Was Sean Kelly in Hayes Hotel in 1884 when the GAA was founded?

[magpie seanie]

Do people not think it significant that Kelly is so disliked by so many in the upper echelons of the GAA? I suupose there are a few who will paint it as Kelly was the visionary crusader, challenging boundaries and shaking things up. I beive that to not be the case.

[Lar Naparka]

It doesn't surprise me in the least that Danny Lynch was so vitriolic in his comments about Sean Kelly. Most of the Blazers in HQ distrusted him throughout his presidency and made no secret of it either.
I don't know the context in which Kelly made the remarks that upset Danny Lynch so I can't comment on them but I'd suggest that Lynch was way off the mark in stating that Kelly had no hand in moving discussions with the GPA to the stage there are at today.
The public record is there to prove Lynch wrong.
Kelly drew fire from the hierarchy on two fronts.
He tried to develop good working relations with the GPA, in the belief that they were here to stay and should be accommodated with the GAA structure. He was instrumental in getting John O'Donoghue to agree witht eh palyers case in principle.
Maybe Danny Lynch should have paid a visit to gaelicplayers.com, the website of the GPA, where he'd find plenty to suggest that he was talking through his arse when he criticised Kelly on that matter.
On leaving office, Kelly was asked to establish the Irish Institute of Sport, a body to support elite athletes and players.
He would hardly be its CEO today if he hadn't shown outstanding expertise in that field, would he?
The GPA acknowledges his part in the protracted negotiations; newspaper archives provide ample evidence of his involvement, while Danny Lynch has a different point of view. I don't accept Lynch's appraisal.
Kelly was also instrumental in the removal of Rule 52 and greatly influenced negotiations with the Govt., the FAI and the IRFU in getting access to Croke Park for those bodies during Landsdowne Road's development.
This is the other major issue that Lynch and his buddies hate him for.

He was instrumental in the introduction of the Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard and Tommy Murphy Cups, the All-Ireland Junior and Intermediate Championships and the building of the Croke Park Jury's Hotel.
He also picked up a string of awards during his term of office including Person of the Year 2005, Community Entrepreneur of the Year 2006, and Business Person of the month (April 2005) and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Dublin Institute of Technology in February 2007.
I really don't know why Kelly re-entered the scene after being gone for two years and maybe Lynch has his own valid reasons for disagreeing with Kelly's achievements in office but they are there to be seen on the record.

[Rossfan]

Kelly was also instrumental in the removal of Rule 52

[paddypastit]

Lar Naparka.  You are right that Kelly was disliked and distrusted by the civil servants in Ck Pk.  That could be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your view of what happened during that period. I remain agnostic to most of what happened during that era but I would make a number of observations that may in themselves seem contradictory. I emphasis that they are observations more than opinions on behalf of one side or another.

i - I don't like blazers or officialdom that much. My general experience of them is that they get to like what they are and the status they have more than doing what is right or good - most are small men with issues. Most of what passes for senior executives in Croke Pk in recent years fit that bill very well and many were there far far too long

ii - Kelly had a huge weakness though which was a desperate need to answer every question that he was asked with what actually thought about the question rather than what was in line with the agreed policy or whatever.  Those with experience of the media never answer questions the 'handle' them - watch the politicians! That as much as anything drove the civil servants mad as often they didn't know what the latest Presidential fad was until they read it in the papers

iii - Through both business and GAA activity I have had cause to be in the general presence / company of each of the GAA Presidents back to Boothman.  Like him or not one big point in Kelly's favour was that he went out of the role the same man that he came in.  Each of his two most recent predecessors got so full of their own importance as to be completely out of touch

iv - as far as the Institute of Sport is concerned - he is way out of his depth.  Talk to the national governing bodies for sports (Olympic Sports) and they will say that nothing is happening.  The appointment Lar Naparka was little to do with SK's abilities and all to do with John O'Donoghue (the then Minister for Sport) keeping him off the ballot paper in South Kerry at the last General Election

v. Lynch has been talking through his arse for the guts of 30 years so nobody should be surprised.  He is about to retire so nothing to lose to settle a few scores, especially in d'Paper

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

ii - Kelly had a huge weakness though which was a desperate need to answer every question that he was asked with what actually thought about the question rather than what was in line with the agreed policy or whatever.  Those with experience of the media never answer questions the 'handle' them - watch the politicians! That as much as anything drove the civil servants mad as often they didn't know what the latest Presidential fad was until they read it in the papers

While I wouldn't be Kelly's biggest fan I have to say that the above is at least one admirable quality.

iii - Through both business and GAA activity I have had cause to be in the general presence / company of each of the GAA Presidents back to Boothman.  Like him or not one big point in Kelly's favour was that he went out of the role the same man that he came in.  Each of his two most recent predecessors got so full of their own importance as to be completely out of touch

An admirer of Big Tom perchance?

[Lar Naparka]

Rossfan,
You are right! Sorry about that; I had been cross-checking references online and you know how head-wrecking that can be.
I think paddypastit has summed up my own assessment of Kelly and his Presidential role far ably that I could ever hope to do.  I'd go 100% along with that post.

[cornafean]

ii - Kelly had a huge weakness though which was a desperate need to answer every question that he was asked with what actually thought about the question rather than what was in line with the agreed policy or whatever.  Those with experience of the media never answer questions the 'handle' them - watch the politicians! That as much as anything drove the civil servants mad as often they didn't know what the latest Presidential fad was until they read it in the papers

While I wouldn't be Kelly's biggest fan I have to say that the above is at least one admirable quality.

Me too. The present incumbent suffers very badly by comparison.