Does the GAA matter to you?

Over the years we've heard that old one about the influence of the GAA, from various sources described both glowingly and disparagingly. W've heard it referred to as a triumvirate with FF and the Church. So, does it matter to you, do you revel in the whole sense of identity with parish and origins, do you see it as a stranglehold on Irish sport and international identity?

For my part, I came from a family of blow ins in Kerry. I was the only son of 7 children born here. So as I grew up, I was far more interested in the fortunes of the Irish "soccer" team (I don't like that word, but it's useful here to distinguish the sports) and still follow League of Ireland. But in my 40s I kinda regret not getting more into GAA. Played it non stop as a teenager, captained club and school...but just never really got it at that age and dropped it in my 20s.

So...you see it as a cultural pinnacle or a dinosaur?

justshane

Good sport, prefer it to others, but it's only a game

No, plenty of respect for the lads that train like full time athletes for amateur rewards but the organisation as a whole stinks. Corrupt to the core.

RobertKK

Ambivalent

I am from Kilkenny.
That is all I need to say.

K-9

Yes. The national anthem being played and the tricolor flown in a 6 counties ground is very symbolic of what the GAA means to nationalists in the North.

Mightydrumming

Good sport, prefer it to others, but it's only a game

Dinosaur

whatawaster81

Will watch the Dubs, couldn't name the whole team.

KungPao

RobertKK wrote: »

I am from Kilkenny.
That is all I need to say.

Could you expand on that for us who know virtually nothing about GAA?

skywanderer

Good sport, prefer it to others, but it's only a game

There is a two-tier system Dublin and the rest of the country. Todays game was a perfect example of just how corrupt the GAA is, Kerry robbed by a referee who couldn't appear anymore biased if he tried.

The spotlight is on the Olympics and Pat Hickey but it is the GAA that is absolutely corrupt to the core at the top, all the while you have amateur athletes and clubs all around the country struggling to survive, whilst millions in spent of Dublin GAA turning their so called Amateurs into professional athletes.

Barlett

Ambivalent

justshane wrote: »

No, plenty of respect for the lads that train like full time athletes for amateur rewards but the organisation as a whole stinks. Corrupt to the core.

Name a sporting organisation that isn't? As an aside it is a great sport and the rivalries are great. I think up North it means that little bit more for obvious reasons.

Widdershins

I am also a blow-in and used to really dislike the GAA because all of the ignorant so and so's were in it and their lives revolved around it, giving it a bad reputation in my eyes. Now that I know some nicer, more intelligent lads who are in the GAA, I don't have as harsh a dislike for it. I also have some respect for something people dedicate so much effort to. I would barely know one end of a hurley from the other, myself.

failinis

Good sport, but prefer other sports...

Its a nice thing to keep people active and have aims and routine, if that is the method they like.
Plus some people enjoy to watch. Win win.

Barlett

Ambivalent

skywanderer wrote: »

There is a two-tier system Dublin and the rest of the country. Todays game was a perfect example of just how corrupt the GAA is, Kerry robbed by a referee who couldn't appear anymore biased if he tried.

The spotlight is on the Olympics and Pat Hickey but it is the GAA that is absolutely corrupt to the core at the top, all the while you have amateur athletes and clubs all around the country struggling to survive, whilst millions in spent of Dublin GAA turning their so called Amateurs into professional athletes.

Ah would you stop, I wanted Kerry to win but the better team won today...after the 2014 semi finals I didn't hear Kerry fans going on about the referee who played a massive role in their win against Mayo. Every team has games where the decisions go for you and games where they go against you.

KungPao

A pillar of Irish society, to be placed alongside the 1916 Shrine

KungPao wrote: »

Could you expand on that for us who know virtually nothing about GAA?

Hurling - Kilkenny - religion.

Much the same as football here in South Kerry. And never got that as a kid. I look back and it's probably one of my few regrets. Now that I've moved on from the parish team I was born into I think...I should have stuck with it, Kerry minor trials were suggested at one stage and I laughed, went up to Cork to study, was going out with a girl who is now my wife so weekends were not gonna be given up travelling back down to North and West Kerry. The only thing I can do is still support my parish and hope that my daughter will one day tog out and represent the club I kinda turned my back on...not that I'll drive her...my father was one of those "play if you want to" types and I don't like the screaming parent on the sideline stuff...

Say Your Number

justshane wrote: »

but the organisation as a whole stinks. Corrupt to the core.

You haven't been following the antics of FIFA or the IOC in recent times, the GAA are choirboys in comparison to those showers.

Fleawuss

Enjoy watching the odd game. Not bothered about the GAA itself. Liked the result today. Does the country good when Kerry are beaten regularly.

eeguy

Never followed much of it (because I'm from Louth), but living in Dublin, it's great to see the camaraderie especially this time of the year. Hordes of lads coming from all corners of the country to support their teams.

It's especially good for the lads from Kerry and Donegal to have a bit of exposure to civilisation too.

GLaDOS

A pillar of Irish society, to be placed alongside the 1916 Shrine

No particular love for it, but will watch if a big game was on. Was a fantastic game earlier tbf.

skywanderer

Good sport, prefer it to others, but it's only a game

Barlett wrote: »

Ah would you stop, I wanted Kerry to win but the better team won today...after the 2014 semi finals I didn't hear Kerry fans going on about the referee who played a massive role in their win against Mayo. Every team has games where the decisions go for you and games where they go against you.

The better team today were robbed and Mayo beat themselves in 2014 which was just aswell as Donegal would have beaten them anyway.

Rothko

A pillar of Irish society, to be placed alongside the 1916 Shrine

I don't watch it that much and there are aspects of the GAA that I really dislike but at the same time I'm glad that we have our own sports and that so many people feel passionate about it.

skywanderer

Good sport, prefer it to others, but it's only a game

eeguy wrote: »

Never followed much of it (because I'm from Louth), but living in Dublin, it's great to see the camaraderie especially this time of the year. Hordes of lads coming from all corners of the country to support their teams.

It's especially good for the lads from Kerry and Donegal to have a bit of exposure to civilisation too.

I'm from Kerry and I've travelled all over the World and spent time in Dublin too, Dublin is far from the centre of the Universe as a matter of fact it is the black hole of calcutta for Ireland. Full of Junkies and Drugs, Criminal Gangs and everything is a rip-off, no effective public transport either. I'll stick to the Kerry or Donegal version of Civilisation because there sure as be damned isn't much civilised about Dublin.

Growing up in a small parish where there wasn't a huge selection of kids to pick from, im disappointed in our club that they were seemingly only interested in developing a core few selection of players. Anyone who wasn't in the clique was out in the cold. From the age of 8-18 i loathed alot of things about the GAA in all honesty. I walked away from it early on and felt I had no part in it. I certainly didnt feel that 'my shoulders were required to go to the wheel' in terms of the community i grew up in. Not the matches itself but the type of people who organised and ran it and there is still some dinosaurs out there but we have come on in leaps and bounds overall. I used hate the fact that teachers treated the top hurlers in my secondary school as gods but if i could advise my younger self from where i am now id advise me to stick at it and enjoy it regardless. not to put any unneccesary pressure on myself and ignore the boll0ckses.

I watched the Tipp matches on tv and attended the odd club game but only really discovered what i loved about the game when i started to drive and go to more matches and then suddenly i was hooked. I have been privileged to have been at Croke park 2 weeks in a row this month and my favourite of those occasions was the latter where our football team took part in an all Ireland semi final for the first time since 1935. I thought about how life was back then and that my own grandfather was younger then I am now. I felt the sense of history and occasion and savoured every second. Win, lose, draw, i wouldn't choose to be in any other part of the world last week then Croke park. For me there is few things in this life that will compare to a good round of 'Tipp, Tipp, Tipp, Tipp, Tipp, Tipp.....'. The big match occasion for me in the GAA is unrivalled. Ive been to the Emirates and the Nou Camp and it just doesnt compare in the slightest to a big match in Thurles, Kilkenny, Croker, Cork, or wherever.

It is worth also noting that the GAA do wonderful things for communities too these times and really bind all irish communities and diasporas together. In our own parish this weekend we held an annual juvenile hurling festival where many kids from all over the country (predominantly Ulster) come down, visit, make friends, and enjoy themselves.

Bogsnorkler

skywanderer wrote:

There is a two-tier system Dublin and the rest of the country. Todays game was a perfect example of just how corrupt the GAA is, Kerry robbed by a referee who couldn't appear anymore biased if he tried.

2009 Kennelley broke Nicolas Murphys jaw in a premeditated attack 3 seconds in to the AI final. **** Kerry. Knacks.

Atlantic Dawn

Seeing the millions spent on Hawkeye and then today seeing that its use didn't apply to goal decisions made the organisation look like a complete joke of an 80's Irish basket case government looking to introduce a levy per MB used on the internet to keep record shops in business.

justshane

Good sport, prefer it to others, but it's only a game

Say Your Number wrote: »

You haven't been following the antics of FIFA or the IOC in recent times, the GAA are choirboys in comparison to those showers.

All in the same bracket imo.

LordSutch

Deleted User wrote: »

O Not at all, hate it and all it stands for
O Good sport, prefer it to others, but it's only a game
O Ambivalent
O Good sport, but prefer other sports...
O A pillar of Irish society, to be placed alongside the 1916 Shrine

Its a shame you don't have a less nuclear 'hate' option to option one^

...so if you had an option like "Not at all, no interest, its just not my kinda sport" then I could have ticked a box. Personally I would follow Rugby, Hockey, Cycling, and most of all Athletics with a capital A.

I have no interest in the GAA what so ever.

Bogsnorkler

A pillar of Irish society, to be placed alongside the 1916 Shrine

Bogsnorkler wrote: »

2009 Kennelley broke Nicolas Murphys jaw in a premeditated attack 3 seconds in to the AI final. **** Kerry. Knacks.

Murphy was targetted.

Much as Cork players would roam in packs, looking to take Paul Galvin out of the game. A subject of much amusement here in Kerry...any game that was in the balance, send on Galvin and Cork would forget all about football and just look to get him.

Atlantic Dawn

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Seeing the millions spent on Hawkeye and then today seeing that its use didn't apply to goal decisions made the organisation look like a complete joke of an 80's Irish basket case government looking to introduce a levy per MB used on the internet to keep record shops in business.

It looked to be a goal but i agree with you here AD. I mean we have bloody hawkeye for points but why the hell isn't it extended to goals? A goal is worth more than a point so therefore the importance of technology should at the every least be equally as paramount.

mzungu

No. I don't like it and find it boring, so I never watch it.

The Rape of Lucretia

Good sport, but prefer other sports...

Doesnt matter to me, but happy enough that it is there. It has, and continues to play an important role in society, particularly outside Dublin.


Hurling is a terrific game, but the concentration in the high level playing of it in a handful of counties is a shame and harms it.

Football really is a dire game, fundamentally flawed, has nothing to recommend it, and is far and away the worst of the world's football variants. It is a tragedy that it exists and heartbreaking to thing of how better the Gaa might have been without it: first, simply to not have such a bad game, and second, it is the weed that has probably strangled hurling from being a truly great nationwide game.

Bogsnorkler

Deleted User wrote:

Much as Cork players would roam in packs, looking to take Paul Galvin out of the game. A subject of much amusement here in Kerry...any game that was in the balance, send on Galvin and Cork would forget all about football and just look to get him.

Ah yes, poor innocent Paul Galvin, sledging lads about their brothers committing suicide......

Kerry have as many scumbags as any Dublin or Northern team, but feel the need to be portrayed as the righteous saviors of football every year. Makes me sick.

Atlantic Dawn

Deleted User wrote: »

It looked to be a goal but i agree with you here AD. I mean we have bloody hawkeye for points but why the hell isn't it extended to goals? A goal is worth more than a point so therefore the importance of technology should at the every least be equally as paramount.

Yes I think for sure that a portion of the ball 100% crossed the line but it was not clear if the entire ball did, I presume the entire ball is required for it to be a goal.

The Rape of Lucretia

A pillar of Irish society, to be placed alongside the 1916 Shrine

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

Doesnt matter to me, but happy enough that it is there. It has, and continues to play an important role in society, particularly outside Dublin.


Hurling is a terrific game, but the concentration in the high level playing of it in a handful of counties is a shame and harms it.

Football really is a dire game, fundamentally flawed, has nothing to recommend it, and is far and away the worst of the world's football variants. It is a tragedy that it exists and heartbreaking to thing of how better the Gaa might have been without it: first, simply to not have such a bad game, and second, it is the weed that has probably strangled hurling from being a truly great nationwide game.

Maybe at the very top level. On the other hand, you can watch football away and once the game is close it's exciting. On the other hand a bad game of hurling is just...wow, bad to the point of hilarity. I've watched a lot better junior football games than junior hurling games...and you feel like screaming just anyone get the ball off the ground and on to the stick...

risteard7

Love the games but hate the organisation.
A lot of them fellas and ladies are mad giving up so much time and effort for really nothing in return.

If I had a really talented child and they had the opportunity to go all the way I would definitely be encouraging the to play Soccer.

LordSutch

Please explain.

Richard Hillman

A pillar of Irish society, to be placed alongside the 1916 Shrine

It doesnt mean anything to me but I understand it's importance for Rural folk and people who have emigrated.

For its long term survival it needs to stop making kids choose their sports over other sports. There are very nasty elements within it.

It also needs to stamp out the thuggish elements to it and stop dressing it up as "passion".

cbyrd

I'm from Meath. I live in mayo.. 4 of my 5 children are half Lily whites.. I'll be shouting for mayo cos.. my trainer who brought me from serious injury, through rigorous rehab is the captain of the team .. he trained me with his ankle in cast..
Also, my cousin is married to a previous senior Meath footballer of commentary fame.. i know the sacrifice they make for an 'amateur' sport.

Bogsnorkler

A pillar of Irish society, to be placed alongside the 1916 Shrine

Bogsnorkler wrote: »

Ah yes, poor innocent Paul Galvin, sledging lads about their brothers committing suicide......

Kerry have as many scumbags as any Dublin or Northern team, but feel the need to be portrayed as the righteous saviors of football every year. Makes me sick.

Standard Cork myth, and yet Paul Galvin and Noel O'Leary are good friends...which would be strange if the reference was true...

Anyway, Cork fans should worry about the Clares and Tipps of the game and leave real football to the counties that will be in the shake up...

mansize

Good sport, but prefer other sports...

RobertKK wrote: »

I am from Kilkenny.
That is all I need to say.

Hurling is all they have bless

Zaph

skywanderer wrote: »

I'm from Kerry and I've travelled all over the World and spent time in Dublin too, Dublin is far from the centre of the Universe as a matter of fact it is the black hole of calcutta for Ireland. Full of Junkies and Drugs, Criminal Gangs and everything is a rip-off, no effective public transport either. I'll stick to the Kerry or Donegal version of Civilisation because there sure as be damned isn't much civilised about Dublin.

Why do people who don't like Dublin keep trotting out the junkies and criminal gangs rubbish as an argument every time they want to slag the place off? Sure it's not perfect, no city is, but I'd love to know where these people frequent that see so many junkies and criminals everywhere. I've lived here all my life and have only ever seen junkies occasionally and to be honest wouldn't be able to pick out an individual as a criminal as easily as these people seem to be able to.

A pillar of Irish society in my opinion. Don't play football or hurling myself currently - played a small bit of football as a kid but didn't really enjoy it at the time and preferred soccer when given a choice eg. with friends during school break. Would like to take it up again though as I'd enjoy it a lot more now. I didn't appreciate what the GAA was when I was a kid or the benefits I could've enjoyed by keeping it up - I was too engrossed in playing computer games and watching cartoons to be interested in sport and I didn't have enough confidence or drive to be good at it. Later on I felt too awkward to start going again after 2 or 3 years away from it, thinking everyone would be staring at me because I wasn't one of "them" ie. someone from a GAA background! I wish my dad had been more into it to have encouraged me from a younger age as, looking from the outside, growing up through my teens, it did appear to be a good thing to be involved in from a social perspective. And then leading into your late teens and 20s it would clearly be a good thing to balance out the drinking and keep the head straight. If I ever have kids I'll make sure to encourage them to play.

Another thing as well - those parents who were involved in the GAA when I was growing up were always really welcoming to all kids who wanted to get involved and would encourage the more reluctant ones like myself; I feel there is a great ethos within the GAA that encapsulates a lot of what's good about Irish people's instincts; common decency, inclusiveness, community-mindedness.

The atmosphere in Croke Park on a big match day is terrific. The Dublin v Kerry game today was a great watch and I'm really looking forward to the hurling final next weekend! Hope Mayo do the business in the final (for once!).

I'm sure if I tried I could think of stuff I dislike about the GAA eg. that it "uses up" talent that could be going towards us having a better internation al soccer team, but I don't feel dwelling on the negative :P

Turtyturd

Used to play for Parnells every Saturday growing up. Was always secondary to (actual) football and I was done with it by the time I started secondary school bar maybe 2 or 3 games for the school team as I picked up other interests. Don't have any regrets about giving it up as it was more of something to pass the time than anything I had any connection to. Wouldn't go out of my way to watch a game these days.

trashcan

Find both games to be pretty much unwatchable tbh. As for the whole symbolism and "part of what we are" shtick, I've no strong feelings on either side of that debate. As a package, it's just not for me.

Ave Sodalis

I used to like it, go to matches etc until we won the All Ireland. Then it became insufferable and I've lost all interest. Players were suddenly hero worshipped, and some (without naming names) started to really believe they were gods gift to earth. Any young lad (still) who makes county develops this swagger and obnoxious walk, and a genuine excuse for some lad being a prick is "he plays county". I've gone from playing, watching and going to matches, to shuddering slightly when someone mentions they play.

riffmongous

Zaph wrote: »

Why do people who don't like Dublin keep trotting out the junkies and criminal gangs rubbish as an argument every time they want to slag the place off? Sure it's not perfect, no city is, but I'd love to know where these people frequent that see so many junkies and criminals everywhere. I've lived here all my life and have only ever seen junkies occasionally and to be honest wouldn't be able to pick out an individual as a criminal as easily as these people seem to be able to.

Bus Aras, the train stations and the inner city shopping streets, especially O'Connell Street, full of junkies and dodgy looking people. The places anybody just visiting will spend most of their time.

On topic, I'm also from Kilkenny and so really enjoy a game of hurling, both to watch and play a bit. Unfortuntalely though there is a lot of local politics involved, but in fairness this happens with every single group

[Deleted User]

Ambivalent

[Deleted User] wrote: »

So as I grew up, I was far more interested in the fortunes of the Irish "soccer" team (I don't like that word, but it's useful here to distinguish the sports) and still follow League of Ireland.

Why don't you like the word soccer?
That's the name of the game right?

LordSutch

Football.

Soccer is a bastardisation of the word 'association' football, but footie or football sounds better.

Rothko

A pillar of Irish society, to be placed alongside the 1916 Shrine

Bogsnorkler wrote: »

Ah yes, poor innocent Paul Galvin, sledging lads about their brothers committing suicide......

What did he say?

Laois_Man

Good sport, prefer it to others, but it's only a game

The poll is missing a fairly obvious option - so I don't feel I can vote for any option presented.

I used to like Gaelic Football when I was younger but not anymore. I was never into hurling. I didn't see that Kerry -v- Dublin game this afternoon. In fact, I don't think I have watched a single match in at least 2 years now. From what I hear, today's game was very much the exception but really, IMO, I honestly see Gaelic football as awful AWFUL ****e altogether.

If my own county ever got successful at it, I might take a bit of an interest. But it would still be utter scutter altogether

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

Yes. And I'm from Mayo, so I wish it didn't.

Johngoose

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

Yes. And I'm from Mayo, so I wish it didn't.

Hate to say it but Dublin are going to destroy ye in the final.

K-9

Zaph wrote: »

Why do people who don't like Dublin keep trotting out the junkies and criminal gangs rubbish as an argument every time they want to slag the place off? Sure it's not perfect, no city is, but I'd love to know where these people frequent that see so many junkies and criminals everywhere. I've lived here all my life and have only ever seen junkies occasionally and to be honest wouldn't be able to pick out an individual as a criminal as easily as these people seem to be able to.

Ah, the poster replied to bait about Kerry and Donegal being uncivilised.

We quite like being the bad boys and ruination of GAA in Donegal. We used to be great fun and won fcuk all so...