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Just heard that these have now gone from 350euro(175 euro for each Final) per year to 500euro.
3500e to renew in 2015 for 10years and currently only offering a 5year
renewal at 2500-that's an increase of over 40%.Terrible rise for even for those could afford them
in the first pace.  

Were the Final tickets not included in 2015 for 3500e and now still included in the 5 year fee of 2500e OR are the final tickets extra ?

It's just for Finals

  Just heard that these have now gone from 350euro(175 euro for each Final) per year to 500euro.
3500e to renew in 2015 for 10years and currently only offering a 5year
renewal at 2500-that's an increase of over 40%.Terrible rise for even for those could afford them
in the first pace.  

  Too many Solicitors amongst all of this.

A Chairde,

The club has informed all members that legal proceedings have been issued against it. The proceedings have been issued by my niece Orlaith Murray and her team mates Ellie Murphy & Molly McAuley. The Irish News have this evening published this fact and it will be in its daily printed version tomorrow. Some of you may have been told a self-serving false account of what these ladies were alleged to have done. The truth is they have done nothing.  They have been brave enough to stand up for themselves and have the benefit of supportive immediate and extended families who have stood with them and will continue to do so.

St Enda's is a great club with great people. I've been a member for over 40 years. As some of you know, my late uncle, Sean Hayes, was a founding member in 1956. He and my aunt Kathleen were one of two families to put their home up as collateral towards the first club. I was here in those very dark days, unlike some of those involved in this shameful episode.  I've represented this club at every level in both codes. I've coached at every level in the club. To say that the actions of a few members have brought such shame on St Enda's is nothing short of disgraceful.

At every turn, those involved in pursuing Orlaith, Molly, and Ellie for the alleged offence of forgery sought to obfuscate and conceal the fact that they had not one shred of evidence against these girls. When the girls asked for the evidence against them, those involved point blank refused to give it. The girls would only find out via the LGFA Appeal process that there was no evidence against them. The club filed redacted documents at the Appeal to conceal various matters.  Despite the club's wish to conceal their paperwork, through the good fortune that the girls are tech-savvy, they were able to remove the clubs redactions and were then in a position to prove that they had not forged anyone's name to any letter.

Think about the actions of these members. Firstly, refusing to provide evidence to support the allegations brought by the club against the girls, and then redacting crucial evidence which, when revealed, helped the girls to clear their names. This is nothing short of apalling behaviour.

It's a very true saying that a little power is a dangerous thing. When we, as club member's, permit people to lead our club, we do so on the basis that they will exercise their power on our behalf, fairly and judiciously. Those involved in what has happened here have fallen far short of these basic standards.

The girls rightly won their appeal, having presented a detailed, robust, evidence based, and cogent defence. Another forum will now examine and pour over the case the club had both at the date of the production of its Disciplinary Sub-Committee report in early March 2022 and the case it presented to the LGFA Appeal Panel in April 2022. Suffice to say,  it did not convince an independent panel of 3 people appointed by Antrim LGFA County Board who said "that having heard both parties' oral evidence and having read both parties' written submissions it preferred the evidence of the appellants".

This should have been the point where our club representatives gracefully accepted that they had lost and did so because they were unable to present any evidence that the 3 girls had forged anyone's name to any letter. However,  those involved, fixed with no capacity to reverse, refused to back off. Instead,  they went full tilt in the oppposite direction and continued to assert that the girls were forgers right up to spending £1000 of members' money to lodge an appeal to the DRA against Antrim LGFA which they haven't pursued in 10 months because they haven't got a leg to stand on - it can only assumed that like all good GAA Appeals they were hoping that a technicality would materialise to get those involved off the hook for such appalling behaviour.
For the luxury of this fool's errand the club have engaged the services of a barrister. It is us as members who will pick up the tab for this additional expense.


I want to be clear and "For the avoidance of doubt" (to steal a phrase from a certain local representative's letter which he submitted anonymously to the LGFA Appeal panel!) Orlaith, Molly & Ellie did absolutely nothing wrong other than ask for a new manager along with numerous other senior ladies. For this, these 3 girls were singled out, pursued relentlessly, and hounded out of this club. A club which they have been members of and proudly represented since they were 5 years of age, a lot longer than some of those who had a hand in forcing them out of it.

Notably, the Secretaries Report to the 2022 AGM glossed over what happened in Ladies football in 2022 by euphemistically saying, "It's been a difficult year." In truth, the treatment of these 3 ladies, and the fallout from a manager refusing to step down when the intial group of 14 senior Ladies respectfully requested that he do so in November 2021, has lead to a significant number of ladies leaving the team or the club, setting senior ladies football back 5 - 6 years. This is not something that our club should be proud of.

By contrast, St Paul's and Wolfe Tones might well be able to say its been a good year for them as they have significantly benefited from the exodous. It has also impacted our camogie senior ladies with the loss of two of our best camog's in Ellie Murphy and my other niece Mairead Murray (Orlaith Murray's sister), who also transferred to St. Paul's after the appalling treatment of her sister.

Likewise, the annual report made no mention of the girl's solicitor having issued letters of claim to our club in August 2022. Surely, as members, we all have a right to know that our club was likely to be sued as a result of the actions of some of our members.

If this is the "Naomh Éanna Way", that is now so often spoken of, by those at the head of this club, then we are going the wrong 'Way'. There has been a serious failure of leadership at Executive Committee level of the club for this to have happened.

Recently, the talk from those involved has changed to "oh, it was badly handled, it should never have happened like this." As if those involved in creating and perpetuating this mess did not anticipate the consequences of their actions in wrongly accusing and pursuing these 3 ladies who, in response, had the strength and means to robustly defend themselves.   In truth, (sadly a virtue in short supply) what they mean is that when the girls were each sent a letter in February 2022 accusing them of forgery, the club simply expected the girls to roll over and not challenge an allegation of such magnitude, one which has serious implications for their reputations and futures.

The club response to being challenged to provide proof to support their allegation was to pursue the girls at speed with a pack like mentality of 'us against them'   But the  'them' were 3 of our young female members.  All the while, our Executive Committee sat docile, some entirely deprived of knowledge of what was happening, while others were knowingly compliant. Either way, this is no way to run our club.

As a club, we should now be asking why we are leaving the resolution of this mess in the hands of the very people who caused it?

Interestingly, or perhaps shamefully, when the LGFA HQ in Dublin became aware of this case, they said they have never heard of a club accusing it's own players of forgery. So, as a club, we now hold the unique and wholly ignominious title of being the first club in LGFA history to do so and, in turn, be sued as a result. Is there space in the trophy cabinet for such an award?

It gives me no pleasure to write such a critique about a club that I love and take pride in being a member of but I am sick of the talk on corners, the lies and half truths that have been spread about my niece and her teammates over the last year both within the club and far beyond its gates. The true story will now be told in significant detail before a Belfast Court, much to the shame of this club.

Finally, I see that whoever engaged with the Irish News on behalf of our club has stated that the club will "robustly defend its position."  The swift acquisition of some humility and the capacity to say we are sorry, we got his wrong might suit those involved much better. Certainly, before the courts lift up your skirts to peer at your filthy undercarriage!

As a club, we can't defend the indefensible!

Sin é

Is mise,

Declan

 UU is a Magnet alright.Not too many Sigerson lately to show for this class that has been at their disposal.

Didn't realise McGurk stole as much money as that 

Wise up!
Served his time.Moving on with his life now.Great show as they all have been in the current series.

Watching East Belfast coming into existence begs the question why aren't the GAA setting up more clubs in Dublin?

Why? 
Because it's local people in an area who see a need and then set about forming one with the County Board of that area.

East Belfast's first fixture:
Div 4 Round 1 Friday 17th July at 7.30pm
St Michael's v East Belfast

East Belfast v Castlewellan in the 1st Rc of the JHC
East Belfast v.Dundrum in the 1st Rd of the JFC

  More tripe not related to the Topic this was originally started for.
Down Championship are on this evening.

It should not be a case of "if we do this, will they do this anyway"

If we want to take steps towards a new united Ireland in the future we have to bring the unionist community along and start to break down the mistrust and barriers. We should lead by example and take the first steps. Whatever your views the tricolour and anthem will be intimidating and unwelcoming to most of the unionist community who don't full understand it. I think it would be a great step for clubs in the north.

Obviously the floodgates won't open and bring a stampede of unionists to play gaelic but it will slowly start to build and bring them on board. I understand however people want to keep it as is and that is just my own view!

Can you move this chat to non-GAA please and give this new entity a chance to get up and running without all this?

 Got word today from a friend who is joining up with East Belfast GAA,they have been accepted as an Official Down Club.The 48th.Best of luck to all concerned.
    I have a vested interest in that I would hope now to bring my children there in the future (too young at the minute)instead of across town and County border to my Club where I am still involved but not to the extent as I was when playing.

  IN THE NAME OF SWEET JE-US,CAN WE GET BACK ON THIS TOPIC AS I ONLY STARTED THIS IS TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE EB GAA CLUB NOT THIS PAGE UPON PAGE OF DRIBLE AND POLITICS?
   PERSONALLY SPEAKING THIS HAS DIGRESSED DUE TO THE INTRODUCTION OF MS.ERVINE.
                                 Ps Sorry for shouting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ps. Remember Jarlath Burns and his National Anthem/Flag rant that quickly disappeared.

I think those who heard her on the radio did listen to her. They decided they didn't want what she was asking for. Which is fair enough, I think.

The wannabe types from our side don't go asking Ulster Rugby to change their traditions to suit us.They just go along and pretend they are like them.Linda Ervine either joins up under our traditions or else just keep getting the coin for what is her admirable work in the promotion of the Irish language.We are what we are!