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Could Ireland be better at world sports if it wasn't for GAA?

  • 08-08-2012 10:21pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 34,694 ✭✭✭✭


    I am not trying to slag off the GAA or anything here, but I got to thinking about our performance in the Olympics and how we struggle to get a handful of medals each Olympic Games.

    Ireland has been so obsessed with the GAA, do you think it has hindered our success elsewhere in the sporting world? After all, we are great at it, but no-one else plays it!;)

    How many of those supremely gifted athletes who perform week-in, week-out for their local football and hurling teams/counties would have made it at a high level in other sports such as soccer?


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Comments

  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 53 ✭✭Genghis Khan.


    The GAA is not about sport but about expressing and forcing a culture upon the Irish people. It is a nationalistic organisation and nothing else. Irish kids should take up proper sports which they can earn a living from.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 439 ✭✭Ms.M


    How many of those supremely gifted athletes who perform week-in, week-out for any team in any field could have used their dedication to help solve the environmental crisis or develop the cure for cancer had they not been so obsessed with sport?

    Mario Balotelli should have stayed in school. He could have invented footballer-friendly bibs years ago.

    There's a bigger question here.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 114 ✭✭mrwhimwham


    The real question isn't how much better would we be at sport without the GAA. It's how much more could we have done without the invention of alcohol! :p


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,572 ✭✭✭✭brummytom


    The GAA is not about sport but about expressing and forcing a culture upon the Irish people. It is a nationalistic organisation and nothing else. Irish kids should take up proper sports which they can earn a living from.

    Except for a sport association.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 769 ✭✭✭Diego Maradona


    What?

    As a country we punch above our weight at a lot of sports. Our rugby team are in the top 5 or 6 in the world, our soccer team qualified for the euro's i.e we are in the top 16 teams in europe, our boxers are amongst the best in the world (amateur and pro), our golfers (Harrington, Clarke, McDowell?? Rory McIlroy??) win majors on a regular basis, our horse's, jockeys and trainers are world renowned, our cricket team surprised the world at the last WC by beating England.

    Sorry OP but you're wrong we compete pretty well for a very small island.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,739 ✭✭✭✭starbelgrade


    Our rugby team are in the top 5 or 6 in the world,

    That's because there's only 6 teams in the world who play international rugby.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,246 ✭✭✭✭Dyr


    Most of the events (not sports) in the olympics are makey uppy recreated bollix that were reinvented for the reinvented olympics itself, javelin, hammer, wrestling, marathon etc. All romantic 19th century recreations of the original greek contests

    Seriously who gives a fook about "events" like running around a track and jumping over stuff :confused:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,482 ✭✭✭Kidchameleon


    I wonder if the GAA football league was actually a soccer league. It would be one of the best in the world.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,569 ✭✭✭✭ProudDUB


    The GAA is not about sport but about expressing and forcing a culture upon the Irish people. It is a nationalistic organisation and nothing else. Irish kids should take up proper sports which they can earn a living from.

    I watch GAA games on telly, and I go them at Croke Park too. Just as I go to soccer & rugby games. I do this because I want to. Nothing is or ever has been "forced" upon me. What a load of nonsense.

    I seriously doubt if Annalise Murphy earns a living sailing a boat. Yet she did the country proud this week. I doubt if any of our medal winning boxers could afford to do what they do without hefty grants and IOC subsidies, yet they are the only ones to bring home the medal bacon year after year.

    Are you seriously going to tell Annalise, the boxers and any other promising young athletes out there that should only take up a sport that they can earn a living at? Whatever happened to doing something purely for the love of it?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 34,694 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    What?

    As a country we punch above our weight at a lot of sports. Our rugby team are in the top 5 or 6 in the world, our soccer team qualified for the euro's i.e we are in the top 16 teams in europe, our boxers are amongst the best in the world (amateur and pro), our golfers (Harrington, Clarke, McDowell?? Rory McIlroy??) win majors on a regular basis, our horse's, jockeys and trainers are world renowned, our cricket team surprised the world at the last WC by beating England.

    Sorry OP but you're wrong we compete pretty well for a very small island.


    I agree that we do punch above our weight, but of all those successes you mention I'd say that few of them played GAA sports. Imagine if the hundred of thousands of kids that concentrate on GAA each and every year put their sporting attention into other sports, how much better we'd compete.

    Thats my point.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 769 ✭✭✭Diego Maradona


    That's because there's only 6 teams in the world who play international rugby.
    Really?

    IRB World rankings


    1(1) NEW ZEALAND 91.43
    2(2) AUSTRALIA 87.05
    3(3) SOUTH AFRICA 84.87
    4(4) ENGLAND 83.09
    5(5) FRANCE 83.03
    6(6) WALES 82.26
    7(7) IRELAND 79.85
    8(8) ARGENTINA 79.25
    9(9) SCOTLAND 77.97
    10(10) SAMOA 76.23
    11(11) ITALY 76.03
    12(12) TONGA 74.79
    13(13) CANADA 72.30
    14(14) FIJI 70.60
    15(15) GEORGIA 67.95
    16(16) JAPAN 67.93
    17(17) USA 66.61
    18(18) ROMANIA 64.54
    19(19) RUSSIA 62.05
    20(20) SPAIN 61.63
    21(21) URUGUAY 61.13
    22(22) NAMIBIA 59.24
    23(23) BELGIUM 59.17
    24(24) CHILE 58.32
    25(25) KOREA 56.72
    26(26) PORTUGAL 56.58
    27(27) HONG KONG 55.49
    28(28) POLAND 55.19
    29(29) ZIMBABWE 54.70
    30(30) UKRAINE 53.95
    31(31) GERMANY 53.33
    32(32) MOROCCO 52.35
    33(33) BRAZIL 51.57
    34(34) MOLDOVA 51.28
    35(35) KAZAKHSTAN 51.28
    36(36) LITHUANIA 50.90
    37(37) SWEDEN 50.41
    38(38) KENYA 50.28
    39(39) CZECH REPUBLIC 50.16
    40(40) PARAGUAY 48.84
    41(41) UGANDA 48.76
    42(42) MADAGASCAR 48.19
    43(43) TUNISIA 48.18
    44(44) CROATIA 48.06
    45(45) MALTA 47.97
    46(46) IVORY COAST 47.67
    47(47) NETHERLANDS 47.66
    48(48) SRI LANKA 47.60
    49(49) BERMUDA 47.17
    50(50) SENEGAL 47.14
    51(51) PAPUA NEW GUINEA 46.55
    52(52) SWITZERLAND 45.88
    53(53) VENEZUELA 45.36
    54(54) TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 44.68
    55(55) COOK ISLANDS 44.61
    56(56) PHILIPPINES 44.34
    57(57) ISRAEL 43.90
    58(58) GUYANA 43.56
    59(59) THAILAND 43.44
    60(60) CHINESE TAIPEI 43.19
    61(61) DENMARK 42.28
    62(62) ANDORRA 42.21
    63(63) PERU 41.64
    64(64) MALAYSIA 41.37
    65(65) CAYMAN 41.27
    66(66) SINGAPORE 41.19
    67(67) BARBADOS 41.01
    68(68) INDIA 40.81
    69(69) CHINA 40.73
    70(70) SOLOMON ISLANDS 40.70
    71(71) NIUE ISLANDS 40.45
    72(72) LATVIA 40.16
    73(73) SERBIA 40.14
    74(74) COLOMBIA 39.59
    75(75) MEXICO 39.38
    76(76) ZAMBIA 38.87
    77(77) BOTSWANA 38.65
    78(78) PAKISTAN 38.38
    79(79) BULGARIA 38.34
    80(80) CAMEROON 38.33
    81(81) SLOVENIA 37.76
    82(82) JAMAICA 37.08
    83(83) ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES 36.84
    84(84) AUSTRIA 36.84
    85(85) HUNGARY 36.81
    86(86) TAHITI 36.25
    87(87) BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA 36.18
    88(88) GUAM 35.70
    89(89) BAHAMAS 35.68
    90(90) SWAZILAND 35.63
    91(91) NIGERIA 35.29
    92(92) MONACO 35.17
    93(93) NORWAY 34.55
    94(94) VANUATU 33.45
    95(95) LUXEMBOURG 32.62
    96(96) FINLAND 27.03


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,029 ✭✭✭Rhys Essien


    The Saudi Arabians pumped 40 million quid into their Equestrian team alone.Not sure if the horses were eating gold flaked feed or what.

    AFAIK the total budget for ALL of Team Ireland was €11 million.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,034 ✭✭✭✭It wasn't me!


    Bambi wrote: »
    Most of the events (not sports) in the olympics are makey uppy recreated bollix that were reinvented for the reinvented olympics itself, javelin, hammer, wrestling, marathon etc. All romantic 19th century recreations of the original greek contests

    Seriously who gives a fook about "events" like running around a track and jumping over stuff :confused:

    Hundreds of millions of people?

    As to the original question, I don't think the GAA is necessarily to blame, but certainly it's a massive sink for funding in Irish sport, while most other sport is very poorly funded. The sports council has an entirely misguided view of what's required, financially, to perform at world level in most sports, and until we see substantially more investment, we're not going to get the returns we should.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,246 ✭✭✭✭Dyr


    The GAA is not about sport but about expressing and forcing culture upon the Irish people. It is a nationalistic organisation and nothing else. Irish kids should take up proper sports which they can earn a living from.

    It is a nationalistic organisation thank god, but its about expressing and forcing an Irish culture on irish people, as it should be. And not only thatm it's about taking that glorious irish masterculture and rubbing it good, hard and proper in the faces of people like you :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,202 ✭✭✭✭Pherekydes


    Jasus, there's some drivel being spouted tonight.

    The GAA forces NOTHING on anybody. You play if you want.

    What is it about the desire to disband the GAA and force every kid into boxing or show jumping?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,260 ✭✭✭Joekers


    Our rugby team are in the top 5 or 6 in the world,

    That's because there's only 6 teams in the world who play international rugby.
    And we are one so what does that tell ya?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,739 ✭✭✭✭starbelgrade


    Really?

    No. I was taking the piss.


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 12,514 Mod ✭✭✭✭byhookorbycrook


    If you examine the horses who took top places in most of the equestrian sports, you will see how many top horses are sold out of Ireland. We would do better at some sports if we actually had the training facilities and funding.

    Have you seen the state of most primary school "facilities?"
    Some yards are so small, running has to be banned due to accidents.Not exactly a help either.
    Nothing to do with the GAA whatsoever.In fact the GAA and the IRFU seem to be the only groups consistently willing to send coaches into primary schools,free of charge.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,597 ✭✭✭dan1895


    I think the OP has a point. At international level we're very poor and constantly underachieve. Rugby is only taken seriously in a handful of countries and our football team is poor compared to similar sized countries, Denmark, Uruguay, Netherlands etc. There are potentially top class athletes who end up playing GAA but that's their choice and good luck to them.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,625 ✭✭✭✭BaZmO*


    The Saudi Arabians pumped 40 million quid into their Equestrian team alone.Not sure if the horses were eating gold flaked feed or what.

    AFAIK the total budget for ALL of Team Ireland was €11 million.
    That's because the the Saudi Arabian King's nephew was competing in it. He won a bronze in the team event too. So from a Saudi Arabian point of view it was money well spent.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 439 ✭✭Ms.M


    NIMAN wrote: »
    I agree that we do punch above our weight, but of all those successes you mention I'd say that few of them played GAA sports. Imagine if the hundred of thousands of kids that concentrate on GAA each and every year put their sporting attention into other sports, how much better we'd compete.

    Thats my point.

    Katie Taylor played GAA and still plays soccer for the Irish team (though she hasn't for two years to focus on these Olympics). Roy Keane played GAA in his time too. So there can be a healthy overlap with a lot of sports. It's a pity there are social/cultural divisions that make some combinations that could compliment each-other unlikely. I'd be more worried about the untapped talent of the poor lil pudgesters who's parents have them doing f all however.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,625 ✭✭✭✭BaZmO*


    If you examine the horses who took top places in most of the equestrian sports, you will see how many top horses are sold out of Ireland. We would do better at some sports if we actually had the training facilities and funding.

    Have you seen the state of most primary school "facilities?"
    Some yards are so small, running has to be banned due to accidents.Not exactly a help either.
    Yeah, the Kenyans have terrible facilities too and look at them......oh wait


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,646 ✭✭✭✭Sauve


    Pherekydes wrote: »
    What is it about the desire to disband the GAA and force every kid into boxing or show jumping?

    Hating on the sheer skill and talent that goes into GAA sports, esp hurling.
    Hating on the tight sense of belonging and community that is given to so many players.
    Hating on the sense of achievement and downright pride that comes with a county medal.
    Not understanding the sheer joy and atmosphere that's experienced by sitting in the stands in Croke Park on a sunny September Sunday.

    They're afraid of the fact that they're missing out on the good stuff.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,815 ✭✭✭✭galwayrush


    NIMAN wrote: »
    I agree that we do punch above our weight, but of all those successes you mention I'd say that few of them played GAA sports. Imagine if the hundred of thousands of kids that concentrate on GAA each and every year put their sporting attention into other sports, how much better we'd compete.

    Thats my point.

    We could never afford it, we do remarkably well considering the small amount of money we spend on sport.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,460 ✭✭✭Orizio


    Ms.M wrote: »
    Katie Taylor played GAA and still plays soccer for the Irish team (though she hasn't for two years to focus on these Olympics). Roy Keane played GAA in his time too. So there can be a healthy overlap with a lot of sports. It's a pity there are social/cultural divisions that make some combinations that could compliment each-other unlikely. I'd be more worried about the untapped talent of the poor lil pudgesters who's parents have them doing f all however.

    For example.


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 12,514 Mod ✭✭✭✭byhookorbycrook


    BaZmO* wrote: »
    Yeah, the Kenyans have terrible facilities too and look at them......oh wait
    Not comparing like with like, Irish children no longer walk/run miles to school every day and you'll find most of Ireland doesn't qualify as "high altitude" as Br. O' Connell's place does.
    Plus, as he always points out, it's a chance for those children to escape poverty and support their families,not really like with like either.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,537 ✭✭✭✭Cookie_Monster


    Sorry OP but you're wrong we compete pretty well for a very small island.

    we don't really, compare to NZ. Similar population and all that. They've got 100 Olympic medals, a rake of them this games and in more varied sports than Ireland usually manage. best rugby team in the world, and generally punch far above their weight on the world stage in many varied sports.

    Far more success than Ireland have or will ever have.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,202 ✭✭✭✭Pherekydes


    dan1895 wrote: »
    I think the OP has a point. At international level we're very poor and constantly underachieve. Rugby is only taken seriously in a handful of countries and our football team is poor compared to similar sized countries, Denmark, Uruguay, Netherlands etc. There are potentially top class athletes who end up playing GAA but that's their choice and good luck to them.

    At the Olympics we overachieve. Based on the size of our population we should win one medal or less at each Olympics. We've won more medals than India! We've more medals than Chile and Uruguay combined. Saudi Arabia, for all their wealth, have two medals in all Olympics. We have more than Pakistan and Philipines, despite their huge populations. And that's not counting medals won by Irishmen before the creation of the state.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,384 ✭✭✭Duffy the Vampire Slayer


    dan1895 wrote: »
    I think the OP has a point. At international level we're very poor and constantly underachieve. Rugby is only taken seriously in a handful of countries and our football team is poor compared to similar sized countries, Denmark, Uruguay, Netherlands etc. There are potentially top class athletes who end up playing GAA but that's their choice and good luck to them.

    There are 16 million people in the Netherlands. Whatever about the other two, that isn't a good example.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,625 ✭✭✭✭BaZmO*


    Not comparing like with like, Irish children no longer walk/run miles to school every day and you'll find most of Ireland doesn't qualify as "high altitude" as Br. O' Connell's place does.
    Plus, as he always points out, it's a chance for those children to escape poverty and support their families,not really like with like either.

    So it's nothing to do with facilities then, like you've already alluded to?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,213 ✭✭✭Sea Filly


    NIMAN wrote: »
    I am not trying to slag off the GAA or anything here, but I got to thinking about our performance in the Olympics and how we struggle to get a handful of medals each Olympic Games.

    Ireland has been so obsessed with the GAA, do you think it has hindered our success elsewhere in the sporting world? After all, we are great at it, but no-one else plays it!;)

    How many of those supremely gifted athletes who perform week-in, week-out for their local football and hurling teams/counties would have made it at a high level in other sports such as soccer?

    Well, in my primary school if you didn't want to play GAA or soccer, you were fooked. And actually, the girls in the class weren't even taught those. So, yeah, I feel like other sports are neglected because of this. No variety. After all, some people are much better at individual sports, rather than team sports.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,635 ✭✭✭eth0


    Another 'ireland should dispose of its own culture because its inferior and instead just follow what other westernised / european countries do' thread

    Next up: Get rid of the Irish language completely thread #1024


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 518 ✭✭✭nacimroc


    I'd like to criticise you as Irish people just can't get the concept that we are a teeny tiny little country...but I couldn't as that the reason we punch well above our weight in plenty of sports. We have a huge presence in Golf and Rugby which in itself is by far enough for a teeny tiny little country.

    The abuse of GAA is unfair. It is a proper sport, loved by a huge amount and nobody is forced to play it. Not all sport is about money. A championship hurler/footballer can walk like a king through their home area which to some is more valuable than money.


  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 12,514 Mod ✭✭✭✭byhookorbycrook


    With all the Royal budget etc she had behind her Zara Phillps still finished behing Aoife Clarke in eventing,so money won't buy success, but can certainly help, training wise.

    The GAA sent two coaches into us over ten weeks and they did a programme of "physical literacy" with the kids in infants.Not a mention of specific sports, just concentrating on basic gross/fine motor skills,so hardly hindering those children.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,815 ✭✭✭✭galwayrush


    Per head of population, we have way more medals than the Chinese.:D


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 235 ✭✭LoYL


    That's because there's only 6 teams in the world who play international rugby.
    Really?

    IRB World rankings


    1(1) NEW ZEALAND 91.43
    2(2) AUSTRALIA 87.05
    3(3) SOUTH AFRICA 84.87
    4(4) ENGLAND 83.09
    5(5) FRANCE 83.03
    6(6) WALES 82.26
    7(7) IRELAND 79.85
    8(8) ARGENTINA 79.25
    9(9) SCOTLAND 77.97
    10(10) SAMOA 76.23
    11(11) ITALY 76.03
    12(12) TONGA 74.79
    13(13) CANADA 72.30
    14(14) FIJI 70.60
    15(15) GEORGIA 67.95
    16(16) JAPAN 67.93
    17(17) USA 66.61
    18(18) ROMANIA 64.54
    19(19) RUSSIA 62.05
    20(20) SPAIN 61.63
    21(21) URUGUAY 61.13
    22(22) NAMIBIA 59.24
    23(23) BELGIUM 59.17
    24(24) CHILE 58.32
    25(25) KOREA 56.72
    26(26) PORTUGAL 56.58
    27(27) HONG KONG 55.49
    28(28) POLAND 55.19
    29(29) ZIMBABWE 54.70
    30(30) UKRAINE 53.95
    31(31) GERMANY 53.33
    32(32) MOROCCO 52.35
    33(33) BRAZIL 51.57
    34(34) MOLDOVA 51.28
    35(35) KAZAKHSTAN 51.28
    36(36) LITHUANIA 50.90
    37(37) SWEDEN 50.41
    38(38) KENYA 50.28
    39(39) CZECH REPUBLIC 50.16
    40(40) PARAGUAY 48.84
    41(41) UGANDA 48.76
    42(42) MADAGASCAR 48.19
    43(43) TUNISIA 48.18
    44(44) CROATIA 48.06
    45(45) MALTA 47.97
    46(46) IVORY COAST 47.67
    47(47) NETHERLANDS 47.66
    48(48) SRI LANKA 47.60
    49(49) BERMUDA 47.17
    50(50) SENEGAL 47.14
    51(51) PAPUA NEW GUINEA 46.55
    52(52) SWITZERLAND 45.88
    53(53) VENEZUELA 45.36
    54(54) TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 44.68
    55(55) COOK ISLANDS 44.61
    56(56) PHILIPPINES 44.34
    57(57) ISRAEL 43.90
    58(58) GUYANA 43.56
    59(59) THAILAND 43.44
    60(60) CHINESE TAIPEI 43.19
    61(61) DENMARK 42.28
    62(62) ANDORRA 42.21
    63(63) PERU 41.64
    64(64) MALAYSIA 41.37
    65(65) CAYMAN 41.27
    66(66) SINGAPORE 41.19
    67(67) BARBADOS 41.01
    68(68) INDIA 40.81
    69(69) CHINA 40.73
    70(70) SOLOMON ISLANDS 40.70
    71(71) NIUE ISLANDS 40.45
    72(72) LATVIA 40.16
    73(73) SERBIA 40.14
    74(74) COLOMBIA 39.59
    75(75) MEXICO 39.38
    76(76) ZAMBIA 38.87
    77(77) BOTSWANA 38.65
    78(78) PAKISTAN 38.38
    79(79) BULGARIA 38.34
    80(80) CAMEROON 38.33
    81(81) SLOVENIA 37.76
    82(82) JAMAICA 37.08
    83(83) ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES 36.84
    84(84) AUSTRIA 36.84
    85(85) HUNGARY 36.81
    86(86) TAHITI 36.25
    87(87) BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA 36.18
    88(88) GUAM 35.70
    89(89) BAHAMAS 35.68
    90(90) SWAZILAND 35.63
    91(91) NIGERIA 35.29
    92(92) MONACO 35.17
    93(93) NORWAY 34.55
    94(94) VANUATU 33.45
    95(95) LUXEMBOURG 32.62
    96(96) FINLAND 27.03
    LMAO. Read it and weep Belgrade.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,762 ✭✭✭✭Princess Consuela Bananahammock


    Good Christ, Ireland. Do anything to pretend you can fix a problem bar realise what the problem is in the first place.

    Everything I don't like is either woke or fascist - possibly both - pick one.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,384 ✭✭✭Duffy the Vampire Slayer


    Not comparing like with like, Irish children no longer walk/run miles to school every day and you'll find most of Ireland doesn't qualify as "high altitude" as Br. O' Connell's place does.
    Plus, as he always points out, it's a chance for those children to escape poverty and support their families,not really like with like either.

    Also, although many people refuse to acknowledge it East Africans have a genetic advantage when it comes to long distance running.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 34,694 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    eth0 wrote: »
    Another 'ireland should dispose of its own culture because its inferior and instead just follow what other westernised / european countries do' thread

    Next up: Get rid of the Irish language completely thread #1024

    Where did I say get rid of GAA?

    I was merely wondering how well we would compete as a nation if GAA Sports did not exist. I would guess most boys would probably play soccer, and as a result I'd say we would have a fairly decent side.

    As I said in Post1, it isn't slagging off the GAA, I admire it. Just wondering.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,693 ✭✭✭✭castletownman


    For most children, GAA is the first sport introduced to them either through schools level, or in the more rural parts of Ireland, at a parochial level. As one of the ethos' of the GAA is promoting it from grassroots level upwards, I don't see the big problem here. It's not like the days of The Ban, when once you were a member of the GAA you couldn't be involved with any other "foreign" sport. Adam Nolan and Darren O'Neill come from hurling backgrounds. Kevin Doyle and Shane Long did likewise, as did Kevin Moran, Denis Irwin and Roy Keane before them. Geordan Murphy, Shane Horgan and Rob Kearney were serious under-age prospects, while Tomas O'Leary won an all-Ireland minor hurling championship IIRC. Padraig Harrington played minor football for Dublin.

    If anything, it's narrow-minded views of people who always need a stick to beat the GAA with that is affecting Ireland's standing in world sport. But if you ask me, for a small country we don't do too bad. And sure isn't there nothing better than All-Ireland hurling final day!


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 541 ✭✭✭TheBegotten


    The GAA should be disbanded, it's upper etchelon purged and reformed from the ground up. Assuming you want to destroy all the nationalistic groups in the country. And popular support for yourself. It should instead be promoted internationally. We should play other countries in the equivalent of the world cup. I reckon we'd get about 5/6 years before we start getting beaten, and another 10 or so before it gets absorbed into the FAI (or vice versa). The organisation will be unrecognisible.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,013 ✭✭✭kincsem


    I wonder if the GAA football league was actually a soccer league. It would be one of the best in the world.
    Do you mean if the amateur GAA players switched to soccer they would be the best in the world at soccer?
    If that is what you mean why don't they give up that amateur game for a while, play the £100,000 a week game, and show them how it's done.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,213 ✭✭✭Sea Filly


    Pherekydes wrote: »
    Jasus, there's some drivel being spouted tonight.

    The GAA forces NOTHING on anybody. You play if you want.

    What is it about the desire to disband the GAA and force every kid into boxing or show jumping?

    The GAA isn't forced on anyone, but kids are being forced into boxing and show-jumping? MMMkay.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,625 ✭✭✭✭BaZmO*


    Also, although many people refuse to acknowledge it East Africans have a genetic advantage when it comes to long distance running.

    Show me one peer reviewed study that backs that up


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,537 ✭✭✭✭Cookie_Monster


    Sea Filly wrote: »
    Well, in my primary school if you didn't want to play GAA or soccer, you were fooked. And actually, the girls in the class weren't even taught those. So, yeah, I feel like other sports are neglected because of this. No variety. After all, some people are much better at individual sports, rather than team sports.

    This, it's much more down to the schools lazy attitude to PE and lack of facilities than the GAA. 'Here's a ball go and run around for 45 mins' and a token athletics based sports day once a year for good measure.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,213 ✭✭✭Sea Filly


    dan1895 wrote: »
    Rugby is only taken seriously in a handful of countries and our football team is poor compared to similar sized countries, Denmark, Uruguay, Netherlands etc.

    Am, excuse me, I believe it's called U-R-GAY. The ignorance! :rolleyes:


    :pac::P


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,034 ✭✭✭✭It wasn't me!


    It's also worth noting that if the GAA disappeared in the morning, leaving no trace, those kids would not be good athletes in other sports just because there's no GAA to steal them away now. Most elite sport is not nearly so much about natural talent as it is about personal discipline and dedication, aided by an extremely strong ascendant structure and competent training and advancement. The GAA is excellent at producing good athletes by promoting from grassroots up. That's what makes them good, not natural talent. Now, if you could harness the talent of the GAA and direct it at other sports, now, there, we could make a massive difference to our international sports.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,483 ✭✭✭Fenian Army


    Sure GAA is better than most other sports anyways


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,646 ✭✭✭✭Sauve


    BaZmO* wrote: »

    Show me one peer reviewed study that backs that up

    Uh, it's common knowledge that their legs are better aligned for running.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,537 ✭✭✭✭Cookie_Monster


    Sure GAA is better than most other sports anyways

    Then why has it not become more popular world wide?


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