The Dominance of Dublin GAA *Mod warning post#1*

gormdubhgorm

Floppybits wrote: »

One thing I would like to know, what exactly are these centres of excellence that some counties are building for? What is the point of them and what is in them?

That is good question.

Laois centre of excellence - (they built it beside O'Moore Park)

https://www.laoistoday.ie/2018/04/05/new-laois-gaa-centre-of-excellence-will-help-county-teams-compete-with-the-best-says-coaching-officer/

"It gives our players from 12 years of age through to senior the opportunity to train on the best pitches, do gym work in the best facilities, eat food in a nice environment and have nice meeting rooms in the same place."

Wicklow seems much the same idea -

http://wicklowcoe.com/

Kerry's centre of excellence -

http://www.kerrygaa.ie/centre-of-excellence/

"Two physio rooms, six pitches, eight dressing rooms – and a very small reception area"

"The spider web design of the facility means it works from the centre out. At its heart is a massive gym with 30m testing track, which is perimetered by a circle of eight dressing rooms, including one specifically for ladies teams.

Each of the dressing rooms has its own exits to the pitches, avoiding any traffic through the heart of the centre.

Upstairs is a central 50-seater auditorium, video room and eating facilities, one for senior teams and a second for under age."


Tyrone's COE Garvaghey - (Very detailed on what is in thier COE)


https://tyronegaa.ie/club-tyrone/garvaghey-centre/

"
Garvaghey is a Tyrone gaelic resource, facilitating all the gaelic codes and cultural/heritage activities; for men and women, boys and girls; for Clubs and schools; and for the ordinary, the less ordinary and the extra- ordinary. If you’re interested in gaelic Tyrone, then Garvaghey is interested in you.

Garvaghey brings together on a 43-acre site five fully-floodlit grass pitches; a floodlit ‘3G’ pitch; a floodlit ‘3G’ drills area; a perimeter walkway; an environmental area; 8,000 newly- planted native Irish trees; and a building that will “be the part and look the part.” The building will contain:

• Ten fully-equipped changing rooms, four designed for women
• Team support facilities such as plunge pool; physio/medical space; referees’ changing;and cardio-vascular and injury recovery equipment
• Meeting, seminar and breakout rooms
• A 200-seat auditorium
• A reception area plus exhibition, display and interaction space
• A “Coirneal Gaelige” where only Irish will be spoken
• Kitchen and canteen facilities
• Tyrone GAA offices and storage
• An external performance area modelled on the historic O’Neills’ crowning place at Tullyhogue Fort"

Floppybits

Jaysus how are Dublin having all this success and with no centre of excellence? Makes the 5 in a row all that more remarkable.

bruschi

In terms of what you would be looking for in a centre of excellence, Garvaghy is the Rolls Royce and how it should be done. Granted, its not always possible, for example Carlow have no dressing room facilities at theirs other than prefabs due to financial constraints and for years the one in Meath at Dunganny was similar until they finished off their building. Wexford still have work to do on theirs, but have the majority of the building and pitches completed.

Question is, should the likes of Carlow partner up with Carlow IT and pool resources? Or does it cause conflict in the long run. Personally speaking, I think it is a waste to have 2 top class facilities which one would be used primarily during college hours and the other outside of those hours. Similarly in Waterford, massive chance for them to pool in with WIT which they do in some regards, but something more formal where funds can be spread better between interested parties.

gormdubhgorm

bruschi wrote: »

with a massive, massive helping hand from the GAA headquarters that they dont give any other county. why did Dublin get all the funding after "years of bad decisions and mismanagement" but now other counties should not be entitled to the same benefits afforded to Dublin.

It does not explain how Kildare and Meath fell so far behind (from a position of strength) to struggle to beat/beaten by Westmeath/Louth/Longford etc

The funding issue is now being remedied for those counties

https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/1-5m-gaa-funding-boost-for-east-leinster-project-34934104.html

ToBeFrank123

odyssey06 wrote: »

Dublin didn't win their first All Ireland of the century until 2011.
They only won 1 Leinster title 2000-2005.
Between 2000 and 2010 Leinster was not competitive nationally, Meath were beaten All Ireland finalists in 2001. That's it.

Leinster were the strongest province of 1995-1999 with Dublin, Meath and Kildare all reaching All Ireland final.

Between Offaly in 1998 and Dublin in 2013, there were no Leinster NFL winners; although Dublin, Meath, Laois, Wexford made the final.

The surge in Dublin funding only started in 2001. Leinster fell away before that could have made any impact.

If there was no back door \ super 8 \ national league, maybe you could make the argument that Dublin are suppressing the Leinster teams post 2011, but I don't see a case to be made for it given those alternative paths.

The implication of what you are saying could not be clearer.

Dublin received significant funding for games development officers wheras the rest of Leinster did not.

The GDF should have been evenly spread across Leinster and genuinely weak counties in particular targeted.

Instead Dublin were singled out for extra treatment over and above the rest of Leinster counties.

No great shock then that while the rest of Leinster continued to fall behind, Dublin surged massively ahead. The rest of Leinster is weak because the GAA have given very little assistance to them. That needs to change significantly otherwise the Leinster championship will remain a bit of a joke for at least a decade to come.

bruschi

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

It does not explain how Kildare and Meath fell so far behind to struggle to beat/beaten by Westmeath/Louth/Longford etc

The funding issue is now being remedied for those counties

https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/1-5m-gaa-funding-boost-for-east-leinster-project-34934104.html

Partially. Its still not widespread and available to all clubs in all those counties. Case by case allocation and at the moment there is a pause on any further appointments. It's a step in the right direction, but is coming years too late.

Kildare, from an outside perspective, seemed to have made a mess of the Hawkfield development in terms of their financing of it and needed bailing out. Even Meath seemed to have ploughed into Dunganny before having the adequate funds to complete it all. Counties (and clubs for that matter) can get hung up on white elephants and the need to have some sort of trophy ground or infrastructure set up, when the first priority should be the players to play in these grounds and centres.

Can be a catch 22 situation, if you dont have a set up for players to buy into, then they arent going to commit their time and effort to it. Give them top class facilities and it makes it a more attractive proposition.

tritium

bruschi wrote: »

with a massive, massive helping hand from the GAA headquarters that they dont give any other county. why did Dublin get all the funding after "years of bad decisions and mismanagement" but now other counties should not be entitled to the same benefits afforded to Dublin.

As for centres of excellence, the vast majority of counties need somewhere to train county teams from senior down to underage. Typically in the past, this would have been done on club grounds or pitches or in some of the county grounds if a county had one. Therefore it makes sense to have a central location of 4 or 5 pitches where it can have resources directly for county teams to train in. Gyms, meeting rooms, pitches etc without having to be a burden on clubs. Most counties also do not have national centres of excellence nor multiple third level institutes who have such facilities to hand where they can avail of these rather then needing to specifically build their own.

For example, Cork dont have a centre of excellence, it seems they put their infrastructure needs on PUC rather than a centre. As they have facilities in the Mardyke and CIT, as well as the likes of Mallow and Nemo, I suppose that was their logic in not pursuing one. Tipperary dont have one either and are planning to do one in either Semple or Dr Morris Park last I heard. Laois did theirs with O Moore Park. Carlow did one out towards Fenagh direction. A lot of counties do have one and many more still dont.

I’m pretty sure none of the dublin posters here have said no one else should get money. Actually most of them are very supportive of rolling out strong games development in weaker counties. That said it’s a bit disingenuous to say dublin got “all the money”- a quick look at how games development personnel are dispersed across the country indicates something quite different. That’s not to say that the same model is used across the country though- in some cases population density would inevitably make region based distribution a more effective use of resources than locating them in a single pocket. However the distribution per capita would be more interesting and relevant, possibly adjusted also for age profiles given how their role is intended to work.

Your last two paragraphs are contradicting each other tbh. It’s been extensively detailed here that many counties have links with third level institutes, and indeed in many cases also have a COE. Indeed dublin are another who don’t have a COE- presumably it’s fine that they don’t have their own dedicated facilities because other organizations are dying to let them have time and facilities ahead of anyone else? As another poster pointed out they don’t use the national centre (I believe dublin funded the gym there so may avail of it)

Floppybits

bruschi wrote: »

In terms of what you would be looking for in a centre of excellence, Garvaghy is the Rolls Royce and how it should be done. Granted, its not always possible, for example Carlow have no dressing room facilities at theirs other than prefabs due to financial constraints and for years the one in Meath at Dunganny was similar until they finished off their building. Wexford still have work to do on theirs, but have the majority of the building and pitches completed.

Question is, should the likes of Carlow partner up with Carlow IT and pool resources? Or does it cause conflict in the long run. Personally speaking, I think it is a waste to have 2 top class facilities which one would be used primarily during college hours and the other outside of those hours. Similarly in Waterford, massive chance for them to pool in with WIT which they do in some regards, but something more formal where funds can be spread better between interested parties.

Is this why Dublin don't have one because the players would use the likes of UCD and DCU, etc? I seen Alan Brogan using the gym in the NAC when he was playing, I know others use the Westwood gyms in Clontarf and Leopardstown. Are the centres of excellence being setup because of a lack of facilities in the county or are they someones pet project? Most importantly are the producing the results?

It would make sense to pool resources, it would cost less but I can also see why institutes such as Carlow IT or Waterford IT may not want to have the inter county teams coming into their facilities, essentially taking over and forcing other users out at particular times.

tritium

ToBeFrank123 wrote: »

The implication of what you are saying could not be clearer.

Dublin received significant funding for games development officers wheras the rest of Leinster did not.

The GDF should have been evenly spread across Leinster and genuinely weak counties in particular targeted.

Instead Dublin were singled out for extra treatment over and above the rest of Leinster counties.

No great shock then that while the rest of Leinster continued to fall behind, Dublin surged massively ahead. The rest of Leinster is weak because the GAA have given very little assistance to them. That needs to change significantly otherwise the Leinster championship will remain a bit of a joke for at least a decade to come.

What do you think the correct ratio of games development personnel should be between say dublin and the rest of Leinster? What basis do you use to arrive at that ratio?

ToBeFrank123

Deleted User wrote: »

Where would you have put it, out of interest?

Its blatantly obvious Athlone is far more accessible to people from Donegal, Sligo, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, and most of the country than Dublin.

Its far more accessible basically for everyone in Ulster, Connacht, Munster, the Midlands and most of Leinster.

Another mistake from the GAA, one among countless. These guys are clueless.

gormdubhgorm

ToBeFrank123 wrote: »

No great shock then that while the rest of Leinster continued to fall behind, .

Again if you look at it within leinster this does not tell the full story Kildare and Meath went backwards and Westmeath/Longford/Louth/Laois made ground on them.

If you take Dublin out the equation how do you explain Kildare and Meath's fall from grace - since all other leinster counties were being treated equally?
'Neglected' as you put it.
Kildare/Meath have/had a posiition of strength and advantages over every other county in Leinster except Dublin.
It has being like this for decades.
Yet they have flopped and underachieved against similarly 'neglected' teams of smaller populace / tradition and resources - Westmeath/Louth/Wicklow etc

In my view the demise of Meath/Kildare relative to other lesser counties in leinster is a significant factor to this whole thread.

gormdubhgorm

ToBeFrank123 wrote: »

Its blatantly obvious Athlone is far more accessible to people from Donegal, Sligo, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, and most of the country than Dublin.

Its far more accessible basically for everyone in Ulster, Connacht, Munster, the Midlands and most of Leinster.

Another mistake from the GAA, one among countless. These guys are clueless.

I already guessed you were going to say that a few days ago.

Brasilia took a while to make in Brazil though...

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bras%C3%ADlia+-+Brasilia,+Federal+District,+Brazil/@-15.9696056,-65.9700186,4z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x935a3d18df9ae275:0x738470e469754a24!8m2!3d-15.7942287!4d-47.8821658

Not sure they would manage it so well near athlone...

ToBeFrank123

tritium wrote: »

What do you think the correct ratio of games development personnel should be between say dublin and the rest of Leinster? What basis do you use to arrive at that ratio?

Given that GDO's are assigned to clubs it should be by registered players.

It should not be per capita, because the non national population of Dublin is massive and its already been established they don't play GAA.

So per registered player would be the fairest. And then extra funding to weaker counties.

I'm enjoying the way Dubs portray Dublin as a weaker county in the past by the way. You guys make me laugh if nothing else.

bruschi

tritium wrote: »

I’m pretty sure none of the dublin posters here have said no one else should get money. Actually most of them are very supportive of rolling out strong games development in weaker counties. That said it’s a bit disingenuous to say dublin got “all the money”- a quick look at how games development personnel are dispersed across the country indicates something quite different. That’s not to say that the same model is used across the country though- in some cases population density would inevitably make region based distribution a more effective use of resources than locating them in a single pocket. However the distribution per capita would be more interesting and relevant, possibly adjusted also for age profiles given how their role is intended to work.

Your last two paragraphs are contradicting each other tbh. It’s been extensively detailed here that many counties have links with third level institutes, and indeed in many cases also have a COE. Indeed dublin are another who don’t have a COE- presumably it’s fine that they don’t have their own dedicated facilities because other organizations are dying to let them have time and facilities ahead of anyone else? As another poster pointed out they don’t use the national centre (I believe dublin funded the gym there so may avail of it)

again, you are looking at this as if it is some criticism of Dublin. Whether or not you have seen, but I have nothing against or bad words against Dublin in any of this. They were taken on by the GAA to start a coaching initiative which they did and which works very well. The GAA only made this available in Dublin despite multiple requests for not only spreading it outside Dublin, but even just increasing county wide based coaching staff but for the most part, not even meeting half the demands of a counties coaching requirements.

Please correct me if I am wrong, but I was lead to believe that pretty much all Dublin ladies activities were based out of Abbotstown and also development squad for boys in Dublin? I had also thought it was used for Dublin underage blitz tournaments as well. I had thought they played Dublin Celtic hurling tournament games there this year too and that club games get played there also.

I'm not sure what is contradicting in the paragraphs, some counties have COE's, some dont. Some counties have 3rd level places that can offer facilities, whilst others, like Limerick for example, have both 3rd level facilities and their own COE.

Floppybits wrote: »

Is this why Dublin don't have one because the players would use the likes of UCD and DCU, etc? I seen Alan Brogan using the gym in the NAC when he was playing, I know others use the Westwood gyms in Clontarf and Leopardstown. Are the centres of excellence being setup because of a lack of facilities in the county or are they someones pet project? Most importantly are the producing the results?

It would make sense to pool resources, it would cost less but I can also see why institutes such as Carlow IT or Waterford IT may not want to have the inter county teams coming into their facilities, essentially taking over and forcing other users out at particular times.

I'd imagine so. Many club facilities would be far more impressive too than county COE's, so there are multiple facilities throughout the capital where it doesnt really necessitate the need to build a dedicated facility just for the county activities when so many resources are there already.

Most COE's are set up due to a lack of facilities. for example, in Wexford, players would train in Patricks Park or some other club grounds but have to do gym work in hotel gyms and get subscriptions covered by county board expenses. Having a dedicated facility where you can congregate to train, do analysis, field work etc but at no additional cost to third parties makes sense. And when no club or 3rd level set up has anything to cover any of these things, there is little option left but to develop a centre.

And your second paragrpah details the issues with joined efforts. Who gets priority, who owns the facility and what happens when there is a falling out? An ideal world would see better municipal projects in general, but we cant even organise things between our own sports, never mind adding another to the mix.

ToBeFrank123

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Again if you look at it within leinster this does not tell the full story Kildare and Meath went backwards and Westmeath/Longford/Louth/Laois made ground on them.

If you take Dublin out the equation how do you explain Kildare and Meath's fall from grace - since all other leinster counties were being treated equally?
'Neglected' as you put it.
Kildare/Meath have/had a posiition of strength and advantages over every other county in Leinster except Dublin.
It has being like this for decades.
Yet they have flopped and underachieved against similarly 'neglected' teams of smaller populace / tradition and resources - Westmeath/Louth/Wicklow etc

In my view the demise of Meath/Kildare relative to other lesser counties in leinster is a significant factor to this whole thread.

Westmeath/Longford/Louth/Laois have gone backwards too, significantly so. Kildare also in recent years. Meath have just about maintained the same level which is lower division 1/upper division 2. The league is probably the best measure of the standard of counties.


An attempt should have been made to raise standards with funding across the board in Leinster. Instead a sh*tload of money was directed at Dublin. Unsurprising they raced ahead.

The unfortunate thing for the rest of Leinster was the timing of Bertie being in power at a time when Dublin were going through a lull. He couldn't bear to see the likes of Westmeath, Laois and Kildare regularly beat Dublin.

odyssey06

ToBeFrank123 wrote: »

Given that GDO's are assigned to clubs it should be by registered players.
It should not be per capita, because the non national population of Dublin is massive and its already been established they don't play GAA.
So per registered player would be the fairest. And then extra funding to weaker counties.

The GDOs do a lot of work in schools. The aim is to get more kids playing GAA.
Dublin is the place with the most kids not playing GAA (or sports), which is why it was targeted by the GAA and Sport Ireland for games development.

The Dublin clubs fund half the cost of a GDO. I am sure that makes it appealing for GAA and Sport Ireland, and is one of the reasons why Dublin has so many more GDOs.

SO registered players are not the full equation, and really should never be the basis for games development, in fact it would be contradictory to do so.

I don't think funding should be based solely on population (actually number of school kids would be a better measure, or number of schools running GAA sessions), or solely on registered players.

odyssey06

ToBeFrank123 wrote: »

The unfortunate thing for the rest of Leinster was the timing of Bertie being in power at a time when Dublin were going through a lull. He couldn't bear to see the likes of Westmeath, Laois and Kildare regularly beat Dublin.

Bertie is gone 10 years from power.
The funding continues because Sport Ireland and the GAA want it to.

Leinster is unfortunate in being crap except for Dublin.
In this century not one senior national title in League or All Ireland from anyone except Dublin.
Between 2000 - 2010 no senior national titles.

Connact & Cork, Armagh, Tyrone each on their own have more titles this century than Leinster excluding Dublin.

bruschi

odyssey06 wrote: »

The GDOs do a lot of work in schools. The aim is to get more kids playing GAA.
Dublin is the place with the most kids not playing GAA (or sports), which is why it was targeted by the GAA and Sport Ireland for games development.

The Dublin clubs fund half the cost of a GDO. I am sure that makes it appealing for GAA and Sport Ireland, and is one of the reasons why Dublin has so many more GDOs.

SO registered players are not the full equation, and really should never be the basis for games development, in fact it would be contradictory to do so.

I don't think funding should be based solely on population (actually number of school kids would be a better measure, or number of schools running GAA sessions), or solely on registered players.

this is what happens to all counties who are availing of a club based GDO, its not specific to Dublin. It also should be pointed out that many of these that started in Dublin did so on 100% funding from the GAA. I understand why, pilot development program to see how it works and then split 50-50, but just another point to it. And again, I also understand some clubs have employed further GDOs at solely their own cost too with no funding, which is an enviable position to be in.

ToBeFrank123

odyssey06 wrote: »

The GDOs do a lot of work in schools. The aim is to get more kids playing GAA.
Dublin is the place with the most kids not playing GAA (or sports), which is why it was targeted by the GAA and Sport Ireland for games development.

The Dublin clubs fund half the cost of a GDO. I am sure that makes it appealing for GAA and Sport Ireland, and is one of the reasons why Dublin has so many more GDOs.

SO registered players are not the full equation, and really should never be the basis for games development, in fact it would be contradictory to do so.

I don't think funding should be based solely on population (actually number of school kids would be a better measure, or number of schools running GAA sessions), or solely on registered players.

We've been through this. They get kids to join clubs in which case they become registered players, covered by the registered player measurement. Or the kids who don't join clubs in which case they are wasting their time.

We know in Dublin by and large foreign kids don't join GAA clubs with the odd exception.

You could go into a school with 100 foreign kids and you might be lucky to get 10 who pay the registration fee and join a GAA club. I can't think of one foreign born player on any Dublin IC team at any level or gender. They just aren't playing the sport in serious numbers and they sure as hell aren't playing in the park.

The GDO per capita doesn't hold water. If it did, then the UK would have thousands of GAA GDOs!

ToBeFrank123

bruschi wrote: »

this is what happens to all counties who are availing of a club based GDO, its not specific to Dublin. It also should be pointed out that many of these that started in Dublin did so on 100% funding from the GAA. I understand why, pilot development program to see how it works and then split 50-50, but just another point to it. And again, I also understand some clubs have employed further GDOs at solely their own cost too with no funding, which is an enviable position to be in.

A distinct advantage for rich urban clubs in densely populated areas and completely denied to rural clubs struggling to make ends meet.

bruschi

ToBeFrank123 wrote: »

A distinct advantage for rich urban clubs in densely populated areas and completely denied to rural clubs struggling to make ends meet.

Somewhat agree and disagree. Yes, massive advantage to the large super club. They take in huge income and have the facilities and capabilities to have their own full time employee.

But at the same time, if a rural club is so small, then do they have the same requirement and demand for a full time coach? There are other needs that a rural club need rather than funds for a full time coach. those in the East Leinster project have ability to split and share access to coaches, to either half or a third allocation which suits rural areas better. But again, only if already in the system.

There are issues with small rural clubs that the GAA are seemingly happy to ignore in their pursuit of increasing numbers in densely populated areas and I think there is a massive amount more that they can do to help redress this. Having big population doesnt guarantee success, much like at county level. Its how you use that to your advantage is what makes it key. Some clubs do it wisely, others dont (hello Parnells).

gormdubhgorm

ToBeFrank123 wrote: »

The unfortunate thing for the rest of Leinster was the timing of Bertie being in power at a time when Dublin were going through a lull. He couldn't bear to see the likes of Westmeath, Laois and Kildare regularly beat Dublin.

Again that is being disingenuous at that time Soccer was flying in Ireland (national team) and Rugby was a coming force with it's professionalism.
There was a real fear that the GAA could lose Dublin to these other sports.
If the GAA lost Dublin that is 20% of the population gone and that would have been the GAA fúcked. That is the truth of it.

gormdubhgorm

ToBeFrank123 wrote: »

Westmeath/Longford/Louth/Laois have gone backwards too, significantly so. Kildare also in recent years. Meath have just about maintained the same level which is lower division 1/upper division 2. The league is probably the best measure of the standard of counties.

Ah hang on Westmeath got to two Leinster finals back to back (15 and 16) many years after the Paidi inspired win in 04.

Also Laois were only fasley strong under the 'Micko effect' - but even so Laois got to a Leinster final in 18

Longford recently beat Meath in the championship a few years ago.
Five of those Longford lads were on the Mullinalaghta side that beat Kilmacud Crokes last year!

tritium

ToBeFrank123 wrote: »

Given that GDO's are assigned to clubs it should be by registered players.

It should not be per capita, because the non national population of Dublin is massive and its already been established they don't play GAA.

So per registered player would be the fairest. And then extra funding to weaker counties.

I'm enjoying the way Dubs portray Dublin as a weaker county in the past by the way. You guys make me laugh if nothing else.

But isn’t your complaint that gdos aren’t assigned to clubs outside dublin?

Shouldn’t we be looking to bring the full population of the country into Gaelic games, including the next generation of new Irish?

The non national population of dublin (and ireland) btw is in real terms tiny:a bit over half a million, about 11.5 percent. Less than 200k of that live in dublin so a little higher but not dramatically so than the ratio for Irish. About three quarters are in 10 or so counties. That includes Irish American and Irish UK who may already have significant cultural integration.

So (I) you’re wrong that this group is massive and (ii) you want to exclude them in a manner that prevents the game developing and expanding in favour of keeping it within its existing status quo

To be honest what you propose appears quite discriminatory and a bit offensive

ToBeFrank123

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Ah hang on Westmeath got to two Leinster finals back to back (15 and 16) many years after the Paidi inspired win in 04.

Also Laois were only fasley strong under the 'Micko effect' - but even so Laois got to a Leinster final in 18

Longford recently beat Meath in the championship a few years ago.
Five of those Longford lads were on the Mullinalaghta side that beat Kilmacud Crokes last year!

Getting to a Leinster final is hardly a great achievement these days. Most of those counties you mention are division 2 and division 3. Was Westmeath not in division 4 when they reached one of those Leinster finals?

tritium

ToBeFrank123 wrote: »

We've been through this. They get kids to join clubs in which case they become registered players, covered by the registered player measurement. Or the kids who don't join clubs in which case they are wasting their time.

We know in Dublin by and large foreign kids don't join GAA clubs with the odd exception.

You could go into a school with 100 foreign kids and you might be lucky to get 10 who pay the registration fee and join a GAA club. I can't think of one foreign born player on any Dublin IC team at any level or gender. They just aren't playing the sport in serious numbers and they sure as hell aren't playing in the park.

The GDO per capita doesn't hold water. If it did, then the UK would have thousands of GAA GDOs!

Yet I could point to several in my sons nursery group

Which perhaps goes back to how quickly you see the effects of such initiatives

ToBeFrank123

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Again that is being disingenuous at that time Soccer was flying in Ireland (national team) and Rugby was a coming force with it's professionalism.
There was a real fear that the GAA could lose Dublin to these other sports.
If the GAA lost Dublin that is 20% of the population gone and that would have been the GAA fúcked. That is the truth of it.

And no fear in Limerick or Cork or other areas where Rugby is just as strong?

Come off it. This argument has been roundly defeated.

What's the next excuse why Dublin received excessive funds over and above what they deserved?

gormdubhgorm

ToBeFrank123 wrote: »

Getting to a Leinster final is hardly a great achievement these days. Most of those counties you mention are division 2 and division 3. Was Westmeath not in division 4 when they reached one of those Leinster finals?

Which is the point I am making! What happened Kildare and Meath in comparison?
Westmeath a Division 4 team could reach a final?

ToBeFrank123

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Which is the point I am making! What happened Kildare and Meath in comparison?
Westmeath a Division 4 team could reach a final?

What happened is everyone in Leinster apart from Dublin went backwards. Not surprising as they were deprived of serious funds for the last two decades.

A large part of the pot for GDF was ring fenced for Dublin. That's money that should have been shared out more equitably.

Two point plan from the GAA.
1. Give Dublin more funds
2. Give everyone else less funds

Not surprising Dublin surges ahead.

gormdubhgorm

ToBeFrank123 wrote: »

And no fear in Limerick or Cork or other areas where Rugby is just as strong, particularly when Munster were dominating?

Come off it. This argument has been roundly defeated.

How has it being defeated?
Hurling is always number 1 for Cork.
Limerick used to dip thier toe in a variety of codes at a reasonable level now they Now they just focus on hurling for the most part.

Maybe you are not from Dublin and do not understand the battle Dublin face compared to other counties to keep the GAA going.
It is not like rural ireland where there is the club, pub, shop.
Perhaps that dynamic is lost on you?