I have just finished reading John Giles book and watched the sporting lives programme on Catriona McKiernan during the week, the one thing that has struck me is the disgraceful attitude of the GAA towards other sports people, in Giles case he has said the treatmnet he recieved in Brunswick street school because he played soccer made him feel through most of his life as if he was not Irish. In Mckiernans case she was banned from competing for her school in athletics because she picked the Ulster schools cross country championship instead of the Ulster camogie championship (thankfully her parents and the Irish Independent stepped in to change the schools mind). It is a sad inditment on any sports organisation that they would take stances like this and could have robbed this country of 2 of our best ever sports people and if the truth were known they are probably many great sports people that have been forced to give up there chosen sport by bullyboy tactics of the GAA.

tinrylandman (Carlow) - Posts: 387 - 19/06/2011 19:01:39    960389

I don't know the ins and outs of either case, but in the story about Caitriona McKiernan surely the school authorities were at fault there, not the GAA? I can't see how the GAA can be blamed for that.

football first (None) - Posts: 1259 - 19/06/2011 20:00:07    960429

The bullyboy tactics of the GAA is still evident these days. Take for example the Edenderry GAA club. They issued an ultimatum to their members that if they chose to play other sports ie. rugby, soccer etc, they would not be allowed to play gaelic for the Edenderry club. The end result was a mass transfer of players to a neighbouring GAA club. What irritates me most, is that Offaly football is at an all time low, and treating these players (who wish to play various sports including gaa) in this way will result in people turning their back on GAA forever.

Goatsucker (Offaly) - Posts: 265 - 19/06/2011 20:26:52    960466

I think it's a bit of a stretch to say that loreto college in Cavan is a gaa component.what was at issue in mc kiernans case was that she was an important part of the school camogie team and the school were selfishly looking after their own interest.if you followed mc kiernans career she received fantastic support from her local gas club in cornafean. They organised numerous homecomings and presentations.

marita (None) - Posts: 469 - 19/06/2011 20:33:20    960476

some in the GAA have always looked down on soccer people as 2nd class citizens and still do

b.mullins (Dublin) - Posts: 1413 - 19/06/2011 21:20:46    960526

as patrique would say it is just an inferority complex that us irish have about all things foreign

hipster (Dublin) - Posts: 2509 - 19/06/2011 21:28:57    960544

We all know, if not readily admit that the GAA is a clannish association that likes to serve its own interests above all others - sure just think of the hullabaloo of Rule 42 when our Rugby & Soccer teams needed Croke Park and remember when a GAA club here in Wexford went under investigation when they allowed a Soccer team to train on their pitch during the Big Freeze

As much as we love the GAA it is undoubtedly a very self-centered self-serving organisation that has little regard for others.

But at the end of the day, you could say that about most professional sports - as an example, do you think FIFA would allow the most famous soccer stars in the world to take up Rugby? Or allow Camp Nou or Wembley to host Rugby?

Unlikely.......

gigoer (Wexford) - Posts: 1998 - 19/06/2011 21:48:50    960568

wembley has hosted rugby and gaa finals

hipster (Dublin) - Posts: 2509 - 19/06/2011 21:58:46    960577

Maybe you should rename this, the actions of a few schools forcing people to play Gaa. I went to the CBS and we used to play basketball and soccer in the yard all the time, the school even provided a soocer ball for this, the principle was a Christian brother as well.

freetaker1 (Limerick) - Posts: 758 - 20/06/2011 09:05:49    960594

I agree that its an inferiority complex. its forced upon you when your 6/7 years of age that gaa is the best sport and always comes first and still I follow this belief even if i dont think it's right. A lot of people play for the popularity and respect you receive from your parish once you do play football/hurling. everybody else are considered second class people

Possom (Kildare) - Posts: 322 - 20/06/2011 09:36:35    960620

I'll take your word for that, but the actual point I was making is that the GAA rarely if ever, lends itself to other sports but the same can be said about most if not all other mainstream sports

It may be a bit pointed to undermine just the GAA for that

gigoer (Wexford) - Posts: 1998 - 20/06/2011 09:43:43    960626

But at the end of the day, you could say that about most professional sports - as an example, do you think FIFA would allow the most famous soccer stars in the world to take up Rugby? Or allow Camp Nou or Wembley to host Rugby?

Unlikely.......

unlikely...but this has actually happenned on numerous occasions. No it's the GAA . they are a bit like the catholic church but they are changing because as the old guard die out the new guard are slightly more enlightened....whereas the catholic church are as mad and bad as ever.

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5522 - 20/06/2011 10:01:43    960642

gigoer

But at the end of the day, you could say that about most professional sports - as an example, do you think FIFA would allow the most famous soccer stars in the world to take up Rugby? Or allow Camp Nou or Wembley to host Rugby?


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/club/6242475/Saracens-to-face-rugby-world-champions-South-Africa-at-Wembley.html

http://www.sportsworld.co.uk/events/rugby-league-challenge-cup-final-wembley

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/dec/26/gavin-henson-saracens-wembley

Smart lad you are.....

black&white (Sligo) - Posts: 1628 - 20/06/2011 10:07:42    960648

Where does it say anywhere that you have to be nice to and/or back slap people for playing other sports? Dont anyone tell me that is an inferior attitude, our sports are the best and unique and should be cherished and reverred by members of our society, if they choose other sports ABOVE ours, why should we embrace them when they do decide to spare some time for our games?

In east tyrone where i'm from and places like south derry and the nationalist population round patriques way the GAA is king and we dont pander to people who choose other sports above ours. Nor should we. Dont like the association leave it.

CheFinny (UK) - Posts: 1358 - 20/06/2011 10:25:12    960654

It can work both ways. Went to a rugby school and had pressure over the fact that I could nor would not be at all training sessions as I would train with the club.

It works both ways across all sports though things are changing.

witnof (Dublin) - Posts: 1604 - 20/06/2011 10:34:43    960662

the gaa remains stone age in its attitude- cover it up any way you want folks with things like emigration etc. when the harsh reality is people are wlking away as its a complete sham of an organisation from top to bottom. never mind players even supporters are voting with their feet 1300 people watched the defending all ireland champions in the first round- says it all. a prominent rugby official in irelan once told me 'if the gaa had brains they would be unstopable as a sporting organisation'. the inferiority complex of gaa people runs deep and the way they treat their own players is absolutley disgraceful - something must be done or every other sport will completely take over

liathroidboy (Mayo) - Posts: 4921 - 20/06/2011 10:38:12    960665

Alright, enough with the Wembley references, I freely admit I got that wrong so stop being smart p**cks about it and stick to the discussion

does anyone see the point I'm making? It's not just the GAA, Soccer doesn't lend itself to other sports either, Rugby doesn't lend its players to other sports no more than any other professional sport

So why villify the GAA for that?

gigoer (Wexford) - Posts: 1998 - 20/06/2011 10:56:10    960688

I had a discussion with someone at the weekend about something similiar- they wanted to Ban Gaelic players from playing with the local soccer team so they could build a team of dedicated soccer players- its nothing to do with bigotry or anything of the like and the same applys to GAA- why would you want your players playing another sport? All sports are in competition with each other, an individual has to choose what they want to play, and so be it.

AnMhi96 (Meath) - Posts: 72 - 20/06/2011 11:01:27    960693

ballboy the Gaa had to come to the aid of Rugby and soccer in this country,the Gaa has an 82,000 seater stadium,do you think we feel inferior to any other sports?,what happened to JG does not happen anymore,young people are encouraged to play the sport of their choice even in strong GAA schools,wasnt there lots of empty seats at the soccer internationals in the Aviva last month,the Gaa like any large sporting organisation has its faults but it never has and never will feel inferior to any other sports

mooncat (Kilkenny) - Posts: 539 - 20/06/2011 11:14:52    960713

the gaa is meant to be an amateur organisation, so the players should have every right to play other sports if the wish. it a brave laugh when the gaa come out and complains about players going to professional sports

Long_John (Down) - Posts: 299 - 20/06/2011 11:23:18    960722