So those who run Pairc Ui Chaoimh will allow any band this side of China play on the hallowed turf provided they make a few bob for the GAA. Meanwhile Liam Miller, a soccer player who played GAA as a child and who died so prematurely, leaving a young family behind receives the thumbs down when the organisers of his benefit match sought use of the stadium. THe Pairc holds 45,000 people while the said organisers can now only plan around 7,000, the maximum crowd the Cork City grounds can hold. What was the attendance at the recent Clare/Wexford hurling quarter final in Cork. Told it was less than 10,000 and was also told that business people in the city ie hotels, bars, restaurants etc. concerns who regularly help out the local GAA club, were hugely disappointed at the lack of return from this clash. Here was a great opportunity for the GAA to show a great gesture of goodwill, make a euro or four for that business sector and above all help out a young wife and children. Yes there are rules, minor issues that are side stepped every day of the week in every walk of life in this country. It all smacks at some elements of the GAA remaining in the 1960's. Can only pray that it is still not too late and that the decision can be reversed. Surely this is what the ordinary members of Cork GAA want.

Triple H (Meath) - Posts: 551 - 19/07/2018 12:03:43    2123724

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 19/07/2018 12:08:12    2123725

gilly0512 (Galway) - Posts: 1176 - 19/07/2018 12:09:12    2123726

Sad day for the GAA and the Cork community as a whole. With the debacle of Newbridge or nowhere and now this they really don't care how they are perceived and they don't care about the ordinary man on the street. Life is more important than sport and this would have been a great chance to show the family of LIam Miller that despite sporting divides we can help shoulder their grief a little.

But know. We have a bunch of dinosaurs running the show.

daytona11 (Kildare) - Posts: 4012 - 19/07/2018 12:47:30    2123741

As an association, its seems to be moving further and further away from community!

Its like its fighting something, but loosing.

Ban (Westmeath) - Posts: 1415 - 19/07/2018 13:10:01    2123747

Cork county board not to blame here, it was a motion passed at congress which prevents it.

How are ideas brought to congress? Would love to see discussion groups in each county made up of fully paid up club members who could discuss issues and then recommend ideas to be brought to congress.

Mfs (Mayo) - Posts: 251 - 19/07/2018 13:35:37    2123756

This is a total disgrace and shows the GAA in such an antiquated light. They really must put no value on goodwill or PR. It's hard to believe there's no way around allowing Pairc Ui Chaoimh to be used for this match or that nobody can use their initiative and make it happen. They surely don't think anyone would have an objection within the GAA community to allowing the rules to be bent on this one very exceptional and great cause occasion. Cop on, let the match be played in Pairc Ui Chaoimh and everyone will be the better of it, especially Liam Miller's family.

kildare73 (Kildare) - Posts: 854 - 19/07/2018 13:36:14    2123757

Backwards looking decision.
Reversal required.

#Pairc Ui Chaoimh or nowhere.

Knoxboya (Monaghan) - Posts: 357 - 19/07/2018 14:12:54    2123770

In fairness the GAA do have a system for this kind of thing and if they organised it well in advance it could (and probably would) have had passed at the AGM.

HOWEVER, I think there should be some system in place to meet and vote (electronically anyone?) on short-term issues like this, or as one poster says, do away with the rule altogether and give county boards the authority to vote on their own stadia as issue like these arise.

Don't know would I trust every county board to do the right thing though.

On a side note, I see a lot of people raising the issue of shared sport stadia - not sure I agree with this but I think there should be shared province stadia in the GAA as I don't think every county needs a 30k+ stadium

The_DOC (Galway) - Posts: 705 - 19/07/2018 14:15:37    2123772

GAA - more than happy to remove rules such as Rule 21 which was voted against by all but one of the affected Counties yet keep rules like this in place which prevent use of the grounds for another sport - and especially when the cause would be one which most right thinking people would support. The Organisation is losing support of people on a daily basis it seems over rules, structures, finance etc etc. They are slowly killing what was once a great Organisation. Thank God for clubs and grass roots is all I can say. Let them not ruin that as well!!!

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 19/07/2018 15:20:37    2123790

While I'd like to see it played in Pairc Ui Caoimh I totally understand that there are rules in place for a reason. The stadia are to promote gaelic games who are in a tougher than ever battle for the hearts and minds of the youth from professional sports.

If there is an exception given the the next case doesn't have to be so strong. If Thomond Park is being renovated in a few years big games have to go to the Aviva if no suitable Munster venue can be found... Absolutely different circumstances but if the precedent has been set then the pressure will come on to relax the rules even more

Strategically it would be very interesting for Munster rugby to test out the viability of a large stadium in Cork, something that would likely negatively impact the GAA. Cork City draw some big english team in Europe same thing.

Gaelic games are amateur, their facilities are one of their best resources compared to other sports, it makes sense to keep a tight reign on them. As a GAA person I don't want my kids assocation the park with somewhere Pogba got a great goal against City. I want them associating it with some magical points by Hoggie on a day the rebels beat the premier or (God will I live to see it) the day Kerry will be put to the sword in a Munster football final!

All that said, this is an exceptional one for a great Cork man, if an exception could have been made now was the time to do it.

dahayeser (Cork) - Posts: 336 - 19/07/2018 15:24:12    2123791

Was wondering when this would come up , personally have no issue with the game going ahead in any GAA ground particularly for the cause in this instance, however if you take emotional circumstances away for a second wasn't there a massive hullabaloo on here re rules been broken re Kildare playing in HQ , there is currently a big debate re Dublin getting so called home games , my point is we are the association US if you are a club member OUR rules, if WE don't like them then it's up to US to help enforce change , or we could get a keayboard and a soap box less work , populist posts are all the rage at the moment

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 19/07/2018 15:44:07    2123797

Everyone here who is a member of a club has the opportunity to change these rules every year

890202 (Wexford) - Posts: 1278 - 19/07/2018 16:01:07    2123802

First and foremost as we all know cancer is a terrible disease that sadly affects most familys in one way or another.
While I feel sympathy in this case, I do understand the GAA's rules and format for change through congress.
Solution work around, as per disciplinary appeals process in the GAA : Find a loophole.
Change the game to be a benefit game for ALL (Liam included) Cork past & present GAA People who have died/suffering from Cancer. Split the profits as pre decided before the event to the selected charities.

IrelandUnited (Tyrone) - Posts: 77 - 19/07/2018 16:09:21    2123805

well they wouldn't let 2-3 clare gaels on the pitch at the weekend,what hope is there of them letting a few man united players onto it?

perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 19/07/2018 16:15:27    2123807

kildare73 (Kildare) - Posts: 854 - 19/07/2018 18:00:17    2123828

Terrible decision. The GAA seem to only pick and choose when to implement this rule.

I cant think of any big clubs in Dublin that dont have a basketball court infact the GAA a few years back actually launched an officaial GAA/basketball crossover initiative from a basketball court in a GAA club!
http://www.hoganstand.com/county/mayo/article/index/244594
">link
Is basketball now not a foreign sport? The GAA are actively promoting it and its use on GAA grounds (which i applaud) but its ridiculous to then say now their os still on ban on foreign sports

bad.monkey (USA) - Posts: 4624 - 19/07/2018 20:07:37    2123853

Embarrassing, playing the game in PUC ffs.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 19/07/2018 20:09:16    2123855

I would love to see the game being played in the pairc, any family that suffers through this ugly disease deserves the best chance of gaining from it. Unfortunately last i heard was the game was going to be played at 3 pm on a tuesday as there is a gala ball that evening in the city hall also as a fundraiser. Surely this game could be fixed for a Friday or Saturday evening therefore ensuring a bigger attendance therefore putting extra pressure on the gaa to open an olive branch to other sports and also to show that the association is not being run by a pack of dinosaurs. Time for the GAA to drag themselves into modern times and in all fairness what harm would it do only maybe get the hundreds maybe thousands that are leaving in their droves because of the way it is run may return because of a simple but very important decision. RIP Liam a cork sporting hero to all, gone but not forgotten

mrsme (USA) - Posts: 172 - 19/07/2018 21:37:30    2123876

Unbelievable & unforgivable decision. A complete lack of common sense, empathy, humanity & a PR disaster from an Association going from one car crash to another. Let's not forget that €30 Million of the public purse went to this project & supposedly there were conditions on it, in particular making it available to the community for charitable purposes. Surely this meets those conditions, it's a charity game not a competitive game. Are they afraid that a charity soccer game will sell out the capacity ? But who is surprised, this project went way over budget, the pitch itself has been very poor as we saw earlier in the year, cutting up everywhere. No problem letting the RWC be there to get the €30 Million or holding concerts and let's not forget that the Cork ladies footballers the greatest ladies team ever, have never being allowed play C'ship at PUC. Hiding behind the "needing to be passed at Congress" story suits them all, but let's not forget this Board were the leading speakers against the CPA motion on having transparency at Congress, that will tell you all you need to know. Liam Miller was a fine sportsman, a former GAA member as a child,his whole hearted ness & honesty on the field was an example to all, if they cannot as an Association honour a local & national sportsman they should have any further funding withheld. Another cock up.

Uimhir.a.3. (Galway) - Posts: 409 - 19/07/2018 23:08:29    2123895