Activist and sports journalist Joanne O’Riordan has highlighted the lack of cover in Austin Stack Park and other GAA venues for wheelchair users.

One of only seven people in the world with Total Amelia, a condition where someone is born without limbs, Joanne jokingly complained of having ‘hypothermia’ after watching last Saturday night’s Allianz Football League game between Kerry and Dublin from a rain-soaked wheelchair section in Tralee.

“We need to have a serious conversation about outdoor wheelchair sections in GAA grounds. Possibly have hypothermia after the game in Tralee,” the avid Cork GAA fan tweeted.

“It’s annoying because I like Tralee’s wheelchair section. You’re in the crowd and can feel the atmosphere. But it’s baffling the cover doesn’t stretch across or there’s some sort of pathway into the covered part.

“I’m not sure if grounds with bad wheelchair sections should be given important games but because the standard is so shockingly low, very few grounds could hold games.

“Hell, I’m not even sure what a perfect wheelchair section is, but surely a roof / cover is a basic standard,” the Legion Killarney clubwoman added.

We need to have a serious conversation about outdoor wheelchair sections in GAA grounds. Possibly have hypothermia after the game in Tralee 😬

— Joanne O’ Riordan (@JoanneOR_Ox) February 5, 2022

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