Antrim Hurling

[btdtgtt]

I'm honestly completely dismayed at the comments regarding the recent visit of Tipperary.
Lets be quite clear here (as someone who is often critical of our county administration).

1) This visit was resounding success. A lower level hurling county like ourselves come a long way to visit and spend time here with our own young Gaels would have been cherished in any other similar county. There was nothing negative about that weekend whatsoever.

2) The sue of Corrigan for the game was a no-brainer. The origin of the weekend was the link with Fr Reid and Corrigan is the closest venue to Clonard Monastry. Remember the visit would not have  happened without the Redemptorist link. If the inference is that the game should have been played in North Antrim I can assure you Tipperary had no desire to put more miles on the clock after the various events they had participated in around the area - many on behalf of their own county link.
The game had no reason to be played anywhere else - God forbid some Glensmen might have to come to Belfast to see the All-Ireland Champions - blame Fr Reid.

3) Criticising Corrigan's facilities is really a strange one. Many clubs in Tipperary would be glad of them. I'm not sure that you think the Tipp lads normally train in venues with gold plated toilet seats? This is the GAA, catch yourselves on - the venue was fine. Anyone who was there couldn't complain.

4) The involvement of the West Belfast Festival and Partnership has also been mentioned. Quite simply they helped finance the visit. Their representitives were therefore most welcome - as any sponsor would be.


I really find it incredulous that this weekend and visit was subject to any criticism.
We're a lesser hurling county who had the all-Ireland champions come along way to train and engage with our young Gaels, and play a game against us in our back yard. All at minimal cost to ourselves. I mean if people here can see that as a massive success then I really think you need to look in the mirror and ask questions of yourself before anything else. Would there be anything that would make you happy?

What questions would you like me to ask?
If I was so negative about such a positive weekend - I'd question myself as to why. Why the need?

I have never once said that the impact on the kids was the most important part of the weekend for me.

My point is simply that it got dressed up into some big thing when it was a friendly. That's your opinion. Anyone I spoke to at the game was very much aware it was just a friendly. In fact for most the emphasis was on kids meeting the Tipp team - not the game at all. Point being that it was not that long ago that we had these teams coming up every spring and we were 'competing' with them, it was more of a lament on my part now (as I said) that we are no longer in the position and that we are reduced to hosting them in a dressed up friendly. That ship has long since sailed - you may as well lament for cheap cigarettes and alcohol. I respect them as All Ireland champs, but I do not go in for this 'fan boy' attitude.If you can't be a fan of the all-Ireland champions the I'd be asking myself who can be? Nobody put up statues of them - but it was fantastic for kids to meet them. I would rather we got our house in order and were meeting them as equals. Grand, but that's a separate point tot he fact that it was a great weekend.

No qualms with Corrigan or St John's.

I have long has a serious issue with 'Feile' being involved so heavily in the Casement project and this is another way that they are accessing our inner decision making structures. Who is running the show, county board or felie?

I've long commented that GAA affairs should be free from outside influence, be it Feile or political parties. The Feile lads were sponsors, so they were involved. They didn't access any structures of make any decisions. I've no idea why you think they did. If it was say Creagh Concrete that put money in - would you not expect to see them there too? Trust me I want quangos and politics nowhere near our structures or the new Casement - but that's not what this weekend was about.

It was a great weekend.
We'd the all-Ireland champions in our home patch for a game and to meet kids.
Just enjoy it for heavens sake.

[NAG1]

I said this was my opinion in my initial posts on the subject and they are still my opinions.

I respect your opinions to think that it was a great weekend and for the kids yes it was. And my views are similar along those lines.
We can agree to disagree on the other aspects of the weekend, as this is a forum of opinions.

However I will take exception with the Felie element, I think you/ we are being totally naive to believe that a special interest group would get involved in an exercise like this for anything other than serving their own agenda. I'm not saying that this was purpose behind the weekend but it is a drip feed approach toward an end game. 

[Jesusjones]

The London game is in Corrigan and I've heard Kildare and Westmeath are coming to Cushendall.

[Minder]

I said this was my opinion in my initial posts on the subject and they are still my opinions.

I respect your opinions to think that it was a great weekend and for the kids yes it was. And my views are similar along those lines.
We can agree to disagree on the other aspects of the weekend, as this is a forum of opinions.

However I will take exception with the Felie element, I think you/ we are being totally naive to believe that a special interest group would get involved in an exercise like this for anything other than serving their own agenda. I'm not saying that this was purpose behind the weekend but it is a drip feed approach toward an end game.

Yeah I would agree totally NAG, it's fairly obvious to anyone with a bit of wit, and has been going on for a while. Feile & Failte Feirste Thiar (same crowd basically) Heavily involved in the consultation process, involved in the "Gaels 4 Casement" group & the "get casement built" movement.

If people think they are doing this out of any love for the Gaa or for the good of their health they need their head examined.

[Milltown Row2]

Who really cares? Get the damm thing built it's a bloody embarrassment tbh!!! If they want some use of it for concerts and functions then what's wrong with that? It's owned now by the Ulster council now?

If people can generate money for when it's not in use (like Croke) then brilliant? It will still be a GAA pitch st the end of the day

[Milltown Row2]

It was that very simplistic mindset that has got us to where we are now.

Thankfully the GAA seemed to have learned from this, even if you haven't.

Have they?

[delgany]

Heavy duty recriminations and discontent with SV at mtg tonight .....! No room for anyone else at tòp table... it's SV or be dawned

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

I see corrigan is getting the London game in the league
Have Ballycastle lost their county temporary grounds status

From speaking to people from Ballycastle last year they didnt want the games again this year. The damage done to the two pitches at this stage of the year took it out on them. the money they received in hosting didnt justify what was spent to fix them over the course of the year.

Thats what i was told, whether thats the official line is another matter.

[paddyjohn]

Heavy duty recriminations and discontent with SV at mtg tonight .....! No room for anyone else at tòp table... it's SV or be dawned

Hardly a closed shop??

[Na Glinntí Glasa]

championship draws next monday night at the county meeting. I know its only Feb and all the pre-seasons have started again but im looking forward to the start of the new season. was at my first club game of the year at the weekend and it was good to get out onto a pitch and the running of a team again.

Interested to see this years draw and who we get.

[btdtgtt]

The "Feile Crowd" are more than entitled and welcome to lobby in support of a new stadium in the area - there would be something wrong if they didn't. Many other bodies are also supporting the campaign - there's nothing unusual in this. Don't forget it's Casement is public money not GAA money.

That's totally different to having a formal say in any GAA matters which they do not and never will.

Sorry guys I think you're just being wild conspiracy theorists on this one.

And I say that as a Gael who is loathe to anyone outside the GAA interfering in our affairs!

Glad to see the NHL games will be shared around.

[NAG1]

The "Feile Crowd" are more than entitled and welcome to lobby in support of a new stadium in the area - there would be something wrong if they didn't. Many other bodies are also supporting the campaign - there's nothing unusual in this. Don't forget it's Casement is public money not GAA money.

That's totally different to having a formal say in any GAA matters which they do not and never will.

Sorry guys I think you're just being wild conspiracy theorists on this one.

And I say that as a Gael who is loathe to anyone outside the GAA interfering in our affairs!

Glad to see the NHL games will be shared around.

It is public money that has been assigned to Sporting Organisations i.e. IRFU - Ulster the Soccer men and Ulster GAA - not to community activists or lobbyists. I think it is naive in the extreme to think that they are in it for anything other than their own interests long term.

What are the GAA giving up for their support?
Not a conspiracy theory when it is actually happening.

[btdtgtt]

The "Feile Crowd" are more than entitled and welcome to lobby in support of a new stadium in the area - there would be something wrong if they didn't. Many other bodies are also supporting the campaign - there's nothing unusual in this. Don't forget it's Casement is public money not GAA money.

That's totally different to having a formal say in any GAA matters which they do not and never will.

Sorry guys I think you're just being wild conspiracy theorists on this one.

And I say that as a Gael who is loathe to anyone outside the GAA interfering in our affairs!

Glad to see the NHL games will be shared around.

It is public money that has been assigned to Sporting Organisations i.e. IRFU - Ulster the Soccer men and Ulster GAA - not to community activists or lobbyists. I think it is naive in the extreme to think that they are in it for anything other than their own interests long term.

Their interest is clearly in the future of West Belfast - which is best served by a new Casement - what's so difficult to understand? Why aren't you targeting everyone who voices support for new Casement?

What are the GAA giving up for their support? Nothing. What do you think they could or would give up? How? Why would anyone want them to give anything up?

Not a conspiracy theory when it is actually happening.
What's happening is that an organisation charged with promoting West Belfast is supporting a new stadium in West Belfast. It'd be highly curious if they were not.

[NAG1]

The "Feile Crowd" are more than entitled and welcome to lobby in support of a new stadium in the area - there would be something wrong if they didn't. Many other bodies are also supporting the campaign - there's nothing unusual in this. Don't forget it's Casement is public money not GAA money.

That's totally different to having a formal say in any GAA matters which they do not and never will.

Sorry guys I think you're just being wild conspiracy theorists on this one.

And I say that as a Gael who is loathe to anyone outside the GAA interfering in our affairs!

Glad to see the NHL games will be shared around.

It is public money that has been assigned to Sporting Organisations i.e. IRFU - Ulster the Soccer men and Ulster GAA - not to community activists or lobbyists. I think it is naive in the extreme to think that they are in it for anything other than their own interests long term.

Their interest is clearly in the future of West Belfast - which is best served by a new Casement - what's so difficult to understand? Why aren't you targeting everyone who voices support for new Casement?

What are the GAA giving up for their support? Nothing. What do you think they could or would give up? How? Why would anyone want them to give anything up?

Not a conspiracy theory when it is actually happening.
What's happening is that an organisation charged with promoting West Belfast is supporting a new stadium in West Belfast. It'd be highly curious if they were not.

So you believe that in exchange for their support they are not being offered anything? Naive much?

I for one as an Antrim Gael do not want us to be giving up the rights to our own county ground, with no say in when its open, for how many games and whether we will have access to it etc etc etc I also as part of that take issue with a special interest group, exerting external influence on promoting this, until we as a collective of Antrim gaels have been given reassurances around these issues.

To extend the point further, I want what is best for Antrim GAA - not what will regenerate West Belfast. If the two happen to coincide then mores the better but not at the expense of the first.

It is not the responsibility of or the gift of anyone one to give up the rights to our county ground simply to get a stadium built to suit the needs of Ulster council.

Therefore anyone who is supportive of pushing this through I consider to have an ulterior motive in this.

[Milltown Row2]

So have we (Antrim) not already given up the rights to the Ulster council? and you are happy enough to reap the benefits from Croke Park who on regular occurrences give Croke Park over to various sports and concerts and whatever other functions that are carried in its rooms upstairs to generate a revenue?

Tell me what are these things NAG1 that are going to hurt Antrim? Id be very curious to know