Tommie Kenoy: the man who rewrote Ireland's history - in his own words

[heineken_on_tap]

Heineken on tap - if you don't see anythnig wrong with his article I'd have grave worries about you! I know he's a fellow county man but you cannot defend the indefensible.

It was a day of peace, tranquility and triumph when Ireland declared her independence

What a load of absolute horseshit. What a f**king idiot.

I'd like to think there's no way he'd get near the presidency. If he did well we'd have to pack up the tent.

Ok Seanie I agree with you he is going over board in his language and sentiments, however he is right IMO it was a good day for the GAA and for Irish people in general. I think he got his language all wrong in the article but if you look his two basic points.

1)England match was a great day that signified as a country we have moved on.
2)This year there was hardly anything made of rugby teams coming into croker,

then I dont think he is that far off the mark. And yes he is a fellow county man but over the years I have disagreed with him over alot his beliefs.

[Hound]

Heineken on tap - if you don't see anythnig wrong with his article I'd have grave worries about you! I know he's a fellow county man but you cannot defend the indefensible.

It was a day of peace, tranquility and triumph when Ireland declared her independence

What a load of absolute horseshit. What a f**king idiot.

I'd like to think there's no way he'd get near the presidency. If he did well we'd have to pack up the tent.

Ok Seanie I agree with you he is going over board in his language and sentiments, however he is right IMO it was a good day for the GAA and for Irish people in general. I think he got his language all wrong in the article but if you look his two basic points.

1)England match was a great day that signified as a country we have moved on.
2)This year there was hardly anything made of rugby teams coming into croker,

then I dont think he is that far off the mark. And yes he is a fellow county man but over the years I have disagreed with him over alot his beliefs.

Indeed.

He's right in most of what he said, but his metaphors were just ridiculous. I'd imagine he knew fine well his language would wind up some people, which is probably why he did it. And it made it easier to make his points about paying managers and Club Tyrone.

[magpie seanie]

With greatest respect Heineken on Tap there oceans of shite in that article that you would have to wade through to get to those two points. I personally think the whole thing has been hammed up by the media as something greater than it was. I didn't change my opinion and I didn't need the media to tell me we'd moved on as a nation. I knew that myself. I can live with it but I find the whole thing fairly condescending.

The case of the "No" side wasn't based on not wanting to hear GSTQ in Croker but it was painted as if that was the only argument of us dyed in the wool republican backwoodsmen. Even in victory the "Yes" side (I mean here the media and dickheads like Kenoy and Kelly) couldn't treat the rest of us with a bit of respect.

The fact that there was little made of it this year is of no consequence either. What point is he trying to make? Its another sly dig.

[cornafean]

Kenoy should remember  that self-praise is no praise.

[quidnunc]

He's right in most of what he said, but his metaphors were just ridiculous. I'd imagine he knew fine well his language would wind up some people, which is probably why he did it. And it made it easier to make his points about paying managers and Club Tyrone.

That's a rather bizarre analysis of it all. I posted this because:

1 - It has to go down as one of the most self-serving set of comments ever made - ie, I changed Irish history.

2 - Do I really need to point out how factually wrong it is? It was a significant development for the GAA, but it's a mere drop in the ocean of Irish history.

3 - It implies that everything that happened in Croke Park before rugby was played there was reflective of bigotry, and we needed rugby to be played there to be freed from it.

4 - If this is what Kenoy believes, what is he doing on Central Council? Should he not be a rugby official if he thinks it represents a more all-embracing Ireland?

5 - He seems to be complaining that there's no controversy about Croke Park at the moment. He seems to want to be at the centre of controversy, just for the sake of it. Otherwise, why write the article? (His massive ego aside...)

6 - His comments about the Tyrone County Board seem quite libellous, unless he has some proof. It's the first time I've heard this allegation.

7 - Seeing as he was very prominent in Roscommon County Board while it plunged into unprecedented levels of debt for any county board, he should know to be careful about accusations of financial impropriety against other boards.

8 - Even if he were right about 6, which I doubt, what about the popular rumour that Mr Kenoy himself is being healthily reimbursed with "expenses" to manage the Tulsk club?

[Rossfan]

Kenoy must be doing something right if he's upsetting the GAAboard's resident neanderthal flat earthers  .
Mind you there's some overthe top crap in the article alright - esp the bit about Ireland declaring independence in February 2007
By the way I can't bloody stand rugby so I suppose I'm a bigot too.
Ah well ...

[tyrone86]

The level of hypocrisy in this group is mind-boggling. Many of its adherents are members of clubs who are paying huge sums of money to team managers. Their chief organiser has been involved for years in a fundraising group in Tyrone whose income is used to look after the "needs" of allegedly amateur inter-county players.

In a topic where it is dangerous to read between the lines, I would like to know what exactly he is implying regarding Club Tyrone. Is the allegation coming from the same Roscommon herald article or another source?

[Shrewdness]

and do ye want to know the best bit of all??......He wrote that shite in the Herald when the following matters were going on in Ros Gaa.......John Maughan had just abdicated, our Seniors had just been hammered by Dublin, and our Under 21's had an upcoming Connacht final.

He calls himself a Gaa man, yet he chose to write that article, and never mentioned one word about the events.

[Farrandeelin]

In fairness to the man, I dont see anything wrong with his article. Opening up Croker (for a certain amount of time) to Rugby/Soccer did not cause the end of the world or cause any damage to GAA that we know about. England came to town and everyone behaved impeccably. And he is right the media or most GAA supporters did not make any big deal of Wales playing in Croker...

It will interesting to see how long this 'certain amount of time' will be. Will the FAI and IRFU be looking to play every important international game in Croke Park now that they've got their noses in? And Rossfan, it seems we're all bigots cos rugby is the darling sport of RTÉ. 

[An Fhairche Abu]

They are an unelected unaffiliated body

What the f**k were the GPA when they started??!!

Ireland declared her independance 92 years ago, not when some "golden generation yet never won a thing" rugby players kicked an oval ball around Croke Park against some Englishmen, it's f**king shite talk like that from our own members that rankles more than the crap you read from clueless, rent-a-quote anti-GAA columnists in any Independant Newspapers publication.

If he ran and got it, he'd be the worst thing to happen to the presidency of the GAA ever, worse than Seán Kelly even, surely we couldn't make the same mistake twice?

[Hound]

That's a rather bizarre analysis of it all. I posted this because:

1 - It has to go down as one of the most self-serving set of comments ever made - ie, I changed Irish history.

Do you think he really meant he himself changed Irish history 

2 - Do I really need to point out how factually wrong it is? It was a significant development for the GAA, but it's a mere drop in the ocean of Irish history.

FFS, do you really think anyone in Ireland, including Kenoy, would disagree with that???

3 - It implies that everything that happened in Croke Park before rugby was played there was reflective of bigotry, and we needed rugby to be played there to be freed from it.

No it doesnt. But as he said, Kenoy knew some would get annoyed with his metaphors and take them literally.

4 - If this is what Kenoy believes, what is he doing on Central Council? Should he not be a rugby official if he thinks it represents a more all-embracing Ireland?

Yes, very funny.

5 - He seems to be complaining that there's no controversy about Croke Park at the moment. He seems to want to be at the centre of controversy, just for the sake of it. Otherwise, why write the article? (His massive ego aside...)

Spot on, apart from ignoring his ego!

6 - His comments about the Tyrone County Board seem quite libellous, unless he has some proof. It's the first time I've heard this allegation.

Have you been living under a rock? Club Tyrone are a superbly run organisation (BTW - they are 100% independent of the Tyrone County Board). They collect tens of thousands of pounds from Tyrone business interests to assist Tyrone. Where does their money go? No idea, they are under no obligation to disclose, they are a private organisation who can spend their money whatever way they want. I do know they managed to persuade one player to continue playing rather than head off for something else, and I'm sure they've helped plenty of "good causes". I can guarantee there will be no libel action taken against Mr Kenoy!!

7 - Seeing as he was very prominent in Roscommon County Board while it plunged into unprecedented levels of debt for any county board, he should know to be careful about accusations of financial impropriety against other boards.

Agreed, but it wasnt the Tyrone County Board he was referring to

8 - Even if he were right about 6, which I doubt, what about the popular rumour that Mr Kenoy himself is being healthily reimbursed with "expenses" to manage the Tulsk club?

Fair play to you for having the neck to give out about Kenoy, and then yourself spoute rumours about his expenses! Pot, kettle etc. 

Kenoy's a pure feckin yahoo, but very entertaining!

[tyrone86]

6 - His comments about the Tyrone County Board seem quite libellous, unless he has some proof. It's the first time I've heard this allegation.

Have you been living under a rock? Club Tyrone are a superbly run organisation 1. (BTW - they are 100% independent of the Tyrone County Board). They collect tens of thousands of pounds from Tyrone business interests to assist Tyrone. 2. Where does their money go? No idea, they are under no obligation to disclose, they are a private organisation who can spend their money whatever way they want. I do know they managed to persuade one player to continue playing rather than head off for something else, and I'm sure they've helped plenty of "good causes". I can guarantee there will be no libel action taken against Mr Kenoy!!

[/quote]

1. Wrong. Every brass penny earned by club Tyrone is under the control of the county committee.

2. Amongst other things;
Coaching and Games Development - Club Tyrone fund the football summer camp in the county as it was the benchmark nationally before this VHI sponsored one came about.
Physical Development - The bulk of the Club Tyrone money raised for the next 5 years will go toward the physical development of County Offices, pitches, Handball and Hurling Alleys and training facilities in the county.
Culture - They also provide assistance for any club in the County competing in a Scor All-Ireland at both Senior and Junior levels

[cornafean]

Culture - They also provide assistance for any club in the County competing in a Scor All-Ireland at both Senior and Junior levels

Which is one of the reasons why the hoors keep winning in Scór   

[scalder]

The whole England playing in Croke Park thing was I think for most GAA people not such a big issue, most people who love our games were more concerned with issues around games promotion and competition between the various codes. They were concerned with the media and politicians portrayal of the organisation as anti national and backwards and the damage to the GAA's image in the wider community.

Now the doors are open, while it still hurts a little and makes Croke Park a little less special the 10's of millions do soften the blow. When we have full time coaches working with our young players and spreading the gospel of our games all paid for by renting Corke Park to soccer and rugby, well it seems a good use of an asset to me. Those of you involved in fund rasing know how hard it is to rasie €10,000 euros and turning our noises up at millions seems crazy in this context.
The principle was conceded and I'd suggest milking it for all its worth now and if the IFRU want Croke Park for big games let them have it at a hefty price. (FAI really hate us and so I can never see them coming back to us – I'd be with Ross O'Carroll Kelly on this one "tough on soccer, tough on the causes of soccer"

I think hype about the England game was a media driven storm but it was also that it touched Irish people on a deeper level, it was for many at a base level (GAA and non-GAA people) as if they were playing GSTQ in the GPO. I think many people have a strange relationship with the GAA (like with the Irish language) they may dislike many aspects of each (administrators, how the language is taught etc...) but deep down they feel a pride an ownership. I think they realise that we are guardians of something special, that we are close to the soul of the nation. I think Soccer and Rugby wanted our endorsement too.

[thejuice]

Anyone else think that England playing in Croke Park didnt change anything or show we've "moved on". I dont know, I still look around and still see the same old attitudes in same old places. A good sporting occasion but didnt have an impact on anything beyond the realm of sport.