"The GAA at local level is the very heart of the Irish person"

[Blowitupref]

Are any League of Ireland or rugby clubs named after Irish revolutionary figures eg Pearse, Tone, Mellows, Sarsfield, Watty Graham etc.

Soccer was banned in this country until 1970.  By that time newly formed clubs were a generation or two removed from patriotic heros. Most were taking their lead from Clubs they seen across the pond on Match of the Day.

I find the GAA can be up it's own hole as to their importance in the community. In some places the GAA does not exist as the social fabric that is often portrayed. In many cases they are just clubs that provide a facility to play sport and no more.

The League of Ireland goes back to the 1921. All sports have cultures. Soccer is plugged into an international network. So is rugby. GAA isn't.

I presume he was talking about banned from GAA and whereby Congress in the early 70s ditched the infamous Rule 27 prohibition on what were known as “foreign games” – specifically rugby, soccer, cricket and hockey.

Also got rid rule 28 which included vigilance committees, who members was empowered to attend rugby, soccer and other matches to spy on who else was there. 

[Rossfan]

Also got rid rule 28 which iincluded vigilance committees, who members was empowered to attend rugby, soccer and other matches to spy on who else was there.

Sad or what?!!!
A bit like the Iranian morals police

[Eire90]

while they worship a  foreign religion.

[Baile Brigín 2]

Are any League of Ireland or rugby clubs named after Irish revolutionary figures eg Pearse, Tone, Mellows, Sarsfield, Watty Graham etc.

Soccer was banned in this country until 1970.  By that time newly formed clubs were a generation or two removed from patriotic heros. Most were taking their lead from Clubs they seen across the pond on Match of the Day.

I find the GAA can be up it's own hole as to their importance in the community. In some places the GAA does not exist as the social fabric that is often portrayed. In many cases they are just clubs that provide a facility to play sport and no more.

That would be the minority i think

Huge parts of Dublin have no GAA presence. Huge parts of Dublin have a GAA presence that is more based on a social hub for rural immigrants than anything sporting. In large parts of Dublin the GAA club plays out of the local park with no facilities.

It's ruthlessly and deliberately offensive to suggest other sports don't provide to the social capital of their areas. As I have said before, my club is a mess and are so removed from the local community even the Irish dancing uses the local soccer clubs superior facilities.

This line that yhe GAA provide something unique, especially in the 26, has led to too many club not bothering on the dangerous naivety the soccer, rugby, boxing and whatnot cannot offer the same

And? You could say the same for Belfast, albeit on a smaller scale.
It's fairly naive to examine the role the GAA plays in irish society based solely on Dublin.

Based solely on cities and large towns....

There are 5 or 6 GAA clubs in the whole DLR county of 250k people. One in the inner city, population 300k. Drogheda and Swords are the biggest towns in the 26 with 3 and 2 clubs. So claiming the GAA is at the heart of every community is silly and deliberately ignores challenges/opportunities

[seafoid]

Sport in Ireland is really about different tribes. Especially in the North, but also in the South.

Dublin is an interesting example. Pre Kevin Heffernan, Dublin teams were usually backboned by people from the country.
Dublin now is probably majority culchie so the GAA side is self propelling.

Rugby has made some inroads beyond its traditional bastions. Eg Tullow

It's hard for non traditional soccer teams to stay in the Premier Division. Even Cork soccer has gone through a number of reorganisations over the years.
The League of Ireland roll of honour probably wouldn't surprise anyone from a century ago.

[Itchy]

Sport in Ireland is really about different tribes. Especially in the North, but also in the South.

Dublin is an interesting example. Pre Kevin Heffernan, Dublin teams were usually backboned by people from the country.
Dublin now is probably majority culchie so the GAA side is self propelling.

Rugby has made some inroads beyond its traditional bastions. Eg Tullow

It's hard for non traditional soccer teams to stay in the Premier Division. Even Cork soccer has gone through a number of reorganisations over the years.
The League of Ireland roll of honour probably wouldn't surprise anyone from a century ago.

I think rugby is the sport that will really grow quickly in the next 10 to 20 years. There are big awkward donkey alps in every parish in the country and they need a sport to play too and Rugby is ideal for them.

[Baile Brigín 2]

Sport in Ireland is really about different tribes. Especially in the North, but also in the South.

Dublin is an interesting example. Pre Kevin Heffernan, Dublin teams were usually backboned by people from the country.
Dublin now is probably majority culchie so the GAA side is self propelling.

Rugby has made some inroads beyond its traditional bastions. Eg Tullow

It's hard for non traditional soccer teams to stay in the Premier Division. Even Cork soccer has gone through a number of reorganisations over the years.
The League of Ireland roll of honour probably wouldn't surprise anyone from a century ago.

I think rugby is the sport that will really grow quickly in the next 10 to 20 years. There are big awkward donkey alps in every parish in the country and they need a sport to play too and Rugby is ideal for them.

Been hearing that for 25 years though. Absolutely the fanbase, especially the casual fanbase, is up, but it hasn't translated into an increase in playimg numbers. More people go to big games in LR than play the sport.

[smort]

Sport in Ireland is really about different tribes. Especially in the North, but also in the South.

Dublin is an interesting example. Pre Kevin Heffernan, Dublin teams were usually backboned by people from the country.
Dublin now is probably majority culchie so the GAA side is self propelling.

Rugby has made some inroads beyond its traditional bastions. Eg Tullow

It's hard for non traditional soccer teams to stay in the Premier Division. Even Cork soccer has gone through a number of reorganisations over the years.
The League of Ireland roll of honour probably wouldn't surprise anyone from a century ago.

I think rugby is the sport that will really grow quickly in the next 10 to 20 years. There are big awkward donkey alps in every parish in the country and they need a sport to play too and Rugby is ideal for them.

I actually think rugby could decline. There are a lot of issues arising with concerns over concussions and brain injuries. We are starting to see some explayers having problems and I expect this list to grow over the next few years with an even greater spotlight shining on it all. Unless rugby makes a serious rule change then what parent will be sending their wee lad or lassie to rugby

[seafoid]

Sport in Ireland is really about different tribes. Especially in the North, but also in the South.

Dublin is an interesting example. Pre Kevin Heffernan, Dublin teams were usually backboned by people from the country.
Dublin now is probably majority culchie so the GAA side is self propelling.

Rugby has made some inroads beyond its traditional bastions. Eg Tullow

It's hard for non traditional soccer teams to stay in the Premier Division. Even Cork soccer has gone through a number of reorganisations over the years.
The League of Ireland roll of honour probably wouldn't surprise anyone from a century ago.

I think rugby is the sport that will really grow quickly in the next 10 to 20 years. There are big awkward donkey alps in every parish in the country and they need a sport to play too and Rugby is ideal for them.

Rugby hasn't sorted out concussion yet. That is going to hold the sport back imo.

[Rossfan]

Hopefully that awful sport will fade away.
If they want to keep afloat the first thing they should do is get rid of them scrum thingys.
Like bullocks pucking at a ditch.

[seafoid]

Sport in Ireland is really about different tribes. Especially in the North, but also in the South.

Dublin is an interesting example. Pre Kevin Heffernan, Dublin teams were usually backboned by people from the country.
Dublin now is probably majority culchie so the GAA side is self propelling.

Rugby has made some inroads beyond its traditional bastions. Eg Tullow

It's hard for non traditional soccer teams to stay in the Premier Division. Even Cork soccer has gone through a number of reorganisations over the years.
The League of Ireland roll of honour probably wouldn't surprise anyone from a century ago.

I think rugby is the sport that will really grow quickly in the next 10 to 20 years. There are big awkward donkey alps in every parish in the country and they need a sport to play too and Rugby is ideal for them.

I actually think rugby could decline. There are a lot of issues arising with concerns over concussions and brain injuries. We are starting to see some explayers having problems and I expect this list to grow over the next few years with an even greater spotlight shining on it all. Unless rugby makes a serious rule change then what parent will be sending their wee lad or lassie to rugby

The size of players is also a problem.

[Baile Brigín 2]

Sport in Ireland is really about different tribes. Especially in the North, but also in the South.

Dublin is an interesting example. Pre Kevin Heffernan, Dublin teams were usually backboned by people from the country.
Dublin now is probably majority culchie so the GAA side is self propelling.

Rugby has made some inroads beyond its traditional bastions. Eg Tullow

It's hard for non traditional soccer teams to stay in the Premier Division. Even Cork soccer has gone through a number of reorganisations over the years.
The League of Ireland roll of honour probably wouldn't surprise anyone from a century ago.

I think rugby is the sport that will really grow quickly in the next 10 to 20 years. There are big awkward donkey alps in every parish in the country and they need a sport to play too and Rugby is ideal for them.

I actually think rugby could decline. There are a lot of issues arising with concerns over concussions and brain injuries. We are starting to see some explayers having problems and I expect this list to grow over the next few years with an even greater spotlight shining on it all. Unless rugby makes a serious rule change then what parent will be sending their wee lad or lassie to rugby

I can also see schools banning it, certainly no new school introducing it.  Health & safety only going one way. How many schools offer boxing fir example?

[clarshack]

Clifden seem to have a few boys that play or have played rugby too and Darragh Kennedy currently plays for Galwegians. Was Rugby always popular in that part of Galway?

[twohands!!!]

Sport in Ireland is really about different tribes. Especially in the North, but also in the South.

Dublin is an interesting example. Pre Kevin Heffernan, Dublin teams were usually backboned by people from the country.
Dublin now is probably majority culchie so the GAA side is self propelling.

Rugby has made some inroads beyond its traditional bastions. Eg Tullow

It's hard for non traditional soccer teams to stay in the Premier Division. Even Cork soccer has gone through a number of reorganisations over the years.
The League of Ireland roll of honour probably wouldn't surprise anyone from a century ago.

I think rugby is the sport that will really grow quickly in the next 10 to 20 years. There are big awkward donkey alps in every parish in the country and they need a sport to play too and Rugby is ideal for them.

I actually think rugby could decline. There are a lot of issues arising with concerns over concussions and brain injuries. We are starting to see some explayers having problems and I expect this list to grow over the next few years with an even greater spotlight shining on it all. Unless rugby makes a serious rule change then what parent will be sending their wee lad or lassie to rugby

The size of players is also a problem.

I was talking to someone involved in sports medicine a few years back and he reckons that rugby has no long term future without substantial changes. Even beyond the whole concusion issue, he was saying that as the first generation of professional players age that the effects of years and years of tackle impacts is going to make a whole host of medical issues way worse in terms of needing hip/knee replacements/walking sticks/mobility aids. He deals with a lot of rugby pros in Ireland and after talking to him you wouldn't let anyone play professional rugby. Could well see a situation where it loses popularity as players decide the risk of destroying their bodies isn't worth it.

[theskull1]

Have thought for quite a few years that this would be how Rugby would eventually kill itself