GAA Outreach in Action...

[mylestheslasher]

I have no difficulty with people remembering in some way the sacrifices made by freedom fighters in their locality. However, I think it is completely wrong to be involving 10 or 11 year old children in this process. Many counties (including Tyrone I thought) don't allow kids to play competitively at U12 but apparently it is OK to give them medals with IRA men on it. What next, have them parade in military uniform down the street to remember the hunger strikers? We have a terrible past in this country which should be respected but not shoved down the throats of innocent wee kids that are not old enough to decide whether the believe it to be right or wrong.

[Milltown Row2]

Ok then, the general consensus is that we continue to have tournaments remembering freedom fighters and never worry what others think? Those who'd complain about these things would normally complain about anything the GAA would do anyway.

By doing this though I think we will never be able to include everybody on the island into GAA. That probably sits better with most

[nrico2006]

I see there is no mention of it but is there a possibility that McCaughey was involved in the GAA in Galbally prior to his death and thus that being the reason for his placement on the medal?

I'm sure that would be the position of the club if pressed. I think in any of these clubs you could find a bigger clubman to name a trophy after than a dead terrorist.

Always been of the same opinion myself.  I doubt McCaughey is the greatest figure from the clubs history or anywhere near it.

[Nally Stand]

I see there is no mention of it but is there a possibility that McCaughey was involved in the GAA in Galbally prior to his death and thus that being the reason for his placement on the medal?

I'm sure that would be the position of the club if pressed. I think in any of these clubs you could find a bigger clubman to name a trophy after than a dead terrorist.

Always been of the same opinion myself.  I doubt McCaughey is the greatest figure from the clubs history or anywhere near it.

That's for the people of Galbally to decide and I'd be fairly sure that Vol Martin McCaughey would be one of the first names mentioned by anyone you cared to ask there.

And Tony....one man's terrorist etc. As far as the people of Galbally are concerned, the real terrorists in this case are the people who shot Martin in the back when he posed no threat, then shot him in the head as he lay on the ground wounded.

[Bingo]

Its a GAA club and you should be trying to inspire U12's with pictures of County players on medals.

Will one of the GAA clubs in Derry or Lurgan get some dissidents dressed in combat year and balaclava in for the next underage medal presentation?

If the club loses one player over this, then shame on them. If no picture was on the medal, no players or parents would be lost or offended.

[sheamy]

Each year the GAA asks people to pay to stand on a terrace in Clones named after a fascist blueshirt. Any objectors would need to think long and hard before criticising the people of Galbally.

[sheamy]

Will one of the GAA clubs in Derry or Lurgan get some dissidents dressed in combat year and balaclava in for the next underage medal presentation?

saying that those pricks burn down GAA clubs in Derry City, I'd doubt it.

[Milltown Row2]

Ok then, the general consensus is that we continue to have tournaments remembering freedom fighters and never worry what others think? Those who'd complain about these things would normally complain about anything the GAA would do anyway.

By doing this though I think we will never be able to include everybody on the island into GAA. That probably sits better with most

Milltown, the point is that the GAA carries a lot more political baggage than that tournament in Galbally.

While we continue to play Amhran na bhFiann, fly a tricolour, have clubs and grounds named after republicans, we are never going to be all inclusive. People are kidding themselves that we will suddenly become all inclusive if we stop honouring any more republicans but retain the memory of the ones we already honour.

I know we won't win everyone over but would be nice to not have the constant 'GAA is the IRA at play' gibe I know it's more common now to see GAA tops all over the place, but would be great to see a prod team playing in the Antrim leagues or Tyrone leagues

[Franko]

http://ulster.gaa.ie/community/community-outreach/

You didn't happen to mention any of this EG?

[Jim_Murphy_74]

http://ulster.gaa.ie/community/community-outreach/

You didn't happen to mention any of this EG?

1.  I mentioned it in an earlier post.  I say again, the Ulster Council should save their money rather than paying community officers, running these tournaments and flying kids abroad.  In the grand scheme of things it is an utter waste of GAA time and money if you allow clubs to hand out medals with pictures of provos.

2. Yes, if you read the GAA Official Guide and it's preamble you will find stuff of a political/nationalist bent but it also has a lot about promoting Gaelic games.  Putting controversial figures on medals for kids does not promote sport.  If people put promoting this quasi-political stuff ahead of promoting the sport, then they need to get a sense of perspective.

3.  A lot of clubs have grounds, cups, names associated with past nationalists/republicans.  They are a product of those times when the GAA was exclusively nationalist.  Why not accept that times have changed and discontinue the practice?   If Ulster GAA wants to remain exclusively republican the go back to question no.1.

/Jim. 

[Milltown Row2]

I know we won't win everyone over but would be nice to not have the constant 'GAA is the IRA at play' gibe

That jibe long outdates this Galbally tournament, Milltown. It was also there long before any GAA club honoured a 'recent republican' and would still be there if those 'recent republicans' hadn't been honoured.

Yeah, possibly right. We can't really argue then if other sporting organisations have tournaments honouring recent loyalist. As I'm sure they do on the Shankill

[deiseach]

3.  A lot of clubs have grounds, cups, names associated with past nationalists/republicans.  They are a product of those times when the GAA was exclusively nationalist.  Why not accept that times have changed and discontinue the practice?   If Ulster GAA wants to remain exclusively republican the go back to question no.1.

Would you change the name of the Sam Maguire Cup?

[saffron sam2]

http://ulster.gaa.ie/community/community-outreach/

You didn't happen to mention any of this EG?

1.  I mentioned it in an earlier post.  I say again, the Ulster Council should save their money rather than paying community officers, running these tournaments and flying kids abroad.  In the grand scheme of things it is an utter waste of GAA time and money if you allow clubs to hand out medals with pictures of provos.

2. Yes, if you read the GAA Official Guide and it's preamble you will find stuff of a political/nationalist bent but it also has a lot about promoting Gaelic games.  Putting controversial figures on medals for kids does not promote sport.  If people put promoting this quasi-political stuff ahead of promoting the sport, then they need to get a sense of perspective.

3.  A lot of clubs have grounds, cups, names associated with past nationalists/republicans.  They are a product of those times when the GAA was exclusively nationalist.  Why not accept that times have changed and discontinue the practice?   If Ulster GAA wants to remain exclusively republican the go back to question no.1.

/Jim.

It isn't.

I will contribute in more detail later, when I've finished my bag pack at Tesco.

[Jim_Murphy_74]

3.  A lot of clubs have grounds, cups, names associated with past nationalists/republicans.  They are a product of those times when the GAA was exclusively nationalist.  Why not accept that times have changed and discontinue the practice?   If Ulster GAA wants to remain exclusively republican the go back to question no.1.

Would you change the name of the Sam Maguire Cup?

deiseach,

Sorry, I wasn't clear. I wouldn't change any historical cups etc.. but discontinue the practice as of now. 

/Jim.

[deiseach]

3.  A lot of clubs have grounds, cups, names associated with past nationalists/republicans.  They are a product of those times when the GAA was exclusively nationalist.  Why not accept that times have changed and discontinue the practice?   If Ulster GAA wants to remain exclusively republican the go back to question no.1.

Would you change the name of the Sam Maguire Cup?

deiseach,

Sorry, I wasn't clear. I wouldn't change any historical cups etc.. but discontinue the practice as of now. 

/Jim.

Gotcha.