Suicide Awareness - Credit to Dublin GAA

bruschi

Dublin football and hurling comes in for its fair share of critics all over, and at times I can be one myself. But I have to applaud their efforts for suicide awareness, by having the Suicide or Survive organistation on their jerseys instead of their sponsors.

this is a really good step by them in promoting awareness and getting it into the open. Suicide is an issue that I would safely say has affected pretty much any member of GAA, as its most common person who commits suicide is a young male. We as a nation need to be able to open up and talk about things, not hit the drink and try hide away from depression and problems.

I honestly cant give enough praise to the Dublin board for promoting this awareness in the fashion they are doing so. so for once, we can have a thread all about Dublin GAA where there wont be any negative comments involved.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0124/1224310671009.html

sgarvan

This is the jersey that will be worn by Dublin

keane2097

Great initiative. Huge credit to everyone involved.

lukin

Fair dues; hopefully more County teams will do the same.

my friend

what is this? an option? a choice?

while I respect the initiative the logo/name is ridiculous

dcr22B

What?

Seriously?

Yeah, let's hide issues like suicide in society :rolleyes:

sgarvan

my friend wrote: »

what is this? an option? a choice?

while I respect the initiative the logo/name is ridiculous

It is the name and logo of the charity

http://www.suicideorsurvive.ie/

Clareman

my friend wrote: »

what is this? an option? a choice?

while I respect the initiative the logo/name is ridiculous

http://www.suicideorsurvive.ie/about/why-the-dandelion

Makes a lot of sense to me having educated myself on it, which is something everyone should do about suicide and it's impact on society.

Liachta Cultaca

Is this jersey available to purchase ?

Alaska1

Liachta Cultaca wrote: »

Is this jersey available to purchase ?

Afraid not.

sgarvan

Liachta Cultaca wrote: »

Is this jersey available to purchase ?

No but the players jerseys will be auctioned off for the charity after the game

LeoB

I would regularly critize the county board but this is a tremendous iniative.

Well done to all concerned in bringing this forward.

The_Kew_Tour

Have to say fair play to Dublin for this.

Mervyn Crawford

Recently a gentleman was on the radio concerning the suicide of his son and the GAA suicide campaign.

He stated that his son was introduced to his love of GAA football and 'everything Irish' by the Christian Brothers at his school. He also stated his son was a strong man and was 'loved by the crowd' because while he played fair 'it was a hard game, not for nansie pansies' - to aproximately quote.

We cannot know the exact reason why this man's son killed himself; but we do know that the GAA (along with the Christain Brothers) takes a crude attitude to sport and Irish history. The stock response to criticism of GAA as a brutal sport is that those who 'hate' it are not 'men'.

This week the suicide of Justin Fashanu (an excellent footballer and boxer) is again in the news because of his niece's criticsm of her father John for not supporting Justin when he declared his homosexuality.

Irish youth are burdened from a very early age by religious and nationalist brainwashing - a very barren and anti-cultural outlook on the world.
The GAA is a primary organisation that stands over Irish youth and blackmails, cajoles and corrals them into accepting what is nothing more than a celebration of brutishness. And close on the heels of the church and the club comes the booze!

In my view the GAA promoting a suicide awareness campaign is of the same ilk as Diageo promoting Drink Awareness.
(And in another coonnection to alcohol it has been reported that many suicides are related to alcohol use).

Young Irish people need to throw of the twin horrors of religious and nationalist indoctrination. To discover the world and reject the poison of their 'elders'.

Nonoperational

Jesus I would disagree with so much of that post I don't know where to begin.

Recently a gentleman was on the radio concerning the suicide of his son and the GAA suicide campaign.

He stated that his son was introduced to his love of GAA football and 'everything Irish' by the Christian Brothers at his school. He also stated his son was a strong man and was 'loved by the crowd' because while he played fair 'it was a hard game, not for nansie pansies' - to aproximately quote.

We cannot know the exact reason why this man's son killed himself

Your right, we have absolutely no idea, your not really making any sort of argument at all. You seem to be inferring his love of GAA and Irishness was a factor in his suicide, how you can deduce that I really have no idea.

This week the suicide of Justin Fashanu (an excellent footballer and boxer) is again in the news because of his daughter's criticsm of Justin's brother John for not supporting Justin when he declared his homosexuality.

Many many people have issues accepting a family members homosexuality. It's unfortunate, but the GAA certainly wouldn't be any worse than anyone else. I don't really see what John Fashanu has to do with this thread to be honest.

The GAA is a primary organisation that stands over Irish youth and blackmails, cajoles and corrals them into accepting what is nothing more than a celebration of brutishness.

That's a seriously deranged view of the GAA and what it stands for. You clearly were either never involved with a GAA team or had an unusually bad experience in the past. The GAA, while it does harbour a few dinosaurs, is a very welcoming, inclusive community organisation that provides an outlet for many many youths around the country.

In my view the GAA promoting a suicide awareness campaign is of the same ilk as Diageo promoting Drink Awaremness.
(And in another coonnection to alcohol it has been reported that many suicides are related to alcohol use).

The part in brackets at the end of your post is the only bit that makes any sense. Alcohol is a huge contributory factor in suicides. Huge. There we can agree.

I can't even begin to imagine the mindset of someone that would write a reply like you wrote. Instead of applauding an effort that even to the harshest critic deserves even a little praise, you chose to go on a largely unintelligible rant, about what I am still struggling to figure out.

Mervyn Crawford

The endemic brutalisation that Irish youth suffer at the hands of society is patently the underlying source of the turn to suicide (often by way of drink) - in the sense a society that celebrated life, science, the arts, sport - humanity. That socierty would be a society that young people would relish and embrace.
Every personal problem has social roots.

The gentleman I referred to could not see the irony of his comments.

Justin Fashanu faced a different type of boorishness (homophobia, along with of course, racism). The crisis in sport, where backwardness, negativity and brutality is encouraged, even codified into 'rules' does not start or end with the GAA; but the GAA is very definitely an organisation that plays a key role in supressing the human spirit and supporting the status quo in this country.

Tom Joad

Mervyn Crawford wrote: »

The endemic brutalisation that Irish youth suffer at the hands of society is patently the underlying source of the turn to suicide (often by way of drink) - in the sense a society that celebrated life, science, the arts, sport - humanity. That socierty would be a society that young people would relish and embrace.
Every personal problem has social roots.

The gentleman I referred to could not see the irony of his comments.

Justin Fashanu faced a different type of boorishness (homophobia, along with of course, racism). The crisis in sport, where backwardness, negativity and brutality is encouraged, even codified into 'rules' does not start or end with the GAA; but the GAA is very definitely an organisation that plays a key role in supressing the human spirit and supporting the status quo in this country.

Are you for real or on a wind up?? - you do know that using big words randomly in a few paragraphs dosen't make your argument clever or even make sense.

I really don't know where to start but my experience of the GAA is that it involves everyone and welcomes everyone no matter what the ability - its at the heart of every community especially rural areas where loneliness is a huge factor in suicide.

Yes the GAA is not perfect (like all organised sports) but supressing the human spirit - what a load of crap.

LeoB

Mervyn Crawford wrote: »

The endemic brutalisation that Irish youth suffer at the hands of society is patently the underlying source of the turn to suicide (often by way of drink) - in the sense a society that celebrated life, science, the arts, sport - humanity. That socierty would be a society that young people would relish and embrace.
Every personal problem has social roots.

The gentleman I referred to could not see the irony of his comments.

Justin Fashanu faced a different type of boorishness (homophobia, along with of course, racism). The crisis in sport, where backwardness, negativity and brutality is encouraged, even codified into 'rules' does not start or end with the GAA; but the GAA is very definitely an organisation that plays a key role in supressing the human spirit and supporting the status quo in this country.

What ****e you write. but the GAA is very definitely an organisation that plays a key role in supressing the human spirit and supporting the status quo in this country WHERE DID YOU GET THIS FROM OR DID YOU MAKE IT UP?

We dont know why this happened to this young man, that he would take his own life, like every other suicide its a tragedy but your angle/points are just plain pathetic. Are you a serious person at all I am beginning to wonder.
Alcohol and mis use of drugs are 2 of the major plagues in our society today and over the last 20 years leading to so many suicides, now the financial crisis is contributing.

The G.A.A. as I know it has done more for the youth of our country by providing friendship and a family feel to so many parts of our society especially in rural Ireland where it can help bring people together and give them a sense of value and worth. How you can bring someone like Justin Fashanu (where there were also cultural difference you omitted) into it is beyond me. FAMILIES IN ALL WALKS OF LIFE can have problems dealing with homosexuality. Some are wealthy business people with all the trappings, very successful in life, we think. Loads of people have problems like the Fashanu family but not the vast means to try and get help as Fashanu's had. As we have seen with Gary Speed and a number of others some players have problems coping when they stop playing as they have had a buzz during their careers and it stops for some when they stop playing which leads to suicide, I spoke a former professional player who I work with Look at the amount who have had drink problems, drug problems, marrages gone and end up on the scrapheap. The G.A.A. and in this case the Dublin county board, the players, Fans, Vodafone and the wider membership of the G.A.A. have done a very positive piece of work to further highlight the problem of suicide throughout our society.

We have seen many iniatives over the last number of years with county boards trying to help combat lonliness with in particular the Kerry Co Board providing a service through local clubs to bring people together, think it was launched by President McAleese. This spawned a great effort around the country among clubs to try and cater better for elderly people in rural areas where suicide had also become a problem

Tom Joad wrote: »

Are you for real or on a wind up?? - you do know that using big words randomly in a few paragraphs dosen't make your argument clever or even make sense.

I really don't know where to start but my experience of the GAA is that it involves everyone and welcomes everyone no matter what the ability - its at the heart of every community especially rural areas where loneliness is a huge factor in suicide.

Yes the GAA is not perfect (like all organised sports) but supressing the human spirit - what a load of crap.

Its called throlling.

My experience of the G.A.A is exactly like yours. I dont like everything they do but the are a terrific organisation who have done and I am sure will continue to a great service to our young people and to our country

corny

Mervyn Crawford wrote: »

The crisis in sport, where backwardness, negativity and brutality is encouraged, even codified into 'rules' does not start or end with the GAA; but the GAA is very definitely an organisation that plays a key role in supressing the human spirit and supporting the status quo in this country.

Bravo!

So the GAA is a bastion for all things evil. We get it.

You can't logically back up any of that. In fact personal experience, if you had any because i doubt you do, would teach you the GAA can be a great unifying force in local communities and society in general.

You've too much time on your hands if this is how you get your kicks.

bruschi

There is having an opinion, and then there is being an absolute idiot and talking absolute rubbish about something that is so clearly wrong and only being said to be devisive and wind people up. Its people like this that are backwards and regressive. I couldnt even be bothered going through the points because every one of them is so unbelievably ridiculous.

This isnt the first time you have been on here going on about the GAA and its social input to society and how bad it is. If you are so against it, then I would suggest staying away from it. If I dont like something, I wont go onto a forum dedicated to it.

I started this thread to engage in positive moves Dublin GAA did to create more awareness for a systematic problem throughout our country. Suicide is a major issue, especially in young males. Having idiots like this lad come on here and derail a thread to suit his own aganda in trying to blame the GAA for suicide is nothing but trolling at its worst.


I'll take a reprimand for calling him an idiot too. If it looks like one and talks like one, then it is one.

Gophur

my friend wrote: »

what is this? an option? a choice?

while I respect the initiative the logo/name is ridiculous

+1, I think it's a dreadful slogan.

The GAA is good but it's not the be-all and end-all of a community, despite what some people think. It's tribalism and violence is very off-putting for many and definitely not something to attract someone who is feeling vulnerable. GAA's attitude to other sports is also not one of inclusion and doesn't do themselves any favours. (The GAA have no problem pulling €20m, or more, from Golf events through the year, mind you.)

That said, one has to applaud any initiatives towards suicide prevention/awareness. The single message to get out there is that nobody should ever feel hopeless and there should always be someone to talk to.

Under-age GAA have welfare officers for boys and girls. There is a need for an adult version, someone a person in trouble can turn to.

hisholinessnb

Mervyn Crawford wrote: »

the GAA is very definitely an organisation that plays a key role in supressing the human spirit

This has to be the single most crazy statement I have ever come across on here.

OK you absolutely HATE the GAA, we get it. But lets be honest about the reasons eh? You have an ulterior motive on here which is the real reason behind these crazy posts and my guess is that it lies North of the border.

Step up and be honest.

LeoB

Gophur wrote: »

+1, I think it's a dreadful slogan. .

The slogan is not the big issue here is the thrust of the post

Gophur wrote: »

+
The GAA is good but it's not the be-all and end-all of a community, despite what some people think. It's tribalism and violence is very off-putting for many and definitely not something to attract someone who is feeling vulnerable. GAA's attitude to other sports is also not one of inclusion and doesn't do themselves any favours. (The GAA have no problem pulling €20m, or more, from Golf events through the year, mind you.)

That said, one has to applaud any initiatives towards suicide prevention/awareness. The single message to get out there is that nobody should ever feel hopeless and there should always be someone to talk to.



No one is saying its the be all and end all but rather pointing out the positive effect it can have. Its role in Irish society is in my opinion way undervaled

I would also say the G.A.A no more tribal than Soccer or Rugby. The level of violence in G.A.A. is not a problem but when it happens its not nice. The G.A.A. is a vital link in the community and its worth remembering its not actualy a social service but a sporting organisation and because of its high porfile it does offer comfort, safety, friendship, a place for people to mix. Many people have benefited from the discipiline and training they got.

I know for a fact a number of clubs activly run drink awareness campaigns. Every mentor and coach in my club is child vetted, trained in first aid and does a child protection programme and this is compulsory.

Gophur wrote: »

+Under-age GAA have welfare officers for boys and girls. There is a need for an adult version, someone a person in trouble can turn to.

On the adult front we appointed a wefare officer but very few people would approach someone in their club if they were having "problems". You are into a whole different area with this which would often need professional intervention. Very few people (in any sports club) are qualified to deal with a situation like this

Happyman42

Mervyn Crawford wrote: »

Recently a gentleman was on the radio concerning the suicide of his son and the GAA suicide campaign.

He stated that his son was introduced to his love of GAA football and 'everything Irish' by the Christian Brothers at his school. He also stated his son was a strong man and was 'loved by the crowd' because while he played fair 'it was a hard game, not for nansie pansies' - to aproximately quote.

We cannot know the exact reason why this man's son killed himself; but we do know that the GAA (along with the Christain Brothers) takes a crude attitude to sport and Irish history. The stock response to criticism of GAA as a brutal sport is that those who 'hate' it are not 'men'.

This week the suicide of Justin Fashanu (an excellent footballer and boxer) is again in the news because of his niece's criticsm of her father John for not supporting Justin when he declared his homosexuality.

Irish youth are burdened from a very early age by religious and nationalist brainwashing - a very barren and anti-cultural outlook on the world.
The GAA is a primary organisation that stands over Irish youth and blackmails, cajoles and corrals them into accepting what is nothing more than a celebration of brutishness. And close on the heels of the church and the club comes the booze!

In my view the GAA promoting a suicide awareness campaign is of the same ilk as Diageo promoting Drink Awareness.
(And in another coonnection to alcohol it has been reported that many suicides are related to alcohol use).

Young Irish people need to throw of the twin horrors of religious and nationalist indoctrination. To discover the world and reject the poison of their 'elders'.

Will somebody save us from the 'Call Joe' mindset! What utter self serving nonsense. Did you not get picked or something?

hisholinessnb

I think it sums up the class of person Mervyn is that he is quite happy to distract a discussion on a very serious topic like suicide and the GAA's attempt to draw attention to it, and turn it into an idiotic rant against the GAA.

Seems by his actions that he does not care in the slightest about the problem of suicide. Whatsoever.

To hijack this thread for his own sinister motives shows a total lack of class.

Nasty nasty stuff from a classless lowlife.

**I'd agree with the previous poster, this is well worth an infraction.

Hammer Archer

I only found my way into this topic now.

Firstly, a big round of applause to Dublin for doing this and I think other county boards should consider making a similar gesture.

Secondly, this Mervyn character has absolutely zero interest in debating anything with anyone. This is the second time he's posted in a thread in the GAA forum and not once has he engaged with anyone, preferring to spout his idiotic rhetoric disguised in colourful language.
My advice would be for no one to give him the time of day.

Edit: Although having read what he posted fully, I fully agree with hisholiness above.

Mervyn Crawford

The GAA is supposedly a community organisation.
The AIB claims to be a community organisation! (AIB TV advertising campaign: "supporting clubs, supporting communities").
Many people/organisations make claims to be the opposite of what they are!
Trade unions claim to be on the side of their members and working people in general! Well that’s obviously not true!
FF, Fine Gael, Labour, Sinn Fein claim to be democratic. Indeed any parliamentary or Council party or representative claim to be democratic - i.e. they claim they are in the Dail, or Stormont or a council to serve the people of the country. The last time I looked the Dail and Stormont are imposing the looting of the state's resources on behalf of the multi-billionaires; and relentlessly driving up costs of living on the population. What's democratic about that?
The GAA is an organisation that encourages parochialism (not from ‘round here’) and nationalism (‘proud’ to be Irish. Would that include being proud of the wonderful Irshmen Bertie Ahern, Denis O'Brien, Michael O'Leary, ......) - small-mindedness of the most reactionary kind. Dare to cross the GAA 'committee' and you will be ostracised (not picked, not given work, whispered about, .....) - those with a more intimate connection with the GAA than I will be able to elaborate on this method of exclusion that the GAA uses relentlessly.
I wonder which community those who partake of the boxes in Croke Park are? The boxes with their own kitchen and chef. That would be the community of those ‘in the loop’ I believe. Those people doing very nicely, thank-you, from the way things are – and have every intention of keeping things as they are.
And the actual existing community around Clonliffe Road that is now fighting with Croke Park to save it's community resource. What of them?
Or the community around Na Fianna in north Dublin who were the victims of that club's campaign, in cahoots with Dublin City Council, to steal a major part of their local park for a training pitch for Na Fianna? (This secret scheme was revealed by the blunderings of a local councillor who bragged she had supported the plan. Which had proceeded for three years unbeknownst to the local community)
The scheme was stopped not because of the campaign then undertaken by the local community against the theft of their park. No, the GAA and the Council ignored that campaign. It was stopped because the nuns of the adjacent girls school refused to allow Na Fianna to open access through their school grounds to the park once they heard of Na Fianna’s devious plan. There have been similar issues over public land in Kerry and Newry.
At a meeting to oppose Na Fianna's theft of the park it was reported that a young women said she was 'sick of hearing about the GAA stopping anti-social behaviour’. She said ‘I have never been in any sporting organisation and I do not engage in anti-social behaviour!’ To which another young women at the meeting added ‘And I joined Na Fianna and that is where I learned to drink at 15!’
A parent said she was appalled by the club sending her eight-year old child home from ‘training’ in tears.

Meanwhile one of the two slick (PR trained?) ‘mentors’ who attended this public meeting organised by the local people informed those attending that he ‘did not like the way this meeting is going’.
I repeat what I stated earlier and in other threads – the GAA is an organisation that brutalises youth, and supports everything that is designed to keep ordinary people in their place.
The campaigns that are organised to ‘help’ young people with suicidal thoughts is profoundly hypocritical. All the emphasis is that it is the young person ‘has a problem’, essentially a personal matter of their own making. (Not that the young person is profoundly affected by all that goes on around him.) And that young person should then come forward and ‘talk’. Much social/psychiatric 'help' or 'advice' is basecon this premise of blaming those who need assistance for their own difficulty; and at the same time appearing to offer help.
When the truth of the situation is that this rotten class system, based on lies and hypocrisy, has led many young people to a dead-end of despair; and there is no community for them. Including in the GAA.
The ‘manliness’ that the GAA promotes through its physical force ‘game’; the ‘you are for us or against us’ mentality; the ‘who you know’ understanding of how things truly work in that organisation; their intimate ties to big business, the church, and the official ideology of the rulers. All these factors have a profound impact in demoralising young people. Young people who are left on their own.
I regard the ‘campaign’ by the GAA on suicide ‘awareness’ as an exercise in utter cynicism.
And the attacks by some on the very right to criticise the GAA only further expresses the truly rotten nature of that organisation.

LeoB

Mervyn Crawford wrote: »

The GAA is supposedly a community organisation.
The AIB claims to be a community organisation! (AIB TV advertising campaign: "supporting clubs, supporting communities").
Many people/organisations make claims to be the opposite of what they are!
Trade unions claim to be on the side of their members and working people in general! Well that’s obviously not true!
FF, Fine Gael, Labour, Sinn Fein claim to be democratic. Indeed any parliamentary or Council party or representative claim to be democratic - i.e. they claim they are in the Dail, or Stormont or a council to serve the people of the country. The last time I looked the Dail and Stormont are imposing the looting of the state's resources on behalf of the multi-billionaires; and relentlessly driving up costs of living on the population. What's democratic about that?
The GAA is an organisation that encourages parochialism (not from ‘round here’) and nationalism (‘proud’ to be Irish. Would that include being proud of the wonderful Irshmen Bertie Ahern, Denis O'Brien, Michael O'Leary, ......) - small-mindedness of the most reactionary kind. Dare to cross the GAA 'committee' and you will be ostracised (not picked, not given work, whispered about, .....) - those with a more intimate connection with the GAA than I will be able to elaborate on this method of exclusion that the GAA uses relentlessly.
I wonder which community those who partake of the boxes in Croke Park are? The boxes with their own kitchen and chef. That would be the community of those ‘in the loop’ I believe. Those people doing very nicely, thank-you, from the way things are – and have every intention of keeping things as they are.
And the actual existing community around Clonliffe Road that is now fighting with Croke Park to save it's community resource. What of them?
Or the community around Na Fianna in north Dublin who were the victims of that club's campaign, in cahoots with Dublin City Council, to steal a major part of their local park for a training pitch for Na Fianna? (This secret scheme was revealed by the blunderings of a local councillor who bragged she had supported the plan. Which had proceeded for three years unbeknownst to the local community)
The scheme was stopped not because of the campaign then undertaken by the local community against the theft of their park. No, the GAA and the Council ignored that campaign. It was stopped because the nuns of the adjacent girls school refused to allow Na Fianna to open access through their school grounds to the park once they heard of Na Fianna’s devious plan. There have been similar issues over public land in Kerry and Newry.
At a meeting to oppose Na Fianna's theft of the park it was reported that a young women said she was 'sick of hearing about the GAA stopping anti-social behaviour’. She said ‘I have never been in any sporting organisation and I do not engage in anti-social behaviour!’ To which another young women at the meeting added ‘And I joined Na Fianna and that is where I learned to drink at 15!’
A parent said she was appalled by the club sending her eight-year old child home from ‘training’ in tears.

Meanwhile one of the two slick (PR trained?) ‘mentors’ who attended this public meeting organised by the local people informed those attending that he ‘did not like the way this meeting is going’.
I repeat what I stated earlier and in other threads – the GAA is an organisation that brutalises youth, and supports everything that is designed to keep ordinary people in their place.
The campaigns that are organised to ‘help’ young people with suicidal thoughts is profoundly hypocritical. All the emphasis is that it is the young person ‘has a problem’, essentially a personal matter of their own making. (Not that the young person is profoundly affected by all that goes on around him.) And that young person should then come forward and ‘talk’. Much social/psychiatric 'help' or 'advice' is basecon this premise of blaming those who need assistance for their own difficulty; and at the same time appearing to offer help.
When the truth of the situation is that this rotten class system, based on lies and hypocrisy, has led many young people to a dead-end of despair; and there is no community for them. Including in the GAA.
The ‘manliness’ that the GAA promotes through its physical force ‘game’; the ‘you are for us or against us’ mentality; the ‘who you know’ understanding of how things truly work in that organisation; their intimate ties to big business, the church, and the official ideology of the rulers. All these factors have a profound impact in demoralising young people. Young people who are left on their own.
I regard the ‘campaign’ by the GAA on suicide ‘awareness’ as an exercise in utter cynicism.
And the attacks by some on the very right to criticise the GAA only further expresses the truly rotten nature of that organisation.

Mervyn Crawford wrote: »

And the attacks by some on the very right to criticise the GAA only further expresses the truly rotten nature of that organisation.

You are in my opinion not critising the G.A.A. you are insulting ordinary member like me who do their best to provide good facilities for its members. You dont have to like the G.A.A. but for someone who appears to have a grasp of language you should try show a little more respect.

What is your agenda?
I have no intention of replying in too much depth to your post but just a few points from top down

The G.A.A. is a community organisation FACT
Trade unions are on the side of workers however the power of trade unions is not what it was but fact is fact they have improved the workers experience. We also know some Unions have gone totally over the top and caused mayhem. But again the FACT is Unions in the main have done a fairly good job for their members

I wont disagree woith you on the role of political parties, well some of them anyway

One resident who lives fairly close to Croke Pk has stated to a member of my family that they will get a few "quid" out of the G.A.A. It was never a problem all the matchs that took place there the previous 125 yrs but someone smelt money.

Dont know about the Na Fianna issue but will find out on Monday. Would it be possible that some people at this meeting were just run of the mill anti- G.A.A. begrudgers, they are everywhere these days.

Mervyn Crawford wrote: »

I repeat what I stated earlier and in other threads – the GAA is an organisation that brutalises youth, and supports everything that is designed to keep ordinary people in their place..

That is just plain silly. There are structures in the G.A.A. that sometimes move slowley much to the annoyance of ordinary members but these procedures have served the G.A.A. well. What I have seen happen on a few occasions people have come in demanded changes to be made but didnt like the fact it was done there and then, They had no respect for the structures, they were bullies who then went away and became big critics of the G.A.A.

Remember its not the job of the G.A.A. to be social worker to everyone who crosses it door but a club that is well ran will ensure by correctly implementing policies that everyone is taken care of properly and fairly.

What the G.A.A. have done is try to further highlight the problem of suicide in todays Ireland its not their job to solve it but I do believe they can play a huge role in helping some people as can any other sporting organisation in Ireland.

Not everyone who has taken or attempted to take their own lives have been members of the G.A.A so why are lumping them together. We have heard so much of the loneliness in Rural Ireland, the despair of being the last one left at home on a small farm trying to survive, is this the G.A.A. s fault? No in fact the G.A.A. has been helpful as best it can be to many people. The G.A.A. over the last 40 years have moved away from its strong religious linked support base but I am sure it remains in some areas and I see no harm in this. The G.A.A. like the I.R.F.U. and the F.A.I have lobbied hard for funding for projects over the past 20 years for ground improvments and this involves inviting politicans to games and events.

As for you Mervyn, Now I think you should fck GO off over and post this crap in the Rugby and Soccer forums as they are quite similar in many ways to the G.A.A. so it would be interesting to see how they handle it

bruschi

As the thread starter, I would ask this thread to be closed. I intended for it to be started in a positive manner and a step forward not only for GAA, but for suicide awareness in general in this country.

As with any sports organisations and clubs, there will always be detractors, and there will always be faults in said organisations. If you can not acknowledge your flaws, then you can not progress and improve. I would like to think that over the many number of years that the GAA has been in existence, it has progressed a lot and moved with the times, but I would be the first to admit it has still a good bit to go to keep the improvements.

However, what I did not expect of this thread, was someone to come in with their completley unsubstantiated 'facts' and using a thread intended for 'good' (a rare thing in most sports forums) to lash out and make some absolutely ridiculous arguments. I have no issues with this character having a problem with GAA, what I do have a problem with is it is derailing a thread and using this thread to rant about something he really does not understand and has no reason to be here other than to keep up his biased and uniformed 'opinions' and wind up posters on this forum.

To be honest, its an absolute shame that someone has to resort to taking out their anger on the GAA in a thread about suicide awareness. I think it shows the lack of class of person.

hisholinessnb

"And the attacks by some on the very right to criticise the GAA only further expresses the truly rotten nature of that organisation"

Feel free to "criticise" the gaa all you want, but at least have the decency to do it in an appropriate thread rather than stomp all over the victims of suicide in this country by hijacking the thread of an extremely emotive and emotional issue for your own, non related, aims.


It's a real shame Bruschi that such a well intentioned thread has been allowed to be dragged to the gutter by a dweller of the same, but regardless of whether he succeeds in ending such a worthwhile thread, fair play for bringing the topic up.

cruiserweight

TBH it is becoming more and more apparent that Mervyn is a troll and as such he will not be posting in this forum for a while. There was no need to hijack this thread for his own means, if he felt strongly enough he could start another thread.

I am leaving the thread open for now for rational discussion about the topic. Although if posters still want it closed then I will close it.

Carawaystick

I think the Dublin County board and their sponsor should be applauded for this.
Shying away from the issue hasn't worked. I read Bernard Dunne's take on it, he though it'd be a sop to SOS, but was pleasantly surprised by the way the sponsor abstained from the jersey altogether, and not in a cynical way.