Dublin announce new Megabucks Sponsorship deal

rebel girl 15 · 10-10-2013 6:52pm

Buying the All Ireland - gotta be having a laugh. You have no idea of the work that goes in at underage and in the schools in Dublin. Being from Cork, I'm not jealous of the money they have, I'm very jealous of the structures that they have put in place for development. A few people really looked into the future, got the money while it was there and put the structures in place - hurling in Dublin is the biggest example - their recent success is completely down to hard work at underage.

freddiek · 10-10-2013 7:01pm

rebel girl,

don't forget all the outside help Dublin gets which other counties don't. How many of these coaches, mentors etc that do the underage work aren't even from Dublin?

A huge amount I'd say..

You mention their hurling success, well the man at the helm was Anthony Daly. certainly not a Dub so do we take it that there wasnt a Dub hurling man capable of managing the county side?

rebel girl 15 · 10-10-2013 7:08pm

freddiek wrote: »

rebel girl,

don't forget all the outside help Dublin gets which other counties don't. How many of these coaches, mentors etc that do the underage work aren't even from Dublin?

A huge amount I'd say..

You mention their hurling success, well the man at the helm was Anthony Daly. certainly not a Dub so do we take it that there wasnt a Dub hurling man capable of managing the county side?

Long before Daly came in there was huge work being done that laid the foundation for it by many people from Dublin. Previous manager wasn't a Dub either.

Can you give me the information regarding outside help? What do you mean - who is apparently helping them? 50 coaches employed by the DCB for development - is that outside help??

Its them looking out for their own - people living in Dublin involved in Dublin underage GAA

freddiek · 10-10-2013 7:12pm

rebel girl 15 wrote: »

Long before Daly came in there was huge work being done that laid the foundation for it by many people from Dublin. Previous manager wasn't a Dub either.

Can you give me the information regarding outside help? What do you mean - who is apparently helping them? 50 coaches employed by the DCB for development - is that outside help??

Its them looking out for their own - people living in Dublin involved in Dublin underage GAA

rebel girl,

Im not buying that the improvements in Dublin hurling came from the expertise of Dublin people...

why this sudden dramatic improvement?

Dublin were always a poor side in my lifetime. They rely so much on outside help I can't remember the last Dublin-born manager they had

rebel girl 15 · 10-10-2013 7:20pm

freddiek wrote: »

rebel girl,

Im not buying that the improvements in Dublin hurling came from the expertise of Dublin people...

why this sudden dramatic improvement?

Dublin were always a poor side in my lifetime. They rely so much on outside help I can't remember the last Dublin-born manager they had

Hard work in schools and underage development is how it happened - putting structures in place. There were some outside people involved, not quite as outside as you are showing. About ten years ago, the board looked at good people working in Dublin GAA - didn't matter where originally they had been from and put a solid underage structure in place. Thats not outside help really They put a good schools coaching programme and proper development squads - they put in a proper coach education programme. And you claiming that outside people did all this?? It wasn't! They have a great development website for at least the last five years

I'm still waiting for you to provide all this evidence of outside people helping?? There was a number, yes, but it wasn't like you seem to be portraying of all outside people sorting Dublin hurling. It shows what you can get if you put in a huge lot of hard work with proper educated coaches in place

ThePieintheSky · 10-10-2013 7:31pm

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

Surely the GAA could introduc a policy whereby 15-20% of all intercounty sponsorship has to go into a centralised pool and the this money is spread out to every intercounty team

I can show you why the GAA would support AIG only being interested in Dublin and not change a thing:

The_Honeybadger · 10-10-2013 7:38pm

freddiek wrote: »

Are Dublin "buying" the All-Ireland??

the Manchester City of Gaelic football perhaps..

Success breeds success and it's no surprise sponsors want to get on board. Fair play to Dublin for landing this deal. It's not buying the all ireland, it is seizing an opportunity.

Btw Kerry are about to build a €5m centre of excellence, Dublin may not have it all their own way forever. Would be great to have more development like this in other counties and see everybody raise the bar.

corny · 10-10-2013 7:39pm

El Viz wrote: »

It's not even funny with you anymore!
You seriously need to take your bigoted opinions and **** off.

It was never funny though.

The only way this fella will get tired of this is if everyone stops responding. He gets a reaction every time!

ThunbergsAreGo · 10-10-2013 8:51pm

Oh freddiek, such a wind up merchant

RebelAbu32 · 10-10-2013 9:01pm

cant see nothing wrong with this its up to other country boards to go out and get the best deal for there team

thinkstoomuch1 · 10-10-2013 10:40pm

freddiek wrote: »

rebel girl,

don't forget all the outside help Dublin gets which other counties don't. How many of these coaches, mentors etc that do the underage work aren't even from Dublin?

A huge amount I'd say..

You mention their hurling success, well the man at the helm was Anthony Daly. certainly not a Dub so do we take it that there wasnt a Dub hurling man capable of managing the county side?

Normally when something happens ,it is built from the bottom,dublin arent like chelsa or man city,they have been building steadily in fairness.

And while a lot of money they have got in grants,ie fairness they spent it well.

Dublin got in daly,but dnt forget harrington ex sec of the board,a cork man, michael o grady a limerick man,they werent bought In,they were brought to dublin due to work,dublin availed of their talents,theirs a difference.

O Grady reviewed dublin hurling and put a plan in place ten years ago.

Dont forget jerry grogan ,over the schools in Dublin.It started their also.They had 8 dub teams in last year feile.

John murphy their minor captain 20 years ago, introduced development squads in 97,that the likes of o grady,harrington,and kettle ,chairman now can work on.

Lar foley would have done great work too.

Dublin have steadily been on an upward curve,compared to cork we been n a downward spiral,and unless things change fast,will hit rock botton.

Frank can only change the rules so many times eg league but he cant turn back time,and cork are loosing huge ground to others.

Dublin have benfited from other counties expertise,no big deal,but the Will came from the Dubs themselves,and the fiance was their.And unlike cork the Will existed at ground level,board level,coaching and players,and the majority has been done by dublin men.

At board level is where cork are missing a piece of the jigsaw.

Dublin are reaping what they sow in hurling,and like clare deserve immense credit from turning the tables.

bruschi · 11-10-2013 12:02pm

Les Ferdinand wrote: »

I'll also add that the Dublin County Board said years ago "We want our hurling team challenging at the top" Look how they've gone about it. Brilliant work. Are Kerry pushing their hurling team? Mayo? Donegal? Are Kilkenny pushing their football team? No. Dublin GAA should be applauded even if it'll kill some of you to say so.

whilst I disagree with the general tone of the OP and the obvious bias in it, the above needs to be qualified that whilst yes, Dublin GAA did a lot to improve hurling, they were also handed €6m by GAA headquarters. Thats quite a sum of money to make things happen.

rebel girl 15 · 11-10-2013 1:19pm

bruschi wrote: »

whilst I disagree with the general tone of the OP and the obvious bias in it, the above needs to be qualified that whilst yes, Dublin GAA did a lot to improve hurling, they were also handed €6m by GAA headquarters. Thats quite a sum of money to make things happen.

They wouldn't have been handed that money - the process is that you have to spend the money to get it back - if you look at this years financials, Dublin got €1.5million in development from Croke Park - that is what they would have spent the previous year and get reimbursed for.

They are tight with the money, so the Dublin GAA would have had to show exactly where each euro was spent, with accompanying invoices

bruschi · 11-10-2013 1:49pm

rebel girl 15 wrote: »

They wouldn't have been handed that money - the process is that you have to spend the money to get it back - if you look at this years financials, Dublin got €1.5million in development from Croke Park - that is what they would have spent the previous year and get reimbursed for.

They are tight with the money, so the Dublin GAA would have had to show exactly where each euro was spent, with accompanying invoices

so they get reimbursed for what they spend is what you are saying? so they spend money, and get it paid back, so it is, from what I can see, being handed to them.

what other county has the same scenario with a guarantee of €1m a year for 6 years?

granted, it was Sean Kellys regime that put this into place, but it is without doubt a massive factor to add into the work that is being done for hurling there, and shouldnt be glossed over as if it is some run of the mill deal.

Floppybits · 11-10-2013 4:02pm

bruschi wrote: »

so they get reimbursed for what they spend is what you are saying? so they spend money, and get it paid back, so it is, from what I can see, being handed to them.

what other county has the same scenario with a guarantee of €1m a year for 6 years?

granted, it was Sean Kellys regime that put this into place, but it is without doubt a massive factor to add into the work that is being done for hurling there, and shouldnt be glossed over as if it is some run of the mill deal.

Bruschi, Im sure the Dublin County Board didnt just rock up to Croke Park one Monday evening and say listen, give us 6m to spend.

I am sure they sat down and looked at the situation in Dublin and then came up with a business Plan and then went to Croke Park with their plans for the GAA in Dublin and then based on those plans Croke Park made the decisions. There is nothing to stop any other county board doing the exact same thing to get support from Croke Park, ok they may not get 6 million based on the size of the county but I am sure they will get the funds to help them out.

It seems to me the problems in other countys are their ineffective County boards, If I was on one of these county boards I would be knocking on the door of the Dublin County Board to get their advice on the best way to access the funding rather than sitting on my fat arse moaning that Dublin get everything.

rebel girl 15 · 11-10-2013 4:04pm

bruschi wrote: »

so they get reimbursed for what they spend is what you are saying? so they spend money, and get it paid back, so it is, from what I can see, being handed to them.

what other county has the same scenario with a guarantee of €1m a year for 6 years?

granted, it was Sean Kellys regime that put this into place, but it is without doubt a massive factor to add into the work that is being done for hurling there, and shouldnt be glossed over as if it is some run of the mill deal.

I've never glossed over the fact it was a run of the mill deal - I've been highlighting exactly what they have done - have a look at their development website - it gets better every year. That deal has not just helped hurling, but all gaelic sports in Dublin

Handing it to them is not the term I'd use simply because they have to use the money and do the work to get it back. Its not like they are handed a million euro and said go and use it!! There is a huge amount of work that goes into getting the grants and the paperwork for them before you ever actually do the work that the money is paying for

Take out that million Kelly agreed with them, and they get 558,000 a year for development, Derry are next with 119,000 followed by Antrim. Derry got a capital grant of €1.3 million this year, they would have to show exactly where that money is going.

rebel girl 15 · 11-10-2013 4:11pm

Floppybits wrote: »

Bruschi, Im sure the Dublin County Board didnt just rock up to Croke Park one Monday evening and say listen, give us 6m to spend.

I am sure they sat down and looked at the situation in Dublin and then came up with a business Plan and then went to Croke Park with their plans for the GAA in Dublin and then based on those plans Croke Park made the decisions. There is nothing to stop any other county board doing the exact same thing to get support from Croke Park, ok they may not get 6 million based on the size of the county but I am sure they will get the funds to help them out.

It seems to me the problems in other countys are their ineffective County boards, If I was on one of these county boards I would be knocking on the door of the Dublin County Board to get their advice on the best way to access the funding rather than sitting on my fat arse moaning that Dublin get everything.

Got it in one - a lot of counties sit back and don't go and ask for this money. There were Irish Sports Council grants, and I know for a fact that Dublin got some and funded development officers out of there, who are actively coaching in the schools now.

I'm green with envy of Dublin, and the way they are put together at the moment - they have three or four coaching books published, coaching seminars and courses run nearly every week.

Godge · 11-10-2013 5:36pm

freddiek wrote: »

rebel girl,

don't forget all the outside help Dublin gets which other counties don't. How many of these coaches, mentors etc that do the underage work aren't even from Dublin?

A huge amount I'd say..

You mention their hurling success, well the man at the helm was Anthony Daly. certainly not a Dub so do we take it that there wasnt a Dub hurling man capable of managing the county side?

freddiek wrote: »

rebel girl,

Im not buying that the improvements in Dublin hurling came from the expertise of Dublin people...

why this sudden dramatic improvement?

Dublin were always a poor side in my lifetime. They rely so much on outside help I can't remember the last Dublin-born manager they had

Other than Dublin and Kerry, I don't think there is another county football team in the country that hasn't had an outside manager.

Why Offaly's dramatic improvement in the early 80s in both football and hurling?
Why Clare's dramatic improvement in hurling?

You are sounding like a bitter disappointed fan whose team has lost too many matches. You should reflect on why your county isn't as successful as Kilkenny in hurling or Kerry in football rather than worrying about Dublin.

freddiek · 11-10-2013 6:28pm

Godge wrote: »

Other than Dublin and Kerry, I don't think there is another county football team in the country that hasn't had an outside manager.

Why Offaly's dramatic improvement in the early 80s in both football and hurling?
Why Clare's dramatic improvement in hurling?

You are sounding like a bitter disappointed fan whose team has lost too many matches. You should reflect on why your county isn't as successful as Kilkenny in hurling or Kerry in football rather than worrying about Dublin.

you never heard of Gerry McCaul or more recently Tommy Lyons?

both outsiders..

tritium · 13-10-2013 10:04am

freddiek wrote: »

you never heard of Gerry McCaul or more recently Tommy Lyons?

both outsiders..

It may be technically true butbin Lyons case at least its a bit like calling Ronan O'Gara or Jamie Heaslip outsiders on the Irish rugby team. We're not exactly on Mick O'Dwyer/ seanie johnston territory here

But of course you knew that...

Mal-Adjusted · 13-10-2013 3:45pm

The only think about this deal i dislike is that i'd always prefer the sponsors to be from the county in question (or at least Irish) but Dublin Co. board would be fools to look a gift horse in the mouth. fair play to them.

For someone to claim that teams buy their success is pure nonsense. They said the same of Donegal last year. Dublin have always been strong in Football and put together a great development plan for hurling.

Why don't other counties put together their own plans to grow Hurling in the non traditional counties? Don't just bitch about the ones who are doing it right!

Floppybits · 14-10-2013 10:14am

Mal-Adjusted wrote: »

The only think about this deal i dislike is that i'd always prefer the sponsors to be from the county in question (or at least Irish) but Dublin Co. board would be fools to look a gift horse in the mouth. fair play to them.

For someone to claim that teams buy their success is pure nonsense. They said the same of Donegal last year. Dublin have always been strong in Football and put together a great development plan for hurling.

Why don't other counties put together their own plans to grow Hurling in the non traditional counties? Don't just bitch about the ones who are doing it right!

Its easier for the other counties to bitch and moan about Dublin getting everything rather than put a plan together and develop the games and talent in their own counties. Like I said in an earlier post, County boards should be going to the Dublin County board and ask them about how they went about putting their development plans in place plus I reckon it would be a lot cheaper for other counties to put the development plans in place because they wouldnt have as many clubs or the population or the competition from other sports that Dublin have.

Mal-Adjusted · 14-10-2013 11:02am

Floppybits wrote: »

or the competition from other sports that Dublin have.

While I agree with the rest of your post, I'm not too sure about this. I'm from a pretty rural place and we have a Hurling club, a Rugby club, two Soccer clubs, and a Handball club. I know it's anecdotal and other areas of the country may be wildly different, it's unfair to say there isn't the competition from other sports

Capri · 13-11-2013 12:48am

http://www.aig.ie/the-new-jersey_3192_538500.html

The colour looks very close to corporate AIG 'blue/turquoise' to me, maybe just the photo, let's see it in the daylight to be sure. AIG sponsor Man U , and the All Blacks but you don't see them changing the colour of their kit to AIG blue/turquoise :mad:

Fr Tod Umptious · 13-11-2013 12:56am

Capri wrote: »

http://www.aig.ie/the-new-jersey_3192_538500.html

The colour looks very close to corporate AIG 'blue/turquoise' to me, maybe just the photo, let's see it in the daylight to be sure. AIG sponsor Man U , and the All Blacks but you don't see them changing the colour of their kit to AIG blue/turquoise :mad:

I thought alright that the blue looked a bit different in the pic, but could not put my finger on it
well spotted

nxbyveromdwjpg · 13-11-2013 10:13am

Capri wrote: »

http://www.aig.ie/the-new-jersey_3192_538500.html

The colour looks very close to corporate AIG 'blue/turquoise' to me, maybe just the photo, let's see it in the daylight to be sure. AIG sponsor Man U , and the All Blacks but you don't see them changing the colour of their kit to AIG blue/turquoise :mad:

Not far off the old Arnotts one at all -
https://twitter.com/BernardOToole/status/400338506046009344/photo/1

El Viz · 13-11-2013 10:37am

I watched the video of the launch and it looks very akin to the 70's shade of sky blue.

Squareball · 13-11-2013 12:46pm

freddiek wrote: »

you never heard of Gerry McCaul or more recently Tommy Lyons?

both outsiders..

Gerry McCaul an outsider???

yop · 13-11-2013 1:49pm

Squareball wrote: »

Gerry McCaul an outsider???

Ballymun is outside to some lads

Squareball · 13-11-2013 4:28pm

I think he now lives in Rush so that probably confused the poor lad too.

freddiek · 22-01-2014 9:30pm

hate to break it to youz but Gerry McCaul was from county Monaghan lads.

freddiek · 22-01-2014 9:33pm

"Dublin’s commercial strength just one aspect of GAA inequality"

Dublin’s Paul Flynn celebrates with the Sam Maguire cup in front of Hill 16. The prospect of the capital dominating affairs is a cause of worry for many other counties. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho

by Sean Moran

Dublin could be forgiven for feeling beleaguered at the moment. This should have less to do with the legitimate comments of GAA director general Páraic Duffy in yesterday’s annual report on the subject of last year’s dismal “biting” controversy but be more concerned with the equally valid observations on the funding inequality between counties.
Duffy was at pains to point out that he wasn’t taking pot shots at successful counties but just expressing concern about more vulnerable ones. The problem with this is that if you want to address unfairness in any system, you are ultimately going to be seen as unsympathetic to its beneficiaries.
The director general’s argument was that not alone did he not want to criticise wealthier counties but that they were to be “commended for their drive and initiative”.
Not all of the arguments on this topic will however be addressed in such measured terms. Like it or not, there appears to be a fearful resentment of Dublin developing and it’s not a matter of prejudice or anti-capital bias even though it often gets expressed as such.

Latent anxiety

Yet in a way the Dublin question is just another manifestation of the unease at the heart of the GAA. Apprehensions about the county dominating the world of football and maybe in time hurling are clearly unreasonable on the basis of two senior All-Irelands in the past 18 years but there is an understandable latent anxiety.
A county with a disproportionately huge population that gets its act together, starts winning and attracting lucrative sponsorship deals is intimidating because of its potential regardless of what the current situation is – and there’s no point in trying to draw attention to the fact that counties with far smaller populations, like Kerry and Kilkenny, have actually dominated All-Ireland championships to a far greater extent without exciting much else besides admiration.
Population trends don’t stop there. Football is more national than hurling in its competitive spread but if a county hasn’t 100,000 people it’s unlikely to win an All-Ireland.
From a broader GAA perspective, what Dublin has done in recent decades is develop the games in a challenging demographic – young, urban and diverse – which previously had demonstrated declining and, in places, zero levels of interest. In doing so it helped to maintain the GAA as a national presence. Efforts so successful that they are now a matter of concern.
Inequality though is stitched into the fabric of the GAA. Duffy’s report touched on it in a number of areas. He urged realism in attitudes towards championships “based on counties, whose boundaries do not, and will never, change, so surely we cannot be surprised that some teams will usually beat others on account of their greater playing population and superior resources.”
In relation to the under-achievement of Antrim’s hurlers compared to the county’s club teams, he echoed Dónal Óg Cusack’s suggestion of an Ulster team to contest the All-Ireland championship.
The argument about financial resources was only one of a number of acknowledgements that the county system has led to inequality and dysfunctional competitions.
Asked to comment on this, Duffy’s reply was fatalistic.
“I think the allocation of resources is clearly unequal and needs to be addressed. The structure may be creaking but that’s the structure we have to stay with. I made one exception and floated the idea of Dónal Óg Cusack in terms of Ulster hurling but that’s exceptional.

Once in a lifetime

“By and large I think we stick with the county system that underpins the GAA – club and county. I wouldn’t move away from that. As I said, some of those small counties from time to time – maybe once in a lifetime – will defy all of the figures and all of the logic.”
That’s the abiding consolation. Resources may be vastly disparate and all of those counties who have never won All-Irelands may never do so but they can dream of one day in the sun.
It’s right that the GAA should consider a little redistributive enforcement but there are no realistic long-term remedies for a system that contains Leitrim and Dublin on theoretically equal terms.
Yet the struggling counties don’t want graded competitions and few of their players even want to slip off and join someone else with better prospects of success.
Maybe Dublin will go on to realise all of the fears that currently exist but the county are a long way from doing so at present and it will take even longer before anyone can say with certainty that what is happening is anything other than the latest manifestation of dysfunction in a crazy structure that has somehow survived and thrived for 130 years"

The_Honeybadger · 23-01-2014 12:14am

Still beating that drum eh. This assumption that Dublin are going to dominate for the rest of the decade is a bit ott, yes they have the best squad in the country but they are beatable and Tyrone, cork, Kerry, Donegal, Mayo and others will all be desperate to knock them off their perch in the coming years. Any of the above can beat Dublin on their day and great teams come and go. Total non issue IMO, maybe after they've won 5-6 in a row people might start to listen (no way that's going to happen).

ProudDUB · 23-01-2014 1:19am

It's gas. In the 28 years between our winning Sam in 1983 and winning it back in 2011, we won Sam once. One time. Uno. Once. During that time, we were the biggest county population wise and sponsorshipwise, just as we are now. Yet no one gave a damm about any of that, as we weren't winning Sam. Now that we have won him twice in three years, everyone is coming out of the wood work to piss and moan about how unfair it all is. So excuse me Mr Duffy, with all due respect to your exalted high office, I'll be taking your comments with a pinch of salt.

freddiek · 22-10-2014 11:31am

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/dublin-faces-cuts-as-gaa-plans-big-financial-revamp-30683408.html

bumped this thread when i came across Breheny's new article. Any moves to reduce the massive advantages enjoyed by Dublin is good news.

Dublin faces cuts as GAA plans big financial revamp

Capital losses for the Blues in coaching and games development with several smaller counties to be the winners in new equalisation policy

Dublin faces a cutback in grant aid from central funds as part of a major GAA plan to level the financial playing field across the country.

While no specific figure has been mentioned, there's a clear recommendation from the Association's financial planners to "reduce the funding to Dublin over time in the interests of equalisation."

It comes as part of a wide-ranging review of central funding to counties, undertaken by the GAA's National Financial Management Committee (NFMC) at the behest of director-general Paraic Duffy.

Among the others recommendations are:

1 - Allocation of higher grants to smaller counties.

2 - Abolishing the annual €400,000 hurley and helmet subsidy.

3 - Adjusting the income share-out from the Allianz Leagues and providing an incentive for counties to market their 'home' games.

4 - Formally identifying what constitutes a 'smaller' county for funding purposes.

5 - Reviewing the charge for season tickets and their availability so as to protect league income.

The proposal to cut Dublin's allocation for coaching and games development will prove contentious in the capital but is likely to be welcomed elsewhere.

There has been complaints from some counties in recent times that Dublin's capacity to line up major sponsorship deals gives them a big financial advantage over most of their rivals.

Dublin's success in football and hurling has widened their appeal in the corporate world, further increasing their ability to land big sponsorships at a time when smaller counties, in particular, are finding it difficult to attract substantial backers.

That, in turn, has led to claims that Dublin are flying on a much higher financial orbit than most of the other counties.

Dublin's most recent coaching/games development grant was just over €1.5 million, equating to 25pc of the total budget for all 32 counties. It was more than six times higher than second-placed Cork, who received €224,000.

Dublin's total was just under the entire allocation for the other 11 Leinster counties. However, Dublin are catering for a population of 1.3 million, which is higher than the rest of Leinster combined.

The NFMC's report notes that GAA funding is supplemented by Irish Sports Council grants, based on the numbers participating in various sports.

"Historically, Dublin received a specific grant from the Irish Sports Council. This is no longer the situation but the coaches are in place and continue to be funded. Coaches are employed, based on the need as identified by the provincial council in conjunction with the National Coaching & Games Committee.

"In the interests of equalisation and of achieving a better funding distribution balance, it is proposed to reduce the funding allocation to Dublin over time.

"This can only be done on a phased basis and, at the same time, the participation numbers need to be factored in, as we cannot withdraw funding from areas that may impact on Irish Sports Council funding," states the report.

Dublin will be deeply unhappy at any proposal that involves less funding at a time when the city continues to expand, thus adding to the challenges facing existing GAA clubs, some of whom haven't got the facilities to deal with soaring numbers. Setting up new clubs is not a feasible option in many areas either, since there's no available land for pitches.

Besides, establishing a new club is a costly operation.

Deciding on what constitutes a 'smaller county' for funding purposes presented a challenge but the NMFC have decided on a number of criteria.

The first requirement is for a population of less than 100,000, with due recognition given to Ulster counties where, the NMFC notes, "the full population will not be supporting Gaelic Games."

However, Division 1 and 2 counties will not be considered for extra-grant aid.

Reserves

The same will apply to counties with solid financial reserves. Counties with fewer than 35 clubs would classify as weaker counties, although quite where that leaves Roscommon is a moot point. They have 32 clubs but will be in Division 2 of the National Football League next year.

The €400,000 per annum hurley and helmet subsidy is no longer seen as necessary; instead the money will be allocated to smaller counties.

The last pay-out under this scheme ranged from €36,000 for Cork to €6,000 each for Cavan, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Longford, Monaghan and Tyrone.

Other payments included sums of between €30,400 and €20,800 going to Dublin, Kilkenny, Galway, Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford.

Distribution of National League money will continue in much the same format as heretofore but a basic minimum return will apply for each county. It's also proposed to provide a marketing budget to counties to promote their 'home' games.

That has been a contentious issue for many years, with counties arguing that they should be supported in their marketing of League games and allowed to retain a higher percentage of the gate money.

In order to improve cash flows to county boards, the distribution of an annual €175,000 grant will be paid on a staggered basis, starting in January and finishing in October.

However, that's dependent on strict adherence to various requirements, including the provision of up-to-date accounts throughout the year, starting in January and ending in October.

Failure to meet the deadlines will result in the loss of €5,000.

Squareball · 22-10-2014 11:52am

freddiek wrote: »

hate to break it to youz but Gerry McCaul was from county Monaghan lads.

His daddy was

munchkin_utd · 22-10-2014 3:24pm

freddiek wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/dublin-faces-cuts-as-gaa-plans-big-financial-revamp-30683408.html

bumped this thread when i came across Breheny's new article. Any moves to reduce the massive advantages enjoyed by Dublin is good news.
<snip>

was going to mention that article, but indeed its no harm.
If I understand it this is games development, so coaching and whatnot.

The issue of new clubs in new areas needing facilities in Dublin (and other urban areas) hopefully wont get affected by any tweaking of the funding distributions.

ArielAtom · 22-10-2014 8:53pm

munchkin_utd wrote: »

was going to mention that article, but indeed its no harm.
If I understand it this is games development, so coaching and whatnot.

The issue of new clubs in new areas needing facilities in Dublin (and other urban areas) hopefully wont get affected by any tweaking of the funding distributions.

The only reason the article was posted was to have a go at Dublin, it's the poster in questions MO

LeoB · 22-10-2014 9:59pm

Some very good points made here apart from Freddick who posts are simply pathetic.

Dublin got a great deal with AIG and it is badly needed. I know this from being involved with the club scene in Dublin all my life. The amount of work being put in at underage level has to be seen to be believed, no one can do it justice here really. I am from a rural club and we think we have it tough but I work with a few lads from Dublin city clubs and the problems they have are on a different level and they need all the funding help they can get. In some areas of Dublin where unemployment is very high the G.A.A is all the lifeline of the community and in many cases holding them together as some areas have zero facilities, serious crime and drug problems. They have to use pitchs not fit for purpose and no dressing rooms. They have no means of fundraising and need help with hurleys and helmets and equipment. It would be disgraceful if funding to these clubs were cut. This problem is only getting worse.

There are lots of outside people helping with various sections of the GAA all over Ireland. The GAA is the lifeline for a lot of these people who have had to move for work. They can go down the road be welcomed into a club and feel part of a community. To me this is vital part of Irish life.

The level of begrudgery from some quarters here is unbelievable towards what Dublin has achieved. I have been involved on the outside of a few development squads and see what work is being done and its unreal the time and effort people are giving. There is no real reason why a number of other counties cant do the same but the inhouse fighting and back stabbing is unreal. Look at the mess Mayo have had in recent weeks, and most counties have have had crap at some stage to deal with. Iv seen lads at meetings in Dublin and in my club take stripes off each other but still working together. That is a huge part of the success Dublin have had. People will fight for what they believe is right and then move on, yes there have been a few internal rows that dragged on but by and large nothing like yarns Iv heard from other counties. Dublin have tried many things over the years to improve juvenile games and invested heavily in coaching. They have as has been pointed out been lucky to have Mick O'Grady, Humphrey Kelliher, Gerry Harrington work in Dublin, raise their families here, Gerry's son Dermot played senior football for Dublin. The GAA was their connection with home. I heard Michael O'Grady talk of coaching workshops 30 years ago and it was laughed. Brendan Harpur from Tyrone running courses with Brian Talty back in 1983/4. Quite a few who done that course are still involved with teams.
My own club have set standards on paper if you want to coach a team. You must do GAA coaching course at minimum every 2 years, child protection etc and you will get support from the club also. Were put in place various workshops a few times a year so mentors parents and players know we are serious about it and they buy into it. Dublin do the same just on a bigger scale

Dublin will get stronger but it will take another few years and then we will have the calls for split Dublin just like we have with Kerry for football and Kilkenny and Cork for hurling.

I would imagine when AIG or a big company like them come in and see what Andy Kettle, John Costello and various committees are doing in Dublin and the contribution they make to make Dublin a top sporting brand and all round better place it is good business to be involved.

Dublin needs an increase in funding and some other counties need to get up of their arse and put in the work instead of moaning about Dublin it would serve them better.Have proper juvenile leagues, set standards for coachs, run their club games properly and they will in time improve

ProudDUB · 22-10-2014 10:32pm

That's a really, really great post LeoB.

freddiek · 23-10-2014 11:52am

I don't think it is a great post, more of an emotional rant. The thread is about finance and the recent bump was relevant to that but as Leo has raised other questions, I'll address them.

" In some areas of Dublin where unemployment is very high the G.A.A is all the lifeline of the community and in many cases holding them together as some areas have zero facilities, serious crime and drug problems. They have to use pitchs not fit for purpose and no dressing rooms "

I don't accept that that is true. In fact I completely disagree. Dublin GAA is very middle-class actually as I see it. A lot of people in the areas you mention wouldn't be able to give you directions to the local club or know the name of it even. The GAA no matter where you go is family-oriented and thats why you have generations of fathers and sons on teams and this doesn't happen to any great extent in working class-areas. What strong GAA clubs are there in Dublin working-class areas?? and Ballymun Kickhams is an easy answer but its not true. That club is middle-class as well regardless of the name.

"Dublin have tried many things over the years to improve juvenile games and invested heavily in coaching. They have as has been pointed out been lucky to have Mick O'Grady, Humphrey Kelliher, Gerry Harrington work in Dublin, raise their families here, Gerry's son Dermot played senior football for Dublin. The GAA was their connection with home. I heard Michael O'Grady talk of coaching workshops 30 years ago and it was laughed. Brendan Harpur from Tyrone running courses with Brian Talty back in 1983/4. Quite a few who done that course are still involved with teams."

The huge contribution of outsiders to Dublin GAA success is not often mentioned by Dubs but I'm glad that you have done so. However this can be justifiably resented in other counties which lose these top-class people to Dublin because of the economic situation. If you looked at the Dublin hurling and football panels you would see that the lion's share of players have rural parents and this is where they get their grounding in GAA. They didn't just turn up at their local club some day and realised they were good at it. They were brought there weeknights and weekends by their parents who played the games growing up in their towns/villages.

Realt Dearg Sec · 24-10-2014 9:15pm

freddiek wrote: »

I don't think it is a great post, more of an emotional rant. The thread is about finance and the recent bump was relevant to that but as Leo has raised other questions, I'll address them.

" In some areas of Dublin where unemployment is very high the G.A.A is all the lifeline of the community and in many cases holding them together as some areas have zero facilities, serious crime and drug problems. They have to use pitchs not fit for purpose and no dressing rooms "

I don't accept that that is true. In fact I completely disagree. Dublin GAA is very middle-class actually as I see it. A lot of people in the areas you mention wouldn't be able to give you directions to the local club or know the name of it even. The GAA no matter where you go is family-oriented and thats why you have generations of fathers and sons on teams and this doesn't happen to any great extent in working class-areas. What strong GAA clubs are there in Dublin working-class areas?? and Ballymun Kickhams is an easy answer but its not true. That club is middle-class as well regardless of the name.

"Dublin have tried many things over the years to improve juvenile games and invested heavily in coaching. They have as has been pointed out been lucky to have Mick O'Grady, Humphrey Kelliher, Gerry Harrington work in Dublin, raise their families here, Gerry's son Dermot played senior football for Dublin. The GAA was their connection with home. I heard Michael O'Grady talk of coaching workshops 30 years ago and it was laughed. Brendan Harpur from Tyrone running courses with Brian Talty back in 1983/4. Quite a few who done that course are still involved with teams."

The huge contribution of outsiders to Dublin GAA success is not often mentioned by Dubs but I'm glad that you have done so. However this can be justifiably resented in other counties which lose these top-class people to Dublin because of the economic situation. If you looked at the Dublin hurling and football panels you would see that the lion's share of players have rural parents and this is where they get their grounding in GAA. They didn't just turn up at their local club some day and realised they were good at it. They were brought there weeknights and weekends by their parents who played the games growing up in their towns/villages.

Wow, you really have demonstrated incredibly effectively that you know absolutely nothing about Dublin GAA. To couch that ignorance in such absolute confidence in your assertions is really brilliant.

Pro Hoc Vice · 24-10-2014 9:21pm

BPKS wrote: »

Funny that a company who got an $85 billion bailout from the US government in 2008 can go around sponsoring Man Utd and Dublin GAA.

It would be the equivalent of Anglo Irish Bank sponsoring Swansea City and the Ospreys today.

Unlike Anglo AIG repaid all the money plus a profit to US so they can spend how they want.

corny · 24-10-2014 10:50pm

freddiek wrote: »

I don't think it is a great post, more of an emotional rant. The thread is about finance and the recent bump was relevant to that but as Leo has raised other questions, I'll address them.

" In some areas of Dublin where unemployment is very high the G.A.A is all the lifeline of the community and in many cases holding them together as some areas have zero facilities, serious crime and drug problems. They have to use pitchs not fit for purpose and no dressing rooms "

I don't accept that that is true. In fact I completely disagree. Dublin GAA is very middle-class actually as I see it. A lot of people in the areas you mention wouldn't be able to give you directions to the local club or know the name of it even. The GAA no matter where you go is family-oriented and thats why you have generations of fathers and sons on teams and this doesn't happen to any great extent in working class-areas. What strong GAA clubs are there in Dublin working-class areas?? and Ballymun Kickhams is an easy answer but its not true. That club is middle-class as well regardless of the name.

"Dublin have tried many things over the years to improve juvenile games and invested heavily in coaching. They have as has been pointed out been lucky to have Mick O'Grady, Humphrey Kelliher, Gerry Harrington work in Dublin, raise their families here, Gerry's son Dermot played senior football for Dublin. The GAA was their connection with home. I heard Michael O'Grady talk of coaching workshops 30 years ago and it was laughed. Brendan Harpur from Tyrone running courses with Brian Talty back in 1983/4. Quite a few who done that course are still involved with teams."

The huge contribution of outsiders to Dublin GAA success is not often mentioned by Dubs but I'm glad that you have done so. However this can be justifiably resented in other counties which lose these top-class people to Dublin because of the economic situation. If you looked at the Dublin hurling and football panels you would see that the lion's share of players have rural parents and this is where they get their grounding in GAA. They didn't just turn up at their local club some day and realised they were good at it. They were brought there weeknights and weekends by their parents who played the games growing up in their towns/villages.

I've heard you beat this drum many times but can i ask you, why does any of that matter?

GAA in Dublin is played by the middle classes, every Dublin players has country parents etc. Even if its true why do you care so much?

LeoB · 25-10-2014 12:01am

freddiek wrote: »

I don't think it is a great post, more of an emotional rant. The thread is about finance and the recent bump was relevant to that but as Leo has raised other questions, I'll address them.

" In some areas of Dublin where unemployment is very high the G.A.A is all the lifeline of the community and in many cases holding them together as some areas have zero facilities, serious crime and drug problems. They have to use pitchs not fit for purpose and no dressing rooms "

I don't accept that that is true. In fact I completely disagree. Dublin GAA is very middle-class actually as I see it. A lot of people in the areas you mention wouldn't be able to give you directions to the local club or know the name of it even. The GAA no matter where you go is family-oriented and thats why you have generations of fathers and sons on teams and this doesn't happen to any great extent in working class-areas. What strong GAA clubs are there in Dublin working-class areas?? and Ballymun Kickhams is an easy answer but its not true. That club is middle-class as well regardless of the name.

"Dublin have tried many things over the years to improve juvenile games and invested heavily in coaching. They have as has been pointed out been lucky to have Mick O'Grady, Humphrey Kelliher, Gerry Harrington work in Dublin, raise their families here, Gerry's son Dermot played senior football for Dublin. The GAA was their connection with home. I heard Michael O'Grady talk of coaching workshops 30 years ago and it was laughed. Brendan Harpur from Tyrone running courses with Brian Talty back in 1983/4. Quite a few who done that course are still involved with teams."

The huge contribution of outsiders to Dublin GAA success is not often mentioned by Dubs but I'm glad that you have done so. However this can be justifiably resented in other counties which lose these top-class people to Dublin because of the economic situation. If you looked at the Dublin hurling and football panels you would see that the lion's share of players have rural parents and this is where they get their grounding in GAA. They didn't just turn up at their local club some day and realised they were good at it. They were brought there weeknights and weekends by their parents who played the games growing up in their towns/villages.

If I went on an emotional rant I would be banned fro here as I have been before. Its fact.
Any Dublin person on here can go to their local club and name country people who have made a huge contribution to their communities, nothing emotional there just fact. My club has numerous country folk involved and we would be lost without them.

I would not term the G.A.A in Dublin as middle class. It is played in some middle class areas but by and large it is a working mans game. Its late days really, the last 20 years that the middle class areas have come to the fore again showing your lack of knowledge of the scene and this was on the back of the development of big estates in South and west Dublin in the 60s and 70s. I didnt want to mention any particular clubs but as you mentioned Ballymun kickhams They do great work in some of the areas of Ballymun where there are serious problem. as have Setanta hurling club who have had a very positive effect around Ballymun. Add to the list of clubs in working class areas, Erins Isle in Finglas, St. Josephs O'Connell boys Dublin 1 to 3 , O'Tooles, formerly of Seville place, sheriff street but now Dublin 17 Darndale, Belcamp, Croi Ro Naoife, Thomas Davis in Tallaght, Kevin hurling club Dublin 8, Good Council Dublin 12 to name just a few.

You have little knowledge of the real scene in Dublin. Go to areas that were developed in the last 15 - 20 years in part of Dublin 15,17, 20, 22, 24 where massive sprawling estates with no facilities were built and you see what the G.A.A has done. I know team mentors who are in a few cases as close to social workers as you get. I might dislike them for the hour of a game but the admiration I would have for a lot of these guys far outweighs the hour I dislike.

The contribution made by country folk is quite often recognised by clubs and communities and I can point to instances where people from the country didnt want to be recognised or recieve awards as "outsiders" they wanted to be part of the local community and only wanted to be recognised as that. And I have not heard the role of these "outsiders" resented anywhere and I get around Ireland quite a bit. But there is a begrudging streak in some people? My mother god rest her always said begrudgery was the biggest killer in Ireland, she might have been right.

In my community which some would say is a well off area, (there are people around who are well healed) I see every day the hugely positive impact our G.A.A. club has had on our community. Without the G.A.A as the focal point of our community I have no doubt we would have more anti-social behaviour and the trouble this can bring were it not for our club where people put in huge time on a voluntary basis so I would say in some cases we are the community.

So back to the finance. Any cuts to Dublin G.A.A. funding is nothing only an attack on marginalised communities in certain areas of the capital where the GAA do more for the people than any government agency. Areas that were developed without facilities, FACT that turned to serious crime, FACT. These communities have no chance to raise finance to improve their appeal in their communities or even buy jerseys or footballs. Again Dublin people on here will know that and its vital this is recognised when funding is being allocated.

If the GAA want to look at funding they should put in place a building programme to provide basic dressing rooms in some areas or even a hall that can be used as dressing rooms and a centre for clubs to bring kids to. This would have a very positive knock on effect.

freddiek · 25-10-2014 2:59am

LeoB wrote: »

If I went on an emotional rant I would be banned fro here as I have been before. Its fact.
Any Dublin person on here can go to their local club and name country people who have made a huge contribution to their communities, nothing emotional there just fact. My club has numerous country folk involved and we would be lost without them.

I would not term the G.A.A in Dublin as middle class. It is played in some middle class areas but by and large it is a working mans game. Its late days really, the last 20 years that the middle class areas have come to the fore again showing your lack of knowledge of the scene and this was on the back of the development of big estates in South and west Dublin in the 60s and 70s. I didnt want to mention any particular clubs but as you mentioned Ballymun kickhams They do great work in some of the areas of Ballymun where there are serious problem. as have Setanta hurling club who have had a very positive effect around Ballymun. Add to the list of clubs in working class areas, Erins Isle in Finglas, St. Josephs O'Connell boys Dublin 1 to 3 , O'Tooles, formerly of Seville place, sheriff street but now Dublin 17 Darndale, Belcamp, Croi Ro Naoife, Thomas Davis in Tallaght, Kevin hurling club Dublin 8, Good Council Dublin 12 to name just a few.

You have little knowledge of the real scene in Dublin. Go to areas that were developed in the last 15 - 20 years in part of Dublin 15,17, 20, 22, 24 where massive sprawling estates with no facilities were built and you see what the G.A.A has done. I know team mentors who are in a few cases as close to social workers as you get. I might dislike them for the hour of a game but the admiration I would have for a lot of these guys far outweighs the hour I dislike.

The contribution made by country folk is quite often recognised by clubs and communities and I can point to instances where people from the country didnt want to be recognised or recieve awards as "outsiders" they wanted to be part of the local community and only wanted to be recognised as that. And I have not heard the role of these "outsiders" resented anywhere and I get around Ireland quite a bit. But there is a begrudging streak in some people? My mother god rest her always said begrudgery was the biggest killer in Ireland, she might have been right.

In my community which some would say is a well off area, (there are people around who are well healed) I see every day the hugely positive impact our G.A.A. club has had on our community. Without the G.A.A as the focal point of our community I have no doubt we would have more anti-social behaviour and the trouble this can bring were it not for our club where people put in huge time on a voluntary basis so I would say in some cases we are the community.

So back to the finance. Any cuts to Dublin G.A.A. funding is nothing only an attack on marginalised communities in certain areas of the capital where the GAA do more for the people than any government agency. Areas that were developed without facilities, FACT that turned to serious crime, FACT. These communities have no chance to raise finance to improve their appeal in their communities or even buy jerseys or footballs. Again Dublin people on here will know that and its vital this is recognised when funding is being allocated.

If the GAA want to look at funding they should put in place a building programme to provide basic dressing rooms in some areas or even a hall that can be used as dressing rooms and a centre for clubs to bring kids to. This would have a very positive knock on effect.

Excellent post Leo. Not that i agree with everything you say though.

The first part of it which I have highlighted is interesting. This is the type of statement that has got me pelter's and dogs abuse from numerous posters in the past but i feel vindicated now on foot of your frank admission. Many of my adversaries downplay the extent of your country cousins' work in Dublin gaa but you have unashamedly highlighted it. good to see.

you mention a load of clubs in which good work is being done by volunteers but in fairness I did say "strong clubs" and none of these would appear to in that good health to me. I mistakenly overlooked Erins Isle in my earlier post. They'd have some great times in the 90s with the Barrs and Redmond et al but have done nothing in recent years.

"And I have not heard the role of these "outsiders" resented anywhere and I get around Ireland quite a bit"

This quote puzzles me as i would have thought it quite obvious that the importation of outsiders to Dublin clubs causes resentment both within and outside Dublin. I recently read Dessie Farrell's book and the section where he mentions that Na Fianna's decison to recruit top outsiders caused a fair bit of friction in the club interested me. They subsequently won i think 3 dublin SFCs as the "League of Nations" and qualified for an All-Ireland club final so he could stand over the decision in the end.
but the club members knew that the playing opportunities for locals and younger members would be curtailed and so they were. for a lot of people in the GAA the idea of bringing in outsiders is heresy but Na Fianna went even further and seemed to have a deliberate recruitment policy so its not altogether surprising that they attracted their fair share of knockers in that very successful period.

in relation to your appeal re. Finance, I simply can't believe that Dublin GAA clubs lack good facilities at least relative to what other counties have to put up with so i can't agree with you there. Could it be the case that the county board are not allocating their huge resources in the most fair and equitable fashion??

RoyalCelt · 27-10-2014 1:46am

Leo I don't agree with a lot of what Freddie says but I strongly disagree with 1 thing you said. "Dublin need more funding and other counties need to buck up".

Why not let other counties with way less funding than Dublin get more funding and let Dublin with so many resources buck up and find the extra funds themselves?

Royal Legend · 27-10-2014 2:07am

LeoB wrote: »

Some very good points made here apart from Freddick who posts are simply pathetic.

Dublin got a great deal with AIG and it is badly needed. I know this from being involved with the club scene in Dublin all my life. The amount of work being put in at underage level has to be seen to be believed, no one can do it justice here really. I am from a rural club and we think we have it tough but I work with a few lads from Dublin city clubs and the problems they have are on a different level and they need all the funding help they can get. In some areas of Dublin where unemployment is very high the G.A.A is all the lifeline of the community and in many cases holding them together as some areas have zero facilities, serious crime and drug problems. They have to use pitchs not fit for purpose and no dressing rooms. They have no means of fundraising and need help with hurleys and helmets and equipment. It would be disgraceful if funding to these clubs were cut. This problem is only getting worse.

There are lots of outside people helping with various sections of the GAA all over Ireland. The GAA is the lifeline for a lot of these people who have had to move for work. They can go down the road be welcomed into a club and feel part of a community. To me this is vital part of Irish life.

The level of begrudgery from some quarters here is unbelievable towards what Dublin has achieved. I have been involved on the outside of a few development squads and see what work is being done and its unreal the time and effort people are giving. There is no real reason why a number of other counties cant do the same but the inhouse fighting and back stabbing is unreal. Look at the mess Mayo have had in recent weeks, and most counties have have had crap at some stage to deal with. Iv seen lads at meetings in Dublin and in my club take stripes off each other but still working together. That is a huge part of the success Dublin have had. People will fight for what they believe is right and then move on, yes there have been a few internal rows that dragged on but by and large nothing like yarns Iv heard from other counties. Dublin have tried many things over the years to improve juvenile games and invested heavily in coaching. They have as has been pointed out been lucky to have Mick O'Grady, Humphrey Kelliher, Gerry Harrington work in Dublin, raise their families here, Gerry's son Dermot played senior football for Dublin. The GAA was their connection with home. I heard Michael O'Grady talk of coaching workshops 30 years ago and it was laughed. Brendan Harpur from Tyrone running courses with Brian Talty back in 1983/4. Quite a few who done that course are still involved with teams.
My own club have set standards on paper if you want to coach a team. You must do GAA coaching course at minimum every 2 years, child protection etc and you will get support from the club also. Were put in place various workshops a few times a year so mentors parents and players know we are serious about it and they buy into it. Dublin do the same just on a bigger scale

Dublin will get stronger but it will take another few years and then we will have the calls for split Dublin just like we have with Kerry for football and Kilkenny and Cork for hurling.

I would imagine when AIG or a big company like them come in and see what Andy Kettle, John Costello and various committees are doing in Dublin and the contribution they make to make Dublin a top sporting brand and all round better place it is good business to be involved.

Dublin needs an increase in funding and some other counties need to get up of their arse and put in the work instead of moaning about Dublin it would serve them better.Have proper juvenile leagues, set standards for coachs, run their club games properly and they will in time improve

As a Proud Meath Man, I have to agree with the comments above. I live down the country and am involved with underage hurling. For the last 20 years I have been watching Dublin underage clubs and underage county development squads and have watched their standard improve year on year.
This is not down to money, its down to coaching and people giving their time to learn how to coach to a high level and then implementing it.
Money does not make you a better hurler or footballer, yes it helps with facilities and preparation, but it does not make you more skilful, coaching and practice does that.
Also, there are 32 counties in Ireland, with a population of approx. 5m and one fifth (1/5th) of that population lives in Dublin, so of course it gets and deserves more money.

P.S. I will also be hoping that my own Royal County, will lower the Dublin colours over the next few years.

gaffer91 · 28-10-2014 8:53pm

LeoB, the things you mention re GAA clubs in Dublin being the lifeblood of the community are not exclusive to Dublin. That's also the case in many other counties around the country.

Do Dublin get too much money? You bet your bottom dollar they do. They already have the massive inbuilt population advantage and the absurd level of funding they get simply rubs salt into the wounds. I'm personally in favour of splitting Dublin in two to help level the playing field.

LeoB · 29-10-2014 9:50pm

freddiek wrote: »

Excellent post Leo. Not that i agree with everything you say though.

The first part of it which I have highlighted is interesting. This is the type of statement that has got me pelter's and dogs abuse from numerous posters in the past but i feel vindicated now on foot of your frank admission. Many of my adversaries downplay the extent of your country cousins' work in Dublin gaa but you have unashamedly highlighted it. good to see.

you mention a load of clubs in which good work is being done by volunteers but in fairness I did say "strong clubs" and none of these would appear to in that good health to me. I mistakenly overlooked Erins Isle in my earlier post. They'd have some great times in the 90s with the Barrs and Redmond et al but have done nothing in recent years.

"And I have not heard the role of these "outsiders" resented anywhere and I get around Ireland quite a bit"

This quote puzzles me as i would have thought it quite obvious that the importation of outsiders to Dublin clubs causes resentment both within and outside Dublin. I recently read Dessie Farrell's book and the section where he mentions that Na Fianna's decison to recruit top outsiders caused a fair bit of friction in the club interested me. They subsequently won i think 3 dublin SFCs as the "League of Nations" and qualified for an All-Ireland club final so he could stand over the decision in the end.
but the club members knew that the playing opportunities for locals and younger members would be curtailed and so they were. for a lot of people in the GAA the idea of bringing in outsiders is heresy but Na Fianna went even further and seemed to have a deliberate recruitment policy so its not altogether surprising that they attracted their fair share of knockers in that very successful period.

in relation to your appeal re. Finance, I simply can't believe that Dublin GAA clubs lack good facilities at least relative to what other counties have to put up with so i can't agree with you there. Could it be the case that the county board are not allocating their huge resources in the most fair and equitable fashion??

I should have been clearer in my post above when I say "outsiders". I was talking about people who come in join a club not these mercenaries who who go glory hunting. I would say when Na Fianna were bringing in the outsiders they got very little respect from anyone in the Dublin club scene. I am totally opposed to going chasing players to that extent, as was alleged back then.

RoyalCelt wrote: »

Leo I don't agree with a lot of what Freddie says but I strongly disagree with 1 thing you said. "Dublin need more funding and other counties need to buck up".

Why not let other counties with way less funding than Dublin get more funding and let Dublin with so many resources buck up and find the extra funds themselves?

Firstly I didnt mean my comment to be condescending. I have witnessed first hand the sh1t that goes on in other counties. People need to leave their egos outside when they get involved in coaching and games development especially when it comes to juvenile games promotion. It is well know in some counties the politics that goes on at all levels. You would not get away with that in Dublin but some Dubs would disagree, I'm not involved at committee level as a delegate so that could have changed. But other counties have the people well qualified to coach at a decent level but for some reason they don't. Other counties would also be much better able to compete if the club was not king. In some counties the club scene is more important that the county team. The club scene is strong in Dublin but lads are queuing up for a chance to play with any county team.

Royal Legend wrote: »

As a Proud Meath Man, I have to agree with the comments above. I live down the country and am involved with underage hurling. For the last 20 years I have been watching Dublin underage clubs and underage county development squads and have watched their standard improve year on year.
This is not down to money, its down to coaching and people giving their time to learn how to coach to a high level and then implementing it.
Money does not make you a better hurler or footballer, yes it helps with facilities and preparation, but it does not make you more skilful, coaching and practice does that.
Also, there are 32 counties in Ireland, with a population of approx. 5m and one fifth (1/5th) of that population lives in Dublin, so of course it gets and deserves more money.

P.S. I will also be hoping that my own Royal County, will lower the Dublin colours over the next few years.

This is the real point of it. My club gets very little funding, we dont look for much anyway but our relative success is down to people who are totally focused on coaching. Its their buzz where others get it being on committees. They spend hours with kids developing the basic skills. My daughter is on a camogie development squad and the time the coachs put in amazing. I thought my 3 nights coaching was a lot but these people with little resources are amazing in what are doing and none of what they do is down to money.

The way clubs like Kiltale, Killoyon, Trim Kilmessen and others are going Hurling will improve in the Royal county and it would be great to see.

gaffer91 wrote: »

LeoB, the things you mention re GAA clubs in Dublin being the lifeblood of the community are not exclusive to Dublin. That's also the case in many other counties around the country.

Do Dublin get too much money? You bet your bottom dollar they do. They already have the massive inbuilt population advantage and the absurd level of funding they get simply rubs salt into the wounds. I'm personally in favour of splitting Dublin in two to help level the playing field.

I take it then you are in favour of Kerry being split in 2 for football? Kilkenny, Tipperary and Cork in the hurling? Cork into about 10 in ladies football;)

No one is saying the problems are exclusive to Dublin but the problems encountered in some areas of Dublin are simply horrendous, There is no other county or clubs that encounter what some Dublin clubs have to encounter. Pitchs wrecked by joyriders, broken glass, left overs from drinks parties, they walk the grounds to ensure no of the paraphernalia from drugs are left for kids to pick up.
These clubs need serious financial support and any cuts to funding for Dublin will have a serious effect on these clubs and no one but a begrudger would look for a cut that would harm club like these.

Dublin announce new Megabucks Sponsorship deal

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