child eligibility

jack77

Hi lad's, this came up for discussion amongst a few of us last night and no one seems to have a definitive answer, if a child living in parish A starts primary school (junior infants) in parish B, is he allowed to play for parish B? having never played for any parish before and is he then allowed stay with this parish during his playing days if he so wishes? Or does the parish rule apply and he can only play for parish A unless he gets a transfer?

angelfire9

I live in the parish of Doora Barefield but within the town of Ennis my daughter plays with an Ennis club having started with them in primary school

bren2001

It depends on the County Board rules. For example in Dublin you can play for any club you want but Kerry you can only play for the parish you live in. Rules differ from County to County.

Two Kerry lads took the GAA to court over it:
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/kerry-brothers-take-court-action-as-gaa-insists-they-play-for-parish-club-159419.html

Hesh's Umpire

jack77 wrote: »

Hi lad's, this came up for discussion amongst a few of us last night and no one seems to have a definitive answer, if a child living in parish A starts primary school (junior infants) in parish B, is he allowed to play for parish B? having never played for any parish before and is he then allowed stay with this parish during his playing days if he so wishes? Or does the parish rule apply and he can only play for parish A unless he gets a transfer?

Depends on county bye laws.
In Laois, the answer would be yes, there is a primary school "exemption" from parish rule.

munchkin_utd

to echo the previous posters, elligibility and transfers inside of a county are defined by the county themselves.
In Kerry the rule is very strictly by parish where you live, but in Kildare theres a free forall more or less as illustrated by Seanie Johnson "living" at one address (i.e. flat owned by county suporters club head where letters could be sent which he would eventually receive) in Kildare and having the option to play for a club which wasnt even the nearest to where he was "living".
Even more interesting, it was never proven he lived in Kildare. The transfer simply became binding once nobody objected after 10 days which is the rule for transfers from a club in one county to another.

for your case the rule book gives your "first club" a special status, but a school isnt a club.
If you got your child registered with the club local to the school as a player in their GAA club and the county board doesn't object at the time (i.e. its allowed under rule to play in a different parish OR they fail to see its in a different parish to where you live) then unless I'm missing something that'll be their "first club" and they are elligible to play there till the day they die.

Fatswaldo

In Wexford, it can be either. I know of kids who live in Parish A but go to school in Parish B. Some play for parish A, others would opt for B.
The choice is often influenced by Daddy's (or Mammy's) allegiance!:D