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Well, from my experience, the GAA has been to the fore-front in bridge-building, even throughout the troubles.  I know of clubs in Tyrone that have helped their local Orange Order in the run-up to the 12th.  I know of clubs which have done similar in Armagh, Antrim and Down. 

It's only Political people who are making distinctions which would make me wonder what motive was behind the journalist as he couldn't have done too much research into what clubs are doing or what the Protestant community in the north thinks of the GAA generally.

Maguire there have never been flag and anthem issues before.

I love being in Croke, eyes toward the flag and singing in Gaelic on Sundays in September.  That is the showcase of the entire year.  I don't see why having pride in our nation and showing it culturally and politically should be a problem.  I say politically because it is a political act to express pride in your national identity as opposed to being party political. 

Tell me this Maguire, do you know many people involved in rural clubs?

It's implicit.

The Gaelic Athletic Association today is an organisation which reaches into every corner of the land and has its roots in every Irish parish.
Throughout the Country, legions of voluntary workers willingly make sacrifices to promote its ideals and carry its daily burdens. Why does the Association receive this unselfish support?
Those who play its games, those who organise its activities and those who control its destinies see in the G.A.A. a means of consolidating our Irish identity. The games to them are more than games - they have a national significance - and the promotion of native pastimes becomes a part of the full national ideal, which envisages the speaking of our own language, music and dances. The primary purpose of the G.A.A. is the organisation of native pastimes and the promotion of athletic fitness as a means to create a disciplined, self- reliant, national-minded manhood. The overall result is the expression of a people's preference for native ways as opposed to imported ones.
Since she has no control over all the national territory, Ireland's claim to nationhood is impaired. It would be still more impaired if she were to lose her language, if she failed to provide a decent livelihood for her people at home, or if she were to forsake her own games and customs in favour of the games and customs of another nation. If pride in the attributes of nationhood dies, something good and distinctive in our race dies with it. Each national quality that is lost makes us so much poorer as a Nation. Today, the native games
take on a new significance when it is realised that they have been a part, and still are a part, of the Nation's desire to live her own life, to govern her own affairs

Above is as published by Central Council only last year.

on the contrary, forker was my real hope going into the McKenna cup for a scoring forward but i thought he was very poor. difficult to score when you can't hold onto the ball. alarm bell were ringing when he wasn't claimed by the poly for the competition.

He was awful in Davitt Park

Nothing like a bit of selectivity is there?

Try reading the entire thing http://www.gaa.ie/files/official_reports/og_part1_jan_2007.pdf

{Edited to remove second link which is irrelevant}

But it's not change for the sake of it.  Read the article again.

I beg to differ. 

There would be little point in it being called the Gaelic Athletic Association if those changes were implemented, in my opinion.

How much effect does flying a tricolour or singing the anthem them have on the associations principles for example ?

To the very core

Surely there's merit in being progressive rather than strictly conservative?
Things move with the times. In many respects, i'm glad Ireland has moved on into a modern secular society, free from the previous shackles of the Church, for example.  

Surely there's room for progression within the GAA too.  I'm not saying that to do so we have to throw out all the tradition and start from scratch, but there must be room, a need even, to evolve. I don't think such opinions equate to 'selling out' or being labelled a 'West Brit'.

I like the Association the way it is, thanks very much.  Change for the sake of it is a nonsense which is precisely what the writer of the article was at.  Why should we dilute the very principles the Association was founded on in the name of 'progress'?

If it looks, walks and acts like a duck, it's a duck.

Gnevin is one of the modern breed. No religion, no remembrance of the past, no tradition.
Its ok to slag republicans but not unionists etc etc.

Its a funny world these days.

To suggest that liking the GAA being tied to the national identity is somehow comparable to being happier during the troubles is disgraceful though.

Something tells me he is what I would call a West Brit

To describe this contrived ill thought out piece as incisive, is demeaning language. From its very foundation the G.A.A. has always been clear and upfront re. its position regarding the National question. The promotion of an irish identity within a sovereign irish state, has always been a core value. Membership is open to all regardless of religion or politics. As in every field of life, people who disagree with the aims and objectives of any organisation will not subscribe to or join that organisation. That is the reasonable view of the Unionist people of N.I.   For the G.A.A. to pretend to be something other than what it is, an attempt to promote itself as a mere sporting organisation, to widen its appeal, would be dishonest, and insulting to the intelligence of both communities. You can only reach out to people by stating your position honestly and with integrity. A debate based on any other premise is a fraud.

Why cant the GAA become non political , just be a sporting organisation a kin to the IRFU ,NFL

Why should the GAA change its entire ethos?

I agree with Pangurban completely.

Little old me against the 674 Tyrone Posters on this thread......

Kildare will win and win easy......

I doubt you are alone Dinny!

He's not

Can you speak in English so the less intellectual people (Armagh fans) understand?

So.. tá  gaeilge mhaith agat mar sin?

Armagh bastards, suppose i can take heart from the fact that Down are once again better than Armagh

You are funny. 

You base this on 3 matches in the McKenna Cup with McDonnell giving a lot of young lads a run out, the Cross men not involved in any capacity and the other men playing for their universities?

Yeah, of course that's an accurate assessment 

Let's see who goes further in the Championship this year eh