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In slightly related news at the Dub tonight Our Lady's and St Pats Knock qualified for the McLarnon Cup final, beating St Pauls Dungannon by a point. The school is in Down but at least 6 of the team are St Brigids lads. Great achievement for the school under Frankie Wilson's management.

A Belfast team all the same

The Gaelfast coaches are never out of the place... 

Guessing by your statement they aren't in there? Is it not a Down school? Would Down not bother doing something?

It's also a Belfast school and meant to be part of Gaelfast...

but you knew that anyway, didn't you.

I know it's a Belfast school, but does that mean Down take a back seat and Antrim sort their clubs and schools in Belfast for them? I'd much rather Gaelfast looked after the Antrim schools and clubs. It was our own county board who secured the money after all.

Was it?

Have a wee read and see who co signed it.

Ref Collie Donnelly at its launch....

`This is a direct, hands-on approach which builds from the grass roots up and both  Antrim County Board & Down County Boards are delighted to be running the program and for the support which we have received from the GAA nationally, provincially and indeed from Belfast City Council.

https://antrim.gaa.ie/news/gaelfast-launched


Don't get me wrong Antrim CB were the main drivers in this and PD is doing a great job and fair play to him and his team, but reminding them of their initial objectives used to secure said funding does no harm.

Hope to see big Anton back down in the Ards this summer 

Fair point re the C Donnelly post. I stand corrected, I'd just hate to see resources thinned too much!
Unlucky on the guess though, big man's a good club mate of mine but we're not the same person lol, I'm a fair bit smaller than him and he isn't as good as I was  . I'll tell him you were asking for him. 

In slightly related news at the Dub tonight Our Lady's and St Pats Knock qualified for the McLarnon Cup final, beating St Pauls Dungannon by a point. The school is in Down but at least 6 of the team are St Brigids lads. Great achievement for the school under Frankie Wilson's management.

A Belfast team all the same

The Gaelfast coaches are never out of the place... 

Guessing by your statement they aren't in there? Is it not a Down school? Would Down not bother doing something?

It's also a Belfast school and meant to be part of Gaelfast...

but you knew that anyway, didn't you.

I know it's a Belfast school, but does that mean Down take a back seat and Antrim sort their clubs and schools in Belfast for them? I'd much rather Gaelfast looked after the Antrim schools and clubs. It was our own county board who secured the money after all.

In slightly related news at the Dub tonight Our Lady's and St Pats Knock qualified for the McLarnon Cup final, beating St Pauls Dungannon by a point. The school is in Down but at least 6 of the team are St Brigids lads. Great achievement for the school under Frankie Wilson's management.

A Belfast team all the same

The Gaelfast coaches are never out of the place... 

Guessing by your statement they aren't in there? Is it not a Down school? Would Down not bother doing something?

https://antrim.gaa.ie/news/gaelfast-launched
Don't agree with your Gaelfast sentiment. 2 years in and cannot see much progress except for a Social Media presence

Been publicly critical myself on here in the past of Gaelfast, particularly those involved in setting it up, but I have to say Paul Donnelly and the team seemed to have done some great work. 2 years looks like an unfair timeline in fairness. Do I not remember the recruitment of staff being advertised just last year? Hardly hold those people accountable for 2 years worth?
Just read the article by Fogarty, looks like there's a plan also in the making after in depth consultation, so I look forward to seeing that considering it's being prepared the right way. Happy to wait and be positive (which as I say, I wasn't before). Senior teams seeing a bit of a purple patch, U20s win last night and this article all give me hope! If we all don't pull together we might lose this opportunity!

["Much debate with Liam and his colleagues on development squads has happened over this last year and perhaps a re think on this current model is required."]

https://antrim.gaa.ie/news/collie-donnellys-chairmans-address-at-tonights-convention

I'm agree with this. Lets get rid of them and promote participation rather than elitism.
"Much debate with Liam and his colleagues on development squads has happened over this last year and perhaps a re think on this current model is required."

Another interesting one here regarding fixtures:
"We must change, the current format that perhaps served us well in times past is not working ,we need to be brave in this area, I believe an all county board would go in someway to helping that,with representation from all parts of our county. Once we solve the dual club issue , we would be a fair bit along the road to a better model."

Have to disagree with your development squad statement- "get rid of them." Like it or lump it, our games are there to be won! The definition of elite comes up as "a select group that is superior in terms of ability or qualities to the rest of a group."
Is this not essentially where we would love Antrim to be at? Winning all-Ireland's or at least competing at the top level?
Given the fact that Dev squads in Antrim accommodated  the guts of 40 kids from each age group each year, that will total approx 160 kids each year getting to train and play at a higher level on what I would consider a very irregular basis. They are still available to clubs 6 other days of the week and sometimes 13 other days of a fortnight.
The likelihood of all these players playing senior intercounty is slim, but they do go back into the club system a more educated and seasoned player with experience at playing intercounty level at their respective age.
The county have numerous fixtures and competitions for "participation" at all age groups. So much so that many other clubs from other counties join our leagues to play in them! The Antrim staff (as far as I know) work in schools to provide the experience of the GAA to try to increase participation too. Although I'm still of the opinion that if a club want more kids they need to do a bit of work themselves, Davitts and St Endas being prime examples of what can be achieved from club coaches in schools.
Every other county has development squads also, and the top counties (whether allowed too or not) take their kids for more sessions than one a week at certain times of the year.
My son has played in Dev squads this last 3 years and the education as a player and a person that he has received has been top class.
Excuse me if I sound negative but I'd rather leave the fate of Dev squads in Antrim in the hands of Antrim staff instead of the likes of a chairman stepping down, with absolutely no experience in Dev squads, other than turning up one day for a photo,  when Liam Sheedy took a session for the Celtic Challenge winning squad.
Go learn about what the squads and VOLUNTEER coaches do before slamming their efforts for OUR county, and if possible, go see how effective they are for other counties too!

All entitled to our opinions obv but I'm going to correct you on this last statement.

I am a volunteer in my own club and coach the u16 hurlers and footballers. I know first hand the impact development squads have on 99% of kids that aren't on them. Our county would be better served getting the basics right first, gaining high levels of participation , having regular fixtures for all etc before putting the icing on the cake with development squads. We are putting the cart before the horse in my opinion.

Sorry just to clarify I meant the volunteer coaches within the squads; not the clubs. I have also coached this past 3 years in our club and to be quite honest with you I love to see our lads head off to squads. Having said that- they train on a Saturday, so I still got my county players back for my club training midweek. We avoided Saturdays so not only do they get a club hurling session in, but those lads also got an extra session in with the county= more hurling. Your clash could be different if your u16s are part of the minor county panel and they train more??

Maxpower-  with regards to the coaching standards, I'm not sure how we define a good coach (if im honest), but I do know my young lad loved every minute of it. When you mention, the impact it has on players at the club session I assume you mean minor squads who might train more often through the week? As most Dev squads went on Saturday mornings it is easy to move your club sessions around this (especially in Belfast where there is also a clash with soccer). With regards to the development squads fixtures (not minor) "in a congested calendar" they have 5 dates set aside for dev squads every year- Ive been told before that this is the same every year as the GAA keep a handle on this and dont allow it to go past 5 dates. I don't see how 5 dates are a massive problem tbh, especially considering they are on Saturdays too.

I do agree that we need more participants- 100%! Our club struggle with numbers at certain age groups too, and I do understand the question- what about the other players- thats where I would've took the time to work with these lads on their weaknesses. But what about the good players? Why would I hold them back and stop them gaining invaluable experience playing around the country? I dont think a club/countys inability to get more players should hinder a good players chance to progress further.

Just my opinion.

["Much debate with Liam and his colleagues on development squads has happened over this last year and perhaps a re think on this current model is required."]

https://antrim.gaa.ie/news/collie-donnellys-chairmans-address-at-tonights-convention

I'm agree with this. Lets get rid of them and promote participation rather than elitism.
"Much debate with Liam and his colleagues on development squads has happened over this last year and perhaps a re think on this current model is required."

Another interesting one here regarding fixtures:
"We must change, the current format that perhaps served us well in times past is not working ,we need to be brave in this area, I believe an all county board would go in someway to helping that,with representation from all parts of our county. Once we solve the dual club issue , we would be a fair bit along the road to a better model."

Have to disagree with your development squad statement- "get rid of them." Like it or lump it, our games are there to be won! The definition of elite comes up as "a select group that is superior in terms of ability or qualities to the rest of a group."
Is this not essentially where we would love Antrim to be at? Winning all-Ireland's or at least competing at the top level?
Given the fact that Dev squads in Antrim accommodated  the guts of 40 kids from each age group each year, that will total approx 160 kids each year getting to train and play at a higher level on what I would consider a very irregular basis. They are still available to clubs 6 other days of the week and sometimes 13 other days of a fortnight.
The likelihood of all these players playing senior intercounty is slim, but they do go back into the club system a more educated and seasoned player with experience at playing intercounty level at their respective age.
The county have numerous fixtures and competitions for "participation" at all age groups. So much so that many other clubs from other counties join our leagues to play in them! The Antrim staff (as far as I know) work in schools to provide the experience of the GAA to try to increase participation too. Although I'm still of the opinion that if a club want more kids they need to do a bit of work themselves, Davitts and St Endas being prime examples of what can be achieved from club coaches in schools.
Every other county has development squads also, and the top counties (whether allowed too or not) take their kids for more sessions than one a week at certain times of the year.
My son has played in Dev squads this last 3 years and the education as a player and a person that he has received has been top class.
Excuse me if I sound negative but I'd rather leave the fate of Dev squads in Antrim in the hands of Antrim staff instead of the likes of a chairman stepping down, with absolutely no experience in Dev squads, other than turning up one day for a photo,  when Liam Sheedy took a session for the Celtic Challenge winning squad.
Go learn about what the squads and VOLUNTEER coaches do before slamming their efforts for OUR county, and if possible, go see how effective they are for other counties too!

I certainly don't share that optimism, County seniors struggled in both Div 1B and the Joe McDonagh, the key players are over 30 and no obvious replacements lined up.  U21's beat by Kildare and minors thumped by Dublin.

Senior club fixtures are a shambles, nowhere near enough games on a regular enough basis to really engage the local community.  Club players are training circa 140 times now for 14 league matches and maybe 4 games between feis and championship! Barring Rossa's fully deserved championship victory in 2004 we've seen the title shared by just 3 clubs over nearly 3 decades and we've now witnessed the Ulster Club Championship reside outside Antrim for 2 consecutive years.

If we are looking to our under safe structures for inspiration we are going to be sadly lacking, apathy has seen the collapse of the excellent North Antrim festival of hurling, under age players in Antrim can expect circa 12 games a year! Soccer teams get triple this, they can almost virtually guarantee the schedule despite it being a winter sport.

Every club has good men working in isolation but we need to admit we have problems, I am convinced participation levels are dropping or at best have hit a plateau.

How would I solve the problems
1. Paid development officer should as a priority focus on fixtures and support for clubs. 
2. Guarantee each team 25 games, switch the balance from 80/20 training games to 50/50
3. Structured, promoted adult leagues
4. Divisional boards to have a unified approach to age grading and fixture schedules to addresss the ludicrious situation where players have to choose football or hurling at u8's!!!
5. These underage blitzes to be reviewed, all of them, football, hurling and camogie are on Sun resulting in clashes
6. Astronomical amount of games called off due to waterlogged pitches, with the amount of money washing through the GAA now it would be a massive investment in infrastructure if they built a number of 3G pitches around the county available for games
7. Clubs to take responsibility for the improvement in skill standards and to be given the opportunity to do this.
8. Schools to be supported but only with the  involvement of the local clubs

I agree with some of the stuff you say, but not all;
1. Fixtures are a focus for CCC, not a Development Officer. We don't have a full
Time Development Officer in our schools introducing the sport and strengthening school and club links in North or south west Antrim, and certainly not enough in Belfast; even with 5 new "dual" coaches coming in (whenever that may be). I think a Dev Officer should focus on introducing the sport to kids as young as 4/5/6, and getting them to our clubs. Then helping Clubs and giving them advice/resources as to how to coach, providing coach education and also helping grow the volunteer base.
2. Guarantee teams 25 games, yes I agree, but don't then ask county players to play that, before sending them back to their county training the next night knackered. I think starred games are something we could look at again. The 50:50 ratio isn't enough IMO, what about the player who plays 5 mins, or doesn't play at all? How can he develop once a week in a 60-80 min session? 2:1 ratio of training to games is fine, providing we are actually given the game!

6. 4G pitches are def something we need more of in North and South West Antrim, whilst I agree with you, the whole of Ireland suffer bad weather, so for the GAA to fire a load of money up to us without doing it all over Ireland is a bit far-fetched. I think It's something our saffron business forums should be looking to fundraise toward. Although 4G pitches aren't great of players bodies either!

7. I think your 7th point contradicts your 50:50 proposal. How can they have the opportunity to develop skill if they only get 1 session a week. The biggest difference for me is the fact that hurling is a way of life in the likes of Kilkenny. The hurl goes everywhere with them, primary schools promote it themselves too with in house ball wall competitions etc. We can't rely on hoping some paid Officer will do it for us, because they likely won't! I feel MOST Clubs don't do enough with their schools. Teachers being from outside the county doesn't lend its hand and the amount of work they have to do now means they have little time to help GAA teams.

I agree with your other points, there is a lot of work needs done to help Antrim grow, but I think far too many people still see Antrim as a top level team. We are not at that standard, we, as Clubs, have not produced the players to be at the top level.

We can only hope the right plan is in place! From the pictures it looks like there are 4 "hubs" and 4 staff members. Is that it? 4 more people on the ground and this regeneration manager being paid mega bucks to manage them? (Hope I'm wrong)
Dublin's plan had a hell of a lot more people involved in it, so this is nowhere near that level.
There has been no consultation to clubs; just a "letting us know what's happening" session ONE night where that balloon Pat OHagan basically shushed any other recommendation/question. I'd have felt more comfortable seeing people from a sports development background involved, but from speaking to my own club members (who are staff) as well as other Antrim staff and from bodies such as Sport NI not one of them was consulted.

Now I seriously hope I'm wrong and this is the best thing that ever happens to Belfast, and in-turn, Antrim GAA, but i can't help to feel like if we mess this up we don't get another shot. Clubs need more transparency and involvement in this project, not being shushed off one night in Hannahstown. We need to demand it. After all it is us who vote these people into position so we should get somewhat of a say!
Ps I know this forum isn't the way to do it, I've already contacted the appropriate people in my club.

Possibly; although if organised properly and with the date of u21 Leinster being in May it could be a great way of getting the u21s together from start of Year. That seemed to be what they were going for

I think I heard the college players all had to rig out for their college and therefore can't play for county in this competition? I'd prefer not to see more seniors playing today if they are needed tomorrow, especially if the small recovery time lead to an injury that could last months.

Club Chairperson was at the meeting on Thurs regarding this "belfast plan." Big focus on schools and belfast city council facilities, when asked about support offered to clubs it was basically "we will address that later" by a T.R county board member. Now I know schools should have loads of support from the GAA but surely we could send them to our clubs rather than to a belfast city council facility on which we have to pay money for??
There was a fella called Pat OHagan there, nearly as though he was one of the heads of this plan, to be honest, Ive never heard of this guy? Nothing against him but Does he have experience in sports development or the structures of whats going on in Belfast GAA? I talk to any of our juvenile coaches, as well as some lads from our club that work in the GAA on the ground and none of them were asked their opinion? Should our clubs and current county staff not be consulted rather than TOLD whats happening by those with little experience?

Skull hit the nail on the head.  If sheedy is coming up let him work with the underage crowd. Too late when it comes flto current seniors.  And I agree with dunloy realist not enough being done in schools.  Yet Antrim were 3Rd or 4th I think when it came to the amount being spent for coaches in Ireland.  We are a laughing stock both on and off the pitch

Yes saw that document but that was an amount over 7/8 years which in fairness to Antrim was only enough to pay 3 full time staff over that period.
Heard that the u17 debacle was because "the lads wouldn't want another tanking." Honest to God! Couldn't believe it when I heard it! Can't see why the "saffron vision" wouldn't have wanted to play in an AI Semi!

[parental population]

I 'think' we lack passion for the game in the right numbers. A passionate Antrim hurling man is as passionate as any hurling man from the strong counties, but we lack (I believe) the right numbers across the parental population with the crazy desire needed to encourage their kids to go at the game in the right way. I think that results in a fall off in the effort applied by a fair number of kids as they move through U16 and U18 rather than push on. Variability in coaching standards across the county (as I'm sure in alot of counties) is a thing but I believe that has a symbiotic relationship with the apathy in population that I've mentioned.

I think these two points "parental population" and "coaching standards" are spot on with the schools added into the mix. My son is at a certain school in Atown Belfast that offer very little for GAA; the kids in his class seemed to have trouble with throwing and running at the recent sports day at P4 never mind how to hurl! My nephew is in an Irish school on the falls road and they have GAA after school twice a week as well as PE twice a week. Unless the school buy in then it makes it a bit harder. Nothing stopping the clubs giving support once a week to the school? Even to pay a club coach to go in  would be well worth it!
Although I do think clubs should be the focus for development, it's all well and good recruiting a child to play, but then to have a poor coach getting all players in a big line for a drill takes away the fun and development side.
I would only wish this Belfast plan was actually consulted with all club coaches and men on the ground!! Unfortunately our county board had other ideas of who to ask!

There are 4/5 venues every Saturday in Belfast where I'm pretty sure carryduff and Bredagh attend.
Do the ards teams not have blitzes in Eddie Irvine centre? Be silly to hold something on top of that. To be fair though, if you're asked to cover the whole of Belfast, and the 3 clubs in ards, realistically most of your work would be done within Belfast given the size and amount of schools/clubs to get to. Why can't the ards clubs travel to Belfast for the blitzes? You hardly want him to head up and run a blitz between the 3 clubs where youse are likely doing that anyway?
Also, why don't you try contacting him and asking for the help in whatever aspect of development you're looking for? I'm sure he'd be happy to help rather than have you blast it all over a public forum (which you still haven't acknowledged is bang out of order?!)

Johnnycool,
I think it's pretty clear what hurling officer  you're referring too and to say he does nothing on a public forum is just wrong. As a coach for my own club the official in question is our point of contact for any go games fixtures we have. He arranges the venues, fixtures etc on a weekly basis. He's in schools coaching and as far as I see on fbook, he plays a big part in the schools competitions structures. Just because a club secretary never knew what this man did, doesn't define any work he does/doesn't do. Remember any f**kwit can be voted in at club positions. I think to publicly criticise (wrongly may I add) on his job is petty. Hes a family and house to cater for etc. Try to remember that.
As for the Belfast plan, I read very recently in the Irish news that it's near completed and will commence soon?