Mickey Harte joins the Irish News

[SidelineKick]

Dear god lads did anyone read that pile of drivel in this morning's paper? I think the man's away with the fairies. John Morrison only with superior tactical knowledge.

Ancient Indian quotes and a Buddhist parable? I don't think our Priest would be out of place using that article word for word in his Sermon on Sunday!

You must have a good priest if your sermons are of that caliber.

I rarely darken the doors of the chapel myself, so I will take MH's spiritual guidance on a Friday.

Oh god, so now not only is MH the best manager that ever walked but he can be a substitute for a priest? If you miss mass on a Sunday fear not, MH will make it all better with "the man above" on a Friday.

[tyssam5]

Dear god lads did anyone read that pile of drivel in this morning's paper? I think the man's away with the fairies. John Morrison only with superior tactical knowledge.

Ancient Indian quotes and a Buddhist parable? I don't think our Priest would be out of place using that article word for word in his Sermon on Sunday!

You must have a good priest if your sermons are of that caliber.

I rarely darken the doors of the chapel myself, so I will take MH's spiritual guidance on a Friday.

Oh god, so now not only is MH the best manager that ever walked but he can be a substitute for a priest? If you miss mass on a Sunday fear not, MH will make it all better with "the man above" on a Friday.

Yep that's my thinking. Not trying to say he's an actual deity but definitely a useful conduit to the Supreme Being.

[ardmhachaabu]

Dear god lads did anyone read that pile of drivel in this morning's paper? I think the man's away with the fairies. John Morrison only with superior tactical knowledge.

Ancient Indian quotes and a Buddhist parable? I don't think our Priest would be out of place using that article word for word in his Sermon on Sunday!

You must have a good priest if your sermons are of that caliber.

I rarely darken the doors of the chapel myself, so I will take MH's spiritual guidance on a Friday.

Oh god, so now not only is MH the best manager that ever walked but he can be a substitute for a priest? If you miss mass on a Sunday fear not, MH will make it all better with "the man above" on a Friday.

Yep that's my thinking. Not trying to say he's an actual deity but definitely a useful conduit to the Supreme Being.

I like the man but... what you said is utter nonsense.

He may be a good IC manager but he doesn't have a direct line to the Almighty.

It's this sort of stupidness from Tyronies that pisses me off.

[ONeill]

I think there's no doubt that Harte is closer to God than most, especially Pillar Caffrey and John Morrison.

[WillieJoe]

Whats he going to be doing on the iriah news. i think that he's a great manager definetly one of the best gaa managers ever and he'd be an asset to rte

[ziggysego]

God, thy name is Mickey Harte.

His Church is GAA Clubhouses up and down the county. He'll building a strong team of apostles to take with him to hollowed turf on the 3rd Sunday in September.

Bullcrap aside, it's an interesting article. Different to most and interesting to boot.

[ardmhachaabu]

I think there's no doubt that Harte is closer to God than most, especially Pillar Caffrey and John Morrison.

His honesty about his beliefs is one of the things I admire about the man.  The car-crash he was involved in would have killed most men though...

[Mickeys beard]

Aye, but then again, sure wasn't he flyin through the beads in one hand and textin with the other.

[Zapatista]

It's a pity that he didn't practice what he preaches when he split the Ballygawley club for ten years and remained intransigent to any form of thinking during that period.

He knows what he is talking about so.

[Maguire01]

That's 2 weeks i've read it. Probably the last time. I'm not that bothered about his constant religious references - although personally i think it's a bit corny - i just find it very boring. I generally enjoy listening to him when he is being interviewed, but these columns just seem to talk a lot but say very little.

I think there's no doubt that Harte is closer to God than most, especially Pillar Caffrey and John Morrison.

His honesty about his beliefs is one of the things I admire about the man.  The car-crash he was involved in would have killed most men though...

Eh? So Mickey walked away without a scratch, but it would have killed most men? What do you think he is, Robocop?

[ziggysego]

Robomanager.

[Minder]

No mention of "Groping Gate" today. Its actually pretty boring stuff.

[Fuzzman]

Anyone wish to post it?

[amigo]

No mention of "Groping Gate" today. Its actually pretty boring stuff.

I agree i nearly fell asleep halfway through his column. I was hoping for alot more rivetting stuff from the great one!!!

[Minder]

THE idea of a World Series (essentially a World Cup) in Gaelic Games is often frowned upon as mere pie in the sky. With more imaginative reflection and the correct will, this is the ONLY way we can begin the process of giving an international dimension to our national games.

You may be vaguely aware that there are clubs participating in the promotion of our games in some distant and unusual destinations around the globe. However, you may be equally surprised to know that there are no fewer than 307 organised units of the Association outside of Ireland.

In Asia, there are 20 functioning clubs, with more than twice that number – 45 to be

precise – operating in Australia. In neighbouring New Zealand, you will find no fewer than 17 clubs.

There are nine clubs in Toronto, with a further four in Western Canada, bringing the total in that country to 13.

As you might expect, north America has the greatest proliferation of clubs outside Ireland, which now numbers 129, not including the 47 clubs in New York. Boston North East (31), Chicago Centra (30) and San Francisco (21) are the leaders in terms of numbers of clubs, with the Mid-West and Philadelphia boasting affiliated units in double digits.

The 307 is completed by the 36 clubs in Europe, with France (10), The Netherlands and Spain (five each), accounting for more than half of that number.

Generally, those who refuse to embrace the possibility of a World Series, base their opposition on the fact that no-one could compete with the standard of our Games at home. They further attempt to justify their disapproval by citing that there isn't anything like the level of emigration that there once was, therefore this proposal is doomed to failure.

Both arguments are somewhat flawed as the exercise is dependant upon presenting Irish champions of a suitable standard to create as level a playing field as possible for those from the various destinations of the world.

The emigration (or lack of it) argument also misses the point. It's not about having Irish people representing other countries, rather about the travelling patriots acting as a catalyst amongst the indigenous population of their new abodes, in order to encourage them to discover the playing merits and entertainment value our games have to offer.

The obvious starting point is to have the All-Ireland junior club champions represent our country initially and have each other country/continent present their club champion side. This is not as unusual as it may seem when one considers that in the early days of the GAA, there were no county teams, only club sides who represented their county.

Ultimately this is about beginning the process of internationalising Gaelic Games without compromising them. If, as a result of the initial experiment, a recalibration of standards was deemed necessary then so be it.

In time, it may well be necessary to have different divisions and perhaps the intermediate or senior club champions of Ireland could be accommodated at the World Series.

In due course, it is not unthinkable that the first steps towards county involvement with perhaps the Division Four league champions in football and the Lory Meagher Cup winners in hurling representing Ireland.

I am sure you can make the final connection – All-Ireland senior champions, Martin Donnelly Railway Cup champions, and ultimately truly National Gaelic Games representative teams competing on a world stage.

Perhaps if we think 'generation' rather than years, wouldn't it be conceivable that we could mark 150 years of the GAA with a World Cup extravaganza at Croke Park? I know from speaking to several of the dedicated GAA volunteers in the USA and various other parts of the world I have alluded, that they would see such a prospect as a huge boost to their attempts to spread the GAA gospel. Telling our people in foreign lands about the great work they are doing is right and proper. However, while it's great to celebrate past achievements, we must also be about the business of creating something innovative so that future generations can reflect with equal pride.