Antrim - What's the story

[Itchy]

I was just looking at twitter there and I see Antrim minor footballers getting hammered. It put me thinking what is the problem up there. Antrim has a very large population, if you look at the local threads on here you will see lots and lots of posts on Antrim GAA so clearly there is interest. On the field of play Antrim at all levels are very poor. We even had one prominent Antrim poster critical of how my own county are improving underage. So what's wrong in Antrim?

[ONeill]

Pastie baps/glue-sniffin/joy-ridin/ridin/Celtic

[Itchy]

Do you contribute to the Antrim cause yourself, eg train underage etc.

[Itchy]

Yes

Good for you. It's a shame the most populous county in Ulster can't get it together though. Any idea where its gone wrong given you are involved.

[imtommygunn]

Big parts are football only, big parts are hurling only. Population in north isn't always reflective either as not always gaa supporting.

[SaffronHeart]

The Antrim school system needs to be sorted. My own alma mater St Marys CBGS traditionally the best footballing school in the county played O'Doherty cup which is "C" colleges this year, which is unacceptable. Other schools such as St Louis Ballymena and St Malachys are starting to pull their weight but until all the aforementioned schools are playing MacRory regularly Antrim football will not be able to compete. The talent is definitely there but the county board has no ambition or money to bring in the structures that are required to progress.

[theskull1]

You can't look for one problem that if sorted would solve the problem.

I personally think the apathy/lack of interest in the average Antrim GAA supporter/parent saps the drive needed to compete with the stronger counties. The coaching manpower, the support, the money and drive isn't there in the right quantities.

Hard to compare county boards when you've no clue how other counties organise

[theticklemister]

This could turn out to be a 250+ page thread

[mylestheslasher]

You can't look for one problem that if sorted would solve the problem.

I personally think the apathy/lack of interest in the average Antrim GAA supporter/parent saps the drive needed to compete with the stronger counties. The coaching manpower, the support, the money and drive isn't there in the right quantities.

Hard to compare county boards when you've no clue how other counties organise

That's the impression I always got from Antrim too. Even if half their population has no interest in GAA they should not be stuck in Div 4 in football and relegated to the 3rd tier in Hurling.

[rrhf]

Antrim needs the Sam treatment as the dubs got.  Cold hard cash.

[Milltown Row2]

Yes

Are you on the development coaching set ups?

[johnneycool]

Antrim needs the Sam treatment as the dubs got.  Cold hard cash.

Antrim don't have a cold hard, concerted plan on how to go about it unlike the Dubs.

There really does seem to be a lack of basic organisational structures in Antrim for anyone to row in behind even with a full time secretary.

All the development in Hurling (we're now under the same structures as Greater Belfast somehow!) and its all a bit piecemeal for my liking. a blitz here and a blitz there seemingly organised off the cuff, which is a start, but no forward thinking, no step by step approach to a long term goal, well if there is then they're not sharing it with anyone and its a well guarded secret.

From my experiences of the Dublin model, a youngster is guaranteed a blitz every weekend, hurling one weekend and football the other, that's just the basics which don't need money to set up, just someone to pull it all together and organise the clubs accordingly.

Here's the main targets from a 'Belfast Strategy document 2009- 2014, how many were hit?

Coaching, Games and Participation
•At least 10 GAA Community Coaches for the Belfast Urban Area
•An increase in games participation of at least 20% by 2014
•A specific Belfast Continuing Professional Development programme for volunteerclub coaches
•Cross Club summer and Easter coaching camps
•City Based Development Squads
•Enhanced Club-School links through new coaching initiatives and programmes
•Programmes to attract new participations who traditionally would have no involvement in the GAA

Physical Development
•Belfast GAA Urban Centre of Participation and Excellence that includes at least three new full-size pitches for club use in North and West Belfast
•At least two new full-size GAA pitches for use in the South and East Belfast
•Redevelopment of Casement Park to an appropriate standard for the main GAAs tadium in Ireland's second city.

Club Governance
•New group comprising of Belfast GAA club officials, Antrim, Down and Ulster GAA officials to drive the development of the GAA in Belfast
•At least two Development Officers to support Club officials in administration governance and ongoing club development
•A new Brand and Identity for the GAA in Belfast
•A "joined-up" club led approach to the overall development of the GAA in the City
•A strong GAA presence and linkage with all local government and relevant public bodies in the city.
•Specific Belfast GAA Club Development Seminars and Volunteer training events.

As Sambo McNaughton once said on a radio discussion on Antrim; 'We don't need a Brian Cody, we need a Ned Quinn' and he was bang on the money.

[Itchy]

Seems hardstation has more to say on other counties than his own. Maybe Antrim is full of people like him?

[Milltown Row2]

Seems hardstation has more to say on other counties than his own. Maybe Antrim is full of people like him?

there are a lot of barflies in Antrim, talk a lot and nobody wanting to put the effort in, as Skull has mentioned sooooo many times too many things being done by the same people all the time eventually they start to get fed up and pack it in.. I'd say that would be the same for most clubs regardless of the county, as for development squads and the like, its hard fecking work, no money, kids don't even want to head off to Kilkenny for tournaments and down to Kerry for games. Organising it would be a head melt, that's why players/coaches  tend to put more effort into their own club rather than the county, easier when you are a successful county, harder for the likes of Antrim..... But success must start somewhere

[Itchy]

http://m.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/antrims-disaster-sparks-fears-over-future-of-hurling-in-ulster-31146844.html

This is what Sambo has to say. 20 supporters at their match and Antrim in the 3rd tier of hurling. Seems Antrims GAA folk are not able to fund and promote the game themselves despite their huge population (even allowing for 50% being unionist). I imagine central council in croke park will have to pump in the dough now.