I'm a huge GAA person. I played for Loch Gorman Senior footballers before coming to Australia on a 1 year holiday VISA. I always had the idea that I'd do the year and then head back and train hard to get back on the side but I met a girl over here and I've been here since 97 now and have 2 young boys.
Something though that really irks me is the fact that I cannot sit in my own home and look at my county play a match. There are thousands of people across the world in the same situation. RTE restrict their coverage to those only within the republic.
Really it would be great if the GAA and RTE could combine to provide us Ex-pats with an online facility to look at the games. I'd be willing to pay a monthly fee or even pay per view if it was reasonable. Really they should facilitate this. I played over here in Sydney for years and took an activate part in the club. I was even lucky enough to represent NSW against the Irish team after they played the Aussies in the Compromise Rules.
Setanta just don't seem to show much anymore. I'd look at the league games aswell as the championship if given the opportunity.

Nick (Wexford) - Posts: 1100 - 13/04/2011 13:17:26    910628

@Nick:

I feel your pain. I'm here in the Bronx and listen to the games on Wunderradio App on my ipad or the RTE App. I'd be willing to pay a reasonable fee to watch Galway and all GAA matches at home.

WoodlawnPat (Galway) - Posts: 288 - 13/04/2011 15:23:32    910748

Nick, I lived away from Ireland for a year last year and had the same problem. Fortunately there is a way! What you need to do is get what is called a proxy server. Get a subscription from overplay.net (there are other options but I found this the best), it costs around 8 euro a month I think. It's simple to use and if your internet connection is good you should have no problem streaming games live from the rte website and using the RTE player. With this service you can also use the bbc iplayer and Channel 4 on demand. When you have the subscription it allows you to connect to the sites via a server in the particular country. So to look at rte, you simply connect to an Irish server via overplay and then view the rte player. The rte website will think you are in Ireland. I used it for a year and I thought it was great and well worth the money.

letsgosligo (Sligo) - Posts: 105 - 13/04/2011 15:40:38    910764

Nick, best of luck with the proxy server. It's probably not a bad idea. I've tried it and just couldn't figure it out. But then, when it comes to computers I'm a total goon. I'm stuck in North Dakota and have become used to firing up Galway Bay FM over the internet. I've hooked it up to the stereo so I can blast it out. The neighbours have grown used to my roaring on the Tribesmen at 8 in the morning. And I have a very sympathetic wife who positively encourages me to start skulling pints as soon as the game begins. Nothing like pints for Sunday breakfast (with mass the night before, of course!).

That siad, I totally agree with the main thrust of your post. There's an awful lot of lip service paid at home by organisations like the GAA and state entities to the Irish diaspora , but when it comes down to it bugger all done to reach out.

@Woodlawnpat - at elast you have the gaelic grounds there, so you can get your dose of life matches every Sunday. I used to live in Boston and I miss the craic out in Canton big time.

festinog (Galway) - Posts: 3143 - 13/04/2011 15:52:01    910773

@festinog
If you're able to use email and post a comment on hoganstand you will be able use overplay. It really is simple. If you've tried others then just try this. you can get a one month subscription anyway and I would be very surprised if you couldn't use it. I think they have instructional videos and all but seriously it is easy.

letsgosligo (Sligo) - Posts: 105 - 13/04/2011 16:11:07    910788

festinog
County: Galway
Posts: 889
I'm stuck in North Dakota

I didnt know that festinog. Do you mind me asking how long u are in north dakota and what are you doing in that part of the US?

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11540 - 13/04/2011 16:11:11    910789

yew_tree: I'm an archaeologist and I work with several of the Plains Indian tribes through-out the Dakotas, Montana and Wyoming. Came out originally for what was originally supposed to be little more than an extended career break, but then the arse fell out of the economy, unemployment in archaeology in Ireland is over 90%, and I find myself stuck indefinitely in the US. Not a bad aulde country, but it's not Ireland!

festinog (Galway) - Posts: 3143 - 13/04/2011 16:36:58    910824

festinog
County: Galway
Posts: 891

910824
yew_tree: I'm an archaeologist and I work with several of the Plains Indian tribes through-out the Dakotas, Montana and Wyoming. Came out originally for what was originally supposed to be little more than an extended career break, but then the arse fell out of the economy, unemployment in archaeology in Ireland is over 90%, and I find myself stuck indefinitely in the US. Not a bad aulde country, but it's not Ireland!

In about 40 - 50 years time you can come back to Galway to search for All Ireland football and hurling medals.

paddyogall (Mayo) - Posts: 5110 - 13/04/2011 16:44:57    910832

@Paddy; I've actually been doing that in Mayo for the last while. No luck so far.

festinog (Galway) - Posts: 3143 - 13/04/2011 17:41:10    910886

there is a channel on sky (for those of you that can get sky) it is called premier sports and it is subscription and shows all the gaa and other irish sports.

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5520 - 13/04/2011 18:27:45    910934

festinog
County: Galway
Posts: 896

910886 @Paddy; I've actually been doing that in Mayo for the last while. No luck so far

_________

Well said Festinog!

I had a similar problem a while ago with the coverage - was in Wisconsin for a while. I found it very difficult. I'm told a proxy server is the way to go though. A friend of mine in RTE says they are forced by the GAA to restrict access online to the Island of Ireland, as that is the limit of the rights they have.

Never been to North Dakota, but its in the plan for the next trip Stateside - I'm a historian myself and did a small bit of work on Indian tribes a few years back - your job sounds fascinating!

abhainn (Galway) - Posts: 1000 - 13/04/2011 19:56:20    910995

Abhainn - should you come, make sure you time it so you're here for the two days of summer! The snow fell last September (18 inches in one night. Oo-ar madam!) and only melted last Saturday. Lovely out now, but in a few weeks it'll be in the mid 30's until the snow flies again! Tough climate. But the tribes are very interesting, and I've got to work with most of them. Being Irish is incredibly useful! Speaking of which, I attended a concert last night where a 6.5 ft tall Sioux indian stood-up and announced he was going to perform a song from his native culture; Ireland! He then launched into a recital of Mo Ghile Mear as Gaeilge! His great-grandparents on his fathers side were from Waterford.

festinog (Galway) - Posts: 3143 - 13/04/2011 20:25:07    911013

festinog - your'e job sounds very interesting alright. wish i could work stateside myself. unemployment is depressing. pity visas are a "lottery" for the usa.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11540 - 13/04/2011 20:41:39    911030

Sorry to hear it yew-tree. I get home often enough, and am in communication with friends and family daily. The situation at home is just incredible. I'll be honest, I don't know how there weren't riots when the details of the bail-out were made public.

festinog (Galway) - Posts: 3143 - 13/04/2011 21:36:10    911114

I actually brought my 2 young sons and Australian wife back 3 years ago. We stayed a year and would have liked to give it a go for longer but the whole work situation didn't work out for me so we came back. I still had an opportunity to go back to my old job and I own an apartment here so the whole idea of staying in Ireland on the dole just didn't seem like a good one. That's life unfortunately they haven't invented that jet plane yet that will get you back to Ireland from Oz in a couple of hours.

Nick (Wexford) - Posts: 1100 - 14/04/2011 13:14:24    911443

I believe Premium Sports (http://www.premiumsportsinc.com/) has the broadcast rights to the US since Setanta pulled out of the market. You can watch the games they broadcast on their website but it'll cost you $20/match (there was supposed to be yearly subscription option but I'm not sure if it ever came to be). There is also a 'venue finder' on their website to find pubs who have a subscription and show all the games but you'll end up paying $20/head to get in (not a bad deal if there are several games on) though you probably won't have much luck finding a pub showing games in the Dakotas.

FloggingSully (USA) - Posts: 11 - 14/04/2011 14:09:17    911513

flogginsally - understatement of the year! It's all ice hockey and Twins baseball here; lord help us! I paid the $20 a few times when I was living in Boston. It was fine once in a while, but come the league it starts to get pricy. So I decided that from now on I'd only pay the 20 when Galway get as far as the quarter finals in either code.

Looks like I'll be saving a fortune for the next few years ;)

festinog (Galway) - Posts: 3143 - 14/04/2011 14:35:08    911541

Sounds like a dream job Festinog. Was never in North Dakota but was in Wyoming (Yellowstone) and Montana on hols a few years back. Will return sometime to see Glacier Nat Park. Very interesting part of the country. Green with envy!!!

mod (Mayo) - Posts: 859 - 14/04/2011 16:49:19    911677

mod - you'll love Glacier, it's absolutely stunning. But better get there before it's just National Park (the glaciers are melting!).
Unfortunately I don't get to the mountains very often; ND is about 1000 miles to the east across miles and miles of bloody prairie. Not exactly the most stunning landscape!

festinog (Galway) - Posts: 3143 - 14/04/2011 18:06:28    911785

@festinog:

true. I saw Mayo play New York out here 2 years ago. I think Roscommon are coming this year. I'll be there.

WoodlawnPat (Galway) - Posts: 288 - 14/04/2011 21:49:42    911957