Gambling left Oisin Mc Conville with debts of £100,000

[Puckoon]

Good luck to the lad is right, sounds as if he has got over his problems. Would have preferred he hadnt went to the BBC with his story though in light of their treatment of the gaa.

This should maybe be on another thread - but I think the BBC does a decent job of covering the ULster GAA.

[wobbller]

 You're point on the BBC Puckoon is total boll..ks!  Quote "The Ulster GAA" is not a phrase I or other Gaels would be familar with.Are you an Ulster Scot?

[Balboa]

Good luck to the lad is right, sounds as if he has got over his problems. Would have preferred he hadnt went to the BBC with his story though in light of their treatment of the gaa.

Lads bit of a reality check here, do you think Mc Conville gives a flying f**k about the BBC's coverage of the GAA? He used the BBC for his own means,namely maximising the sales of his book.

[stew]

If Gerard Cavlan claims to have been addicted to dog fighting and says he had a "disease" will you lads support him then?

What an inane comparison, forget what County Cavlan played for, the fact is what he did is not a disease, it is a disgusting form of barbarism he chose to be a part of and to compare the two is ridiculous.

[Rufus T Firefly]

Fair play to Oisin for overcoming this illness - he is close to a good friend of mine and I know that he was very nervous about the interview - take a bow son - balls of steel, and great to see him come out the other side with his head held high. Like alcoholism, his predicament was an illness, and he has battled through! Nice one!

Got a couple of insights into the book, and I would suggest that it is a must read for any Armagh fan, and indeed for a lot of fans further afield. I don't think there is anything particularly contoversial - but a great insight into stories and anecdotes concerning our greatest ever team. I hope it sells well. I personally can't wait to read it.

[Over the Bar]

My ma always said he looked as miserable as sin.... now we all know why.

[johnpower]

Crazy stuff dont know who to believe any more .I will wait for the book before commenting . Some posters really getting worked up.

[Puckoon]

You're point on the BBC Puckoon is total boll..ks!  Quote "The Ulster GAA" is not a phrase I or other Gaels would be familar with.Are you an Ulster Scot?

Would you prefer if i phrased it "coverage of gaelic games involving ulster counties and clubs", or "the GAA in ulster"? Of course you are familiar with it - dont we have an Ulster intercounty championship, an Ulster club championship, and an Ulster council? Dont try and act pedantic with me over fecking semantics. Ive never not found a report of a game of note in Ulster at both club and county level when I looked for it online at the BBC website. That was my initial point.

[Tyrones own]

My ma always said he looked as miserable as sin.... now we all know why.

Not much to add to what has been said other than the interview will do the book sales a world of good,
its sole purpose no doubt. Maybe it'll help pay down some of the debt
Now that you mention it OTB, he did always have an o'l sad head up on him alright!

[hectorsheroes]

Where does anybody get £100 grand to bet with?

[rrhf]

Good luck Oisin hope ye make a few quid from it.  Boys theres a massive ignorance to gambling problems on here.  I know people whose lives, marriages, work were ruined by this illness, men who couldnt buy a loaf of bread on a Friday evening after a hard weeks work.  Drinks bad but you can only drink so much,  but you can gamble everything away very quickly.  I hope he stays on top of his illness, and I just cant believe  people from within Oisins own county would use his admission to attack him.  The GAA is Irish life, it has all types of individuals most with flaws of some sort  in it because it is so comprehensive and all encompassing.  What I suspect is an undercover investigation based on betting by players to be attempted by the BBC, I suspect they will find nothing.  

[Smokin Joe]

Where does anybody get £100 grand to bet with?

i think the point is that he didn't have it.

[Smokin Joe]

Oisin says that his gambling spiralled out of control in late 02 and 03.  Based on the timing of this I assume that it had something to do with the high he felt when Armagh won the All Ireland.

If that is so, I wonder if he in any way would swap winning the All Ireland with not having his gambling problem?

[Bensars]

Good luck Oisin hope ye make a few quid from it.  Boys theres a massive ignorance to gambling problems on here.  I know people whose lives, marriages, work were ruined by this illness, men who couldnt buy a loaf of bread on a Friday evening after a hard weeks work.  Drinks bad but you can only drink so much,  but you can gamble everything away very quickly.  I hope he stays on top of his illness, and I just cant believe  people from within Oisins own county would use his admission to attack him.  The GAA is Irish life, it has all types of individuals most with flaws of some sort  in it because it is so comprehensive and all encompassing.  What I suspect is an undercover investigation based on betting by players to be attempted by the BBC, I suspect they will find nothing.  

Hold on a second here. It was Mc Conville ( or publishers ) that contacted the BBC for the interview. Im not the biggest fan of the BBC regarding their coverage and all things GAA but this is a different ball game altogether. Yes its good that hes over it and by it may make people more aware of the various organisations out there that may be of assistance for them.

He said in the the interview that the GAA should do something. It has nothing to do with the GAA.  Does the GAA get involved in all other areas of social and private life , absolutley not.

If oisin feels that strongly about about it , why doesnt he donate the proceeds of athe book to the GAA to appoint a gambling advice officer/counsellor.

Mr Mc Conville has enjoyed a lot of the trappings that only the best in GAA will experience, and i personally feel he has a cheek to ask or insinuate that the GAA should get involved. Whats next ? Marriage Guidence ? Spousal abuse ? Speeding ? the list is endless !!

[Kentucky Blue]

Bensars, I think the GAA should look after their own and give something back, it's not as if they dont have the money.

McConville doing the interview will raise awareness of the problem and its seriousness, and if that saves even one person from going down the same road that Oisin did, then it has been a very worthwhile exercise in my opinion.