Are you part of the GAA ?

[fearglasmor]

One thing that struck me in the fallout from last weeks Leinster final was the attitude of many posters towards the top level officialdom in the GAA. I am interested to know how posters see the relationship (if any) between GAA leadership and their own GAA activities.

[Rossfan]

Grass roots and activists in every organisation always feel the top table/hierarchy or whatever you call them are out of touch, don't live in the real world,don't understand them,are on a different planet etc etc.

[demusicman]

Always the same in every walk of life--HURLERS ON THE DITCH

[bennydorano]

There's your club and then there's the rest.  Sometimes the Co Board seem like the enemy when they are squeezing the life outa clubs to support the Co team - which is arse about face.   The only time the Ulster council comes on the radar is when they're robbing us blind going to McKenna cup games.  At a national level, cant say I pay much heed.

[AbbeySider]

I think at national level the GAA are doing a good job of promoting the game and they are handling themselves very well with issues such as Rule 42, and development of the games. I have met Christy Cooney lately and he seems very down to earth and capable. He talked about having the club and grass roots as a priority in his tenure as president. I liked what I heard from him.

I think there is a problem at county board level and there is too much politics involved. The Mayo county board is particularly bad with the likes of Waldron, an out and out blueshirt, backing JOM for Mayo management for the sole reason to get him elected to the Dail and take a seat in Mayo. Its the kind of stuff that would really try your patience with the establishment at county board level but its been the same way for years

[Kimbap]

Abbeysider,

I may be wrong but it seems Cooney was only telling you what you wanted to hear re support of grass roots etc.I'm sure he has a well rehearsed speech he trots out every time he meets the real core of the GAA to make it sound like he's of the same ilk as them.Yet he still tries to outlaw pitch invasions with spurious arguments and stupid rationale when the vast majority of the grass roots want (and will) retain this tradition in some form. He is trying to dictate to us,the people of the association how to do things.Why would anyone listen to him,I would consider him the worst president ive seen in my lifetime ( im 32 ) and im not alone in this it would seem.Dont get me started on him takin E500,000 fron the GAA for his services over three years.

[Hardy]

Jesus Christ! Don't tell me people are still arguing for the preservation of the pitch invasion.

What will it take?

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

To be fair Hardy health and safety and the prevention of assaults on officials are obviously spurious arguments and stupid rationale.

Can't see what the benefit would be at all from preventing thousands of people dashing towards a small area in a matter of seconds or ensuring the safety of mentors and officials leaving the pitch.

[Hardy]

Exactly. And it feels good. You can't infringe people's right to feel good.

[From the Bunker]

No club in our parish! Disbanded in early 1970's. County Board refused lately to set up Club. So we are left in an eternity of Limbo bousting neighbouring clubs panels with lads who want to play the game. Many get lost at Senior level as they have no connection with their adopted club or they are treated as outsiders.

It's a mad contrast with Soccer, where you can set up a team from a housing estate, if a group of players want to play together as a club! Ok they may be playing in division 5 of a league, but they are playing for an area they represent and they are playing with their friends and neighbours.

[Any craic]

Maybe this is a good time to celebrate grass roots through this classic story showing what the GAA is all about. One lady, her family and what she did for her club. Marie Hoye passed away much too early but her name lives on and her legacy grows in the shape of the Clann Eireann Ladies Football team. Marie made an exceptional contribution to her community through the GAA, displaying leadership and courage to the benefit of so many others.

http://www.clanneireann.net/cnr/newpage.php/2010/07/17/jerome-quinn-s-brilliant-tribute-to-marie-hoy.html//

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

No club in our parish! Disbanded in early 1970's. County Board refused lately to set up Club. So we are left in an eternity of Limbo bousting neighbouring clubs panels with lads who want to play the game. Many get lost at Senior level as they have no connection with their adopted club or they are treated as outsiders.

It's a mad contrast with Soccer, where you can set up a team from a housing estate, if a group of players want to play together as a club! Ok they may be playing in division 5 of a league, but they are playing for an area they represent and they are playing with their friends and neighbours.

That seems a strange one. Is it up to the County board to form the club though. In Armagh we've had 3 or 4 new clubs emerge in the last decade. Generally it seems to be a matter of people within the community providing the impetus - holding an AGM, organising a committee and a senior team then applying to the County Board for affliation. Have the county board blocked ratification for the proposed club in your area? Can think of very few good reason to do that.

[From the Bunker]

No club in our parish! Disbanded in early 1970's. County Board refused lately to set up Club. So we are left in an eternity of Limbo bousting neighbouring clubs panels with lads who want to play the game. Many get lost at Senior level as they have no connection with their adopted club or they are treated as outsiders.

It's a mad contrast with Soccer, where you can set up a team from a housing estate, if a group of players want to play together as a club! Ok they may be playing in division 5 of a league, but they are playing for an area they represent and they are playing with their friends and neighbours.

That seems a strange one. Is it up to the County board to form the club though. In Armagh we've had 3 or 4 new clubs emerge in the last decade. Generally it seems to be a matter of people within the community providing the impetus - holding an AGM, organising a committee and a senior team then applying to the County Board for affliation. Have the county board blocked ratification for the proposed club in your area? Can think of very few good reason to do that.

Alot of history since Club disbanded in early 70's. Most of the players from the area go to an neighbouring parish club and provided 75% of the players at underage. But at senior would provide 20%.

Ironically we have one of the best facilities in the area with Gaelic and Soccer pitch together aswell as Gaelic Astro turf (You can score points) and dressingrooms.

[lynchbhoy]

No club in our parish! Disbanded in early 1970's. County Board refused lately to set up Club. So we are left in an eternity of Limbo bousting neighbouring clubs panels with lads who want to play the game. Many get lost at Senior level as they have no connection with their adopted club or they are treated as outsiders.

It's a mad contrast with Soccer, where you can set up a team from a housing estate, if a group of players want to play together as a club! Ok they may be playing in division 5 of a league, but they are playing for an area they represent and they are playing with their friends and neighbours.

That seems a strange one. Is it up to the County board to form the club though. In Armagh we've had 3 or 4 new clubs emerge in the last decade. Generally it seems to be a matter of people within the community providing the impetus - holding an AGM, organising a committee and a senior team then applying to the County Board for affliation. Have the county board blocked ratification for the proposed club in your area? Can think of very few good reason to do that.

Alot of history since Club disbanded in early 70's. Most of the players from the area go to an neighbouring parish club and provided 75% of the players at underage. But at senior would provide 20%.

Ironically we have one of the best facilities in the area with Gaelic and Soccer pitch together aswell as Gaelic Astro turf (You can score points) and dressingrooms.

thats disgraceful and disappointing