GAA players & the link with alcohol abuse

kilkennycat2004

What is it about GAA players & drink.
I see the latest released book from Wexford's Liam Dunne has a large section dealing with the demon drink.
We've had Gary Kirby, & John Leahy to name but two in recent times also both honest enough to admit this.
I'm sure its the same with ex footballers.
In Kilkenny 2 of our best ever hurlers were pioneers Eddie Keher & DJ.
No olympic type drug abuse yet in out sports but alcohol abuse. Seemingly so?

The Rooster

I know two accountants who are alcoholics. Must be a problem in that profession too.

I also know a printer who unfortunately has the same condition. Might be widespread in that line also.

Or maybe alcoholism doenst differentiate between what people do for work or sport, and instead takes a cross-section of society, including GAA stars..............................

Yavvy

rooster thats a lot of acoholics you know...are you sure it not you driving them to drink ?


as a sligo fan once said
" the ref from cork would drive you to drink and the price of drink would drive you to drink"

also Im sure that the GUINNESS hurling championship wont be effected

The Rooster

I dunno how many people I know, but I'd guess at least 100, so 3% isnt that high. Although even as I'm writing this I can think of 2 more! A retired fisherman and a housewife.

But as I said I dont for one minute believe it to be more prevalent among GAA players than the rest of society. Soccer players in England - Yes, but thats because they earn a huge amount and have an extraordinary amount of time off. And even then, over the last 3/4 years all the clubs have become far more "professional" about this and are cutting down on the drink culture that the English league used to be famous for.

I was probably a bit "short" with kilkennycat in my first post. So sorry, if I was but I was in a very bad mood as I'd just got a 1 week ban from one of the other forums, so I was very annoyed as it was completely unjustified! (as they all are I'm sure )

kilkennycat2004

The Rooster wrote:

I was probably a bit "short" with kilkennycat in my first post. So sorry, if I was but I was in a very bad mood as I'd just got a 1 week ban from one of the other forums, so I was very annoyed as it was completely unjustified! (as they all are I'm sure )

No problem Rooster just pointing out their is a culture of drink within GAA. No angel myself either by the way:-)
Heres an Offaly hurler , no name supplied before a Leinster hurling final vs. Kilkenny
"We're taking this match awful seriously.We're training three times a week now, and some of the boys are off the beer since Tuesday'

cournioni

I can't see how the games themselves can be blamed for this. It's the players who play the game. Its more or less tradition to go to the pub for a pint after a game I know. But no one is forcing people to go down. They take it upon themselves to do that.

I can't possibly see how sponsors can be the reason for players going for a drink. I mean who has ever heard of a player saying "oh the All Ireland hurling championship is sponsored by Guinness, lets go down and have a pint of guinness." :rolleyes:

The Rooster

I used to drink Carlsberg purely because they sponsored Liverpool.

But then I was young and thick, and hadnt experienced the joys of Guinness.

Shaque attack

The Rooster wrote:

I know two accountants who are alcoholics. Must be a problem in that profession too.

I also know a printer who unfortunately has the same condition. Might be widespread in that line also.

Or maybe alcoholism doenst differentiate between what people do for work or sport, and instead takes a cross-section of society, including GAA stars..............................

i would hold a similar view. the problem of drink in this country affects the whole of society, from 14 year old kids to 80 something year olds on every level of society. i guess the problem with seeing GAA stars scuttered or just enjoying a drink on a night out is that they are people you look up to and expect so much of that it causes disillussionment as we expect them to be different from all the rest which is just not true

Flukey

There is a culture of drink within Ireland. It is no greater in the GAA than any other sports or organisations. Golfers go to the so-called 19th hole. Rugby people have a drink after a match. Tennis players do. Name any sport after it, people go for a drink. Because the GAA is the biggest organisation, then there appears to be more of them going for a drink. Obviously there is going to be more people going for a drink after an All-Ireland Hurling or Football final, than there would be after the All-Ireland Tiddlywinks final. So the drink culture isn't much different than any other area. After all a lot of the GAA drinkers are, on other days, golf drinkers, rugby drinkers, soccer drinkers, tennis drinkers and maybe even tiddlywinks drinkers!

Big Ears

kilkennycat2004 wrote:

No olympic type drug abuse yet in out sports but alcohol abuse. Seemingly so?

To be honest if you tested all the players that play GAA , im sure you would find some on performance enhancing drugs .

Theres bound to be some cheats in such a large organization .

Flukey

There may well be, but there impact is lessened in a team sport. The great drug for them is the playing of the game itself. There is something special about GAA matches that you don't quite get at other events.

Big Ears

Flukey wrote:

There may well be, but there impact is lessened in a team sport. The great drug for them is the playing of the game itself. There is something special about GAA matches that you don't quite get at other events.

true but , the same can be said of a Rugby match or a soccer match .
Infact theres soemthing special about both Hurling and Fooball that the other dosen't have .

Flukey

It is still wrong. I totally agree. I am just saying 1 player amongst 15 on drugs has a more diluted impact on a team than an individual competing in their own sport. At any sport, whether it be an individual or a team sport, all drug cheats should be removed.

redspider

I dont think that GAA players indulge in alcohol any more than any similar people/players in other sports who are at the same ages and and moving in similar group circles. eg: Rugby, Soccer, etc.

In all sports there's a usually no problem having a few jars after a match, but what with more training at the county level, stricter managers, etc, heavy alcohol users soon get caught out at top-level GAA and most players would naturally cut down. Alcohol is not after all a performance enhancing drug. The winter time is another story though as players are bought pints in pubs, have less to play for and train for and some players could go down a slippery slope of hitting the jar a bit too much. But if they want to play at the top level, they will need to cut back. Gone are the days of playing an All-Ireland match with a hangover.


In terms of performance enhancing drugs, I would say there is little as there is no real money incentive to do so. Rugby would be a cause for concern. I think for all of those sports recreational drugs would probably be at the same level.

By the way, do the GAA do any tests? What is te GPA's thoughts on testing and drugs?

Big Ears

redspider wrote:

In terms of performance enhancing drugs, I would say there is little as there is no real money incentive to do so.

As Flukey said in the stadium Ireland thread(on politics) , players aren't playing for money .
Im sure some players would do so , just so they have a better chance of making the starting line-up on the county team , or for want of winning an All-Ireland .

I would be very sure theres less drug use in GAA than other sports , but im sure theres some cheats out there , and I agree with Flukey agin , all drug cheats should be removed .