Polish,Nigerian or Romanian Gaelic footballers.

[ziggysego]

There's a Canadian player for the Tyrone Seniors. He's won two All-Irelands and got an All-Star in 2005.

[Louth Exile]

Is Gallogly who plays with the Monaghan seniors not of Asian descent?

Are you maybe thinking of Conor Galligan, Monaghan minor player?

I presume he flippantly meant Paul "Jap" Finlay.

He is a bit tall for an asian. The original Kieran "Jap" Finlay is closer to the asians in stature (both class acts)

You spelt Gollogly wrong, somehow I think he is very much from Carrick

[mylestheslasher]

Is Gallogly who plays with the Monaghan seniors not of Asian descent?

Are you maybe thinking of Conor Galligan, Monaghan minor player?

I presume he flippantly meant Paul "Jap" Finlay.

He is a bit tall for an asian. The original Kieran "Jap" Finlay is closer to the asians in stature (both class acts)

You spelt Gollogly wrong, somehow I think he is very much from Carrick

Asians are small, blacks are more atheletic?? I suppose Native Americans would be good jockeys too. Some of you lads are starting to sound like Ron Atkinson.

[Declan]

Asians are small, blacks are more atheletic?? I suppose Native Americans would be good jockeys too. Some of you lads are starting to sound like Ron Atkinson.

Maybe this guy could shed some light http://news.independent.co.uk/sci_tech/article3067222.ece

We've a couple of kids playing underage alright from Nigerian families.

[darbyo]

Seems to me that this is an interesting topic that will impact seriously on the future of the GAA, unfortunatly the last number of posts indicate that some on this board are content to post unfunny, idiotic and slightly racist comments to amuse themselves. Pity.

[Louth Exile]

Just reading the last few posts I hope that none of my comments were misconstrued as being racist. If they were I apologies.
I personally know both Kieran & Paul Finlay and have nothing but respect for both of them. For those of you who would not be aware... the Finlays have had the nickname Jap going back some 30 years, so no offence was meant.

I am fully supportive of other nationalties getting involved in gaelic games.

[darbyo]

I don't think the comments (yours or anyone else's) are particularly racist just that this is an issue/topic that deserves more articulate and thoughtful comment than much of what's gone before. I wouldn't mind but a lot of the comments have come from lads that normally have something intelligent to post. That this a topic of general interest to the GAA as opposed to a localised issue should allow us to engage in interesting debate Instead it has degenerated into a childish nonsensical series of posts discussing the origins of the name Gallogly or some such. Just my opinion of course, but a discussion on the future of the GAA would interest me(& others I'd have thought), who plays under 16 hurling for X club in X county does not. But maybe I'm alone in this.

[Puckoon]

What discussion is there really to be had? With an ever increasing influx of foreign nationals into ireland - Gaelic games will one day have players of full blooded foreign national  descent playing at all levels. Its already happening - as demonstrated by X playing u-16 hurling for club X in county X. Maybe im missing the point here, but are the underage players of gaelic games not the future of GAA? And are examples of foreign nationals playing our games not the entire point of the thread?

Just my opinion of course, but a discussion on the future of the GAA would interest me(& others I'd have thought), who plays under 16 hurling for X club in X county does not. But maybe I'm alone in this.

I dont think this will have a huge impact on gaelic games as we know it. Teams (as always) will either be better or poorer based on the players they pick. I dont see it becoming like basketball in america where the break down of the racial devide led to the black players of basketball and football dominating the sports. Id imagine the only real change might be an increasing difficulty in handing in the team sheets written solely in Irish. The first Miklos Krackov or Solomon Vandy lining out in the tyrone senior championship might put paid to that idea.
High profile positions in the organisation and in the various county boards will not be influenced for generations.

[darbyo]

What discussion is there really to be had?

Well, all of the immigrant communities know and understand soccer, many would have, at least, a knowledge of rugby, our two main competitors, they'd have no knowledge or understanding of GAA. If I immigrated to Poland then chances are I'd play soccer, both as a sporting and social outlet. I'd also use soccer as a way of assimilating myself with the wider Polish community. If they had similar traditional games (i.e. their version of the GAA) I'd probably not play if I thought that I'd have difficulty with the skills and I'd no idea of the rules. So unless their 'GAA' actively pursued me (by that I mean the immigrant communities) I'd probably never play and thus never have it as my first sporting love.  Most GAA lads I know came from GAA families, likewise the soccer lads came from families that had a history of involvement in soccer. Many played both but their first preference tended to reflect their family background.
                        On top of that most immigrants are living in the cities or big towns, traditionally areas where soccer is as big if not bigger than GAA and where rugby has its strongest foothold. Soccer is the natural game of choice for most of these immigrants, while many of the big, strong African or Eastern European lads would have little difficulty playing rugby at the lower levels. So the easier sporting outlet would be through those sports, and with the decline of the Christian brothers the GAA in schools has weakened, further eroding the GAA's influence on the sporting landscape.
                            Of course there'll be examples of immigrants playing GAA and it's only a matter of time before one of them makes it to inter county level, but doesn't anyone else think that as an organization we should have a plan to get as many as possible playing. Unlike certain sections of the Irish community who for their own reasons are anti-GAA these people have no preconcieved ideas about the GAA. It's position in Irish society and it's influence at a local level in all Irish communities gives it a great advantage over other sports when it comes to attracting people who want to improve their station in (Irish) life.
                             The work done 100 years ago has laid the foundation for the strength of the GAA today, as an organisation we should be looking to lay the foundations now, for the organisation 100 years from now. In this area I don't see that we are.

[Puckoon]

I dont know that the men and women coming over here to work, could really be that well accomodated by the clubs. I think the change will be down the line, when the children are intergrated into the schools and learn the game from a young age. Gaelic football is not the easiest sport in the world to learn (hurling even more so - I cant hurl to save my life), so I think recruitment (active recruitment) might be a faliure. Thats not to say that there should not be a warm welcome and encouragement for any immigrant that wants to become part of a club.
I think your point about the foundations for 100 years from now is a valid one. I think the foundations that are being laid are the foundations for elitist success (u-12-u16 development squads for county success). The foundations for the sustanence of the club community needs to be continually worked on. It will be tough to attract immigrants into GAA as soon as they come off the boat so to speak. If they stay here long enough and raise children - the kids could well grow up with the love of the game that we all have.

[darbyo]

I think you're correct about the kids, but I'm sure the Ulster council is running inter firms and 'have a go' competitions for older individuals. What are the other provincial councils doing? Look how successful tag rugby has become as a social sport. Why can't the GAA set up a 7-a-side football competition for foreign nationals?
         First have an open day in certain locations, invite local politian's and prominent business people with strong GAA backgrounds, employ interpreters for the day, and make a big deal out of it. Bring them back 1 day a week for 6 weeks, for training and finish with a one day blitz and again put on the ritz - food and drink afterwards, entertainment for the kids during the day.
             It has to be a very lonely experience for many immigrants here, if we show that the GAA can be a family experience then those that stay might become more passionate about GAA than the Irish themselves. Those who go home might bring the GAA with them and help develop the sport beyond its Irish confines. We shouldn't simply hope that things look after themselves on this issue, but get proactive about introducing our games to everybody that don't already know and love the games

[Puckoon]

Very progressive thinking darbyo, and it should be welcomed. Will the powers that be see fit to look at it in the same light? I hope so, but probably not.

[Louth Exile]

Just on your last post Darbyo. Some good ideas, the way I would really see something like that working is if the local clubs took on to run events. Example, in the towns of Carrickmacross and Shercock the main employers in the town are Ryevalley and Cartons, respectively. Both these factories are now employing very significant numbers of immigrant workers. If you are talking about getting the adults to try our games, the best way I would see to do this is, for the club to approach these employers to seek their permission to promote such events within their factories. Maybe even bring the employers into it in terms of funding, keeping their work force happy etc. But for something like this to happen you obviously need a club that is commited to the approach and the particular employer to be supportive.

In relation to the kids, this is obviously the key, as if they can be introduced them to the games early they would be able to get a better grasp of it (I know it took myself five years to get to grips with it when I was playing  ). They had an intercultural festival at my sons school this week, which I thought was a fantastic idea. They have 35 different nationalities at the school (this is just your typical long established Catholic NS) and this was a celebration of aspects of many of their different cultures. In terms of sport, they have a mini soccer world cup, which makes sense in this context as it is an international sport, I was just thinking afterwards that it would have been an ideal oportunity that the school missed to educate these immigrant kids on our national sport!

[darbyo]

Absolutely LE, this is what I'm saying, the GAA attitude is an extension of our attitude to the club player and lack of games problem. 'Head in the sand it'll sort itself out' type of thing. But I feel that this is first and foremost a GAA issue rather than a local club issue. The GAA has the money to provide real eye catching events in each county, backed up by the respective county boards and then the bigger clubs in each county. I'm not saying any of my suggestions are necessarily the way to go but I'd like to see some initiatives from the GAA to show that we are at least willing to get involved in the battle of hearts and minds for the 'new' Irish(if that's the right term)

[thejuice]

Howlin calls for non-nationals to be integrated
04 March 2008


New Leinster Council chairman Seamus Howlin has warned that if the GAA isn't successful in recruiting young non-nationals to Gaelic games then rival sports will benefit instead.

Howlin has identified the integration of non-nationals into the GAA as one of the biggest challenges currently facing the Association.

"It is imperative that we encourage these people to play our games," Howlin stated. "It's not going to be easy because they are more familiar with our international games such as rugby, soccer and tennis.

"But, if we fail to get them interested in playing our games, we risk losing a huge chunk of our new population to the other sports."