Sean Kelly Book

[Frank Casey]

Former President Sean Kelly is plugging his new book "Rule 42 and all that" in todays Irish Examiner.

From www.irishexaminer.com

27 October 2007

No one at Croker the day €40m gift arrived by taxi, reveals Kelly

By Tony Leen, Sports Editor

IT WAS the €40 million government gift to the GAA that came with no strings attached — except for someone to be at Croke Park to accept the cheque.

Astonishingly, ex-GAA president Seán Kelly reveals in a new book that when a Government official came calling to GAA headquarters with the 40m handout to finish off Croker, no one was there to greet him.

"I wasn't in Croke Park the day they rang, but was the news greeted with delight and fanfare? No, they were simply told to send it over to Croke Park in a taxi.

"When the taxi arrived, no one from Croke Park was there to meet them. I was told this sometime after Christmas by a Government official. I couldn't believe it. Could you imagine any other body telling the Government to send over €40m in a taxi, and not being there to meet them? Enough said."

The incident is one of a series of intriguing revelations in Mr Kelly's new memoir, Rule 42 and All That, serialised today and on Monday in the Irish Examiner.

Mr Kelly lifts the lid on the struggle to win supoport in the corridors of GAA power for the historic change to Rule 42 and suggests he often had fewer friends within Croke Park than outside it. He details the depth of subterfuge involved in a climactic debate that literally split the GAA, but united the country.

The depth of opposition to Mr Kelly's bid to open up Croke Park is underlined in the book by claims of a highly provocative comment from former Ulster Council chairman Michael Greenan, who said any comparison between Judas Iscariot and Mr Kelly was unfair because "Judas has the decency to hand back the money and do away with himself".

"I was in two minds whether to go over and floor him, but I kept my cool," admits the Kerryman.

Mr Kelly suggests that former Progressive Democrats leader Mary Harney intimated in a meeting at her home that the Government could sweeten the grant to €50m if the GAA would agree to open up Croke Park to other sports as a condition.

"I told her that it would be counterproductive to link the grant aid for Croke Park with opening it to soccer and rugby. She listened carefully and obviously took on board what I had said because, contrary to what many had surmised, when John O'Donoghue and Charlie McCreevy did come to delivering, Mary and the PDs rowed in behind them enthusiastically."

When the funding was agreed, the GAA did even better than it had hoped.

"I had been hoping for possibly €20m, but they told me that with savings and juggling they were not giving us €20m, not even €38m, but two more on top of that: €40m in all.

"They respected our no-strings-attached viewpoint and indeed, to the Government's credit, from the Taoiseach down they all said that opening Croke Park was a matter for the GAA. While they had their personal preferences, they weren't going to interfere with the GAA's right to decide.

"The €40m would be paid in two tranches — €20m in December 2004 and €20m in December 2005. However, prior to Christmas 2004 the Government decided to pay it all in one tranche, saving us about €1.5m in interest alone."

[Rossfan]

That Greenan is  some tool !!

[Seany]

Sean Kelly was a great President and a lovely man.  His term will go down in history as being one of the more good natured, good humoured and pragmatic of all the Presidencies.  He was also a great diplomat.
Having said that, I don't appreciate his showboating on the Rule 42 issue.  For a start, the rule still exists and always should.  There is a foot in the door at present, but they should never ever be allowed in for good. 
In any case, soccer in Ireland is far too small for a major GAA ground like Croke Park.  The Cyprus crowd got lost in it.  The can't even fill it and probably won't again.  Soccer is a minority sport in this country behind gaelic, hurling, rugby, motorcycling and motor racing if you want to check out the crowds that attend matches against these other events.

Sean McCague did away with Rule 21 completely during his watch, but no book and no dining out on it.  It was something he felt he had to do. Peter Quinn got the new CP up and running, but no fanfare.  Soccer in CP is a big bogeyman.  best to let it go on without anyone empire builoding around what was one of the most difficult and divisive decisions we had to take as an association.  BTW, I believe we did the right thing changing the rule.  No regrets and I still respect SK greatly.  he just has to be careful, tho.

[Jinxy]

Something about him just rubs me up the wrong way. As the saying goes, if he was made of chocolate, he'd eat himself.

[Sandy Hill]

Something about him just rubs me up the wrong way. As the saying goes, if he was made of chocolate, he'd eat himself.

These would be my sentiments about the present incumbent!

[Jinxy]

I don't think Nicky craves the limelight to the same extent. Incidentally I agreed with the decision to allow other sports into Croker while LR is out of commission, I just think Kelly should shut up about it now.

[J70]

If Kelly wants to tell his side of the story, more power to him. No one is forcing anyone to buy the book or read or listen to the press coverage. The amount of personal resentment against him just because he led the GAA into a situation some don't agree with is ridiculous. He didn't unilaterally push it through.

[Jinxy]

If Kelly wants to tell his side of the story, more power to him. No one is forcing anyone to buy the book or read or listen to the press coverage. The amount of personal resentment against him just because he led the GAA into a situation some don't agree with is ridiculous. He didn't unilaterally push it through.

Try telling him that.

[J70]

If Kelly wants to tell his side of the story, more power to him. No one is forcing anyone to buy the book or read or listen to the press coverage. The amount of personal resentment against him just because he led the GAA into a situation some don't agree with is ridiculous. He didn't unilaterally push it through.

Try telling him that.

He claims that he did it by executive order as opposed to leading a grassroots movement and central council vote?

[Cloc Mor]

"I was in two minds whether to go over and floor him"

Aye,dead on,Kelly

I would pay to watch that.
"Kelly swings a wonderful right hook, leaving Greenan with a wee bruise on his left shin".

How could he possibly miss that fat c***ts belly to hit him on the shin, Hardstation.  What's worse is that in "his prime" when he was "refereeing" he was same size now as he was then.  Tube

[Cloc Mor]

Class - not far wrong

[Jinxy]

If Kelly wants to tell his side of the story, more power to him. No one is forcing anyone to buy the book or read or listen to the press coverage. The amount of personal resentment against him just because he led the GAA into a situation some don't agree with is ridiculous. He didn't unilaterally push it through.

Try telling him that.

He claims that he did it by executive order as opposed to leading a grassroots movement and central council vote?

The grassroots support for such a move had been there for some time. It would have gone at congress in 2001 if it wasn't for the shenanigans going on behind the scenes. He didn't lead any movement. The most he did was give them the opportunity to vote on it.

[pintsofguinness]

Astonishingly, ex-GAA president Seán Kelly reveals in a new book that when a Government official came calling to GAA headquarters with the 40m handout to finish off Croker, no one was there to greet him.

"I wasn't in Croke Park the day they rang, but was the news greeted with delight and fanfare? No, they were simply told to send it over to Croke Park in a taxi.

"When the taxi arrived, no one from Croke Park was there to meet them. I was told this sometime after Christmas by a Government official. I couldn't believe it. Could you imagine any other body telling the Government to send over €40m in a taxi, and not being there to meet them? Enough said."

I don't like that. 

[orangeman]

Unbelievable reaction from the GAA - They do do much good stuff and then usually  make a shite of it in the end.

[orangeman]

Joe Mc Donagh ??