What do you think about the GAA?

[johnnycool]

I think Casement and Páirc Uí Chaoimh reflect poorly on the GAA.

Those two bodges reflect badly on Cork GAA and the Ulster Council, not the GAA as some homogenous block.

Similarly the GAA at corporate level has made of balls of the Allianze thing, that doesn't mean to say they haven't made great improvements on other aspects of the organisation.

The GAA is so many things to so many people, they (even writing that makes me wonder who "they" are) won't be right all the time and with such a diverse organisation someone's wrong will be another persons right.

[seafoid]

I think Casement and Páirc Uí Chaoimh reflect poorly on the GAA.

Those two bodges reflect badly on Cork GAA and the Ulster Council, not the GAA as some homogenous block.

Similarly the GAA at corporate level has made of balls of the Allianze thing, that doesn't mean to say they haven't made great improvements on other aspects of the organisation.

The GAA is so many things to so many people, they (even writing that makes me wonder who "they" are) won't be right all the time and with such a diverse organisation someone's wrong will be another persons right.

You would be closer to it than me but my impression is that the GAA's image has suffered in the North because of Casement.

They lent their name to a project and they generated expectations amongst disadvantaged people

https://youtu.be/KFSp3g9gquA
 and they strung people along and they didn't deliver.
"Holding ambitious plans while the cost of construction spirals and the public purse strings are tightened."

And now they don't even know how much money they have. And there is no accountability. They have a problem with risk management.

Casement is about incompetence. Most non sporty people wouldn't know the detail of it but they would know that Casement is a clusterfuck.

If this is all down to Antrim GAA why does the Unionist leadership  attack the GAA?

Páirc Uí Chaoimh's Aughrim was also financial projections. They took on a very ambitious programme and they didn't manage it properly. A team of experts had to come in and take over
 
These are not the values of the GAA. GAA teams are run by decent people who serve their people. They don't take the piss. Even Junior C teams know how to defend.

So the games are fine but the civilian leadership has a few problems.

[Captain Scarlet]

I'd genuinely say it's 95% good and that is a huge number considering all the moving parts.

When you look at Cúl Camps and the amount of kit, fun and belonging it gives youngsters. The nursery at clubs and just the sense of belonging and physical well-being the pros massively outweigh the cons.

Even if you are not IN IT, that Mayo win is hard to beat for a sporting moment.

I have lifelong friendships with lads I'd barely know only for it. Lads who went to different schools, etc.

Then every parish has lads (often older men) who would be long gone from loneliness without the social outlet.

There are issues, but it is an amazing organisation.

[From the Bunker]

When you look at the shit show that the Premier League has become with clubs just out to earn money, players not giving 2 shits and fans getting shafted left, right and centre, I'm delighted we have it and long may it continue

6 posts. It took just 6 posts for the GAA versus soccer shite to start.

It's an extremely valid point though

It's a valid point if you live in England.
There are plenty of good decent people involved in the Amateur Soccer scene in Ireland. Many do as much if not more than their GAA counterparts with less cultural or financial support.

[From the Bunker]

Participation numbers among weak footballers is incredibly poor. Many only get their chance to continue playing if they go abroad to play in weaker leagues. It is very much a elitist game at home.

The game has been greatly tidied up by the new rules. It was a horrible spectacle in the main the last couple of decades. And was only held together by tradition and parish loyalty.

[befair]

Made all my best friends through the GAA; without it , v little would be happening in our village

[Armagh18]

Participation numbers among weak footballers is incredibly poor. Many only get their chance to continue playing if they go abroad to play in weaker leagues. It is very much a elitist game at home.

The game has been greatly tidied up by the new rules. It was a horrible spectacle in the main the last couple of decades. And was only held together by tradition and parish loyalty.

Is there not reserve/seconds/thirds football in most counties?

More casual games, an equivalent of soccers 5 aside would certainly be a good thing.

[Wildweasel74]

I seen a Slaughtneil Reserve team the other week and i think they might beat half Derry Intermediate teams. Got a serious number of players

[seafoid]

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/2026/08/29/why-are-we-so-wedded-to-the-county-system-a-british-system-pat-gilroy-on-the-gaas-future/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
The initials of Croke Park are CP and I call it Caesar's Palace. Now I was on the Croke Park Board, I was on the Strategic Review Committee and the people who are involved in management there are good people. Peter McKenna could run any stadium in the world.
"I had no problem with rugby and soccer being in Croke Park when they had no stadium, but I'm scratching my head when we cut our calendar back and our kids are going back to school and talking about going to see Manchester United at Croker.
"Yes, it does generate revenue, but for what? The more money we have, the more we're going to put more demands on the players, and then it has to become professional. I think these are all unintended consequences.
"Man United v Leeds ... that's why I call it Caesar's Palace because it's just a revenue generator, and that's not Peter McKenna's fault. He's doing a great job, but he's doing it with the hand he's dealt, which is 'we need more money'."

But we need radical moves in other places. The GAA is now run like an American multinational with a board of directors and a CEO and all that. In 1980, I think maybe the GAA had five full-time employees. Now, there's a wage bill of around €20 million. How did that happen? Is all that for the good?

The argument is always made that the bulk of the money generated by Croke Park is pumped back into the games. Gilroy, though, feels that much of it is spent on ever-increasing bills for things such as S&C and nutrition, and that the gaping money pit is there at club as well as county level.
We trained hard but I got rid of the GPS units, took a light touch to nutrition, did the S&C between myself and the physio. We wanted to give them some of their lives back," he said.
"I think some of them missed their trinkets and, after I left, the trinkets were back the following year. Vincent's didn't do as well. To me, that showed how confused we are as an organisation.
"What I call the GAA's Junior B problem is an issue. Bar Jarlath Burns, how many running the show have played at intercounty? Now, you do need the full range. You need the guy that was only a Junior B player but got involved in administration very early.
"But I think you need people too who have the intercounty experience. You need a balance. You need people who were strong club players. You need junior players and intercounty hurlers and footballers.
"With the GAA now, there's a higher level of people who played at a lower level. They're highly capable but they almost get hypnotised by the intercounty razzle dazzle and think 'oh, we better not touch that'. They're star-struck by intercounty and don't want to tackle the runaway train."

If GAA people want to go the Caesar's Palace route and go professional, I'll stay as a member but I'll probably get involved in something else because I like the amateur ethos. I like what it brings to people's lives. There have been times in the last year when I've thought that I should have encouraged my kids to play other sports, because they were good at them. The way it's going, they might have been better off at something else.
"For 10 years, I have tried to influence the GAA from the inside. It's time to try other things. I trust that the GAA will end up where its members want it to be and that's not up to me to decide. I could be wrong on the pro thing but my eyes tell me I'm not."

[Rossfan]

What a load of space filling nonsense.

[seafoid]

"I had no problem with rugby and soccer being in Croke Park when they had no stadium, but I'm scratching my head when we cut our calendar back and our kids are going back to school and talking about going to see Manchester United at Croker.

is very good 

What are they doing in that team? Do they know anything about the games?The people at the ground level are admirable and the sports are world class but the organisation is being led by arseholes.

[Baile Brigín 2]

When you look at the shit show that the Premier League has become with clubs just out to earn money, players not giving 2 shits and fans getting shafted left, right and centre, I'm delighted we have it and long may it continue

6 posts. It took just 6 posts for the GAA versus soccer shite to start.

It's an extremely valid point though

It's a valid point if you live in England.
There are plenty of good decent people involved in the Amateur Soccer scene in Ireland. Many do as much if not more than their GAA counterparts with less cultural or financial support.

He doesn't though.

There are plenty of people involved in amateur soccer in England too.

If your gra for the GAA is expressed primarily in opposition to a league in another sport in another country....

[seafoid]

When you look at the shit show that the Premier League has become with clubs just out to earn money, players not giving 2 shits and fans getting shafted left, right and centre, I'm delighted we have it and long may it continue

6 posts. It took just 6 posts for the GAA versus soccer shite to start.

It's an extremely valid point though

It's a valid point if you live in England.
There are plenty of good decent people involved in the Amateur Soccer scene in Ireland. Many do as much if not more than their GAA counterparts with less cultural or financial support.

He doesn't though.

There are plenty of people involved in amateur soccer in England too.

If your gra for the GAA is expressed primarily in opposition to a league in another sport in another country....

I agree. The EPL is rotten with money
The LoI is not.

[Rossfan]

Time you took your tablets Seafoidín.

[seafoid]

Time you took your tablets Seafoidín.

I work with people like them Ros. They are awful gobshites.