Ladies footballers and camogie will play 'under protest' over lack of progress on welfare

theoneeyedman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120840328#Comment_120840328

Sure aren't we great, and if they like they can even make a loaf of sandwiches and maybe rinse out the lads jerseys while they are at it!

Girls and Ladies contribute a whole lot to the organization, the day of this 'tap them on the head' nonsense is long gone.

Today's individual players and teams should not be punished for the splits and the BS politics of having 4 organizations where one would suffice. Plenty of jobs for the lads/lassies at board level, but on the ground the girls lose out.

The GAA family will have to look after these issues sooner or later, and why not sooner? Seems like too much politics and jockeying for position among the boards with no thought for the players, and I include club players in this.

celt262

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120840416#Comment_120840416

I have no problem with all been under the one umbrella but i do have a problem with them having no plan on how they are going to generate funding to make up the shortfall that is already in place. They are just expecting the GAA to take the hit but the money has to come from somewhere and it's going to affect clubs down the food chain.

I see you have gone for Girls and Ladies contribute a lot to the organisation in that i presume you mean the GAA. It's a pity they don't contribute to their own organisation because if they did the funding might just be there to give the county players the basics that they want. There was lots of ladies Camogie and GAA games on over the weekend and if you took the total attendances from all the games you would fit them all in one stand in the majority of GAA County grounds in the country.

Uncle Pierre

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120840312#Comment_120840312

They were never all part of the same organisation. And if the GAA were as poor at looking after their players as the other associations are, there wouldn't be any calls for them all to become part of the same organisation now either.

Uncle Pierre

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120840328#Comment_120840328

Something that's overlooked far too often. Fact of the matter is there'd hardly ever be a camogie or ladies football match or training session anywhere in the country if it wasn't for the GAA providing a pitch and other facilities, usually for free.

Even extends to how the County Boards do things. Simple example: my own club is a neutral venue for hosting a club hurling championship match this weekend. We'll get a ground rent of either €100 or 5% of the gate from the Wexford GAA County Board for doing so. But when Wexford Camogie Association uses our ground as a neutral venue for a club match, we don't get a single cent. No recognition at all of the work involved for the host club.

greenspurs

All the Gaa lads are fierce worried about the 'GAA Money' .....

Are yee all from Dublin? 🤭

bucketybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120840416#Comment_120840416

What do they contribute to the organisation? Certainly not revenue, thats for sure.

evolvingtipperary101

The Gaelic Players Association has said it will organise any media events to take place in the run up to the conclusion of the Women's football and camogie championships rather than them going through the associations

theoneeyedman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120840855#Comment_120840855

Do you REALLY believe women contribute nothing to the GAA, and have not done so over the history of the association? Really? And does everything need to be measured in pounds, shillings and pence??

I'd have plenty of misgivings about how the LGFA runs it's affairs, It's only when you see some of the idiocy that do goes on in the LGFA at county level in particular, you appreciate how well (as a whole) the GAA is ran. I know little about the Camoige association to ba honest, but the simple truth is that these are our Gealic games, played by our own young people, generally played on grounds built locally by the men and (I hate to break it to ye lads) women of the country.

In many ways, it suited the old guard in the GAA (on most cases of men) to hold back the women and keep control of the clubs and the grounds, there was only so much money and indeed power to go around and 'we're not sharing any of it" 'if the women think they can make a go of it themselves let them off, and see how far the get ' type attitude. 'Sure what are the women playing at anyway, it's a man's game and they shouldn't be playing it' and laughing at them as they learned the game and out their own stamp on it as they bacame familiar with it was a lot of the old attitude

However, I've news for ye, it's now halfway through the third decade of the 21st Century, women and girls contribute so much to the rich fabric of our association, we cannot deny them and hold them back any longer. The sins of the Fathers and Mothers i.e. the people running the Camoige Association and Ladies football cannot be bourne by the current generations of young players.

Whether it's in 2023,2024,2026,or 2028, or whenever the folks at the top tables get their sh1t sorted and bring everyone under the one umbrella, it will be done, and then the protocols on how players are treated will be sorted, and the newly expanded GAA will have to pony up, so why not take the bull by the horns and do it now? The GPA if they have anything about them will lead the way in this, stand with their sisters and show some balls and solidarity. The girls are protesting week in week out but in truth they are invisible - imagine the power of the lads on Saturday or Sunday even wearing the TShirts and delaying the throw in the 5 minutes, they have the power because they have the media glare on them, and the gsmes at that level generate the gates and the money for the rest of the organization.

celt262

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120842776#Comment_120842776

They are invisible because there is no interest in their games and that will stay that way with the prices they are charging to get in the gate. You will get the ones that jump on every high horse on Twitter and facebook talking about it but the quarter of them don't even know that they are a separate organisation to the GAA.

No right minded player would even consider disrupting their preparation prior to an All-Ireland semi final by getting involved in a circus like that.

celt262

Big step up in protest today a sheet off paper taped to back off jersey. If they want to be taking seriously they need to do better than that.

theoneeyedman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120845973#Comment_120845973

The girls have little or no exposure. The GPA is supposed to effectively be a 'Union' for ALL players, so the strong have to fight for the weak. Even a show of strength would have some effect, but the lads have been taken into the Croke Park/Civil Service Clique and have no interest. Fvxki them to be honest.

I'm all right Jack.

cms88

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120856211#Comment_120856211

The GAA is a ''Union'' for it's members. Why would they get involved with non playing members of theirs?

cms88

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120840823#Comment_120840823

Like the example i give. If a comogie or ladies football team were told they couldn't just a GAA ground they'd run the to media with a made up story about how they weren't welcome etc

evolvingtipperary101

The GPA protest has been suspended.

Camogie association say they welcome the breakthrough which will allow their semi finals to go ahead ‘unhindered’.

celt262

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120872770#Comment_120872770

Brilliant they are going to request funding from the GAA !

Uncle Pierre

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120873953#Comment_120873953

Yes, it's still the only idea they have, to seek money from a different organisation instead of focussing on ways to bring in more money of their own.

Separately, the Integration Steering Committee released a statement yesterday to say a major survey of players (male and female) will be conducted, to canvass views in relation to integration and the betterment of facilities etc. for women.

As with all surveys, the results will depend on the questions asked. Ask questions like these:

• Do you agree that facilities etc. for female players could be improved?
• Would you be in favour of measures to make these improvements?

and you'll get a headline result along the lines of "99% of players (male and female) would support measures to improve facilities for camogie and ladies football players".

But ask the male players a question along the lines of what I previously posted:

• Would you be in favour of measures to improve the lot of female players if it means diverting some of the resources currently used to support male inter-county teams? Things affected may include access to medical and physio care, travel expenses, meals, playing kit, overnight stays, training camps, and more. Please answer honestly.

And then you'd get a very different result.

theoneeyedman

Yea....

Like, no way should the resources within Gaelic games be shared among the men and women, that sort of chat is nuts.

Likewise, why the hell are the hurling lads allpwrs9to benefit, it's the football championship that is the main driver of the organization, 33 active teams with more games than the Hurling counties, who in reality number what, 5 in munster and 3 or maybe 4 more around the country.

Come to think of it, why are the players playing football for the likes of Leitrim, Carlow or Waterford being supported, sure they are only attracting a few hundred their games, and 2 men and a dog at League games. Freeloading fvckers, let them fend for themselves.

That type of one for all talk is Communism, we need to stamp it out!

celt262

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120875707#Comment_120875707

I agree the GAA needs to look after its own and it has the resources to support all its county teams the bigger counties who draw the bigger crowds aid in supporting the weaker counties.

Another organisation begging for money should be told in no uncertain terms to get there act together.

zetecescort

so when they become one association you'll be ok with the women getting a share of the money?

celt262

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120876875#Comment_120876875

Yep as long as they are putting money in the pot. The GAA are awaiting there plan on how they are going to do this.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120735339#Comment_120735339

Sure they don't bring in the money and sponsorship, the ladies games will have to be heavily subsided by revenue from the men's games. Then you are left with a situation (obviously on a lot smaller scale) to the NBA subsiding the WNBA in America. After two decades despite all subsidies the crowds do not attend the WNBA it massively loss making. And most notably of all women do not go to see WNBA. The biggest demographic in America that goes to WNBA is middle aged men! Because it is more technical basketball I assume?

Ok say that the LFGA and the Camogie are given more money raised from the Men's games - facilitates etc. But it is ignoring the main issue there is no real interest in the games from the general population - especially women.

And if I was in the women's game the whole thing sort of seems like looking for charity or hand outs from where? Where will this money come from? Most likely a merger with the GAA and the men's game.

But like the WNBA it risks just creating a paper tiger that loses money, and is just a sport that is paid lip service to. It is up to the women to support the women's games more, get the crowds in - build the sponsorship - get more funding etc.

If the women/girls of Ireland do not support the women's game the whole thing is built on sand. I am not talking about an AI final where club members are forced to buy tickets - so have to use them and talk up the once off big attendance etc. As the slogan goes I am on about 'serious support'. How can the women that play the games ask for 'serious support' when the vast majority of their own gender is not a damn bit interested in going to the games?

theoneeyedman

NBA and NFL are professional sport bodies, or bodies running professional sports, not a community organization like the GAA. You are not a 'member of the NBA' as far as I know, you are an employee. The GAA is a community organization whose purpose is to promote Gaelic Games, not to solely promote Gaelic Games for men. The idea that once the sports bodies united, which they will be, that then it is OK to give the women a fair shake, but not before then.... I'd don't know. Women games don't draw a crowd, and this they don't contribute to the bottom line, every evening and weekend women are attending big men's games along with kids games etc.

By all means the women's games and structures are nuts and in many cases badly run, but to be fair their organization has 100 years of organization and structures to catch up on! Bring them and their games inside the tent, get that side of the Gaelic Games family straightened out, but give the individual girls a fair shake in the meantime.

It's only fair.

Uncle Pierre

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120877444#Comment_120877444

The Camogie Association was formed in 1904 - so they only had 20 years to catch up on, not more than 100. And they've had almost 120 years to do so.

theoneeyedman

Women's sport is way behind, it's only really in the last 20/30 or so years that's it's become popular and even acceptable for girls it play team sports, and that's for all sorts of societal reasons as much as anything, as well as many in the GAA placing many obstacles in the women's way. You can even see it in many of the posts here, 'sure how are we going to get pitches, how will we pay for it, what have the girls thrown into the coffers'.... Every excuse under the sun. There is so much to benefit for everyone to have things regularized, and on an even footing. It is that way among most clubs for several years now, and it will get there, it's just a question of if morally it's OK to marginalize the current generation while everyone pi55es and moan about who might lose out or where the money will come from. The longer it drags I, the more good women will get pi55ed off and go playing other games, or worse again drop out of sport altogether.

Bottom line, it's the right thing to do. Just fvckin do it!

callaway92

By right, The Camogie Association needed to take a good 4 to 5 years of accepting a massive loss, with the benefit of changing up their advertising/marketing for the good of future promotion/interest.

Thinking about it, there really was no excuse. Now it’s at the point where they’re borderline blaming others for their incompetence and expecting others to pay up and help them. The players should be striking/protesting against the Camogie Association and LGFA for their incompetence rather than anything else.

The amount of ‘superstar’ players that have come and gone that both associations didn’t use well at all is inexcusable.

Uncle Pierre

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120879413#Comment_120879413

If only it were that simple.

And it hasn't been that way in most clubs for several years now. Yes, GAA clubs allow camogie and ladies football access to their pitches, clubhouses, etc., whenever possible. But the inter-county campaign is about much more than access to facilities. It's about improved (and more costly) provision of other benefits such as access to medical care, meals, playing gear, and more.

Do you know of any GAA club that pays for such things for the camogie or LGFA club in its area?

A GAA club that goes "we paid for Paddy's scan when he was injured, and now Patricia has the same injury, so we'll pay for her scan too"?

Or "We brought our senior team on an overnight training camp and bought them dinner, so now we'll pay for the women to do the same if they want to do it as well"?

Or "we subsidised the cost of a set of training tops that the lads wanted to buy, so now we'd better subsidise the cost of a set of tops for the women too"?

Uncle Pierre

Also....it's clear how the Camogie Association and the LGFA would stand to benefit from full integration.

But how exactly do you believe the GAA would benefit? Seems to me that the main things it would mean for them would be increased administration and increased drain on revenue.

theoneeyedman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120879874#Comment_120879874

It's that simple....

My own club operates largely on this basis TBH. There are differences in the insurance and injury schemes, but that's another reason for all codes to be integrated. If teams need trips/gear/whatever it's treated in a case by case basis, based on need, and really at this stage regardless of whether the team is a male or female team. There simply isn't enough resources in our area, and in most areas for two separate administrations, it's for all intents ran the same.

It's the same games lads, the same culture. Regardless of history, the girls teams ARE going to be integrated I to the GAA.... and rightly so. You can put obstacles in place and keep hiding behind poor culture and administrators on the ladies side over the years, but it's gonna happen.....to deny it is, look call it what it is, it's discrimination pure and simple.

Female players in the GAA will shake things up and challenge some kind sets, which reading some of the posters around here is long overdue.

rolling boh

Seems a poor decision to play two ladies semi finals tomorrow while All Ire is taking place down the road and will get all coverage .Doubt many will be tuned into tng .

celt262

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120884912#Comment_120884912

They certainly don't help themselves.