The GAA at it again

SectionF

mike65 wrote: »

This is being talked about now on Liveline

www.rte.ie/radio1

Was wondering how it had received so little attention nationally, in spite of efforts to portray it as a local spat that tells us nothing of GAA culture or policy.

iregk

There has been a lot of tit for tat on this thread to last a life time. GAA fans backing their corner and not understanding the hatred and Footie fans backing theirs and not understanding GAA fans defensiveness. The same question has come up a few times: Why do football fans hate the GAA? This has been answered a few times also but its really quite simple.

The antiquated view of the GAA that they see any other sport as a virus that must be destroyed is so woefully out of touch. Some people on this board know that I used to play for the then Tallaght Town and Thosmas Davis GAA club. Any Rovers fan will tell you that Tallaght Town became Shamrock Rovers and hence how I ended up playing on both sides of this divide.

When I was 15 TT knew I was playing for Thomas Davis and they were happy with the situation as I was as fit as a fiddle. My manager at TD one day while out walking his dog in the dodder saw me playing for TT and brought it up at training the following week. In the dressing room in front of the rest of the team and asked me where my loyalties lie. He told me to pick one, I picked football and I was told to leave the clubhouse and I'm not welcome back. I went to book my 21 there back in the day and they refused my booking as guess who answered the phone when I went to book? My old manager.

I went to a friends 21st there some months after my own and while going to the toilet I met one of the trainers who used to train us, he was still there nice chap, shook hands and that was that. 2 mins later while enjoying a pint in walks the old manager form upstairs and told me to leave.

Now, someone tell me when that has ever happened at a football club? I'd wager never.

Lastly. A lot of GAA heads here are proclaiming the brilliance of the organisation with regards to opening up Croker to football and rugby. Lets not escape the big issue here. Every few years the GAA when running to the government looking for money to rebuild Croker. Year on year a weak government gave in and handed it out. Football in all this time never got a look in. Eventually when it became clear that they may have to play international in Wales the GAA mearly bowed to public and governmental pressure and opened up HQ.

Lets not ignore the fact that they did so as a PR exercise and with the sole intention of milking both organisations dry. The price of tickets is scandelous and this is down purely to the GAA and the rather large collection plate they are pushing in the FAI and IRFU's faces.

delta_bravo

iregk wrote: »

. The price of tickets is scandelous and this is down purely to the GAA and the rather large collection plate they are pushing in the FAI and IRFU's faces.

I highly doubt this. So are you saying the prices for rugby and soccer games will fall when they move back into Landsdowne?

monkey9

Same thing happened to me when i was younger. I played both GAA and football. Was told to choose so i chose football!

therecklessone

iregk wrote: »

The antiquated view of the GAA that they see any other sport as a virus that must be destroyed is so woefully out of touch. Some people on this board know that I used to play for the then Tallaght Town and Thosmas Davis GAA club. Any Rovers fan will tell you that Tallaght Town became Shamrock Rovers and hence how I ended up playing on both sides of this divide.

When I was 15 TT knew I was playing for Thomas Davis and they were happy with the situation as I was as fit as a fiddle. My manager at TD one day while out walking his dog in the dodder saw me playing for TT and brought it up at training the following week. In the dressing room in front of the rest of the team and asked me where my loyalties lie. He told me to pick one, I picked football and I was told to leave the clubhouse and I'm not welcome back. I went to book my 21 there back in the day and they refused my booking as guess who answered the phone when I went to book? My old manager.

I went to a friends 21st there some months after my own and while going to the toilet I met one of the trainers who used to train us, he was still there nice chap, shook hands and that was that. 2 mins later while enjoying a pint in walks the old manager form upstairs and told me to leave.

Utterly disgraceful behaviour.

iregk wrote: »

Lastly. A lot of GAA heads here are proclaiming the brilliance of the organisation with regards to opening up Croker to football and rugby. Lets not escape the big issue here. Every few years the GAA when running to the government looking for money to rebuild Croker. Year on year a weak government gave in and handed it out. Football in all this time never got a look in.

Let us not forget that if it wasn't for the fact the FAI couldn't find it's arse with both hands and a packing of hunting hounds, it could have got it's hands on some of that money. Instead they faffed about over Eircom Park, then swallowed Bertie's guff over Abbotstown, with predictable results.

iregk wrote: »

The price of tickets is scandelous and this is down purely to the GAA and the rather large collection plate they are pushing in the FAI and IRFU's faces.

http://www.faivantageclub.com/

TBH.

stovelid

iregk wrote: »

When I was 15 TT knew I was playing for Thomas Davis and they were happy with the situation as I was as fit as a fiddle. My manager at TD one day while out walking his dog in the dodder saw me playing for TT and brought it up at training the following week. In the dressing room in front of the rest of the team and asked me where my loyalties lie. He told me to pick one, I picked football and I was told to leave the clubhouse and I'm not welcome back. I went to book my 21 there back in the day and they refused my booking as guess who answered the phone when I went to book? My old manager.

I went to a friends 21st there some months after my own and while going to the toilet I met one of the trainers who used to train us, he was still there nice chap, shook hands and that was that. 2 mins later while enjoying a pint in walks the old manager form upstairs and told me to leave.

Now, someone tell me when that has ever happened at a football club? I'd wager never.

If they had the neck to ban Conor Lenihan, this wouldn't surprise me.

Shocking though.

therecklessone wrote: »

Let us not forget that if it wasn't for the fact the FAI couldn't find it's arse with both hands and a packing of hunting hounds, it could have got it's hands on some of that money. Instead they faffed about over Eircom Park, then swallowed Bertie's guff over Abbotstown, with predictable results.

Nobody in their right mind would disagree.

The need to blindly defend "our association" is not shared by the majority of football fans - or least the ones with any sense.

That's why GAA fans (not saying you are, of course) countering valid criticism of the GAA by queuing up to shoot fish in the FAI barrel is pointless.

_blank_

stovelid wrote: »

That's why GAA fans (not saying you are, of course) countering valid criticism of the GAA by queuing up to shoot fish in the FAI barrel is pointless.

Exactly, the dogs in the street know the FAI is a shítehouse, the GAA Sympathisers telling us this like it was some kind of oracle revelation is quite hilarious.

We know the FAI do things badly, fúck me, we do enough carping about it.

just seems to me that they are so precious about the GAA that any criticism of it has to be compared to the way the FAI do things.

Why is that?

Why can a valid criticism of the GAA not be taken as such?

How come every time the GAA do something like this, the GAA people make a comment like "Yeah well the FAI is crap".

It bears no relevance to the issue at hand.

dcr22B

CiaranC wrote: »

Come back to us when our organisation attempts to use financial and political power to destroy your most famous, most successful club when they are their most vunerable.

Until then, stick to the bogball forum.

Think you might find that Shamrock Rovers did a pretty good job of destroying themselves back in 1987 and thankfully, for the genuine supporters out there, a small band of loyal supporters got together and salvaged the club from the depths of despair.

The level of hatred you guys have for the GAA is unbelievable. One can only assume that this hatred is part of a jealousy that members of the soccer forum seem to hold against the popularity of the GAA at the expense of the LOI (which is the most poorly promoted and run product that I've ever come across)!

Xavi6

dcr22B wrote: »

The level of hatred you guys have for the GAA is unbelievable. One can only assume that this hatred is part of a jealousy that members of the soccer forum seem to hold against the popularity of the GAA at the expense of the LOI (which is the most poorly promoted and run product that I've ever come across)!

Why exactly is it unbelievable? Was the Thomas Davis thing a figment of the imagination?

stovelid

dcr22B wrote: »

Think you might find that Shamrock Rovers did a pretty good job of destroying themselves back in 1987

Our then owner sold our ground. Hardly the 'clubs' (fans) fault.

TD's actions contravened every principle of sporting decency and they know it.

Obviously it's a generalization, but I don't think you'll find many football fans that won't relentlessly criticize past boards, officials, and the FAI at the drop of a hat. Supporters of Irish football are far more likely to offer real self-criticism in this sense (often out of sheer heartbreak and bitter experience) than to show a blind loyalty to the 'organisation' the minute it's criticized.

thegen

I cant see why both sides of the argument acknowledge their own organasitions failings and concentrate more on the development of young talent than point scoring off each other.

BTW I played both codes until I had to make a decision on which one I would go on with.

I chose football. I am now coaching GAA as I feel the Academy regime is far better than that of football as my young lad does both and I have seen both sides of the story at grass roots level.

That does not take away my enjoyment of both GAA and football. Hell I even enjoy rugby now;)

_blank_

Xavi6 wrote: »

Why exactly is it unbelievable? Was the Thomas Davis thing a figment of the imagination?

No, but the sympathisers would have you believe that it was a "local issue for local people" when all and sundry know it was bankrolled by Croke Park, the same way this latest issue was OK'd by Croke Park.

Doesn't really matter though, they have their blind followers, in who's eyes they can do no wrong.

_blank_

thegen wrote: »

I cant see why both sides of the argument acknowledge their own organasitions failings and concentrate more on the development of young talent than point scoring off each other.

Because it isn't about that.

This is what that GAA people are trying to make it.

If a Rugby Club acted in this manner, with directive from the IRFU, I'd be on at them too, but the IRFU don't act like this.

The ONLY organisation with a history and tradition of it, is the GAA.

Yes, the FAI is badly run, as is most Soccer in this country, but they have never, as an organisation, gone out in darkness and ploughed a field so a GAA team couldn't play on it.

elshambo

dcr22B wrote: »

The level of hatred you guys have for the GAA is unbelievable. One can only assume that this hatred is part of a jealousy that members of the soccer forum seem to hold against the popularity of the GAA at the expense of the LOI (which is the most poorly promoted and run product that I've ever come across)!

jealousy? :rolleyes:

:oYou honestly thing that is the reason?:o

Comments like THIS are amoung the many reason a lot of football people in this country dislike the gaa

Mostly it would be personal experiences of the gaa people/clubs treating football people/clubs badly and getting away with it/official backing

Soon enough ignorance will no longer be bliss
which will be bad news for the blissfully ignorant

Mushy

Des wrote: »

No, but the sympathisers would have you believe that it was a "local issue for local people" when all and sundry know it was bankrolled by Croke Park, the same way this latest issue was OK'd by Croke Park.

Doesn't really matter though, they have their blind followers, in who's eyes they can do no wrong.

Can this please be clarified. Croke Park would have/did OK'd the re-development of the land. But the manner in which it was carried out by Castlemaine/Milltown GAA club is surely seperated from that, isn't it?

As in, GAA club given acceptance for re-development, then go about destroying pitch in stupid pathetic manner, on comes repercussions etc.

From what I can see, people bashing the GAA here are over-emphasising the role of CP. I doubt they were told the manner in which the ground would be dug up. So whats wrong with them approving a positive re-development? On the other hand, if they were told GAA club would plough field in middle of night, and still agreed to it, then bash GAA away.

Orizio

Des wrote: »

Exactly, the dogs in the street know the FAI is a shítehouse, the GAA Sympathisers telling us this like it was some kind of oracle revelation is quite hilarious.

We know the FAI do things badly, fúck me, we do enough carping about it.

just seems to me that they are so precious about the GAA that any criticism of it has to be compared to the way the FAI do things.

Why is that?

Why can a valid criticism of the GAA not be taken as such?

How come every time the GAA do something like this, the GAA people make a comment like "Yeah well the FAI is crap".

It bears no relevance to the issue at hand.

Because your analysis - and I mean you personally, rather then soccer fans in general or on this board - is petty, hateful, bigoted, prejudiced and highly reflective of your insecure character. You sling **** at individuals - not just organisations - and then complain when these individuals sling **** back at you and make weak ass disingenous excuses about 'valid criticism of the GAA' when we all know how depraved and bigoted your views on the organisation and its members/players are.

Moreover, if anyone here thinks that GAA people don't criticise the higher ups then we do - continously, even to the point of 10,000 fans stronging the streets of Cork city to show their mistrust and disapointment at the CCB's actions - but this hate tends to be aimed completely at the county boards and club delegates rather then Croker because of the structure of the GAA. Saying we don't critcise the beurocrats above us is frankly hilarious.

As far as I'm concerned this debate revolves around one point - people (I mean you in particular Des) putting themselves on a high pedestal and lambasting others, holding people to rights out of sheer arrogance, attacking bigotry with their own bigotry and then having the nerve to bitch and whine about the negative response they get. Please do cop on to yourself, and start acting like something that resembles a humble, reasonable human being.

Orizio

Mushy wrote: »

Can this please be clarified. Croke Park would have/did OK'd the re-development of the land. But the manner in which it was carried out by Castlemaine/Milltown GAA club is surely seperated from that, isn't it?

As in, GAA club given acceptance for re-development, then go about destroying pitch in stupid pathetic manner, on comes repercussions etc.

From what I can see, people bashing the GAA here are over-emphasising the role of CP. I doubt they were told the manner in which the ground would be dug up. So whats wrong with them approving a positive re-development? On the other hand, if they were told GAA club would plough field in middle of night, and still agreed to it, then bash GAA away.

I have heard conflicting reports - people are ignoring the role of the Kerry County Board, I understand that the club itself may have been ordered to act as they did. Its not clear really.

My local GAA club allows my football team the use of its all weather training facility for all 3 of our senior teams. We train on it after them so they don't take any money off us for the lights as they go outside onto the grass to do some extra work after they've finished inside. They have done this for a number of the local soccer teams as I trained there as a kid for another local team and I see other groups using it when we arrive there.

I say this by way of demonstrating that the GAA has its dinosaurs, but mostly it is populated by people who love the game and are devoted to it.

The reason GAA fans are more defensive of the GAA than LOI fans are of the FAI is that the GAA is well run, efficient and does a fantastic job of developing grass roots GAA. The average local GAA facilities are 10x better than the local soccer facilities. Drogheda United, Cork City, Bohemians, Shelbourne are all clubs who have competed at European level over the last 6-7 years yet none of them have a better stadium than Pairc Ui Caoimh or Semple Stadium let alone Croke Park which will still be a far greater arena than Landsdowne Road or whatever corporation they named it after (honestly cannot remember) when it is finally done.

There is undoubtedly a stubborn anti-soccer streak that runs through the GAA and, in my personal opinion and that of many if not most GAA fans, it is outdated and as the generation of members that has grown up in a society post Stuttgart 1988 begins to take control of the GAA that anti-soccer feeling will recede little by little.

While the actions of Castlemaine GAA club are deplorable they are not indicative of the general attitudes of GAA members and followers.


Oh, and just to be clear, I have been a lifelong member of O'Dwyers GAA club (well done to the lads on promotion this year). I have played soccer since I was 13 and am currently a senior team player for Balbriggan F.C. I hold loyalties to both sides but I do not think that loving one means I must hate the other.

Daysha

Great post Kayroo.

bohsman

Deleted User wrote: »

My local GAA club allows my football team the use of its all weather training facility for all 3 of our senior teams. We train on it after them so they don't take any money off us for the lights as they go outside onto the grass to do some extra work after they've finished inside. They have done this for a number of the local soccer teams as I trained there as a kid for another local team and I see other groups using it when we arrive there.

I say this by way of demonstrating that the GAA has its dinosaurs, but mostly it is populated by people who love the game and are devoted to it.

Fair play, the more of this the better, unfortunately at the moment for every story like this you have 50 stories like Iregks.

_blank_

Orizio wrote: »

...

Hi

Look, the Gahzi's comment, I apologise for. Any offence made, I am sorry for.

*****************************************

Now.

My petty, hateful, bigoted, prejudiced view of the GAA goes back to the late 80s when Croke Park stopped letting me (aged eight to ten) and my dad sit together in the Nally Stand. One Summer, as we were paying in, the told him to go off to The Hill. No reason ever given. I've never been back.

My Dad played a game of Gaelic for a club down in Kerry, again in the late 80s, and had his left ear bitten off for being a "soccer player from Dublin".

For years my local soccer club, who I played for, were playing and training in a mudbath, and went cap in hand to the local GAA club (Parnells) to ask for some time in their facilities. They were ran out of the place.

I stopped caring about the GAA then.

But then, and we have on this on record, Thomas Davis tried to run Shamrock Rovers out of business.

Then they go after Sporting Fingal.

Then they plough a field in Kerry.

So, I make no apology for hating the GAA, they have directly and indirectly adversely affected my life, and my father's life, for twenty years or more.

CiaranC

Orizio wrote: »

Because your analysis - and I mean you personally, rather then soccer fans in general or on this board - is petty, hateful, bigoted, prejudiced and highly reflective of your insecure character. You sling **** at individuals - not just organisations - and then complain when these individuals sling **** back at you and make weak ass disingenous excuses about 'valid criticism of the GAA' when we all know how depraved and bigoted your views on the organisation and its members/players are.

His views are pretty much representative, except every time we post them we get hit by our mammies the moderators here.

Go have a look on the rovers website if you want to see what football fans whose club your organisation tried to destroy think of you.

therecklessone

http://hoganstand.com/Forum/MessagePage.aspx?PageNumber=0&TopicID=22936

Some reading there, if posts are to be accepted at face value it seems Milltown/Castlemaine was ordered by Croke Park to cease soccer access to the pitch or face expulsion from competitive games.

I think there's a whole lot more to this, and that thread descending into bickering between members of opposing GAA clubs might explain some of the fallout.

eagle eye

This thread from what I've read was about an incident in Kerry where a field which a GAA club claim they own was ploughed. If they own it then they have every right to dig it up. Tough luck to any club whether it was a soccer club or tiddlywinks club who were playing on the pitch for free.

Basically when ownership is established for this property then you can talk all the nonsense you want but to go out now and start blaming the GAA for something that they may have had a perfect right to do is just unreasonable, just like the hole that was dug in the GAA field after this incident.

I don't hear too many discussing that incident and that was an act of thuggery plain and simple.

Why should the GAA give a hoot about some soccer club?
What has soccer ever done to help the GAA?

I'm not a huge GAA fan but I do go and watch games every so often.

What do you expect that the GAA is supposed to support soccer at all costs and at every turn? I don't think so, much like you won't see FIFA or the FAI reaching out and helping the GAA.

The bitterness is this thread is mostly one way and its coming from the same bunch of guys who constantly moan about people supporting EPL teams. Funny that.

Mr Alan

eagle eye wrote: »

The bitterness is this thread is mostly one way and its coming from the same bunch of guys who constantly moan about people supporting EPL teams. Funny that.

Not that funny.

The reason is quite simple, because these are the people, who as fans of our national league, have watched the GAA actively try & destroy some of our clubs.

Us bar stoolers don't really care, cause we don't go & watch the LOI week in, week out. So its not because the LOI heads are just a pack of moaners, as you are trying to infer, it is simply because, these are the people who are most familiar with & most affected by the GAAs at times, deplorable actions.

also, your comment that "oh well the FAI/FIFA wouldn't help out the GAA" is totally missing the point, the bitterness is with the LOI fans not because the GAA wouldn't help them, but because they tried to actively destroy one of the biggest most famous clubs in this country.

Think for a second & imagine the outrage if the FAI tried to actively destroy a one of the GAAs top clubs?! Christ Dublin would be invaded by muldoons with pitchforks over night.

So the reason the soccer fans are quite bitter here, is because they have reason too......i'd personally think if the GAA had the same reason, the reaction would be 1000 times worse from them...they are hardly an organisation famed for forgiving & forgetting.

_blank_

Quite possibly your best ever post in the soccer forum, ever, Al.

Fair play to you.

If I could thank that post twice I would.

CiaranC

Des wrote: »

Quite possibly your best ever post in the soccer forum, ever, Al.

Fair play to you.

If I could thank that post twice I would.

Seconded.

stovelid

therecklessone wrote: »

http://hoganstand.com/Forum/MessagePage.aspx?PageNumber=0&TopicID=22936

Some reading there, if posts are to be accepted at face value it seems Milltown/Castlemaine was ordered by Croke Park to cease soccer access to the pitch or face expulsion from competitive games.

The same guy that said that also claimed:

Milltown Castlemaine will allow all sports play there with theception of those stated in GAA rule ( soccer rugby cricket horse racing).

So it's only those aul Tan sports that are a no-no. The local Basketball, American Football, Baseball, and Aussie Rules teams are not affected.

Storm in a teacup really.

eagle eye

Mr Alan wrote: »

Not that funny.

The reason is quite simple, because these are the people, who as fans of our national league, have watched the GAA actively try & destroy some of our clubs.

Us bar stoolers don't really care, cause we don't go & watch the LOI week in, week out. So its not because the LOI heads are just a pack of moaners, as you are trying to infer, it is simply because, these are the people who are most familiar with & most affected by the GAAs at times, deplorable actions.

also, your comment that "oh well the FAI/FIFA wouldn't help out the GAA" is totally missing the point, the bitterness is with the LOI fans not because the GAA wouldn't help them, but because they tried to actively destroy one of the biggest most famous clubs in this country.

Think for a second & imagine the outrage if the FAI tried to actively destroy a one of the GAAs top clubs?! Christ Dublin would be invaded by muldoons with pitchforks over night.

So the reason the soccer fans are quite bitter here, is because they have reason too......i'd personally think if the GAA had the same reason, the reaction would be 1000 times worse from them...they are hardly an organisation famed for forgiving & forgetting.

The Thomas Davis club were against a soccer only stadium, they wanted a shared stadium.

Now the GAA plough a field they own and you are all up in arms about the GAA. I don't get it.

Mr Alan

i thought the ownership of the field was still in question? you said it was in your OP.

they should have not laid a finger on the field until the ownership issue was clarified.

eagle eye

Mr Alan wrote: »

i thought the ownership of the field was still in question? you said it was in your OP.

they should have not laid a finger on the field until the ownership issue was clarified.

NO, others are claiming that the ownership is in question, the GAA state they own it and have documentation to prove it.

Mr Alan

eagle eye wrote: »

NO, others are claiming that the ownership is in question, the GAA state they own it and have documentation to prove it.

so the ownership issued is clarified? they definately own it?

or do they say they just say they own it, i am actually just curious here.

GuanYin

Couple of points.

I'm not sure why we're discussing the GAA here, this may need to go in the GAA forum.

If you add someone to ignore, good for you, I don't want to read about it here. It is trolly and I have to read ithe aftermath (you won't because you'll have the user blocked).

therecklessone

eagle eye wrote: »

NO, others are claiming that the ownership is in question, the GAA state they own it and have documentation to prove it.

Thomas Davies thought that SDCC's decision to proceed with Tallaght Stadium without changes to allow senior GAA was unlawful, but judicial review proved that not to be the case.

What is not in dispute is that the deeds to the land are in the possession of officers of the GAA club. What is not quite so clear is if they are restricted in what they can do with the land by the process in which they received those deeds in the first place.

My guess is that there is the guts of a very long and complicated legal process should the community decide to oppose this action by Milltown/Castlemaine. I hope the community (and Castlemaine United) win.

Regardless of the above, a pitch that has been used for 19 years by the soccer club was destroyed overnight by a GAA club that has not played football there in a very long time (some residents cannot remember any games being played there), seemingly prompted by diktat from Croke Park.

As a soccer fan you should be able to see the tragedy in that.

_blank_

eagle eye wrote: »

The Thomas Davis club were against a soccer only stadium, they wanted a shared stadium.

...and they went to court, and one of the Thomas Davis high-ups has said on record that he wanted to run Rovers out of business.

Do you think this is acceptable?

therecklessone

Mr Alan wrote: »

so the ownership issued is clarified? they definately own it?

They claim ownership Al, and have received planning permission from the counil for development work on the ground.

The chairman of Kerry county board is on the Liveline piece Mike65 referenced, and continually referred to the club "having the deeds" which i thought was a strange choice of language...they do have the deeds, as they appear to have been entrusted the care of the land on behalf of the community by it's previous owners. I don't know if their claim to own the land would stand up to legal scrutiny, but then I'm not in the legal field.

Hard Worker

Regarding the South Dublin County Council's - Tallaght Stadium issue:
As part of Thomas Davis' submission in court, they stated that if sole use of the stadium was given to Shamrock Rovers, the youth of Tallaght would be subjected to a diet of association football. Luckily, the judge was a Bohs fan:) and he threw their case out. Also, Tallaght Stadium is a multi sport facility and hopefully very soon, we might see the Hyland brothers on the bill of a big boxing event.
As a sports fan, I take issue with anyone or any body that tries to stifle another sport. Unfortunately, the GAA are masters at this and this very sorry escapade in Kerry is just another major blot on their association.

Quint

therecklessone wrote: »

http://hoganstand.com/Forum/MessagePage.aspx?PageNumber=0&TopicID=22936

Some reading there, if posts are to be accepted at face value it seems Milltown/Castlemaine was ordered by Croke Park to cease soccer access to the pitch or face expulsion from competitive games.

I think there's a whole lot more to this, and that thread descending into bickering between members of opposing GAA clubs might explain some of the fallout.

That thread explains a lot (if it's taken at face value) and the GAA aren't exactly covering themselves in glory. It could be a Tallagh Stadium all over again.
Also, a few of the GAA posters here can't believe the attitude of the soccer fans, maybe they should read a few posts on that hoganstand forum?

dfx-

eagle eye wrote: »

The Thomas Davis club were against a soccer only stadium, they wanted a shared stadium.

Now the GAA plough a field they own and you are all up in arms about the GAA. I don't get it.

No. Stop there. Thomas Davis never ever wanted into Tallaght stadium. Ever. On the surface, they 'wanted' a full size GAA pitch which would've meant that the existing stand structure, pitch and entire site would have to be destroyed and amended as a full pitch would not fit into the site as was.

Even when Rovers met with Thomas Davis and pointed out to them that including a full size GAA pitch was impossible to build on the site as it would involve breaking the boundary at Old Bawn school next door, requiring further planning permission and starting from scratch - causing more and more delays aimed at draining Rovers' funds from lost income from the ground and rent costs of Tolka, they blindly proceeded under the pretences of believing they were right.

In essence, a full size GAA pitch would've meant that the site was not feasible for development i.e. Thomas Davis winning in court meant no stadium for anyone ..especially in these economic times. Having read the court transcripts, their case tested the judge's nerve and patience and was essentially laughed out of court. They also looked to delay the Judicial Review hearing for as long as possible and that's before you dig deeper into their motives e.g. banning a TD because of his support for Rovers/support from Dublin County Board/the infamous last man standing and "diet of association football in Tallaght" comments.

They don't own it - they say they own it, it is disputed and there's leave to appeal as far as I understand. Essentially they've taken the law into their own hands and acted pre-emptively.

eagle eye

Des wrote: »

...and they went to court, and one of the Thomas Davis high-ups has said on record that he wanted to run Rovers out of business.

Do you think this is acceptable?

Was he speaking for himself or for the club?

I hate people like that anyways but the question is important.

Hard Worker

eagle eye wrote: »

Was he speaking for himself or for the club?

I hate people like that anyways but the question is important.

It was part of the submission made by Thomas Davis club against the SDCC. The Thomas Davis club were backed by the Dublin County Board.

civis_liberalis

The Liveline piece about the issue has been archived on rte.ie.

http://www.rte.ie/podcasts/2009/pc/pod-v-060409-33m47s-liveline.mp3

Will listen to it on the way in tomorrow.

daithijjj

civis_liberalis wrote: »

The Liveline piece about the issue has been archived on rte.ie.

http://www.rte.ie/podcasts/2009/pc/pod-v-060409-33m47s-liveline.mp3

Will listen to it on the way in tomorrow.

Thanks for the link civis, that was interesting. Its roughly 30 mins long with several callers. The most notable part for me, was that many members of the GAA side of that community are so unhappy with what has happened and basically a small minority took it upon themselves to plough the pitch. There was also an interesting quote from a member of the GAA hierarchy (sorry cant remember the name) that they would seek to accomodate all sports played in the country. I think that all that will come out of this, is further ammendments to the rules within the the GAA because there is definitely a grey area to be given more attention. This pitch was given to the community, NOT the GAA, it seems that the deeds are in the hands of trustees who happen to be strong GAA associates and from what i heard in this podcast, i would say that these trustees, if subjected to stronger scrutiny, may not stand very strongly during that scrutiny.

When so many of the GAA fraternity in the community are against what happened then i think its fair to say that the trustees acted only with a pair of 'brass balls', rather than using the thing that bounces around between their ears.

cournioni

CiaranC wrote: »

'its an isolated incident, its down the the individual club, its not the GAAs fault, its nothing to do with me, its some dinosaur from Mayo/Tallaght/Fingal/Kerrys fault, not mine, not the GAAs'

:rolleyes:

PS Who the **** is Nicky Brennan

I rest my case.

cournioni

Mr Alan wrote: »

Not that funny.

The reason is quite simple, because these are the people, who as fans of our national league, have watched the GAA actively try & destroy some of our clubs.

Us bar stoolers don't really care, cause we don't go & watch the LOI week in, week out. So its not because the LOI heads are just a pack of moaners, as you are trying to infer, it is simply because, these are the people who are most familiar with & most affected by the GAAs at times, deplorable actions.

also, your comment that "oh well the FAI/FIFA wouldn't help out the GAA" is totally missing the point, the bitterness is with the LOI fans not because the GAA wouldn't help them, but because they tried to actively destroy one of the biggest most famous clubs in this country.

Think for a second & imagine the outrage if the FAI tried to actively destroy a one of the GAAs top clubs?! Christ Dublin would be invaded by muldoons with pitchforks over night.

So the reason the soccer fans are quite bitter here, is because they have reason too......i'd personally think if the GAA had the same reason, the reaction would be 1000 times worse from them...they are hardly an organisation famed for forgiving & forgetting.

I've lost count of how many times I have said this... Thomas Davis are a GAA club not THE GAA!

They wanted a pitch that would suit both soccer and GAA. Hardly actively destroying a club by any matter of means. I'm not a member of Thomas Davis and I have no clue what their members are like because I have never met one but I thought that was fairly clear.

Soccer is played on my GAA pitch for as long as I can remember free of charge, and this is the ****e we GAA members have to put up with just because of two small clubs in Dublin and Kerry.

_blank_

PORNAPSTER wrote: »

I've lost count of how many times I have said this... Thomas Davis are a GAA club not THE GAA!

The Thomas Davis court action bas backed and bankrolled by Central Council.

So in this case, Thomas Davis IS the GAA.

PORNAPSTER wrote: »

They wanted a pitch that would suit both soccer and GAA. Hardly actively destroying a club by any matter of means.

A member fo Thomas Davis, speaking in behalf of Thomas Davis regarding the court case explicilty said he wasnted to see Rovers out of business.

This is a fact.

PORNAPSTER wrote: »

Soccer is played on my GAA pitch for as long as I can remember free of charge, and this is the ****e we GAA members have to put up with just because of two small clubs in Dublin and Kerry.

Again, the directive to plough the field came from Croke Park, so in this case the GAA club in Kerry were acting on the orders of the National Body.

Why can't GAA people grasp that?

stovelid

Hard Worker wrote: »

Luckily, the judge was a Bohs fan:) and he threw their case out.

I was told that some of the Bohs support nicknamed him Judge Jodi?

dfx- wrote: »

They don't own it - they say they own it, it is disputed and there's leave to appeal as far as I understand. Essentially they've taken the law into their own hands and acted pre-emptively.

And even if they did own it, surely some arrangement could have been reached instead of causing such division in a small community which, like TD and Rovers, will now fester for generations.

Hard Worker

PORNAPSTER wrote: »

Soccer is played on my GAA pitch for as long as I can remember free of charge, and this is the ****e we GAA members have to put up with just because of two small clubs in Dublin and Kerry.

If the above is the case, then your GAA club is in breach of rules of your constitution. Unless, of course, the pitch is a communal one, in which case the local football team could surely use it free of charge as it would have nothing to do with the GAA.
If the pitch does belong to your club, then fair play to you for ignoring your constitution and allowing other sports use your facility.

cournioni

Des wrote: »

The Thomas Davis court action bas backed and bankrolled by Central Council.

So in this case, Thomas Davis IS the GAA.

A member fo Thomas Davis, speaking in behalf of Thomas Davis regarding the court case explicilty said he wasnted to see Rovers out of business.

This is a fact.

Again, the directive to plough the field came from Croke Park, so in this case the GAA club in Kerry were acting on the orders of the National Body.

Why can't GAA people grasp that?

Most GAA clubs have financial backing from the GAA, it doesn't mean that Croke Park actively participates in the court proceedings.

Are you saying that if the shoe was on the other foot that the FAI wouldn't back the soccer club (although obviously not financially as the way soccer is run, its each to their own as regards finances)?

Just because one member from one GAA CLUB wants to see a soccer team out of business doesn't mean that all GAA members want to see a soccer team out of business. Now is that hard for you to grasp??

As was said before, I would highly doubt that the GAA would give the go ahead to plough the pitch unless the GAA club in question actually owned the pitch. If that is the case, that is their perogative. The reasons for ploughing it is purely down to some of the members of that GAA club, no one else. So please don't give me this **** of the GAA trying to ruin this and ruin that. It is merely a minority of GAA members.

This is coming from someone who is a GAA member and a soccer fan who goes to 10+ Dundalk games a year and 10+ Manchester United games a year.

stovelid

PORNAPSTER wrote: »

I've lost count of how many times I have said this... Thomas Davis are a GAA club not THE GAA!
.

For a club with such independence from the wider GAA, they don't seem to be taking sole responsibility for paying their astronomical legal fees following the comprehensive hiding they received in court.