gaaboards favourite sports minister attends GAA match

Jim_Murphy_74 · October 06, 2009, 04:41:57 PM

'Belfast Newsletter'

Superintendent Gerry Murray, PSNI and Sports Minister Nelson McCausland

A GAELIC football tournament has been praised as an "excellent" example of how sport can bring people together around the world — by the DUP's Nelson McCausland.

The Sports Minister was speaking as he attended his first GAA match in Northern Ireland at the weekend, the Third International Police Gaelic Football Tournament.

The event was held in Belfast on Saturday and hosted by the PSNI.

Police forces from the Province, England, the Republic of Ireland and the USA competed for the Tom Langan trophy.

Tom Langan was a Garda Police Officer and a member of the Mayo sides which won All-Ireland gaelic football championship honours in 1950 and 1951.

It was the first time the tournament had ever been hosted by the PSNI Gaelic Football Club.

Two years ago, it was hosted in London by the Metropolitan Police and won by the New York Police Department, with the PSNI finishing third.
And in 2005, it was hosted and won by the Garda in Dublin.

Mr McCausland said that the tournament "demonstrates that although the teams may be from different backgrounds and nations, they can compete together".

He added: "There is a great family atmosphere at the tournament and I certainly enjoyed the afternoon. My congratulations go to An Garda Soichana who won the competition."

Recently, the Minister had warned that GAA clubs named after dead IRA members could face funding cuts.

He had asked Sport NI to examine their equality statement, which clubs have to sign if seeking funding, to see if it is "adequate", after a hunger strike commemoration at a GAA club at Galbally in Co Tyrone involved a display with paramilitary elements.

Mr McCausland had said what happened in that incident was "disgraceful".

The DUP MLA previously attended a GAA 7s match in Canada as part of the 2009 World Police and Fire Games.

hound of ulster · October 06, 2009, 05:07:55 PM

read somewhere he said he was hoping for a n ireland win at it

armaghniac · October 06, 2009, 05:50:17 PM

QuoteThe DUP MLA previously attended a GAA 7s match in Canada as part of the 2009 World Police and Fire Games.

Is he going to a game, not involving the police. Do the Ambulance Service have a team?

Gabriel_Hurl · October 06, 2009, 05:51:20 PM

Quote from: Jim_Murphy_74 on October 06, 2009, 04:41:57 PMThe DUP MLA previously attended a GAA 7s match in Canada as part of the 2009 World Police and Fire Games.

that's the first I've heard of that

EDIT:

Well - knock me down with a feather

QuoteCongratulations are extended to the Western Canadian Divisional Board Chairman Ronan Deane who served as the Coordinator of this first ever tournament to be held at the World Police and Fire Games and to the members of the Vancouver Irish Sporting and Social Club who served as tournament officials throughout the day.

New York FD went on to nip the Northern Ireland Fire Services in the 7's final 2-3 to 2-2 for the gold medals while bronze medals were carried home by New South Wales West to Australia.

In attendance at the games was the Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure Nelson McCausland (North Belfast), Deputy Secretary Edgar Jardine and Olympian Mary Peters who won the 1972 Gold Medal in the Pentathalon at Munich. The 2013 World Police and Firemen Games will be staged in Belfast after the 2011 games in New York.

dec · October 06, 2009, 06:20:19 PM

QuoteMy congratulations go to An Garda Soichana who won the competition.

Ignoring the spelling mistake, do you think he really said the words "An Garda Síochána"?

Green Grass · October 06, 2009, 09:50:23 PM

Quote from: dec on October 06, 2009, 06:20:19 PM
QuoteMy congratulations go to An Garda Soichana who won the competition.

Ignoring the spelling mistake, do you think he really said the words "An Garda Síochána"?

Did he f**k, black bastard!

randomtask · October 06, 2009, 10:23:15 PM

Quote from: Green Grass on October 06, 2009, 09:50:23 PM
Quote from: dec on October 06, 2009, 06:20:19 PM
QuoteMy congratulations go to An Garda Soichana who won the competition.

Ignoring the spelling mistake, do you think he really said the words "An Garda Síochána"?

Did he f**k, black b**tard!

dont hold back anyway boss lol!

Tony Baloney · October 06, 2009, 10:42:44 PM

Quote from: Gabriel_Hurl on October 06, 2009, 05:51:20 PM
Quote from: Jim_Murphy_74 on October 06, 2009, 04:41:57 PMThe DUP MLA previously attended a GAA 7s match in Canada as part of the 2009 World Police and Fire Games.

that's the first I've heard of that

EDIT:

Well - knock me down with a feather

QuoteCongratulations are extended to the Western Canadian Divisional Board Chairman Ronan Deane who served as the Coordinator of this first ever tournament to be held at the World Police and Fire Games and to the members of the Vancouver Irish Sporting and Social Club who served as tournament officials throughout the day.

New York FD went on to nip the Northern Ireland Fire Services in the 7's final 2-3 to 2-2 for the gold medals while bronze medals were carried home by New South Wales West to Australia.

In attendance at the games was the Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure Nelson McCausland (North Belfast), Deputy Secretary Edgar Jardine and Olympian Mary Peters who won the 1972 Gold Medal in the Pentathalon at Munich. The 2013 World Police and Firemen Games will be staged in Belfast after the 2011 games in New York.

Those hoors would attend a satanic ritual if it meant a foreign jolly at the tax payers expense.

thejuice · October 07, 2009, 07:24:02 AM

I'll just say fair play to him and it's a positive step. Lets not be afraid to give any credit or see any good in it.

haveaharp · October 07, 2009, 09:52:13 AM

Quote from: thejuice on October 07, 2009, 07:24:02 AM
I'll just say fair play to him and it's a positive step. Lets not be afraid to give any credit or see any good in it.

Oh the niavety

Orior · October 07, 2009, 10:15:39 AM

Quote from: thejuice on October 07, 2009, 07:24:02 AM
I'll just say fair play to him and it's a positive step. Lets not be afraid to give any credit or see any good in it.

There is positivity, and there is doing the absolute minimum. He had no real choice but to attend.

Gaoth Dobhair Abu · October 07, 2009, 11:12:06 AM

Will be interesting to see what his next interaction with GAA is.
Something negative, negative, negative then a small positive, then back to negative, negative etc...

Juries well and truely out on this one, as Orior says "absolute minimum".

gallsman · October 07, 2009, 11:23:39 AM

Was Amhrán na bhFiann played? Did Nelson stand attentively?

Orior · October 07, 2009, 12:18:57 PM

Quote from: gallsman on October 07, 2009, 11:23:39 AM
Was Amhrán na bhFiann played? Did Nelson stand attentively?

I doubt that. Ask Tom Daly, or any of the Ulster Council who attended. I'm sure they're logged on here?

thejuice · October 07, 2009, 06:45:39 PM

Quote from: haveaharp on October 07, 2009, 09:52:13 AM
Quote from: thejuice on October 07, 2009, 07:24:02 AM
I'll just say fair play to him and it's a positive step. Lets not be afraid to give any credit or see any good in it.

Oh the niavety

Maybe, he could easily have done nothing after his previous comments, but he's gone to the games, said he enjoyed them. What more could he have done, do you think? He's hardly going to go do 180degrees on himself after watching one game.

OK I know his predecessor did the same but soon reverted to type soon after. Unless he does the same to appease his own tribe I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. It will be interesting how he engages with the GAA after this.