Why doesn't the GAA promote Gaelic Games to tourists?

Dionysus

This has been bothering me once again this summer. Each summer I teach English to foreign kids in Dublin. In one of the schools I'm in alone there are thousands of them. They have a long list of places to visit: Kilkenny Castle, Glendalough, Dublinia and, most cringeworthy of all, the propaganda shop of the greatest drug dealers in Irish history: Guinness Storehouse.

None of the groups have ever been scheduled to visit Croker or even to watch an intercounty hurling or football match anywhere. They haven't even a tour of the quite excellent GAA museum on their tour routine (and they'd really enjoy the interactive aspect - e.g. the hurling and football practices - in the GAA museum). It being the summer, there's obviously no shortgage of matches.

I am left to try and explain to them in a humble classroom the ineffable greatness of it all, the screaming at a Clare-Galway hurling match in Cusack Park in the late 1990s, the extraordinary tension and camaraderie between Dublin and Meath fans in that famous summer of 1991 - and so, so much more. There aren't enough clips on YouTube to convey the true meaning of it all.

But my question stands: why of why is the organisation charged with promoting arguably the greatest aspect of our culture and identity aside from our language not promoting it to foreigners?

Croke Park - and not the Guinness Storehouse - should be the most important stop on the travel itinerary of every tourist in Dublin. If it put its mind to it, Croke Park could be the number one tourist destination in Ireland in no time. Why isn't it doing it?

gregers85

I knew a few americans when i was in college nd they really loved it when they where here OP might be on to something!

bruschi

would agree with all that. huge potential there, and especially as games are usually relativley cheap and with low attendances this year, easily got. maybe if the GAA got onto Bord Failte or something.

rossie1977

there was quite a few tourists at the club finals this year on paddys day, not sure if they knew exactly what was going on most of the time though

gaelic cowboy

They are sort of marketing it too tourists apparently you can buy tickets for matches up to the semi stage I imagine in your local bord failte office.


Tourist offices to sell GAA tickets

I did the Croke Park tour lately and the foreign members of the group all seemed genuinely interested in the tour etc, the guide continually stressed the value to be had in attending say the 1/4 finals in Croke Park

Five or six games over two days in a modern stadia with no fear of crowd trouble and a short walk to the busy nightlife of Dublin after.

Having said all that I would say they could do more if they tried maybe creating some kind of package tour with golf, beer and a bit of craic.

rossie1977 wrote: »

there was quite a few tourists at the club finals this year on paddys day, not sure if they knew exactly what was going on most of the time though

I bet they got a deal for the tickets with the tour and museum thrown in most likely, plus they prob stayed in the hotel across the road too

entropi

I was standing close to a bunch of Spanish speaking people, a couple with an American accent and behind a lone Offaly man on the Hill there on Sunday...I'd say there's interest alright, it just needs a little bit more promotion. I'm not too sure if they would be very interested in grass roots club games initially, but the big games have potential to pull them in.

And with the spread of people leaving Ireland and helping set up clubs all over the world, that can only help improve the interest in the codes.

Sunnyisland

Master of Nothing wrote: »

I was standing close to a bunch of Spanish speaking people, a couple with an American accent and behind a lone Offaly man on the Hill there on Sunday...I'd say there's interest alright, it just needs a little bit more promotion. I'm not too sure if they would be very interested in grass roots club games initially, but the big games have potential to pull them in.

And with the spread of people leaving Ireland and helping set up clubs all over the world, that can only help improve the interest in the codes.

Now thats a real tourist there

dcr22B

realies wrote: »

Now thats a real tourist there

Saw a lone Offaly jersey down the front of the Hill alright!

spurious

Last Sunday in the Cusack there were quite a few visitors sitting near us - one group of young women from the north of England and a mixed group of Germans. They stayed for both matches and seemed to really enjoy themselves.

Micilin Muc

If you think of it in business terms, repeat business is the GAA's focus.

If you keep your long-term customers (ie GAA members), you're on to a winner.

Joekers

Master of Nothing wrote: »

I was standing close to a bunch of Spanish speaking people, a couple with an American accent and behind a lone Offaly man on the Hill there on Sunday...I'd say there's interest alright, it just needs a little bit more promotion. I'm not too sure if they would be very interested in grass roots club games initially, but the big games have potential to pull them in.

And with the spread of people leaving Ireland and helping set up clubs all over the world, that can only help improve the interest in the codes.

Those Americans were hilarious was explaining some of the rules to them and they loved it thought it was brilliant, they even looked up some of the rules online before they came aswell.

overshoot

a bunch of erasmus students from my year this year went to the all ireland club finals instead of getting pissed on paddys like everyone else so there is a market.
they really enjoyed it and thought it was a better way to spend their time

keane2097

Micilin Muc wrote: »

If you think of it in business terms, repeat business is the GAA's focus.

That might be relevant if every game was played in front of a full house.

entropi

realies wrote: »

Now thats a real tourist there

dcr22B wrote: »

Saw a lone Offaly jersey down the front of the Hill alright!

Proper tourist aye! I'd say he was delighted haha:D

I was right behind him having a laugh, in the half and half Dub/Tipp jersey :pac:

Joekers wrote: »

Those Americans were hilarious was explaining some of the rules to them and they loved it thought it was brilliant, they even looked up some of the rules online before they came aswell.

Its great when they ask some questions, and are absolutely fascinated as to why there are men running around a field chasing each other with sticks in the first place:p (its for the parish, I swear:pac:)

overshoot wrote: »

a bunch of erasmus students from my year this year went to the all ireland club finals instead of getting pissed on paddys like everyone else so there is a market.
they really enjoyed it and thought it was a better way to spend their time

That happened with us in college this year, loads of the erasmus students came over to the GAA pitch and watched the hurling games during the year...seemed to enjoy them too!

popbutton

There is a site called crokeparktickets.ie that promotes a game at croke park with a museum visit to visitors from overseas.

hisholinessnb

Dionysus wrote: »

the propaganda shop of the greatest drug dealers in Irish history: Guinness Storehouse.

So I guess theres no point inviting you out for a pint then? :eek:

Tiocfaidh Armani

I'm a Dub but I did the Croke Park tour and it's excellent, I'd recommend it. It's something that should be looked at for tourists. It has a great historical story to it that tourists would love.

Dionysus

Dionysus wrote: »

This has been bothering me once again this summer. Each summer I teach English to foreign kids in Dublin. In one of the schools I'm in alone there are thousands of them. They have a long list of places to visit: Kilkenny Castle, Glendalough, Dublinia and, most cringeworthy of all, the propaganda shop of the greatest drug dealers in Irish history: Guinness Storehouse.

None of the groups have ever been scheduled to visit Croker or even to watch an intercounty hurling or football match anywhere. They haven't even a tour of the quite excellent GAA museum on their tour routine (and they'd really enjoy the interactive aspect - e.g. the hurling and football practices - in the GAA museum). It being the summer, there's obviously no shortgage of matches.

I am left to try and explain to them in a humble classroom the ineffable greatness of it all, the screaming at a Clare-Galway hurling match in Cusack Park in the late 1990s, the extraordinary tension and camaraderie between Dublin and Meath fans in that famous summer of 1991 - and so, so much more. There aren't enough clips on YouTube to convey the true meaning of it all.

But my question stands: why of why is the organisation charged with promoting arguably the greatest aspect of our culture and identity aside from our language not promoting it to foreigners?

Croke Park - and not the Guinness Storehouse - should be the most important stop on the travel itinerary of every tourist in Dublin. If it put its mind to it, Croke Park could be the number one tourist destination in Ireland in no time. Why isn't it doing it?

A story i heard back in 1991 an American tourist asked our local publican at the time 'if he knew what these were for?'. Turned out to be 2 tickets to the All Ireland hurling final which he was given in the arrivals lounge in the airport along with a few other tourists. You wouldn't mind half the town were mad for them on that particular week so if say there was to be promotion it needs to be done more cleverly then that.

InigoMontoya

One simple thing I'd love to see is some well-shot, high quality videos of hurling (in particular) on youtube... not just snippets from a match but selected bits of play that highlight the skills and pace of the game. There are a few compilations of clips that try to do this but the quality isn't great in most cases, making it hard for someone unfamiliar with the sport to follow what's happen.

Might seem trivial but I'd certainly have showed (more) links to people visiting before if there were a selection of clips that really did the game justice.

InigoMontoya

InigoMontoya wrote: »

One simple thing I'd love to see is some well-shot, high quality videos of hurling (in particular) on youtube... not just snippets from a match but selected bits of play that highlight the skills and pace of the game. There are a few compilations of clips that try to do this but the quality isn't great in most cases, making it hard for someone unfamiliar with the sport to follow what's happen.

Might seem trivial but I'd certainly have showed (more) links to people visiting before if there were a selection of clips that really did the game justice.

This was an excellent video for the era it was done i think. Definitely should be a more up to date video done by some of the modern day hurlers like Shefflin or Corbett

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW4lKaY4jTY

starviewadams

Often wondered this myself,would be a good idea to advertise the museum on tourist websites/magazines and hype the origins of the game,the American's especially love that type of thing.

Could also be scope for tieing in a deal with the Croke Park Hotel for a match ticket/museum visit/room discount combo.

Would be well worth a go anyways.

Tiocfaidh Armani

starviewadams wrote: »

Often wondered this myself,would be a good idea to advertise the museum on tourist websites/magazines and hype the origins of the game,the American's especially love that type of thing.

Could also be scope for tieing in a deal with the Croke Park Hotel for a match ticket/museum visit/room discount combo.

Would be well worth a go anyways.

Great idea. A win-win for all involved.

Flukey

There are always a few foreigners there, but it is a hugely untapped market. There are loads of tourists, foreign students and even people who have come from other countries and now settled here, that could be drawn upon. Gladly, as their children start to go to school and they themselves start to get more involved in their communities, the amount of resident foreigners at GAA matches is noticeably increasing. Seeing a few of them playing in the half time exhibition matches is great.

Croke Park was noticeably down on attendances this year. Meanwhile there are thousands of people going around the city, anxious to see Ireland's culture, and missing out on this very special part of it. I've brought visitors to Croke Park and they love it. I've seen people being absolutely fascinated over Hurling matches, that experts like us would know to only be an average game. I remember being at the International Rules matches in 2004, which were preceded by the inter-provincial Hurling matches. Those that came early got great entertainment. You could hear the "Ooohs" and "Aaahs" in Australian accents as they watched. Even some of the Australian players came out at half time and tried to use a hurley and sliothar. It is unfortunate that most Australian fans only came in for the International Rules game. They really missed out.

It can be fun telling the tourists about the game and sharing a bit of your own passion with them. When you have enthusiasm for something yourself, you do a better job of explaining it to others. On a big match day you'll see tourists asking what is going on, and a few then go and get tickets. The people on the airport buses driving through Drumcondra can always be seen looking out, fascinated at the colour, and wondering what is going on.

Another thing they like is the way the crowds freely mix. Rival fans, men and women, adults and children. It is a great day out. Someone used to going to soccer matches in England can't get over that aspect of the event. They never see rival fans mix as much and freely, or as many women and children at matches. The GAA has a great product. They also have lots of empty seats during the summer in Croke Park and other stadiums. There are also lots of people that would come to watch, if they knew it was happening. It wouldn't take much for the GAA to tap into that market. It is a topic that comes up here often, and amongst conversation of GAA fans, especially after a match when they find themselves in a pub or hotel or restaurant, surrounded by tourists who probably had a quiet Sunday afternoon with little to do.

Tiocfaidh Armani

Flukey, I would highly recommend the book 'Ireland's Professional Amateurs'. It's from an American journalist who came to Ireland on holiday and went to a hurling game and fell in love with the amateur ethos of the GAA. He took time off work to come back to Ireland and follows some teams around the country and interviews the players about the commitments they had to make. It's superb reading. He ends up sleeping in a shed one night!

I really wish I had my copy to send you but I loaned it out and never seen it again. But shows what an impact it could have on visitors if marketed correctly. I'm surprised the GAA haven't taking the initiative on something like this before

Flukey

Tiocfaidh Armani wrote: »

Flukey, I would highly recommend the book 'Ireland's Professional Amateurs'. It's from an American journalist who came to Ireland on holiday and went to a hurling game and fell in love with the amateur ethos of the GAA. He took time off work to come back to Ireland and follows some teams around the country and interviews the players about the commitments they had to make. It's superb reading. He ends up sleeping in a shed one night!

I really wish I had my copy to send you but I loaned it out and never seen it again. But shows what an impact it could have on visitors if marketed correctly. I'm surprised the GAA haven't taking the initiative on something like this before

Just purchased on Amazon.

Tiocfaidh Armani

Flukey wrote: »

Just purchased on Amazon.

Good stuff it's a great read:)

listermint

They must be promoting it somewhere, because i was sitting beside about 40 Japanese people at the Dublin V Donegal game.

byhookorbycrook

Was in Carron at Micheal Cusack's birthplace recently. We had just been at the Burren perfumery down the road which was packed .We were the only people at the Cusack centre.There is a nice a.v but not much else,if there was a "try your hand at hurling/Gaelic football" set up they could be raking it in and more importantly upping the profile of the games.Big opportunity missed here.