The Liam Miller memorial match and Rule 42

Once an organisation get public money and grant money to build /improve facilities those facilities should be for the public to use and not to line the pockets of said organisation.
Was there not an EU ruling on this matter?

There is a certain cohort of "soccer people" in this country that are in constant jealousy of the GAA and when things like this come up they shout as loud as they can.

I certainly think that, in the future, the GAA can amend it's rules to allow certain circumstance like this, just like it did for the RWC and for Croke Park.

I don't think the GAA have done anything wrong here, they have a rule and it's a rule that cannot be changed on the fly.
But as I said there are always people who will attack the GAA and as the OP said always politicians and the like who will bring this up and act surprised when the GAA say no.

And this notion that just because the GAA get public funding then their grounds should be open in very very over simplified.

The GAA give far more back to society than they take out.
Go to another country and you will find swathes and swathes of "playing fields" and public facilities, and payed for by taxpayers and maintained by local councils.

You don't have that in Ireland, what you do have are thousands of GAA facalities, payed for in part by the tax payers, but largely by the club members and maintained by the hard work and dedication of local club members.

They save the tax payer millions every year when it comes to the provision of facilities.

And other sports bodies get funding too remember.

Because this is very much a Cork soccer event on a Tuesday afternoon in September I think the right play for it is Turners Cross, it will be a far more "authentic" way to celebrate the mans life.

And you can be damn sure many Cork GAA fans will be there and many many more will contribute towrads the fund.

harr wrote: »

Once an organisation get public money and grant money to build /improve facilities those facilities should be for the public to use and not to line the pockets of said organisation.
Was there not an EU ruling on this matter?

That money is recouped quickly enough.
It provides a venue for concerts which fill the hotel , pubs and restaurants. Jobs created, taxes paid and money pumped into the local community.

Bonniedog wrote: »

I agree with Tod.

We have all sorts of characters jumping on the band wagon to try to browbeat the GAA on this.

Were they even asked by the organisers before they began to talk up the use of PUC?

I have to confess I never heard of the chap Miller so no idea of how popular he is, but given that Cork City's average attendance is around 4,000, it is surely huge leap of imagination to assume they might even half fill PUC.

As Tod said there are a lot of soccer people here who hate the GAA. FAI demonstrated this when allowed use Croke Park, by changing the name of Hill 16 to "North Terrace" on their tickets. Anyone who thinks that was other than childish reflection of their hatred and jealousy of the GAA is na.

He played in the premier league and for Ireland, he was a bit of a journey man, had a stint with Man Utd but never really made it there, not unlike many of the current Ireland team.

But he was from Cork, and like all things Cork he was a big deal for Cork people.

And that's why I also think moving it out of Turner's Cross would take away from the event. It's a Cork City FC/Cork soccer event.
They should celebrate him on their own patch.

Deleted User wrote: »

While it may be too late for Liam Miller's family, hopefully the outcry will see the matter back on the agenda and the appropriate Motion will be brought and vote cast to prevent this happening again.

What makes you think it would pass? For many in charge of the GAA and people here it seems too, things are very much working as intended right now.

C__MC wrote: »

They want to play it in his own county- where he was from be silly to drag it to Dublin

No-one is asking them to. They can have it in Cork city ground. He didn't play for Cork GAA.

The arrangements for the soccer and rugby internationals in CP was a one off. We can't have situation where GAA is being pressurised to host other sports at the drop of a hat. Especially by people who have no time for us.

Unlike the FAI, the GAA is a democratic organisation that requires the consent of its members, not the whim of some unaccountable oligarch. You would imagine that former President Kelly might be aware of this,

Look on the face of it, I personally have no problem with the game in PUC, but as usual the 'issue' is being used to bash the GAA for having the vision to build stadia around the country.

The 'tax payers money' argument is interesting. There is tax payers money invested in ballyliffan golf course, can I organise a charity rugby game there? There was tax payers money given to St Vincent's hospital for example, can I just demand to use some of their facilities when I want? No, no I can't.

As an aside, I assume all of the participants in this charity event are doing so free gratis, for nothing, and without huge 'expenses'. I've seen some of the costs involved with these 'charity' soccer events in the UK in the last and they would make your eyes water, with appearance money/expenses etc (Eric Cantona springs to mind). I certainly hope all of the money raised wherever it is held goes to the Miller family trust.

So if the gaa don't back down, it has to be played in a 7000 seater stadium in cork.... Why not the Aviva??

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

Padraig Harrington played football in Croke Park, should they play a pitch and putt tournament there ?

Miller's game was soccer and that was his career and that's what he played at the highest level, that's what he represented Ireland at.

Not GAA.

It's a charity event ffs. A lot of the money is going to a hospice who comfort people through their last agonising days of succumbing to cancer. Many of them will be lifelong gaa members but don't let that get in the way of sticking by "The rules" which this year have been shown can be bent to suit any particular situation.

dixiefly wrote: »

Is this the Alan Milton you are referring to?

Experienced Head Of Media Relations with a demonstrated history of working in the sports industry. Skilled in Crisis Communications, Event Management, Editing, Journalism, and Public Speaking. Strong media and communication professional with a Master of Arts (MA) focused in Journalism from DCU.

Skilled in crisis communications....yeah right!

As a by the way, I remember being at an American Football game in Navan in 2012. How did that game get played with this rule in place?

Yes, he's an abrasive dipstick. Totally unsuited to PR. Can't remember the last time the GAA had good PR.

Bambi wrote: »

This is a bit like your alcoholic deadbeat relative demanding that his family move into your house because they were put out in the street for him gargling away the rent. Apparently the fact that he doesn't have his **** together is your fault.

This isn't an FAI event. It's a charity event that happens to be a football game

Bonniedog wrote: »

You can be certain a lot of people will be wetting their beaks as usual.

Read some of Dunphy's old articles about the FAI and such events. Neither their "culture" nor nepotism has changed.

Barge pole - other end of

I'm sure they will and I've no time for anyone involved with the running of the FAI. If they try hijack this they should be harshly told where to go

ted1 wrote: »

American football does not compete for players with the GAA.
They would have planned long in advance. Not 2 months before hand.

The GAA rule as far as I know mentions other sports. Not "other sports that compete for players with the GAA"

I am much more a GAA person than soccer all my life and that will continue but I find some of the comments here in support of the GAA position a bit sad. I certainly knew who Liam Miller was but whether we personally knew who he was is neither heer nor there.

Personally I dont think it would open the floodgates and whatever version of the rules was used to allow American Football into Navan should be allowed here.

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

And people can and will contribute to that charity without going to a game on a Tuesday afternoon in September

I'd argue that this foroe will help the Miller charity no end.

As a GAA fan I've absolutely no problem with this game going ahead in PUC, if it did it would be great.

What I don't like is this situation being used as some sort of a stick to beat the GAA with.

And the beating seems to come from people very very ill informed about the GAA, what they contribute to Irish society, and their rules ,.

I'm no soccer fan. Hate the game actually and am well up to speed on most matters GAA and I think it's a shocking decision. If it were one of those pre-season exhibition games I'd say no way. Cork city vs man u in UEFA cup could go swing too. But this is a charity event for the benefit of a young man's family cut short in his prime and for the medical facilities that cared for him in his final days. To me it's not even a question

threeball wrote: »

I'm no soccer fan. Hate the game actually and am well up to speed on most matters GAA and I think it's a shocking decision. If it were one of those pre-season exhibition games I'd say no way. Cork city vs man u in UEFA cup could go swing too. But this is a charity event for the benefit of a young man's family cut short in his prime and for the medical facilities that cared for him in his final days. To me it's not even a question

But that's the problem, it's not a decision

Cork GAA had no discretion on this, they could not make a decision to allow or deny it.

If it means a rule change at Congress then great, but for now unless they find some sort of a fudge, and maybe they can, there is no decision that can be made.

Wailin wrote: »

Utter bollocks. Where was rule 42 when they allowed rugby and football at croke park? Only when they line their pockets. A charity event won't line the pockets. This is why I despise the organisation. Run by " cute hoors" with nothing but greed on their minds. How often have we seen games run into added time until a team draws level and game is immediately ended for a replay and more money?

Had the GAA denied rugby and soccer to be played in Croke Park during the rebuilding of Landsdowne Rd the likes of yourself would be the first here to call them ever name under the sun for not allowing it

Money from the rent of Croke Park wen back into the GAA

It's not some sort of business enterprise

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

But that's the problem, it's not a decision

Cork GAA had no discretion on this, they could not make a decision to allow or deny it.

If it means a rule change at Congress then great, but for now unless they find some sort of a fudge, and maybe they can, there is no decision that can be made.

Of course there is. You just don't classify it as a soccer match. If it's brought up again that cork city want to play there for UEFA cup then you say sorry that was a charity event and our rules don't allow other sports. Simple as that and no one could argue it.

threeball wrote: »

Now we're really in the realm of utter bollox. I'm all in favour of this event but conspiracies about replays really are total crap.

I don't believe Wailin has ever posted on GAA forum before. He is typical of type of soccer person, especially in Dublin, that GAA should certainly not be kow towing to.

Just as an anecdotal aside, I know someone who works in CP and was involved with the arrangements for the rugby and FAI events. Found IRFU to be completely upfront and respectful of where they were, and the others to be ingrates who he suspected were up to all sorts of shennagins. Which we kow to be true from their involvement in ticketing for World Cups and European competitions.

You wouldn't trust them to mind your hamster.

Pale Red wrote: »

Just so you know where I'm coming from _ I was in Thurles last Sunday and quite happy to miss the WC final. I think they could play a Gaelic football match with a few agreed caveats in PUC. It's a charity game so could be worked. Play as soccer but 15 a side with no offside. Players not to use hands. Points to score as gaa. 45 and line ball instead of corners and throw in.

The 15 aside means more celebs can play and make up for bigger pitch. Those who want to go to watch are not looking for a quality game as many players are retired. The novelty format might get the curiosity factor going and rule 42 wouldn't apply as it is a gaelic match.

I don't see any reason why they can't get a few gaa players involved, play 15 aside as you say and leave the pitch as it is. Therefore it's not technically any sport and not in contravention to the aims and objectives of the association. Plus it would widen the appeal.