Soccer more popular than Gaelic

[Feckitt]

 I know that in large parts of North Donegal, soccer is more popular than gaelic.  Is this unique for a RURAL area or does this happen anywhere else in the country

[Star Spangler]

There's nowhere in Donegal that soccer is more popular than football.  Donegal always draws big crowds.  I'm sure there are places where there are more soccer clubs that football clubs but that has more to do with the fact that if you can get 10 or 11 people together you can form a soccer club.  That's nothing to do with popularity.

[SLIGONIAN]

Not alot of people know this. I am from North Sligo(rural) and there are 5 junior soccer clubs to 2 GAA clubs. Also there are over 20 junior soccer clubs and Sligo Rovers FC in Sligo Town and only 2 GAA clubs. So soccer is stronger in the town and North Sligo. When I say North Sligo I am referring to Drumcliffe/Rosses Point and St Molaise Gaels. I would say Sligo has one of the smallest pools of players to chose from in the entire country. Thanks to South and Central Sligo for most of our players. I am one of these that would put county first above club and way ahead of soccer.

[Uladh]

Never understood people who have more allegience to their county than their club. around armagh those people are usually teenagers and their mothers and eejits who never had any interest in football of any kindtil 2002.

[Lecale2]

There's nowhere in Donegal that soccer is more popular than football.  Donegal always draws big crowds.  I'm sure there are places where there are more soccer clubs that football clubs but that has more to do with the fact that if you can get 10 or 11 people together you can form a soccer club.  That's nothing to do with popularity.

Try watching GAA in a pub in Donegal when Celtic are on the box!!

[magpie seanie]

Never understood people who have more allegience to their county than their club.

Me neither but there are loads of them.

[SLIGONIAN]

Well you play with a club where politics is more important than how good you are you tend to distance yourself from it. St Molaise Gaels is Cliffoney, Grange, Maugherow used all to be seperate and hated each other and then  we emalagmated. Just dont feel that much a part of it. No real homely feel or togetherness with my club. Definitly county first for me. Doesnt bother me when my club lose or win although I do still go to matches.

[corn02]

An Awful lot of 'County' men around Armagh, can not see the sense at all. Just can not fathom how it is possible?

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

There's nowhere in Donegal that soccer is more popular than football.  Donegal always draws big crowds.  I'm sure there are places where there are more soccer clubs that football clubs but that has more to do with the fact that if you can get 10 or 11 people together you can form a soccer club.  That's nothing to do with popularity.

Exactly, there may be quite a few soccer clubs in Donegal, but there membership levels are small, in Gaoth Dobhair there is one GAA club and at least 3 soccer clubs, the combined membership of the soccer clubs isn't even near a fifth of the GAA club. I'm sure this is the case all over. GAA clubs have much bigger memberships and fewer clubs then say soccer in some areas but the soccer clubs have fewer members. (think i've just repeated myself! ).

As for Celtic, yes they are VERY popular in the North/North West of Donegal, but the ties between this area and Glasgow are immense, every family there would have a link with Glasgow. But the same people will be out watching their local club or Donegal at the weekend.

[Fair Play]

Don't accept the 'lie' that soccer is more popular. Never have. Isn't so. Soccer 'clubs' are a collection of 11 lads. GAA CLubs are much bigger than that, comprising 100s of people in many clubs and certainly lots more than 11 pub soccer players in almost every parish.
Its a myth that soccer is more popular. Surprised the GAA never too issue with such claims.

[Fishead_Sam]

Never understood people who have more allegience to their county than their club. around armagh those people are usually teenagers and their mothers and eejits who never had any interest in football of any kindtil 2002.

I think (maybe Im wrong) Townies like myself tend to be more County Orientated and lads from the Country tend to be more Club Oriented. Clubs in general but not exclusivly tend to have smaller bases in the towns, yet the towns are full of GAA fanatics who often ignore the town team 90% of the time, I would be more a County man myself, but whenever I go to Mitchells matches I notice at home games more than often we are outnumbered by a parish of 20 people (exageration of course)

[Spiritof98]

Never understood people who have more allegience to their county than their club. around armagh those people are usually teenagers and their mothers and eejits who never had any interest in football of any kindtil 2002.

I think (maybe Im wrong) Townies like myself tend to be more County Orientated and lads from the Country tend to be more Club Oriented. Clubs in general but not exclusivly tend to have smaller bases in the towns, yet the towns are full of GAA fanatics who often ignore the town team 90% of the time, I would be more a County man myself, but whenever I go to Mitchells matches I notice at home games more than often we are outnumbered by a parish of 20 people (exageration of course)

Have to say I disagree with that, I would bet 99% of active club members at my club would rather the club achieve success than the county, not saying they don't follow the county but the club is were their heart and soul is.

[Hardy]

There's another category - I belong to it. I've been gone from my native locality for over 25 years, so I've lost effective contact with my home club. Of course, I still like to see them do well, but I'm not in regular contact, rarely get to see their games, wouldn't know the players etc.

I just can't give the same level of allegiance to the club I'm a runner-in to. The depth of feeling wouldn't (couldn't) be there. The young lad is a player, but I don't get directly involved.

I'm just wandering in the desert, really and I miss the passionate involvement with a club, completely understand the lads here who have it and envy them for it. But at this stage, for me, an All-Ireland for Meath would mean much more than a county championship for either of "my" clubs.

Should I go and show myself to the priests?

[corn02]

Yes Hardy, yes you should.

[Declan]

I've been gone from my native locality for over 25 years

Surely then Hardy you'd be cheering on the langers once the Royals are out of contention!!!