GAA rule 34 - well this sickens my hole.

Glensman · February 21, 2007, 11:59:01 PM

Do not have the exact text of the rule handy - had it but lost it.
Basically the gist of the rule is that you can't play hurling for a club and football for another club where one of those clubs offers the other code as well.

What is the justification for this? I have debated and debated this (as I have been scuppered by it) and although people have put suggestions forward as to the reasoning behind it I can't see them.
Anyone try and persuade me why it is a good rule to have??

My example:
I have been playing GAA away from Ireland for the last 7 years, ever since I was 19.
I want to move back to my home village club to play hurling.
They had no juvenile set up when I was a youngster so I played for the neighbours, part of the parish, in both codes.
So now on returning at senior age I'd like to play for my village club at hurling. They have no football team and I would like to play football.
Naturally enough I'd like to play for the neighbours at gaelic, who I did play with earlier in life.

I am stopped by this rule and as a result have to leave my parish and the gaelic club I grew up with to move elsewhere to play football.

I understand that there may be a floodgates scenario - if by giving an exception to the rule many more may happen but I really can't comprehend why each case can't be looked at on a case by case basis. Its not an everyday situation - my home village club are a junior club while the club with both codes are a senior hurling team. They would not be competing with each other.

Where the GAA have paid officers who deal with this every day I am mystified as to why it can't be reviewed each time when such a situation arrives.

All I want to do is kick a bit of football and play hurling.

A bit of a bitter taste left in the mouth.

Sorry to bore you all but any comments appreciated...

theskull1 · February 22, 2007, 12:18:45 AM

I do think this rule seems (in this instance anyway as I know the clubs you are referring to) to be unfair. I'm sure though that there will be many that will be able to illustrate why the rule is there in the first place (e.g. You competing for your hurling club against teammates from your football club although that happens between county players).

flairgun · February 22, 2007, 02:25:47 AM

It looks like you're caught in an unfortunate situation there, Glensman.
I'd say there are a couple of reasons behind this rule, for instance, stopping players moving to a senior club because their own is Junior.
Mainly though, I think in general it's to protect the idea of only playing for your local club, I think there's a lot of resistance from officials to the idea of players representing more than one club/parish...
Perhaps there's room for a re-writing of this rule somehow?

lynchbhoy · February 22, 2007, 07:50:36 AM

I know instances where lads played senior football for a team I was playing for, but played hurling for their original home team (who also had a junior side).
If I think longer about it I know I will come up with more examples.
Certainly this happned in Meath.
I think it also applies elsewhere.

Have you been told you cannot play football for the other club under this rule...?
Overactive officialdom if thats the case.
I'd bring it up to a higher level - the ulster council etc...

Declan · February 22, 2007, 08:13:24 AM

Same problem now arising in Meath alright. Drumree/Dunshaughlin being a classic example whereby if you wanted to play hurling you played with Drumree but because they are a dual club thats no longer allowed if you want to play football for Dunshaughlin.

Mid Mon · February 22, 2007, 08:16:32 AM

A number of players form my club (we dont have hurling team) have played juvenile hurling with a neighbouring club (some of them went on to play their senior team) and a very high profile member of this club, one with 3 all-stars, has repeatly tried to get some of these guys to play football for them also.

lynchbhoy · February 22, 2007, 08:26:32 AM

Quote from: Declan on February 22, 2007, 08:13:24 AM
Same problem now arising in Meath alright. Drumree/Dunshaughlin being a classic example whereby if you wanted to play hurling you played with Drumree but because they are a dual club thats no longer allowed if you want to play football for Dunshaughlin.

precedent has been set in meath to allow this...

a former AI winner (Sub) from longwood continued to play hurling there while he also played for Summerhill in football.
Longwood had a junior football team in the club.
Use that example and see what they say.

imtommygunn · February 22, 2007, 08:36:23 AM

Lynchboy PM him the name so as he can have exact evidence.

Surely there's some scope for movement given the fact you're not trying to benefit yourself by playing at a higher level for one but you are in fact preserving playing for your local club.

Dr John shouldn't be too far away from you - see if you can contact him directly. He seems reasonable enough and he would know the circumstances.

lynchbhoy · February 22, 2007, 08:39:41 AM

Quote from: imtommygunn on February 22, 2007, 08:36:23 AM
Lynchboy PM him the name so as he can have exact evidence.

Surely there's some scope for movement given the fact you're not trying to benefit yourself by playing at a higher level for one but you are in fact preserving playing for your local club.

Dr John shouldn't be too far away from you - see if you can contact him directly. He seems reasonable enough and he would know the circumstances.

aren't you still to send me an apology?

imtommygunn · February 22, 2007, 08:41:37 AM

Me?

You must be mistaking me for someone else I think.

Don't think I've ever even been involved in a thread or discussion with you.

lynchbhoy · February 22, 2007, 09:11:09 AM

Quote from: imtommygunn on February 22, 2007, 08:41:37 AM
Me?
You must be mistaking me for someone else I think.
Don't think I've ever even been involved in a thread or discussion with you.

ImtommyGunn
I unreservedly apologise
I have mistaken you for someone else!
Please accept my sincere apology !

As for naming the player, If Declan checks the web or asks any Meath fan around, they will prob be able to name the player in question. Failing that I'll tell him no prob.

Glensman · February 22, 2007, 06:19:00 PM

Thanks fellas.

I have tried more angles than enough...starting from the top Dr John (I joke)...starting from the top...Croke, Ulster Gaa, the county secretary, someone even spoke direct to Dr John and there was even 'someone who said he knew someone' on the case from the football club on the case (shhh).
In fact I have put more effort into this than getting a job back here!

I have resigned myself to not being able to play football for the old club. Hurling for the local village club prevails so it leaves me on the hunt for a new club for football, however the thought of playing football against some old teammates makes me sick. I doubt I will be playing hurling against them as there is a bit of gulf at the minute. Though the gulf is there to be breached.

Just gets to me that the GAA with numerous paid officials can't look at each situation on a case by case basis...arguments like 'what are they doing up there with all the money' are creeping into my psyche when they never have in the past. I have been an advocate of the GAA all my life, wherever I have been (and will continue to be) but a bit hard to take when they can't look after one of their own - by 'look after' I mean allow to play both codes within his own parish.

Off to cry into the dinner.

Captain Scarlet · February 22, 2007, 07:16:44 PM

the bro in law was lookin into it. wanted to play hurling with home club and do a bit of junior ball with us.
he was lucky though coz his home hurling club are run under an amalgamation club.

still though its some shite if ya wnat to wind down a career. there should be a get out clause.