Still no place for gaelic games in NI state school sector

[nifan]

I doubt it would get much chance in my old school (Foyle) either - even though itd be 40% catholic i reckon.
We were not even allowed a football team - rugby/cricket only

[themanwhowasntthere]

Feck sake, Paddy Walsh had no time for gealic games either when he headed up St. Malachy's, starting a decline that has lasted many, many years. We should look at the attitude in some of our own schools !

[themanwhowasntthere]

Obviously I didn't learn how to spell gaelic during my time there.

[heganboy]

I went to SPCA in Armagh early 80s, we had 5 lads in our year who had all played for the primary schools squad in Northern Ireland for soccer, we knew full well we had the beatings of any other school, but yet when we asked for a soccer team we were told "when armagh royal lines a team out in the Macrory cup ye can have a soccer team" also suspensions were handed out for playing soccer.

Still a bag of shite if you ask me, if the kids want to play any sport why should some twat have the power to block them because of his political view point?

[fer fox ache]

The issue here is that there is demand among the kids for the games, the intake of the school would be about 60 percent Protestant and 40 per cent Catholic. The kids want the opportunity to play the games, there was to be a blitz between LGS and Rainey Endowed before the end of the school term. From what I understand there has been absolutely no adverse reaction to the introduction of the sport at Rainey. In the 1980s I attended LGS and it always bridled with me that despite an obvious appetite among the pupils including some from non GAA backgrounds that any attempts to introduce Gaelic games was quashed. More recently (five years ago) a pupil at the school compiled a petition of pupils and parents who wished to see the games introduced but he was threatened with expulsion if he persisted so nothing came of it. The clubs in the area have been very sensitive in dealing with this matter and the session that was due to take place this week was the result of lengthy negotiation going back some four years, there was to be no great fanfare about it nobody wanted to make a big deal of it. However, after veiled threats of resignation by two members of staff the principal caved and cancelled the session with Chris Collins. As far as the local clubs have concerned there has been a show of bad faith by the school in reneging on the arrangement

[Jim_Murphy_74]

If Discover Ireland had rules about supporting a United Ireland or started raising funds for political/paramilitary groups then yes I'd have a problem with them. Until that time then I'm happy to let them get on with doing a reasonably good job.

Listen,

I have accepted and discussed your thoughts on the GAA time on time.  I can accept criticism of the organisation and I can even understand the pedantic intepretation you have of the rules about "National Identity".  However the GAA has not ever raised funds for political/paramilitary groups of any description.  That is an appalling comment.  It's the kind of shíte that has cost innocent GAA members their lives.  Shame!.

That kind of comment might go down well with in the OWC domain but they are a gross and highly dangerous over-statement of the issue.

/Jim.

[Hardy]

Well said, Jim. That was overstepping the line.

By the way, the GAA doesn't have any rules about supporting a United Ireland either.

[Jim_Murphy_74]

Well said, Jim. That was overstepping the line.

By the way, the GAA doesn't have any rules about supporting a United Ireland either.

Hardy,

I don't believe it does either but I acknowledged his take on that rule as I don't want to allow a digression into that discussion.  It is the suggestion made above that is offensive.  On rules though I believe that that post is in contravention of Rule 4 and 8 of this forum.  I will leave it to the mods to decide that.

/Jim.

[nifan]

I agree that kids should have a choice, but I doubt many of the schools who have a hard on for rugby will go for it - political reasons or not.

As i said we where not allowed a football team, and where only allowed to play football for games if we were not involved with the rugby team from 5th year, and even then it was begrudged.

I Im pretty sure the likes of Keith Gillespie got a lot of hassle from school (bangor grammar) for playing football outside of school rather than rugby for the school.

[Uladh]

A begrudging, ignored, unsupported and unfunded rabble of 15 threw together is all we ask from any of these schools.

from there i'm confident that the participant enjoyment which comes with gaelic football will garner enough toe dipping and interest for it to strengthen conseiderably in every school.

the gaa will do the rest with coaching and support. wait til they see how willing the gaa will be to throw grants at them!

[nifan]

Uladh - we had many many interested in football at our school - every lunchtime it was all that was played (on the tarmac - not allowed to play it on the rugby pitches).
The school would not countanance it - the impact on the rugby team would be the loss of at least some of the better players, more than likely a lot. so we didnt get a begrudging, ignored, unsupported and unfunded rabble, even though we would certainly have had a lot more than 15 interested.

[Main Street]

I agree that kids should have a choice, but I doubt many of the schools who have a hard on for rugby will go for it - political reasons or not.
As i said we where not allowed a football team, and where only allowed to play football for games if we were not involved with the rugby team from 5th year, and even then it was begrudged.
I Im pretty sure the likes of Keith Gillespie got a lot of hassle from school (bangor grammar) for playing football outside of school rather than rugby for the school.

That Grammer school system looks poisoned to me.
Looks to be based on a snobby British model.
That has no place in education and has no place in NI life.

These sports activities are extra curricular yet the Limavady GAA invitation was allegedly stopped because of the protest/blackmail of some parents/staff.
The Limavady principal has refused to explain his decision.
He will have to meet with outraged parents and the local politicans will be banging on his door.

[armaghniac]

Rugby playing schools are a form a social snobbery, rather than sectarianism as is the case here. While the kids would rather play soccer in the yard, their parents might actually prefer that they hang out the with "right sort of people" in the rugby crowd.

However places like Blackrock college now have a variety of sports and not just rugby.

[his holiness nb]

If Discover Ireland had rules about supporting a United Ireland or started raising funds for political/paramilitary groups then yes I'd have a problem with them.

no intentions of getting into this whole debate but this comment gave me a bit of a shock.
Is this a serious suggestion that the GAA are raising funds for political / parimilitary groups?

Can you explain please Sammy? Perhaps I took it up wrong but it really needs clarifying.

[SammyG]

If Discover Ireland had rules about supporting a United Ireland or started raising funds for political/paramilitary groups then yes I'd have a problem with them. Until that time then I'm happy to let them get on with doing a reasonably good job.

Listen,

I have accepted and discussed your thoughts on the GAA time on time.  I can accept criticism of the organisation and I can even understand the pedantic intepretation you have of the rules about "National Identity".  However the GAA has not ever raised funds for political/paramilitary groups of any description.  That is an appalling comment.  It's the kind of shíte that has cost innocent GAA members their lives.  Shame!.

That kind of comment might go down well with in the OWC domain but they are a gross and highly dangerous over-statement of the issue.

/Jim.

You might not like it Jim but you can't deny that it goes on.

Try http://www.anphoblacht.com/events/2007-11-15

or http://www.anphoblacht.com/events/2007-10-18

Or just google An Phoblacht GAA and Fund and you'll find loads.