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Ahem

Sorry it is gaaboard.com isn't it?

Now we're aligning pensioners getting raided in the night to managers getting cash in hand from money collected through local fund raising (which I'm against by the way). Catch a grip...create a separate thread if you'd like to discuss the latter issue.

I to know of no active GAA man within 20 miles of me who is involved in criminality of any sort. Your club/community must be in a sorry state if that's the type of individuals who are part of it.

I created this thread specifically to explore this issue. Its interesting that the vast majority of people are against criminality and dodgy financial dealings but when its highlighted that aspects of our society which we hold dear are infact at best turning a blind eye to whats going on around them they start making excuses (a general point and an accusation agianst the posters above).

My own club is in a bad way. Not because there is open debate and disagreement over this issue but because people just sit there silently and let things go on around then. Its very sad. Whilst the problem is pronounced in my area its not exclusive to my club/parish.

Where local fundraising involves receipt of any significant sum from a single source then yes we should be challenging the source of where its from

Its certainly a problem in my area. Wheter it is or is not in your area I can't say.

I raised 2 points
a) Receiving payments from illegitimate sources
b) the involvement of GAA officials in wider criminality.

The latter is of course is not going to be uniform across the country and some areas will be more afflicted that others.

The first point is surely more widespread? Some things to think about - is your/neighbouring club/county paying managers/officials? Is that payment recorded in your books? Is the income that funds that payment recorded in your books? If not does it originate from a legitimate source and properly accounted for? This is not the sole point of debate but it is something to think about before making any robust defence of the organisation or officials within it.

For no reason, other than that I'm reminded and I love the line - Leonard Cohen:

Hank Williams ... a hundred floors above me in the Tower of Song.

I said to Hank Williams - How lonely does it get?

Hank Williams has answered me yet.

[The GAA role in this saddens me. I am familiar with GAA clubs accepting funds from sources they know are not legitmate. I also know players and managers who are feted as heroes and as upstanding citizens when the widely known reality on the ground is that they are involved in activities that range from financial criminality to holding communities to ransom.]

Vigilante justice is a bizarre form of morality that I would want no part of.

I only recently joined this forum and joined obviously because of my interest in GAA. The GAA role in this saddens me. I am familiar with GAA clubs accepting funds from sources they know are not legitmate. I also know players and managers who are feted as heroes and as upstanding citizens when the widely known reality on the ground is that they are involved in activities that range from financial criminality to holding communities to ransom.

People need to stand up

Think this is a completely sweeping statement and not the reality for 99.9% of GAA clubs.

Were it not for the GAA providing facilities for rural communities, activities and social interaction where the f**k would the country be? Youth activities, keeping them off the streets and on the straight and narrow.

Start looking in D4 for the reasons of rural criminality in the south before you start landing it at the GAA's door. See the Assembly for the same in the North.

Of all the organisations you pick to point the finger at on this one you pick the GAA - Unbelievable

Strange post that.

I did not say that the GAA was either solely reponsible nor indeed a major cause. I did point that the link to the GAA is saddening. Feel free to deny there is a link or point out that the link is not saddening. Then we can have a sensible debate. I'm not sure what your post is trying to achieve unless its a cry for help.

Vigilante justice is a bizarre form of morality that I would want no part of.

I only recently joined this forum and joined obviously because of my interest in GAA. The GAA role in this saddens me. I am familiar with GAA clubs accepting funds from sources they know are not legitmate. I also know players and managers who are feted as heroes and as upstanding citizens when the widely known reality on the ground is that they are involved in activities that range from financial criminality to holding communities to ransom.

People need to stand up 

The recent sad events on Lordship and the news story that nobody has been imprisoned in the North for fuel laundering in the last 10 years makes me think - how much criminality are we prepared to tolerate? As someone originaly form the border areas of Armagh I am fairly depressed on how much ordinary everyday folk are prepared to sit back and ignore. Will the Lordship events spark a reaction? Will authorities north and south increase policing?

No doubt there will be a bit of banter in the crowd but hopefully it will be limited to the friendly variety.

The game is likely to need a strong ref. Rory Hickey was poor in the AI club final and needs to be better