Was The Gathering inspired by a previous incarnation of this Board?

[T Fearon]

Older posters will remember regular "Gatherings" back in the mid to late 90s when members of the GAA discussion Board would convene in Dublin (it was a sort of communal blind date!), to put asses,sorry I mean faces,to names etc,and have a bite to eat,then go on the lash any maybe if they were extremely lucky,lose their virginity,though for a sizeable number that aspiration remains unfulfilled to this very day.

It was usually attended by nerdy  younger members,overwhelmed by the prospect of meeting real people after virtual intercourse,and a few older heads like Hardy,whose motivations were harder to explain,and in the light of Jimmy Savile revelations,would probably require the organisers of a similar event today,to make a check with the Garda beforehand.

Was the idea therefore plagiarised from this Board?

[theticklemister]

Ill bring the name tags for the next gathering.

[Ulick]

The days when Burger Bites were free n easy and Hardy was still directing traffic with an Garda Síochána.

[ONeill]

Is Hardy still in the Guards?

A boy told me he cleans up checking up on the Nordies who try to cheat the tolls by reading this board.

[T Fearon]

He's in the Guards? I thought he was under constant surveillance by the Guards!

[Hardy]

I haven't laughed as little since the last time I watched "Give My Head Peace".

[Orior]

I thought the Gathering was an ancient Ireland invention

[seafoid]

It was called the Gadderin as far as I recall..

[T Fearon]

You're right! The very title indicated a Dublin centred approach.I think there were numerous attempts to hold gatherings for Northern based contributors which may or may not have got off the ground.

Nowadays if the inclination existed,they'd probably have a communal Skype!

[Bord na Mona man]

Just to flesh it out a bit.
When the idea was first mooted, Tony was all on for it, saying what a wonderful idea it was and making banter about meeting X and Y.
He even suggested the idea of an Ulster equivalent.
Then a few people started to let him know he mightn't be so welcome at the Dublin event, so he got the huff and started branding it a "communal gathering of saddos". 

[muppet]

Just to flesh it out a bit.
When the idea was first mooted, Tony was all on for it, saying what a wonderful idea it was and making banter about meeting X and Y.
He even suggested the idea of an Ulster equivalent.
Then a few people started to let him know he mightn't be so welcome at the Dublin event, so he got the huff and started branding it a "communal gathering of saddos". 

Also, the choice of weekend was a little ambiguous.

[From the Bunker]

When i think of The Gathering, i think of the scene in The Field where the Bull McCabe is panicking at not being able to get the money together to outbid the Yank. He Gathers money from what ever avenue he can, selling turf, cattle, going to secret stashes of money in the thatch, etc.