GAA Response to Coronavirus

[Baile Brigín 2]

What's next Benny?

Some petrolhead pricks broke the speed limit. Close the roads, surely?

Some unconcerned p***k got a prescription they didn't need. Shut down free prescriptions, surely?

Some Irish lads behaved badly on holiday in Spain. No more travel to Spain, surely?

Some teenager managed to get their hands on a bottle of vodka. Ban vodka surely? Or ban all alcohol.

Some factory owner was cruel to staff. The only logical  conclusion , surely is to close all factories.

——

The establishment is the problem.

People take risks around the boundaries of the law. Some more than others. But we all do it. You do it yourself.

To use your logic, there should be no speed limits, prescription drugs should be available in limitless amounts over the counter to anybody, there should be no laws against bad behaviour by tourists in Spain, there should be no legal age for drinking alcohol, and no regulations to protect workers' rights

No Sid. To use my logic, the government shouldn't shut down services in entirety because of individual indiscretions.

What's that straw man thing you like bringing up?

And normally they don't, they punish the orgabisers, who you claimed have no responsibility

But we aren't in normal times. And the GAA publicly flouted the rules, FF needed a target, all sport got it in the neck. The response of demanding data and a meeting wasn't wise either

[thewobbler]

Why so obstreperous?

"FF needed a target". Why do the need a target?

"Gaa publicly flouted the rules". No they didn't. Some individuals might have. But the GAA, which  has played a blinder ensuring that their games can be played as safely and traceable as possible, you are choosing to castigate as a whole.

"They punish the organisers". No they don't. If you choose to drive at 100kph in a 40 zone, they don't go after the road service for providing a suitable stretch of road. They don't go after Audi for selling a vehicle that allows such a speed to be achieved. They go after you. And most of all they don't close that stretch of road for everyone else.

"But we aren't in normal times". We certainly are not. But coming down in favour of preventing a couple of hundred registered people from attending an event in vast open space, when the threat of catching a virus outdoors is minimal, well that's one of the most abnormal things I've ever encountered.

[sid waddell]

What's next Benny?

Some petrolhead pricks broke the speed limit. Close the roads, surely?

Some unconcerned p***k got a prescription they didn't need. Shut down free prescriptions, surely?

Some Irish lads behaved badly on holiday in Spain. No more travel to Spain, surely?

Some teenager managed to get their hands on a bottle of vodka. Ban vodka surely? Or ban all alcohol.

Some factory owner was cruel to staff. The only logical  conclusion , surely is to close all factories.

——

The establishment is the problem.

People take risks around the boundaries of the law. Some more than others. But we all do it. You do it yourself.

To use your logic, there should be no speed limits, prescription drugs should be available in limitless amounts over the counter to anybody, there should be no laws against bad behaviour by tourists in Spain, there should be no legal age for drinking alcohol, and no regulations to protect workers' rights

No Sid. To use my logic, the government shouldn't shut down services in entirety because of individual indiscretions.

What's that straw man thing you like bringing up?

Attending a club GAA match is not a service

[RedHand88]

Serious amount of GAA people think their sport should be exempt for whatever reason I do not know.

[Taylor]

Serious amount of GAA people think their sport should be exempt for whatever reason I do not know.

I think it is more the confusion & lack of explanation is the issue.

Am sure all sports are pissed off but GAA are more vocal.

I mean how can you close outdoor sports but indoor weddings/mass etc etc are all allowed where the chance of infection is much higher?

[thewobbler]

Serious amount of GAA people think their sport should be exempt for whatever reason I do not know.

I believe you're confusing the situation. There's an overwhelmingly majority of people who cannot understand the rationale for banning a restricted number of spectators from large outdoor venues.

That it happens to be the GAA's high season for club activity means of course we are going to be noisiest about the decision.

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Cinemas are allowed to open though. It must be something of a paradox to claim the government are right to ban outdoor spectators, while the same government leaves behind gaping holes in which you could turn an oil tanker.

[Rossfan]

Don't know about weddings but there is serious social distancing applied at Masses in my Diocese and presumably the rest do the same.
The GAA have done great work until they let the 100 or 400 spectators inside the grounds. Then it stops and they're let sit together all over the place.

[Cavan19]

Don't know about weddings but there is serious social distancing applied at Masses in my Diocese and presumably the rest do the same.
The GAA have done great work until they let the 100 or 400 spectators inside the grounds. Then it stops and they're let sit together all over the place.

Yep the GAA should be doing more inside the grounds but you would think adults with half a brain would know  to keep a bit of distance between each other.

[thewobbler]

Don't know about weddings but there is serious social distancing applied at Masses in my Diocese and presumably the rest do the same.
The GAA have done great work until they let the 100 or 400 spectators inside the grounds. Then it stops and they're let sit together all over the place.

Rossfan

1. You're careful to announce that mass in your diocese only is well marshalled.

2. But in almost the same breath you condemn 5000 clubs the length in breadth of Ireland, as being one in the same.


Surely you understand that you cannot qualify your statement on the latter through your observations on the former?

[Rossfan]

Wobbler
There aren't 5,000  Clubs.
Tell me what Clubs enforced social distancing among thick spectators.
I can post what observations I wish.
Have a nice day and give GAAboard a rest for a few days.

[BennyCake]

Don't know about weddings but there is serious social distancing applied at Masses in my Diocese and presumably the rest do the same.
The GAA have done great work until they let the 100 or 400 spectators inside the grounds. Then it stops and they're let sit together all over the place.

Yep the GAA should be doing more inside the grounds but you would think adults with half a brain would know  to keep a bit of distance between each other.

Exactly. And you'd think they'd have half a brain to know to travel in separate cars.

Perhaps for that reason too, this decision has been made.

[thewobbler]

Wobbler
There aren't 5,000  Clubs.
Tell me what Clubs enforced social distancing among thick spectators.
I can post what observations I wish.
Have a nice day and give GAAboard a rest for a few days.

Apologies, you're right. 2000 odd clubs.


——

That wasn't an observation from you. It was a sweeping generalisation on every GAA club in Ireland. And furthermore you now want proof from individual clubs that they're following guidance. That's McCarthyism.

But anyway, here's one. We did. We hosted one senior fixture this year. And we had marshals at both ends of each side of the field, advising spectators to socially distance, after they entered the ground. I'm not telling you unequivocally that everyone followed this advice. But the crowd was well spaced out.

——-

We are also one of only 4 clubs in Down with a seated stand. This would seems to be a situation replicated in most counties ie you stand on a bank if you're lucky, or beside the rail if you're not.

When you and other demand careful markings for spectators, do you include the grounds-without-stands in your thinking?

If so, is the approach mentioned above okay for you?

Or do you really think a volunteer marshal should spend 60 minutes walking up and down each bank, telling people to stay apart ("but we all travelled here together and are in the same bubble"), and judiciously guessing who is telling the truth? You are moving into dangerous policy if you weigh in behind this one. That's McCarthyism.

[Rossfan]

I don't want anything I'm just an individual posting my view on an Internet forum.
The Government in the 26 has sorted out spectator social distancing by banning them.

[6th sam]

I don't want anything I'm just an individual posting my view on an Internet forum.
The Government in the 26 has sorted out spectator social distancing by banning them.

I think the unfortunate aspect of the government decision is the speed of it. There are several supporters who benefitted enormously from return to sport . There had been clear evidence of distancing not being adhered to however. IMHO Government would have greater chance of sustainable compliance , if they engaged with sporting organisations and put a shot across their bows..."if u don't actively sort out distancing, we'll have to close you down" , and use them to promote compliance across all aspects of life ie engage them as community leaders. Using the "stick" of we'll be insisting on "behind closed doors" if we don't see evidence of this , is fair enough. There is no doubt the GAA would embrace this  challenge-the precedent is already there. That community engagement is essential for sustained compliance of the population. If government pulls the plug on environments that are amenable to regulation eg sporting events, gyms etc, then  people will resort to non-regulated social environments .

[Itchy]

Don't know about weddings but there is serious social distancing applied at Masses in my Diocese and presumably the rest do the same.
The GAA have done great work until they let the 100 or 400 spectators inside the grounds. Then it stops and they're let sit together all over the place.

Rossfan, your comment is quite bizzare. You generalise about what is going on in masses because in your church there is great social distancing. You then generalise about bad behaviour at GAA grounds because they let 100 or 400 (whatever thats meant to mean, the limit was 200)

I was at a christening a few weeks ago in my local church, a place I dont go to often and there was zero social distancing. The priest even insisted on holding the baby for photographs. Does that mean each church has the same bad behaviour? Do you see where I am going with this?