Mark Conway speaks in Orange Hall

[Man Marker]

GAA member speaks at Orange hall in County AntrimA GAA member is to speak at an Orange Hall in County Antrim on Wednesday in a bid to promote peace-building in the community.

Carnlea Orange Hall in Glarryford is a short distance from Rasharkin which has been the scene of tit-for-tat sectarian attacks in recent weeks.

Mark Conway of Tyrone and Kildress GAA will launch the Rural Enabler Programme (REP) for County Antrim.

REP helps residents challenge conflict-related issues in their area.

It is a European Union funded programme which offers a 12-county approach on the island of Ireland in supporting rural communities.

The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) is an all Ireland sporting and community organisation which in Northern Ireland is overwhelmingly supported by Catholics.

Mr Conway said his message was that there was "room for everyone in the north to be doing well".

"My job today is very simple, it is to try and give people a sense from a GAA perspective who we are, what we do, how we do it and most importantly of all why we do it," he said.

"The GAA I have traditionally belonged to is one where we will talk to anyone and maybe more important than that, we will listen to anybody.

"In terms of where we are today, our wonderful manager of the Tyrone team Mickey Harte sometimes uses a quote from Abraham Lincoln who apparently once said 'I don't like that man, I must get to know him'. Maybe that's a wee bit about what this morning is about.

"I know certainly from a GAA perspective, we would be a confident organisation, we are confident of who we are, and what we are about.

"We are not about doing anybody else down, we don't see that for us to do well somebody else must do badly.

"There is room for everyone of us in the north to be doing well."

Grant scheme

Orla Black, Rural Enabler for Antrim, said: "The County Antrim launch will be an opportunity to inform community groups , in particular, as well as other relevant organisations about the Rural Enabler Programme.

"It will also highlight to those attending how we, as enablers, can support community groups on the ground and inform groups about our development grant scheme."

Michael Hughes, Chief Executive Officer of Rural Community Network, said the launch presented opportunities for "rural communities across the county to develop their skills in addressing the very real issues of sectarianism and racism which continue to limit the development of our rural areas".


Was Conway speaking as a Gaa man or was he their speaking, wearing a different hat, but the media placed the emphasis on his Gaa interest

[Minder]

As I suspected, there is always a grant, funding for this sort of carry on.

[Man Marker]

Aye but by reading the report you get the distinct impression that he was there to represent the GAA prespective, if he was, why, he has no designated role on either the county board or Ulster council.

[brokencrossbar1]

As I suspected, there is always a grant, funding for this sort of carry on.

What is this sort of carry on? 

[Man Marker]

was t was only done in order to get funding for other projects. I wonder will we see the orange order speak at a GAA club in reciprocation and to show their inclusiveness and opposition to the attacks on GAA property? I won't hold my breath.

[magpie seanie]

Mark Conway would be a great President of the GAA.

[brokencrossbar1]

was t was only done in order to get funding for other projects. I wonder will we see the orange order speak at a GAA club in reciprocation and to show their inclusiveness and opposition to the attacks on GAA property? I won't hold my breath.

That is the point, to challenge their perceptions and try to change the way we live.  If things are left to fester and not be addresses they will never change.  Whatever people would like to believe there are generations of hate and mistrust out there that need to be looked at so that people can move on and hopefully make a future for this place.  People are sceptical of some of these projects but trust me this project and the organising body are the main movers in trying to bring rural communities forward as many of them are isolated and have very little support.  These groups are not like the "Rent a victim" groups that you see but are genuine groups that have major social/economic disadvantages because of where they are. 

[orangeman]

Mark Conway would be a great President of the GAA.

He'd have a lot of years of indoctrination at that " Finidhing School for GAA presidents" in order to get him strightened out. 

There's no way they'd let him loose like that - for God's sake, sure he might say something controversial and old school - you just couldn't have that.

He might even go and stand on the hill or take an auld Davin stand ticket.  You couldn't have that either.

And he represents grass roots thinking. There's NO way you could have that.


That's him ruled out !! 

[Man Marker]

Mark Conway would be a great President of the GAA.

He'd have a lot of years of indoctrination at that " Finidhing School for GAA presidents" in order to get him strightened out. 

There's no way they'd let him loose like that - for God's sake, sure he might say something controversial and old school - you just couldn't have that.

He might even go and stand on the hill or take an auld Davin stand ticket.  You couldn't have that either.

And he represents grass roots thinking. There's NO way you could have that.


That's him ruled out !! 

Thats a fallacy, I am grass roots, take under age teams, put the flags out, clean the changing rooms etc and he doesn't represent me or my views, just because a few hundred turn up at an event against the GPA or he speaks for'the one belief group' in what I consider are the far left. It hardly gives him a mandate

[ziggysego]

Mark Conway would be a great President of the GAA.

No better man for the post. Mark would get the backing from the ordinary grassroots man and woman across the country. Unfortunately, he would never get it.

[Rois]

Aye but by reading the report you get the distinct impression that he was there to represent the GAA prespective, if he was, why, he has no designated role on either the county board or Ulster council.

Man Marker, have a look at this link:
http://ulster.gaa.ie/council/committees/
and go down as far as the Community and Urban Development Workgroup and see whose name pops up.  Oh and also on the Club Planning and Physical Development Committee.  And take a look at the final "thank you" on the Ulster Council Strategic Plan for 2009-15.

I'd say he's well qualified and would be endorsed by the Ulster Council.

[Man Marker]

Rois just had a look at the links, thanks.

[armaghniac]

There is a broader social thing here. The "Catholic" groups get stuck in and make good use of whatever funding is going and are willing to talk to anyone about them.

[rrhf]

Mark would be a superb president. one of the most principled modest men I have ever have ever met.  He would be the type of character who would run for president for a voluntary basis. 

[Rossfan]

And he represents grass roots thinking.

He most certainly DOES NOT.
Maybe in the land of the dreary steeples but not around here anyway.