Messages

Sorry you missed the last part of the question?

thewobbler, you obviously never read my post. Who said anything about not wanting facilities. Facilities are there tio serve the gaels not for the gaels to serve the facilities- or those who provide them. If we must serve those that provide them and we have a choice of a sponsor ho wants treated like a king them I would rather not have the facility.

Lets go back to the start. There is nothing wrong with the sponsors but there is something wrong with treating them differently. Give them a reward a ticket or two and a thankyou letter and send to all the members a notice taht they have kindly sponsored. However dont start making special sections and tea houses just for them. Its the wrong approach.

The fact that you speak in a defending manner probably means you have been one of these instigators of elitism. Spit it out - since you believe it then tell us what you have done to the great sponsors?

Oh by the way how many great sponsors bought ballyhollands land for them ?

charlietully --- ok your right !

You are right , sold us out !

Done the exact same as the 26 counties - full of middle class SDLP heads who never got stopped by a Brit in their lives!

thewobbler in reply.

I have and do sit on committees, I have sponsored , I have and do on a regular basis. No matter what money has been raised by sponsors more has been raised by individuals.

Joe bloggs in a group can achieve anything if the motivation is there! The other way is selling your soul for a pound!

In my opinion it is essential that sponsors understand the ethos of the GAA and their reward is helping their community and providing young and old an outlet to express themselves.There are a lot of genuine people out there who for their own reasons, if they have money to give are only too delighted to give to the G.A.A.. I therefore do not agree with you and more importantly you are implying that only for us selling ourselves out we would not have all our facilities? I would rather still be changing on the side of the road than deny someone a ticket for a big game who has followed their team from a young age or helped in a club doing all the things I have mentioned before.

You see the minute there is a special section for one lot you are saying ' this section is for someone who has done something (usually gave money) to help us and we are rewarding them by treating them differently than you, because you dont have the money to give, that they give'

This is completely wrong and will actually in the long run cost more than they take in !

Of course I agree that if there is a ticket or a way to thank someone for a sponsorship etc. this is only good manners but it should never be the focus and certainly should not be pursued as something to focus on. Elitism divides and when the house falls down the sponsors jump ship !

Wobbler you sound like someone who has also participated in one of these special groups and feel a little guilty now - probably because you knew at the time it wasn't right but loved it anyway.

Can anyone else give me examples?

Embarressed , why ?

Ah Rossfan yoy know its true. Dare to deny it ?

You are right Orior ! The 'gaels' he was shoulder to shoulder with used to praise us when we threw bricks at the Brits now they say we are thugs.

Sorry you free staters wouldnt understand you sold us out a long time ago. Beside the people on this forum there is more manchester united supporters than GAA supporters. Shame on you, shame on you!

Down has already won. All the free staters who sold out their fellow irishmen and women and who cant live with the shame of it are all just clutching at straws.

Snoopdog you are in the midst off traitors who hate everything from the north Irish. There is more supporters of Manchester United and Tony Blair in the south than Down.

While I love the gaelic games and so much of the organisation is based around the family and involves the young and old, I believe elitism is starting to raise its ugly head. In Down for instance during some games in Newry there was a special section created in the middle of the stand just for 'special' guests. I do not know what qualified people (who seemed to be business people or well known local celebrities or just county admin. people) to get into that section or why guys in suits led them to the seats (people who a few years back were more interested in attending a Manchester united match or singing 'Come on you reds' with a mixed and slanged English/irish twang) but I definately think that more control needs to be generated back to the club people, who attend club games, train underage teams, support underage teams, clean changing rooms, look after pitches etc.
The life blood of the G.A.A I feel has always been because the 'people' supported it. Lose this by starting to create a group within a group just because they have money or becasue some one in a county board wants to do it is not good enough. We the people have for years been led by the nose by government, banks, insurance companies and general large organisations who treat us like fodder.We should not let OUR orgnisation be manipulated and take a route which will ultimately lead to disaster.

If you can keep the ball when all about you are losing theirs.
And remember its all within you.
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you.
But make allowance for their doubting too.
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the shout from the Mournes which says: "Hang on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If you can play with all the skill and honour born in you
Remembering, and knowing you can never give to much
If you can bend your back or make that impossible pass
And keep your head when placed straight through.
If you can always drive forward, sharp and fast
And remember the opposition is your brother too.

If you can fill the unforgiving game
With seventy minutes' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more – we will give you the honour
Of being called a Man from An Dun my son!

justme