Meath Forum

Well Said Bryan Menton

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Replying To Analyst:  "Did Don Ash run a bus to the ireland final ??"
2 buses

Dalriada (Meath) - Posts: 39 - 17/09/2019 13:32:37    2236596

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Replying To thelutch:  "Under the parent rule with underage you can play for your fathers club or county so dean rock is fine, we have the same issue down on the westmeath,offaly border, you win some, you loose some but that rule is there, i am sure the credit union regrets its post but they should have put more thought into it, i have been called a BIFFO many a time at club level in meath as my club is ballinabrackey, the border clubs take it more personal because we are very proud of our roots and county."
I don't think they regret it at all. Its still up and they have numerous other posts throughout the summer wishing the Dublin county team luck. Not a single post about Meath men or Meath ladies' teams.

They also had a Dublin footballer open the Credit Union.

These people involved here genuinely think that they are living in Dublin. Its like a plantation.

Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1316 - 17/09/2019 14:44:12    2236630

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Not a dig at anybody but is it any wonder these clubs lack something as teams at adult level when the club is not a close nit as other areas away from dublin border , must be very hard to get a togetherness and spirit in the club with the stories listed in this thread

hurlit (Meath) - Posts: 415 - 17/09/2019 14:48:36    2236636

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Replying To hurlit:  "Not a dig at anybody but is it any wonder these clubs lack something as teams at adult level when the club is not a close nit as other areas away from dublin border , must be very hard to get a togetherness and spirit in the club with the stories listed in this thread"
What do they lack as adult teams?

Blackspot09 (Meath) - Posts: 869 - 17/09/2019 14:59:48    2236644

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Replying To hurlit:  "Not a dig at anybody but is it any wonder these clubs lack something as teams at adult level when the club is not a close nit as other areas away from dublin border , must be very hard to get a togetherness and spirit in the club with the stories listed in this thread"
What are you on about 'The Club'? It has nothing to do with the Credit Union hence this stupid post it has on Facebook, the club itself is very close and even a number of Dublin people involved in it know its a Meath club and will support its members when they play for the county (perhaps not against Dublin as that is where they are from originally). The problem lies in the people in this town who have ZERO affiliation with the club and put posts like this up on behalf of local businesses. All it stems to do is derive more anger and dislike towards the club from other people within the county.
I stand to be corrected but I would imagine the Credit Union in Ashbourne is now run by people who were not raised in Ashbourne at all and have no sense of community worth or pride at all (ironic given the business they represent).

ratlag (Meath) - Posts: 557 - 17/09/2019 15:21:05    2236659

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Replying To hurlit:  "Not a dig at anybody but is it any wonder these clubs lack something as teams at adult level when the club is not a close nit as other areas away from dublin border , must be very hard to get a togetherness and spirit in the club with the stories listed in this thread"
I understand your not having a dig at the Club but make no mistake about it, the likes of Ashbourne, Ratoath, Dunboyne and every other 'border' clubs are proud Meath clubs and nothing else. They produced some of our best players last year in Menton, McGiull, Lavin and McMahon as well as McEntee, Colgan, McCoy, both McGoverns as well. Don't mistake what happens in the towns which haved boomed in recent years due to an influx of people from surrounding counties (namely Dublin) for representing the clubs themselves.

ratlag (Meath) - Posts: 557 - 17/09/2019 15:27:21    2236661

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Replying To hurlit:  "Not a dig at anybody but is it any wonder these clubs lack something as teams at adult level when the club is not a close nit as other areas away from dublin border , must be very hard to get a togetherness and spirit in the club with the stories listed in this thread"
Define lack of spirit??? If Im not mistaken I think there is a huge Influx of Dubs into Johnstown and the Navan region , does this mean that this area suffers from lack of spirit??? What about the towns that border other counties e.g Kildare , Louth , Cavan??? Or is it just clubs near the Dublin border ?? And if Im not mistaken I think a lot of these Clubs near th eDublin border are Senior so must have come through the ranks which without spirit is not an easy thing to do ??????

crowleysyellowwristband (USA) - Posts: 15 - 17/09/2019 15:43:44    2236667

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Replying To crowleysyellowwristband:  "Define lack of spirit??? If Im not mistaken I think there is a huge Influx of Dubs into Johnstown and the Navan region , does this mean that this area suffers from lack of spirit??? What about the towns that border other counties e.g Kildare , Louth , Cavan??? Or is it just clubs near the Dublin border ?? And if Im not mistaken I think a lot of these Clubs near th eDublin border are Senior so must have come through the ranks which without spirit is not an easy thing to do ??????"
Yeah his is a nonsense remark to be honest. A real stereotypical small town or village mentality that oh the town teams have no spirit or heart. I've seen just as many small rural teams show a lack of spirit in games and throw in the towel as I have big town border teams down the years . It's just one of those cliches. Bit like someone from a big town saying something like oh their all wild and mad down in such and such small rural village . Plenty of wild mad lads in the big towns also.

Blackspot09 (Meath) - Posts: 869 - 17/09/2019 16:09:13    2236681

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It appears the offending post has at last been deleted, let's hope they find a new social media manager in that establishment.

Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3734 - 17/09/2019 17:03:25    2236711

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Replying To Dalriada:  "2 buses"
That's a complete lie

Selwyn (Meath) - Posts: 349 - 17/09/2019 17:50:44    2236728

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Replying To thelutch:  "Under the parent rule with underage you can play for your fathers club or county so dean rock is fine, we have the same issue down on the westmeath,offaly border, you win some, you loose some but that rule is there, i am sure the credit union regrets its post but they should have put more thought into it, i have been called a BIFFO many a time at club level in meath as my club is ballinabrackey, the border clubs take it more personal because we are very proud of our roots and county."
I think that parent rule only applies to county but I'm not 100%

srgt_slaughter (Meath) - Posts: 462 - 17/09/2019 17:53:31    2236731

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Dont see the problem. We need to do our talking on the pitch.

Jackpot (Meath) - Posts: 199 - 17/09/2019 17:57:35    2236733

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Couple of things on this though - 1, Menton's club ran a supporters bus to a dublin game last year during leinster, on the same day we had a match and 2) the meath players had a night after the end of last season up in donaghmore clubhouse and didnt their chairman or vice chairman show up in a dublin top!

sort that attitude out first and then the attitude towards d/a will change.

RR (Meath) - Posts: 139 - 18/09/2019 13:02:23    2237085

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Replying To srgt_slaughter:  "I think that parent rule only applies to county but I'm not 100%"
Not 100% certain but i am 99% it is across the board, you can play with your mother or fathers first club.

thelutch (Meath) - Posts: 1047 - 18/09/2019 14:11:06    2237129

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Replying To RR:  "Couple of things on this though - 1, Menton's club ran a supporters bus to a dublin game last year during leinster, on the same day we had a match and 2) the meath players had a night after the end of last season up in donaghmore clubhouse and didnt their chairman or vice chairman show up in a dublin top!

sort that attitude out first and then the attitude towards d/a will change."
1) It was a member in Ashbournes club that tried to run the bus, not the club itself as they had been given it for free and all money raised was being put into the underage team they wer involved with. I'm not sayin I would have done the same but the demand for a bus into the Dublin game was higher than the Meath game as there wer already buses going to the Meath one (albeit not from Ashbourne).
2) I can 99.9% guarantee than none of the recent Donaghmore/Ashbourne chairman would have been wearing a Dublin top as they are all either from Meath or have had family members represent Meath in the last 10-12 years. As for the vice-chair I don't know, but if they are from Dublin themselves then there is no problem as far as I'm concerned. The fact they are holding such a position in the club shows that they are invested in the club and helping it drive forward. I can assure you if a Meath person moved to Dublin and changed to a Dublin club they wouldn't stop wearing their county colours nor would I expect them to.

Your attitude should be that Donaghmore/Ashbourne is and always has been a Meath club and should be treated as nothing else. Disliking a club because of the fact its village is near the boarder and people have moved into it but still support where they have come from is just sad and pathetic!!

ratlag (Meath) - Posts: 557 - 18/09/2019 14:28:44    2237146

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Solidarity is something we have lacked in recent times, so it is good to see the illegally occupied Meath territories of Ratoath and Ashbourne take a stand together here. Unity is strength and it will be needed to turn the tables for this mass invasion.

dunboynelad (Meath) - Posts: 227 - 18/09/2019 15:32:18    2237178

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Replying To RR:  "Couple of things on this though - 1, Menton's club ran a supporters bus to a dublin game last year during leinster, on the same day we had a match and 2) the meath players had a night after the end of last season up in donaghmore clubhouse and didnt their chairman or vice chairman show up in a dublin top!

sort that attitude out first and then the attitude towards d/a will change."
Well said. Colm o Rourke always said do your talking on the pitch.

Jackpot (Meath) - Posts: 199 - 18/09/2019 20:05:42    2237313

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You wouldn't expect a polish person to start supporting Ireland if they moved here. Why would a Dublin person be expected to support Meath just because they live here. If anything more Dubs moving to Meath will make us better. If the club scene is anything to go off this is true

Jackpot (Meath) - Posts: 199 - 18/09/2019 20:08:19    2237315

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Replying To Jackpot:  "You wouldn't expect a polish person to start supporting Ireland if they moved here. Why would a Dublin person be expected to support Meath just because they live here. If anything more Dubs moving to Meath will make us better. If the club scene is anything to go off this is true"
Possibly the stupidest post I've ever come across on here on any thread. Nobody is expecting Dublin people who have moved to meath to start supporting meath. I was gonna explain what the issue is and why people are annoyed but there's really no point.

Blackspot09 (Meath) - Posts: 869 - 18/09/2019 21:50:39    2237355

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Replying To Crinigan:  "Fair play to him.

Hope clubs like Ashbourne, Dunboyne, Ratoath etc taking a hard line on this kind of stuff. Either the Dubs integrate into the county or they can f*** off and travel back to whatever club their parents come from. Likes of that Deegan lad in Ashbourne playing underage with club but county with Dublin should have been told where to go.

I grew up in a county club in Meath full of Mayo, Leitrim and Galway people, land commissioners etc. Didn't once see a jersey from any of these counties growing up in the area, they all integrated and bought into the club and the area. Only on Connaught final day would it really appear - they respected the counties they were in and their traditions.

I expect Meath County Board to take lead on this. The GAA and John Horan won't do it anyway!"
Crinigan , I respect what you say and enjoy your posts, but my personal experience of land Commission and families that moved from the west would be different. It was very mixed process, I will explain below in my next post.

I think deeply about Meath football. And I believe history has a habit of repeating itself. And what is going on in Ashbourne is not first time this has happenned in Meath football. I feel the plates are moving in Meath , we are entering a new era in football. U have 7 eras in Meath football so far

1 1890s to 1930 The Wilderness Years
2 1930 to 1940 Breakthrough years
3 1947 to 1955 The Peter Mcdermont/Paddy O Brien / 1949 1954 era
4 The Sixities Era / 1967 / Jack Quinn 1964 to 1970
5 The 70s The Nearly Years 1974 fo 1977
6 The 80s and 90s and early 00s /The Boylan Years. 1983 to 2005
7 2006 to 2017/2018 Post Boylan Era/Transition
8 2019 to ?

I feel we are now entering a new era in Meath football. I think it could be positive but I dont really know , but I do feel there are shifts, tensions on the ground in Meath and how they develop could be critical to the future of Meath football. Sorry for the below long winded post, but these are my thoughts on the state of play. What is going in Ashbourne is significant.

GAA is a passionate sport. And for Meath gaa people in Ashbourne and Rataoth and Dunshaughlin who get labelled Dubs and are labelled Dublins team what happenned with the carry on by local credit union is red flag to bull. I dont think the credit union could have behaved worse in the eyes of Ashbourne/ Meath gaa people. This is an emotive issue in Meath. But this has always been part of Meath football. Rivals surrounding the county , rivals within the county.

There serious disquiet agmost the Local Meath gaa people and new Dublin gaa people in the area currently.. This has historical context. This happened before and was huge benefit for Meath football. If Meath football can tap into population growth in the county going from a rural 100000 population smaller then Donegal or Mayo in late 90s to 200000 rural / suburbs population now I think it could be a huge benefit to Meath and kildare and could even herald in another golden age of Meath football.

The land of Meath has always being prized and always being fought for. Meath has some of best land in western Europe..In ancient times the land of Meath was fought over for military reasons eg high king of Ireland. In the last century the land of Meath was fought over for agricultural reasons . In this new millennium the land of Meath is being fought over for residential reasons. Once people built fortresses in Meath , then reared cattle Meath now people want to rear families..Meath land has always being prized. This has created an us versus them mentality in the county.

Meath football has always had two things part of it physhe eg fighting never say warrior qualities and siege mentality everyone against us. This come from two areas

1 The enemies on the border. Wherver u r in the country u have rival on ur doorstep. Who hates u and see. u as that Meath so and so. Ur not a kildare or Cavan man, ur a Meath man. No football county has so many rivals on it border eg kildare Dublin Offaly Westmeath Louth Cavan and Monaghan. Battles with the local rivals have made Meath teams battle harden when they came out of the provience . And also gave Meath people a strong identity. Im not a Cavan man or a louth man, I am a Meath man

2 The Enemy Within
The tension now in the county are almost a mirror image of tensions that happened 50 or 60 years ago in Meath. After 1930s and 1940s De Valera decided to bring Fianna Fail supporters and small farming families to Meath from kerry Clare Galway Mayo Donegal eg western sea board. They were given houses and land in rural Meath. It was called the land Commission

When these blowins or migrats ( which they were called ) came to Meath there was massive tension in Meath beteeen locals and the migrats. Sheds and barns were burnt down , francas and fights broke out agmost the adult and kids from both sides would meet after school and have fight with branchs and be divided into local gangs of Meath families and new migrats families.

There was even a gaelteacht in the county with new migrats. Terms like that shower in the reservation was commonly said at the time. After 20 or 30 years these families rear their children and some of their children played in great Meath teams of 80s and 90s. Colm.O Rourke was born in leitrim, Robbie O Malley had Mayo background , Mark Reilly Kerry background. They became more Meath then the locals. The people from the west brought a love of gaelic football and teams of 80s and 90s had a mix of old Meath families eg Boylan, Stafford , Giles and new west of Ireland families eg O Rourke Coyle.

However the tensions never really went away. I once read a PHD on the land Commission on Meath. And the hatred of elders farmers who moved to Meath from west when they were usually in primary school and not older ten , their hatred towards Meath football team was unreal. I knew at least 5 old farmers growing up from Donegal, Clare , Galway , and 2 from kerry . They all moved to Meath when they were 10. They became farmers and reared a family in Meath. Yet they all despised the Meath football team. There was some in the parish who came from the west who their children who born in Meath and supported Meath , but their was others who came from the west and their children , even though born in Meath supported kerry or Mayo.

The tension waa always there. And in 1996 it came back to surface. There is a massive Mayo population in Meath . The same way there is a massive Galway community in kildare. When Meath played Mayo in 96 there was many Mayo flags dotted thtoughout Meath. Outside a Meath town at the time a banner read " u stole our land but u will never steal the cup".

After the final a young Meath footballer brought the Sam Maguire to his local nursing home. He handed the Sam Maguire to a local farmer who was 70 years old and came from the west at age 9 and built a house and became farmer in Meath for the next 50 years . So the young Meath player handed the cup to the elderly farmer , the 70 year old spat in the Meath players face and wouldnt take the cup. As I said there has always being divisions in Meath and at times bitter divisions. However the migration to Meath from the west in gaa terms was a huge benefit for Meath gaa 80s and 90s.

So here we are again another migration to the county. This time from the east , namely Dublin but also from around the country as families live in Meath want to be closer to Dublin. Meath population and kildares has exploded. Could Meath become new Cavan ?. Well Cavans population declined after 1950s. Meath has massively grown since the golden era of Meath football. And its a young population.

Towns like Ashbourne and Rataoth are at the forefront of this growth . And there is shift in Meath football. The Meath capitan is not from Navan or Kells or Kilmainhamwood hes from Ashbourne , Brian Menton . The most iconic position on a Meath team is full back . The current Meath full back is not from Skyrne like Paddy O Brien or kilbride like Jack Quinn or Summerhill like Mick lyons or Trim like Darren Fay. The current Meath full back is from Rataoth , Conor McGill . Ratoath and Ashbourne are just beginning. I can see them and Dunshaughlin and Dunboyne winning many keegan cups in the future. Ratoath and Ashbourne are going to continue to be sucessful. Already this has led to tension in the county. Rataoth and Ashbourne are not popular in the county. It reminds me of kilmacud Crokes in Dublins in 80s and 90s. Kilmacud Crokes were seen as nouvea riche of Dublin football in 80s and 90s. They were sucessful new super clubs. And with the Ballymuns and St Vincents, there was tension with old traditional sucessful clubs and new sucessful clubs in the southside eg Kilmacud Crokes, Ballyboden and Cuala.

Over a period that subsided. And the clubs in south side suburbs like Ballyboden, kilmacud Crokes and Cuala have become central to Dublins sucess and old divisions have disappeared. I wonder could Rataoth and Ashbourne follow a similar path. My belief is Meaths needs to keep football alive in the Northern villages and in the heartlands of Meath football eg Skyrne etc. But also tap into population explosion in south east of county. If we do we could have sucess which could even be unprecedented for Meath. Dublin have proved migrats to county can be benefit. So many of current Dublin team their parents are from the country and brought up a love of gaelic football from the west and past it to their children who have won multiple All Irelands in this decade for Dublin.

Meath is a mogrel of county. Dublin kerry Galway Cork are pedigree counties. And when I say mogrel of a county I see that has a good term. Meath has rebel punk atitude , we are the outsiders of gaelic football. The Dubs and Cork are the establishment. We are kicking against the gaa establishment. We have been on the outside looking in. The upstarts the bad guys of gaelic football. And we love to be that. Us against the rest. U cannot beat a siege mentality in sport.

Every county has divsions eg east Cork West kerry etc. But in general people in Cork are from Cork have the same enough accent and identity. 20 % of people in Cork are not from Cork. 70 % of people in Meath are not from Meath. Meath has a mixture of groups. U have Meath up at the Ulster border. Small northern villages ( even though I am not from that part of county its part of the county that produces my favourite players ). Then u have the Meath up at the Midlands border. This is midlands Meath. Then u have central Meath Navan and surrounding Navan areas. Then u have Meath down south at kildare border. And of course Meath to the east at Dublin border. All different areas ,different groups.

Then u have the old Meath families going back generations, then u have west of Ireland families going back to 40s 50s and 60s. Then u have new modern migration creating the new Meath suburbs. Put that all together and u have a very mixed up, mogrel kind of a county. But that gives the edge to Meath. Mogrels bite. It gives us an identity to Meath football . Meath are outsiders, the upstarts of gaelic football. So it works and taps into Meaths fighting spirit. Slane Castle is not rock arena its a fortress and so is Newgrange. Meath and its land most be defended at all costs . Thats were the fighting never say spirit comes in. Geography and landscape in my view has impact on every counties gaa identity and physche.

And Meath has always had an outside influence. Someone who comes to county and becomes more Meath then Meath people themselves. Meath greatest footballer of the last 40 years Colm O Rourke was born in leitrim. Peter McDermont one greatest forwards Meath ever produced and one greatest forwards of 40s and 50s and coach to 1967 team and a man who created compromise rules. He brought Meath team to Australia in 1968 to play Auzzie Rules teams. Peter McDermont one of the Meath greats, was born in Cork. Mattie kerrigan one of the greatest ever Meath forwards was born in Galway and moved to Meath when he was 7. Colm Coyle was born in Donegal. Fr Tully Meath coach/ trainer of 1949 , 1954 and 1967 All Ireland winning Meath teams was from Westmeath. They all came to Meath and became great Meath gaa people. As I said Meath gaa is a broad church.

So to finish up what is happening in Ashbourne currently, this is a continuation of the Meath football story. As I said at the start there has always being tensions in Meath in gaa terms. New families moving to Meath , and not supporting Meath. The question is will Meath gaa take advantage of the massive population growth in last 10 to 15 years. At the moment there is divisions and tension on the ground and that is normal. The question is in 2020s 2030s and 2040s can this new young population be tapped into.

Time will tell. The families who support Dublin and kids who support Dublin they wouldnt help the Meath cause. But the families who move to Meath who have little interest in gaa , if their children join local gaa club they could be Meath future players. People who moved to Meath from around the country. The chances they could follow and want to play Meath. The population growth has been that big , there is potential there.

But there is no gurantee that this population will help Meath . Just look at Antrim , Wicklow, limerick, kildare 1940 to 1990 , Dublin to 1930 to 2010. Population guratees nothing . But its still all.to play for. The future has yet to be written. It will fascinating to see if Meath or kildare take advantage of this population surge in both counties in the future.

So here we are again. Tensions in the county in gaa matters. It will fascinating to see if population surge in Meath and kildare will benefit both counties. Time will tell. But at the moment there is tensions on the ground. . Time will tell what will unfold.

Furlong1949 (Meath) - Posts: 1067 - 18/09/2019 22:38:35    2237375

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