Messages

It's nice to see the GAA's efforts to reach out across the cultural divide beginning to  bear fruit, as evidenced by the growing use of Ulster Scots on this site.

Ah thanks. There's hope yet.

And the same to you, of course.

I live for the return of Meath to that list.

I endorse Johnneycool's choice. A roof-mounted bazooka is my fantasy in that case.

That and the bird who does the business news on RTE radio. There is no such accent as that and no other sound made by man, beast or machine has ever caused my toes to cramp ever before.

Thanks Joe. The fact that the Ulster Council is UK registered helps my understanding. But I'm still a bit (a lot) confused. Is it:
1. The Irish government doesn't charge VAT on gate receipts?
2. The Ulster Council, as a 'foreign' company not registered for VAT here doesn't (can't) charge VAT?
3. The Ulster Council collects the VAT but doesn't pay it over, since it's not registered here? (That would be illegal, I suppose)

Unless it's number 3, I can't see an advantage or disadvantage either way for the Ulster Council vis-à-vis Clones vs. Casement. They either charge the VAT and pay it on, or don't charge the VAT and there's nothing to pay. The only difference I can see is for the customer – in theory, games at Clones should be cheaper at the turnstile than games at Casement and games organised by the Ulster Council in Clones cheaper than those organised by, say, Central Council. Unless they're screwing the customer and charging the same at each venue, but not having to pay on VAT from Clones.

Wait a minute ... it's dawning ...

They wouldn't treat their own members and patrons like  that, would they?

I'd say it was Pa Connolly in one dressingroom and the rest of the lads in the other.

I'm never sure about the VAT issue. I would have assumed that the GAA, and/or its relevant bodies (provincial councils, etc.) would be registered for VAT, North and South. In that case, VAT is not an issue. In fact it's a cash flow positive, since you can hold on to the money for a while. But we continue to hear about Clones being VAT-free, but Casement not.

Can any of our accountants (North and South) clarify?

That's great news. I gather the recovery rate is very high for that.

How much will the government be contributing? Or do amateur, community sports organisations not qualify? Do you have to be a tax-defaulting, economic basket-case  commercial entertainment business before the government will undertake to fund your infrastructural requirements and provide you with almost free premises. So that you can allocate your income to paying your players?

Wait, no. You can also be a well-heeled, blue-chip-property-owning commercial entertainment business and as long as you also have players to pay you can get your capital infrastructure substantially funded by the taxpayer and designated as the 'national' stadium - provided you make sure the national games are not played there. Can't be having national games at the national stadium.

[Edit]
Oops - timing. I had this posted before I saw that the KCC donated the land. Arra feckit. The point stands anyway.

[first ever]

A ROUTINE Minor League Division 3 final in Parke last Sunday was the setting for the first ever recorded instance of streaking at a football match in Mayo.

... this is the second time he has struck ... he made his streaking debut during a minor league game involving Aghamore away to Ballyhaunis in the summer of 2005.

??

Another year or two of insipid under achievement and you could find yourself inducted into the BMW society of counties that GAA heads barely recognise, or worse still, bear a grudge against.

Aye – a couple of unproductive years can be worrying alright. You start thinking about what could happen. You remember the once in a generation that you see clapped-out Massey Fergusons decked out in blue-and-white flags chugging down the N3 and catcalling their way through Kells and environs. It arouses some faint race memory in us, seems to stimulate a long-suppressed stone-throwing reflex and gets young lads pegging rocks without really knowing why they're doing it. They go home and ask their fathers, "Da, what's a Cavan?". "I dunno, son – ask yer grandfather".

Anyway, look - I'd be more than delighted if the next fifty years were a golden age for Cavan with an All-Ireland a decade thrown in for us.

And I agree - you can always rely on Mayo when you're looking for someone worse off than yourself.

the one thing worse than being spoken ill of is not being spoken about at all

We'll have to take your word for that.

We have great time for the hard Oscar alright and I'm sure he'd smile at the idea of you Cavanites wanting to be our enemies. We may be yours, but sorry – we can't return the honour. But fire away, sure. We won't really notice. If we do, we'll just follow another of Oscar's recommendations: always forgive your enemies - nothing annoys them so much.

When it comes to cricket, I don't know my arse from my lbw.

Except you, obviously.

Good one, though.

Thanks anglo. You're getting the hang of it.

(I would have put us down as more like Israel - surrounded by primitives, fundamentalists and lesser powers who abhor our very existence, hated by everybody, don't give a toss about anybody but cuddly and loveable underneath it all).