GAA in Britain

Started by BennyHarp, June 20, 2007, 12:18:20 PM

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BennyHarp

As theres a new board for local GAA discussion, thought it would be interesting to see how many people who post on here are involved in GAA in the UK and what their opinions are of the standard and how to improve things.

I don't mean this as an insult but i'd prefer if the thread wasn't overtaken by students talking about their uni teams!
That was never a square ball!!

maddog

Quote from: BennyHarp on June 20, 2007, 12:18:20 PM
As theres a new board for local GAA discussion, thought it would be interesting to see how many people who post on here are involved in GAA in the UK and what their opinions are of the standard and how to improve things.

I don't mean this as an insult but i'd prefer if the thread wasn't overtaken by students talking about their uni teams!

Not involved anymore but close to the scene in Birmingham. The standard is pretty poor. Refereeing shocking. However there are many primary schools here playing with kids of all colours and creeds so maybe it will improve over the years. Top Warwickshire team at the minute is probably Sean McDermotts with the nearest and dearest rivals John Mitchells lagging well behind. My old club the emeralds folded (final straw for me was turning up for a 7s tournament with 4 men) ::) I think the standard has slipped probably because there isnt the emigration that there used to be between Ireland and England. Must get a run out to the Pairc some of these days to see whats going on.

An Gaeilgoir

I played with Dunedin Connollys in Edinburgh for 4 years,a great club and we have had a good deal of success through out the years. Some club for the craic.

Glensman

5iveTimes:
Still playing away I believe.
They are even having a reunion for you - http://www.seantreacys.com/news.html

I played football for St Peters in Manchester for a couple of years - great club, good craic and successful. Beat by a couple of points in the All Britain final by Tir Chonnail Gaels - back when the All Britain winners got a lash (and admittedly got hammered) against the senior club winners from home.

Then played hurling in London for Kilburn Gaels for a year - again a good club, who were on the verge of success.
Hard place to play football/hurling in is London if you don't live in the North West of the city I reckon...alot of travelling.

twotwocharlie

just to broaden the thread sightly has anyone played in the USA recently.

BennyHarp

I played for Michael Cusacks in San Francisco a few years back, got to the final of the intermediate championship, drew the match then where kicked out of the competition before the replay because we played an illegal player - great craic playing there though!
That was never a square ball!!

mannix

I played in new york with a junior side that had 30 -35 out training about 2 years ago, great fun and loved it.Got to play with a few classy players, lads that would never give up no matter what happened.Ny is bleeding players badly now and may never see the days of so many clubs in the city again.The best thing about ny football was the weather, it was stifling hot and you would gain fitness and drop weight very rapidly but if you had any drink on board from the night before you would suffer.Pitches were deplorable due to the weather, damn all grass and stones galore.
Best times i had was in portmarnock gaa with mick kissane on the saturday afternoons and monday evenings, county lads and oul fellas all mixed together in a game aptly called social football.Mick kissane played in the 63 allireland i believe.

thejuice

Gonna start playing with Roger Casements in Coventry in the next week or so.
It won't be the next manager but the one after that Meath will become competitive again - MO'D 2016

u bent op uw

Had a long conversation with people involved with the GAA in Britain on the way to a match in Nottingham yesterday. The consensus was that the clubs based in the heavily populated areas are still able to attract Irish players. The GAA website lists all transfers and it is obvious who are the winners in the race for players.

Clubs outside the main cities and towns are struggling to maintain a team. We traditionally had a big pool of players both 1st and 2nd generation. We now rely on local English fellas who's first games are soccer and rugby.

I referee when requested by the county, each club is supposed to nominate 2 referees. This is obviously a sticky area when games can become tetchy if some poor sod from one of the participating teams has to don the whistle.

Warwickshire has a scheme in the local schools and uses a development officer, specific funds are available for schools (training kits etc)

People involved in the game in Ireland can be a little bit dismissive of the quality. It is fairly obvious that you will not get the standard of play and player that you find in an Irish parish/club. In saying that, those clubs and Gaels (exiled or adopted) who manage to keep the infrastucture intact and the association going, deserve great credit.

I won a county medal in 2000, it didn't matter that the final was in Birmingham and not Healy Park or Parnell Park, the sense of pride and achievement was still the same.

BennyHarp

The GAA in the UK doesn't really help itself. We took an U16 Yorkshire side down to Birmingham on saturday to play london in the All Britain semi final. Throw in was at 2.30pm and both teams where on the picth for 2.15 only to find out that the ref had decided not to turn up. The ref was supposed to be a Warwickshire offical so had considerablty less travelling than either of the two teams. Eventually a replacement was found and the game started over an hour late. Understandably both sets of players weren't too amused at having to wait on the pitch for over an hour, then face the long journey back again! Can't imagine those young lad's opinion of the GAA was improved by this experience.
That was never a square ball!!

u bent op uw

This is unacceptable. There is a shortage of referees but a game like this should be covered. Would be interested to know what the official response is to any complaint you make. What was the score by the way and where is the final?

BennyHarp

London won fairly easily in the end, think it was 4-12 to 1-6, but a minute before half time the game was actually level and yorkshire were competing very well, then london got a goal and a few points just before the break and that knocked the stuffing out of our lads a bit. London looked a very impressive team with 4 or 5 really talented players. They were very big and strong and eventually just wore the yorkshire team down. Very impressed by the attitude of the two teams and there was some excellent talent on show, just a pity they weren't treated with the bit of respect their efforts deserved. Its difficult enough to convince lads of that age that GAA is the sport they should devote their time to with the lure of soccer, rugby (both codes and especially league in Leeds) and cricket, so its disappointing when they make the journey to the game and are left standing around waiting for the referee. By the way, I think london play the winners of hertsfordshire and Warwickshire who play next week.
That was never a square ball!!

illdecide

Do the 6 counties in Ulster count as the UK :P :P ;) ;) :D :D
I can swim a little but i can't fly an inch

BennyHarp

#13
That, i suppose depends on your point of view and it most definately isn't a discussion i want to have in this thread!
That was never a square ball!!

illdecide

Quote from: BennyHarp on June 27, 2007, 11:28:36 AM
That, i suppose depends on your point of view, Mr Illdecide and it most definately isn't a discussion i want to have in this thread!

Jasus Benny just having a laugh, i know what you mean't....
I can swim a little but i can't fly an inch