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GAA and ethnic minorities

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I believe the next big issue for the GAA to deal with could be the ethnic minority one. Reason well we have just had the "gender issue". And I am sure the Media and Political critics of the GAA will be looking at the number and treatment of minority groups playing the games. How can the GAA make itself more friendly towards the new immigrants into Ireland. Soccer has shown the way in this in my opinion. galwayford (Galway) - Posts: 2519 - 20/12/2016 19:45:59 1941281 Link
Soccer has shown the way? Ethnic Minority shows up at soccer club wanting to play as he/she played in country of origin. Fits right in. m_the_d (None) - Posts: 1099 - 20/12/2016 20:13:00 1941285 Link
Replying To galwayford: "I believe the next big issue for the GAA to deal with could be the ethnic minority one. Reason well we have just had the "gender issue". And I am sure the Media and Political critics of the GAA will be looking at the number and treatment of minority groups playing the games. How can the GAA make itself more friendly towards the new immigrants into Ireland. Soccer has shown the way in this in my opinion." where does it stop galwayford....if u focus solely on what critics want it will vary from a person of each religion on the board, their gender, their race, sexual orientation etc...people will always look for something alano12 (Dublin) - Posts: 2208 - 20/12/2016 20:25:11 1941288 Link
Replying To galwayford: "I believe the next big issue for the GAA to deal with could be the ethnic minority one. Reason well we have just had the "gender issue". And I am sure the Media and Political critics of the GAA will be looking at the number and treatment of minority groups playing the games. How can the GAA make itself more friendly towards the new immigrants into Ireland. Soccer has shown the way in this in my opinion." soccer will always be their first game or in a lot of cases from experiences iv seen in my own club but having a 0 tolerance racism policy helps..i think as more immigrants start families here with irish born children there are going to get more and more involved in gaa..its already happening just not to a very noticeable extent just yet alano12 (Dublin) - Posts: 2208 - 20/12/2016 20:34:33 1941289 Link
There is a genius of a GAA man living in Dublin from Donegal called John Cassidy. He works in Dublin Bus. As far back as 2004 he organised a game between bus drivers . Only one Irish man on the pitch----the referee. So box is ticked. And if it needs more ticking he is the man to go to. theborderfox (Monaghan) - Posts: 138 - 20/12/2016 20:45:09 1941292 Link
I believe it is time the GAA adapted some kind of "PR" in this respect. Both Soccer and Rugby have non white players in the main teams. The Irish soccer team had this back in the 80's. Rugby more recently. Are there any Inter county GAA players from a Non Ethnic Irish background? Lee Chin is one, Seán óg OhAlpín was another, is all I can think off. galwayford (Galway) - Posts: 2519 - 20/12/2016 21:42:43 1941304 Link
I expect Israel Illunga and Bodo Sayeh to be on the Westmeath Senior panel this year. Jack_Sparrow (Westmeath) - Posts: 1016 - 20/12/2016 22:00:42 1941311 Link
Replying To galwayford: "I believe it is time the GAA adapted some kind of "PR" in this respect. Both Soccer and Rugby have non white players in the main teams. The Irish soccer team had this back in the 80's. Rugby more recently. Are there any Inter county GAA players from a Non Ethnic Irish background? Lee Chin is one, Seán óg OhAlpín was another, is all I can think off." It shouldn't be about PR necessarily, there are so many organizations that indulge in tokenism, or like to check identity boxes, that its made society ethnically cynical, in a way. But I do think any move to get new arrivals to the country involved in the GAA, would strengthen the GAA as a whole. And because the GAA is also a cultural organization (the games themselves are cultural), it would help immigrants to put roots in the culture, as well as the country, and make it more likely that their children will consider the Irish/Gaelic culture their own. The unique status the GAA has in communities here, can give immigrants a route into the native culture, that they might not have in other countries, not in the same way. And because participation and involvement in the GAA is ultimately celebratory, I don't think it'd be a hard sell for anyone who's looking to join a community. So yeah, its a worthwhile avenue for the GAA pursue, because it helps immigrants, and strengthens the GAA (which ultimately strengthens the culture, and the country) . Marlon_JD (Tipperary) - Posts: 1823 - 20/12/2016 22:07:32 1941313 Link
Replying To Jack_Sparrow: "I expect Israel Illunga and Bodo Sayeh to be on the Westmeath Senior panel this year." * Should read Israel Ilunga and Boidu Sayeh Jack_Sparrow (Westmeath) - Posts: 1016 - 20/12/2016 22:25:04 1941314 Link
Replying To galwayford: "I believe it is time the GAA adapted some kind of "PR" in this respect. Both Soccer and Rugby have non white players in the main teams. The Irish soccer team had this back in the 80's. Rugby more recently. Are there any Inter county GAA players from a Non Ethnic Irish background? Lee Chin is one, Seán óg OhAlpín was another, is all I can think off." Jason Sherlock. football first (None) - Posts: 1259 - 20/12/2016 22:55:03 1941320 Link
Replying To galwayford: "I believe the next big issue for the GAA to deal with could be the ethnic minority one. Reason well we have just had the "gender issue". And I am sure the Media and Political critics of the GAA will be looking at the number and treatment of minority groups playing the games. How can the GAA make itself more friendly towards the new immigrants into Ireland. Soccer has shown the way in this in my opinion." Something like this ? https://www.google.ie/amp/s/www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/gaa-club-s-integration-policy-pays-off-in-ireland-s-most-ethnically-diverse-town-1.2237262%3Fmode%3Damp?client=ms-android-h3g-ie My hometown, the most multi-ethnic town in Ireland. We've had Pakistani hurlers playing for Ballyhaunis and Mayo for years. It's important to get kids involved early in their National School days. I think many of them are influenced by what the others in their class are doing. Spotting newly arrived parents in the schoolyard is an ideal time to get them interested in GAA. My daughter, Filippina mam, is in First Class and can't try camogie until she's in Sixth Class. But she's grand to go to karate lessons. By the time she gets to sixth class she could have list interest in camogie or any GAA despite having done two Cúl camps. So I think as soon as possible try and get them into GAA. GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7345 - 20/12/2016 23:08:59 1941325 Link
Replying To galwayford: "I believe it is time the GAA adapted some kind of "PR" in this respect. Both Soccer and Rugby have non white players in the main teams. The Irish soccer team had this back in the 80's. Rugby more recently. Are there any Inter county GAA players from a Non Ethnic Irish background? Lee Chin is one, Seán óg OhAlpín was another, is all I can think off." There's 3 on Westmeath, do you not remember the minor Westmeath team few years back, 3 with Nigerian parents. I coach underage and got to say plenty of young kids from non indigenous groups play. Great to see royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 20/12/2016 23:55:56 1941336 Link
Replying To Jack_Sparrow: "* Should read Israel Ilunga and Boidu Sayeh" Id be very surprised if they not on it, great players royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 20/12/2016 23:57:13 1941337 Link
Keith Rossiter from Wexford was another, class act. Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 1909 - 21/12/2016 08:09:20 1941349 Link
Guy from Iraq playing for Leitrim made the Lory Meagher team of the year http://www.gaa.ie/hurling/news/iraq-born-zak-moradi-hurling-pioneer/ Rosineri1 (UK) - Posts: 2099 - 21/12/2016 09:39:28 1941355 Link
http://www.itv.com/news/utv/2016-10-17/syrian-refugee-shining-as-young-gaa-player-in-belfast/ Syrian lad playing hurling in belfast gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 21/12/2016 09:49:46 1941357 Link
We've had a couple of lads over the years from Belfast who moved down to the locality - does that count as ethnic minorities? Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 21/12/2016 11:16:37 1941379 Link
The GAA's great strength over and above the other main sports is the Cumann na mBunscol network. The vast vast majority of primary schools in the country have teams in the Cumann na mBunscol competition and it is very well run. This means that almost everybody in the country gets exposed to GAA at some stage in their childhood. I know that from seeing a number of underage games over the last few years the clubs (in Dublin) that have big populations of newcomer children in their areas tend to have a decent representation of ethnic minorities. Soccer will always undoubtedly be the number one sport for newcomers to the country for obvious reasons but I think the Primary school game is a great way for the GAA to attract new members (and not just ethnic minorities either!) MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13707 - 21/12/2016 11:38:25 1941385 Link
Replying To galwayford: "I believe it is time the GAA adapted some kind of "PR" in this respect. Both Soccer and Rugby have non white players in the main teams. The Irish soccer team had this back in the 80's. Rugby more recently. Are there any Inter county GAA players from a Non Ethnic Irish background? Lee Chin is one, Seán óg OhAlpín was another, is all I can think off." Lee Chin's mother is Irish btw. Fulgrim (Wexford) - Posts: 224 - 21/12/2016 11:46:21 1941388 Link
Pakistan born player on the Mayo u21 team this year which won the All Ireland. Akram,good half back. On the DCU team too. FoolsGold (Cavan) - Posts: 2763 - 21/12/2016 12:05:14 1941392 Link