National Forum

Tackling Youngters And All Bullying And Gaa Can Help With It

(Oldest Posts First)

without rehashing or personalising any case, we will have seen here where Joe Canning visited that young chaps family in Cavan whom lost his life as a result of bullying. A lovely and very fitting touch by Joe Canning, and another Galway hurler is also invovled with promotiing positive mental health. With these in mind, wouldnt it be nice to see the GAA at all intercounty games, both teams stand armlinked or breif gesture (similar to taking the knee in soccer but not necessarily that) and the reason being calling for and end to bullying and encourage those affected to reach out to someone in their club or other for assistance. I am only sticking this together here off the cuff but no doubt you will get my line of thought...highlight that bullying isnt acceptable in any sphere of life and that GAA players are there as peers etc. in fighting it or somethiing like that. Hoepfully the anoraks wont come on and say bullying has nothing to do with Sport, bullying is in every walk of life, and are young are the most vulnerable and and wouldnt it be nice to see intercounty players stand in solidarity in fighting it etc..

Fairplayalways (Offaly) - Posts: 1034 - 27/01/2022 11:43:54    2396695

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Replying To Fairplayalways:  "without rehashing or personalising any case, we will have seen here where Joe Canning visited that young chaps family in Cavan whom lost his life as a result of bullying. A lovely and very fitting touch by Joe Canning, and another Galway hurler is also invovled with promotiing positive mental health. With these in mind, wouldnt it be nice to see the GAA at all intercounty games, both teams stand armlinked or breif gesture (similar to taking the knee in soccer but not necessarily that) and the reason being calling for and end to bullying and encourage those affected to reach out to someone in their club or other for assistance. I am only sticking this together here off the cuff but no doubt you will get my line of thought...highlight that bullying isnt acceptable in any sphere of life and that GAA players are there as peers etc. in fighting it or somethiing like that. Hoepfully the anoraks wont come on and say bullying has nothing to do with Sport, bullying is in every walk of life, and are young are the most vulnerable and and wouldnt it be nice to see intercounty players stand in solidarity in fighting it etc.."
an anti-bullying wristband worn by players

CillTormoir (Galway) - Posts: 485 - 27/01/2022 12:19:20    2396703

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We need to stop tolerating abuse at all levels.

Often seen on this forum where the poster is attacked rather than the post being debated. You can disagree with someone without abusing them.

Lack of basic manners is a problem in society and this then lowers the bar as to what is acceptable

Mayonman (Galway) - Posts: 1826 - 27/01/2022 13:10:08    2396707

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Replying To Mayonman:  "We need to stop tolerating abuse at all levels.

Often seen on this forum where the poster is attacked rather than the post being debated. You can disagree with someone without abusing them.

Lack of basic manners is a problem in society and this then lowers the bar as to what is acceptable"
Mayoman I will shake your hand on that, on many forms attack is the only debate known by looks of it, and derogatory slogans and terms used, I agree completely, yes, if one doesnt agree, say so, and why one disagrees and what ones alternative point is...well said...

Fairplayalways (Offaly) - Posts: 1034 - 27/01/2022 16:15:20    2396749

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Replying To CillTormoir:  "an anti-bullying wristband worn by players"
brilliant idea or ankle band or something that wil be talked about and bring up the topic..

Fairplayalways (Offaly) - Posts: 1034 - 27/01/2022 16:18:01    2396750

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Replying To Mayonman:  "We need to stop tolerating abuse at all levels.

Often seen on this forum where the poster is attacked rather than the post being debated. You can disagree with someone without abusing them.

Lack of basic manners is a problem in society and this then lowers the bar as to what is acceptable"
Exactly I was the victim of it here yesterday, water off a ducks to me especially given the poster in question is a blatant troll but it might not be to someone else.

bostonredsox (Wexford) - Posts: 4368 - 27/01/2022 16:51:02    2396756

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Replying To Mayonman:  "We need to stop tolerating abuse at all levels.

Often seen on this forum where the poster is attacked rather than the post being debated. You can disagree with someone without abusing them.

Lack of basic manners is a problem in society and this then lowers the bar as to what is acceptable"
I agree with you Mayonman. There is a lowering of standards all too common nowadays.

MicktheMiller (Offaly) - Posts: 421 - 27/01/2022 17:46:30    2396766

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Replying To CillTormoir:  "an anti-bullying wristband worn by players"
I'm all for anything that highlights these problems and starts a conversation, that said an awful lot of the time that's all these things become is a gesture and nothing else. Not to belittle your point in any shape or form its action that's needed by society. Its up to everybody to make a stand on this and call out people who are at it. Its too serious a problem now.

As another poster made reference to some of the attacks on people's point of view on this forum. It has to start with everyday things like that.

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 1898 - 27/01/2022 21:09:57    2396790

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Replying To Bon:  "I'm all for anything that highlights these problems and starts a conversation, that said an awful lot of the time that's all these things become is a gesture and nothing else. Not to belittle your point in any shape or form its action that's needed by society. Its up to everybody to make a stand on this and call out people who are at it. Its too serious a problem now.

As another poster made reference to some of the attacks on people's point of view on this forum. It has to start with everyday things like that."
well said on all points, GAA excellently positioned to be a leading light in highlighting it..

Fairplayalways (Offaly) - Posts: 1034 - 28/01/2022 12:26:57    2396846

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Very sad case that in Cavan, bullying is rife everywhere in society but it seems to be in the nature of the beast, Can be seen often on this forum as has been said though obviously it's easily ignored on a forum like this,
wearing a wrist band would be as much use as the taking the knee they do before premiere league soccer matches in England, in other words no use at all.
Still though I suppose it would show people cared but would be of no use to some poor devil that's being bullied by lowlife cowards.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 2739 - 29/01/2022 16:40:44    2397001

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Perhaps a designated named ally in each club that teenagers can speak to in confidence for support

Calving4Sam (Cavan) - Posts: 69 - 29/01/2022 17:35:21    2397013

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tks for all that posted on this topic..just to try and keep it "up there" topic wise is very important..

Fairplayalways (Offaly) - Posts: 1034 - 31/01/2022 14:50:44    2397507

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The yokes who tormented that young fella are not going to be made better people by wrist bands or ads with county stars. They are probably not going to be made better people by anything let's be honest.

The thing is then to make it costly for them to hound someone to death. That starts with their own parents. I'm pretty sure I'd have known if my own or friends had been at that when they were teenagers, These yokes get a lot of their attitudes and behaviours from parents who are the same ilk. You see it all the time.

First hint of anything like this and throw them out of teams and clubs. It happens at all levels too and I've heard stories of it even on county teams going back the years. To extent it damaged lads and indeed - on the positive side - influenced one later successful manager to insure that no such crap would be tolerated under his watch.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 2523 - 31/01/2022 15:54:20    2397527

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Replying To Fairplayalways:  "without rehashing or personalising any case, we will have seen here where Joe Canning visited that young chaps family in Cavan whom lost his life as a result of bullying. A lovely and very fitting touch by Joe Canning, and another Galway hurler is also invovled with promotiing positive mental health. With these in mind, wouldnt it be nice to see the GAA at all intercounty games, both teams stand armlinked or breif gesture (similar to taking the knee in soccer but not necessarily that) and the reason being calling for and end to bullying and encourage those affected to reach out to someone in their club or other for assistance. I am only sticking this together here off the cuff but no doubt you will get my line of thought...highlight that bullying isnt acceptable in any sphere of life and that GAA players are there as peers etc. in fighting it or somethiing like that. Hoepfully the anoraks wont come on and say bullying has nothing to do with Sport, bullying is in every walk of life, and are young are the most vulnerable and and wouldnt it be nice to see intercounty players stand in solidarity in fighting it etc.."
The prime time programme about the bullying of Eden Heaslip that caused him to take his life should be shown to all 6th class and first years. It was extremely difficult to watch. RIP Eden

On Joe he only just lost his mother to Cancer a few days ago. The fact that he made time to visit Edens family while going through so much himself shows what a great man he is off the field. A credit to his mother and family.

GAA players have a massive influence on youth and I think it'd be great to get the GAA involved in anti bullying campaigns.

galwayfball (Galway) - Posts: 1678 - 31/01/2022 16:00:58    2397533

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Replying To galwayfball:  "The prime time programme about the bullying of Eden Heaslip that caused him to take his life should be shown to all 6th class and first years. It was extremely difficult to watch. RIP Eden

On Joe he only just lost his mother to Cancer a few days ago. The fact that he made time to visit Edens family while going through so much himself shows what a great man he is off the field. A credit to his mother and family.

GAA players have a massive influence on youth and I think it'd be great to get the GAA involved in anti bullying campaigns."
well said and fair play to Canning in the circumstances too it was noted on other forms about his late mother..showing that programme to kids though is bit much maybe, they are only kids at end of the day, explain the actions and the consequences maybe for sure, and whats missing of course is the legai conseqences...without delving into the exact details so as not to further distress the famiy concerned, various assualts were mentioned, threats were mentioned, the victim was under 18 and told a priest, and told his parents, surely that is enough for the blue lights to drive into the yard of the bullies and knock on the door..all they are doing is investigating allegations at that stage, and I think most young lads of around that age would have the bejaysus frightened out of them at that "knock on the door" prospect...I cant get over how no action at all was taken, even unknownst to the victim who didnt want to do anything in case it got worse, people know who the agressors were, surely to God the school had some form or record of alleged incident/assault, I certainy hope protecting repretations is/was not an issue in dealing at school level at least with the case. Now surely, with all that has happened in the case, late as it is, people are maturing and surely will say "look, I know who done what" etc..its only right that that happen, I am not for the lynch mob either but some form of justice and hopefully educate those involved of wrongs of their actions, and if they dont listen to that, then by all means throw the book at them. The silence around the agressors side of things is very worrying from what I see, I hope they are not the children of the "who's who" in society...anwyay..hopefully this case will see justice and laws changed, it has to..you cannot get away with behaviour which results in such catastropic consequences....I support GAA all day long taking up this torch...

Fairplayalways (Offaly) - Posts: 1034 - 01/02/2022 13:18:14    2397694

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Canning's act was a touch of class and I hope can provide some comfort.

In the grand scheme of things, I think that anti-bullying bands etc come from a truly genuine place, but will never bring about meaningful change on their own. Anti-Bullying policies have to be brought in from top-down, and needs to be re-enforced regularly. I view the GAA as one of the most influential cultural organisations in Ireland, it has the power to be a leader on topics like these.

Much the same with the recent tragedy in Tullamore and the added focus on gender-based violence. Hundreds, maybe thousands of clubs organised vigils for the victim, but will these clubs bring in policies and female-led programmes to address misogyny and inequality in their club? The vast majority will not.

All I can say is if you feel anyway strongly about these issues as a Gael, get involved at a board level, at youth level or even senior. Make your points at AGMs and monthly meetings. Bang that drum constantly and you will get your way. Seek nomination as an Inclusion Officer, or a Child Protection Officer. One person with a plan and their heart in the right place is worth a thousand vigils or wristbands.

SurelyToGod (Donegal) - Posts: 373 - 03/02/2022 13:44:17    2398124

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