it, how can jim.pat tom or mick from ballina or castlebar justify not going to league games but is there for the big games in croker.

Because it's more about the occasion, not the football, for them. And the drink. And because everyone else seems to be going. And it's about the drink.

[larryin89]

Well I really wish theyd give a ticket to an ordinary supporter like me and they can drink all they like in the pub and watch the final

[snoopdog]

Bandwagon jumping is the Irish way. People clambering for tickets now for finals wouldn't know what the national league looks like.

[Rossfan]

Bandwagon jumping is the Irish way. People clambering for tickets now for finals wouldn't know what the national league looks like.

Exactly.
Bandwagon jumping is an old Irish pastime.
Any Irish person makes good in even the most obscure post and half the Country become experts and "fans" of said sport.

[Captain Scarlet]

In fairness a lot of people have kids and so on so going driving around the country in the dead of winter of a Sunday isn't an option. Hitting Croker is a family day out and in some cases easier to get to than some of the regional grounds.
In vast swathes of the country there isn't even a soccer stadium to fill so I think he is digging at the Dub fans there, but even in that case he is wrong as the LOI heads that go to matches tend to firmly dislike the GAA.
All that being said few Irish people say no to an excuse for a session. Irish rugby's popularity is built on the attendance of fans who are not affiliated to any club and have not been to lower than Champions Cup.

[SCFC]

Bandwagon jumping is the Irish way. People clambering for tickets now for finals wouldn't know what the national league looks like.

Exactly.
Bandwagon jumping is an old Irish pastime.
Any Irish person makes good in even the most obscure post and half the Country become experts and "fans" of said sport.

Don't agree. I've always been a die-hard fan of the yachting and three day eventing.

[Syferus]

Bandwagon jumping is the Irish way. People clambering for tickets now for finals wouldn't know what the national league looks like.

Exactly.
Bandwagon jumping is an old Irish pastime.
Any Irish person makes good in even the most obscure post and half the Country become experts and "fans" of said sport.

Does anyone actually believe bandwagoning is an Irish thing and not a human thing?

[Ball Hopper]

It only attracts soccer fans who want to fill in the vacuum during summer months,citing largely empty stadia at other times of the year???

Maybe soccer fills the vacuum outside the GAA hurling and football championships?

[Mayo4Sam14]

Ah who doesnt like a good bandwagon, that being said im a season ticket holder and go to nearly all games

[shantygael]

Does anyone really care what Roddy Doyle aays.

[rionach 4]

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.