The Dominance of Dublin GAA Mod warning post#1

Floppybits wrote: »

That is Dr Slack McCaffrey to you?

Imagine the skeletons that would be uncovered if there were audits done on all the county boards in the country?

County boards are one of the biggest problems in the GAA. Alot of them are run by a wink and a nod culture. In some counties the County board treatment of the intercounty teams is terrible, the impression you get from the County Board is that players should be glad they are getting to represent the county and like the old saying a "child should be seen and not heard". The Dublin County Board was slated in a report done in the early 00's that made county board sit up and get their house sorted and now we are seeing the results of this on the pitch.

Most of the grumbling in most counties is about how crap the county boards are and how they waste money on their own crap projects or half arsed implementation of plans after they get the money.

In saying that this is not unique to the GAA, look at the FAI and the charities. There seems to be something ingrained in the culture.

GDF funds are, as others have pointed out, tightly controlled and regulated with oversite by the GAA, as they are in Dublin's case. They are separate and different to other sources of funds like sponsorship and the like.

That some Dubs continue to confuse the two is frankly bizarre. They either do it through ignorance or else deliberately to muddy the waters.

GDF is used to fund GDF officers, essentially professional coaches. The amount of money provided to Dublin for this purpose has vastly outweighed that given to other counties in the last decade and its very difficult if not impossible to waste that money given the conditions imposed by the GAA. Dublin have received far more assistance from the GAA for GDF than every other county, leading to a significant headstart in this regard, particularly as it was ring fenced for Dublin up until recently.

ClanofLams

Floppybits wrote: »

That is Dr Slack McCaffrey to you?

Imagine the skeletons that would be uncovered if there were audits done on all the county boards in the country?

County boards are one of the biggest problems in the GAA. Alot of them are run by a wink and a nod culture. In some counties the County board treatment of the intercounty teams is terrible, the impression you get from the County Board is that players should be glad they are getting to represent the county and like the old saying a "child should be seen and not heard". The Dublin County Board was slated in a report done in the early 00's that made county board sit up and get their house sorted and now we are seeing the results of this on the pitch.

Most of the grumbling in most counties is about how crap the county boards are and how they waste money on their own crap projects or half arsed implementation of plans after they get the money.

In saying that this is not unique to the GAA, look at the FAI and the charities. There seems to be something ingrained in the culture.

There’s a lot of truth in your post. It’s worth noting however that no-one here has proved what seems to be the original premise - that the massive disparity in funding only came into place because there were no concerns of wastage (or worse) with Dublin county board.

It would be a very bad look for the GAA were that somehow true (it’s not as far as I can tell), we’re not going to spend games and development funding in these counties because of their county boards, hard luck children.

As I said already, as far as I am aware, there is thorough oversight of central funding. As in this case with Galway, funds wasted, inappropriately spent, etc will be funds generated within the county; sponsorship, gates income, etc. Disgraceful if true but not really relevant to the behemoth of Dublin funding.

Floppybits

ToBeFrank123 wrote: »

GDF funds are, as others have pointed out, tightly controlled and regulated with oversite by the GAA, as they are in Dublin's case. They are separate and different to other sources of funds like sponsorship and the like.

That some Dubs continue to confuse the two is frankly bizarre. They either do it through ignorance or else deliberately to muddy the waters.

GDF is used to fund GDF officers, essentially professional coaches. The amount of money provided to Dublin for this purpose has vastly outweighed that given to other counties in the last decade and its very difficult if not impossible to waste that money given the conditions imposed by the GAA. Dublin have received far more assistance from the GAA for GDF than every other county, leading to a significant headstart in this regard, particularly as it was ring fenced for Dublin up until recently.

As they should be but I think all monies going to the County whether it is from the GAA or other sources should be accounted for.

I have no problem with any county getting more funding if they have proper plans in place, not just something scribbled on the back of an envelope or beer mat so that they can get the money and then no implement the plans.

I also have no problem with sponsors asking what is the money they are putting in being spend on as well. Infact if I was to sponsor a county I would be looking from the County Board on how they plan to use the money.

bruschi

Again, the complete lack of understanding of GPO/GDA/GDOs, their roles and subsequent TURAS program etc is baffling. Added to that is the continued inference that every other county is some ramshackle organisation and Dublin were the only ones who should get this money.

GDO's are invaluable to clubs. To try make out they are glorified supervising coaches to schools is doing them, their clubs and the GAA a complete disservice. They have a huge impact on clubs, in terms of providing qualified structured coaching to coaches, coaching templates, guidelines, coaching programs as well as hands on coaching to members of the underage sections of clubs. To listen to some of the comments as if they do damn all is ridiculous, as a club is not going to pay upwards of €20k, and some more than double that, to have a full time coach at the clubs disposal. Its insulting to your GDO to talk about them the way some are.

Secondly, the TURAS program is a stop gap solution to try make use of a huge lack of resources. Basically what it entails is the provision of workshops throughout the year, provided by a county GDA, where clubs can attend by sending their underage coaches to upskill and improve their coaching knowledge. Its a decent program, but no different than what many counties had been doing for the past 10 years with their 3 or 4 GDAs trying to cover 50 or more clubs in a county.

The role posted in Roscommon is for a county wide GDA. Their role is to provide services for games promotion over a county. A GDO in Dublin is doing that for one singular club. Hardly comparable for the end benefits and resources available really.

Lastly, the implemntation of the GDO/GPOs to clubs is not done directly through the county board. This isnt a case where they just hand over millions to a county and say off you go. Wages are paid through provincial council, or in Dublins case, through GAA headquarters direct. County boards are involved int he implementation of these roles, setting them up and applications. They are not involved in monetary issues. So this stick the whole time that Dublin are some how whiter than white with their money as being the reason they got it and others didnt is beyond insulting. It was a GAA development program using Dublin as the starting point. A general economic crash happened in the years just after implementation and that probably has some reasoning as to the limiting of its expansion. However, there was no reason for this complete imbalance to continue as long as it has.

Will a GPO in each club make them world beaters again? No, it will certainly improve, its not the be all and end all. There are still many natural advantages Dublin will have over other counties that count, some will get close and win, others wont be within a mile of them. however, there is only one manufactured advantage that the GAA created, and they are not doing enough to balance things out.

Slattsy wrote: »

This thread is gonna get very quiet from them people. Pathetic as it was, made good reading.

What'll be next I wonder? The better quality of our water supply here in the capital? Who knows. Stay tuned.

No will be more subtle than that. It will be county boards ignoring 'GAA sugar daddies' and not being transparent in thier plan /structure.

https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/martin-breheny-mayos-sugar-daddy-row-is-a-cautionary-tale-for-others-38554202.html

And then some will imply that such 'GAA sugar daddies' would not be necessary only for the dastardly well organised, well structured Dublin County Board.
Rinse and repeat.

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

No will be more subtle than that. It will be county boards ignoring 'GAA sugar daddies' and not being transparent in thier plan /structure.

https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/martin-breheny-mayos-sugar-daddy-row-is-a-cautionary-tale-for-others-38554202.html

And then some will imply that such 'GAA sugar daddies' would not be necessary only for the dastardly well organised, well structured Dublin County Board.
Rinse and repeat.

I love when people use this statement. Shows how long they are following Dublin. Maybe go back and read the reports done on Dublin County Board back in 2001......... what started happening around this time......... I wonder I wonder........

Happyilylost wrote: »

I love when people use this statement. Shows how long they are following Dublin. Maybe go back and read the reports done on Dublin County Board back in 2001......... what started happening around this time......... I wonder I wonder........

That is exactly my point they got thier act together! I am not sure what point you are making about the length of time people followed Dublin. But I can assure you if you read the Dublin GAA thread you would have a fair idea how long I have been following Dublin. 1983 to be precise first game I remember.

The reality is Dublin GAA have moved away from the 'nod and wink' culture and are now a 21st century organisation - well run, well managed.
Example - there used to be a time getting tickets from the Dublin County Board was a nightmare - they had one number which may/may not have been answered.

Many other county boards are still stuck in a bygone era's culture not just Mayo, you only have to look at the Galway GAA with Supermacs asking where has the money gone?

https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2019/1001/1079520-galway-sponsors-supermacs-demand-details-of-spending/

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

That is exactly my point they got thier act together! I am not sure what point you are making about the length of time people followed Dublin. But I can assure you if you read the Dublin GAA thread you would have a fair idea how long I have been following Dublin. 1983 to be precise first game I remember.

The reality is Dublin GAA have moved away from the 'nod and wink' culture and are now a 21st century organisation - well run, well managed.

Many other county boards are still stuck in a bygone era's culture not just Mayo, you only have to look at the Galway GAA with Supermacs asking where has the money gone?

https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2019/1001/1079520-galway-sponsors-supermacs-demand-details-of-spending/

My point is the GAA recognised the massive failures of Dublin GAA and helped them rectify it. Blueprints/plans/financing. Has the same happen elsewhere? No it hasn't. The reason I brought up length of time is a lot of fans look at Dublin the way they are now and think that's the way things have always been. 2001 and the help seems to be forgotten. All we get now "get you house in order" as if Dublin never had their own problems. With the same help from headquarters a lot could achieved by any county.

Happyilylost wrote: »

My point is the GAA recognised the massive failures of Dublin GAA and helped them rectify it. Blueprints/plans/financing. Has the same happen elsewhere? No it hasn't. The reason I brought up length of time is a lot of fans look at Dublin the way they are now and think that's the way things have always been. 2001 and the help seems to be forgotten. All we get now "get you house in order" as if Dublin never had their own problems. With the same help from headquarters a lot could achieved by any county.

Help?
Dublin do not have any sugar daddy like Mayo's Tim O'Leary, they have no GAA centre of excellence like Tyrone, Donegal, Galway. Kerry etc

You would swear other counties are playing matches in thier bare feet the way you are talking!

How many improprieties with finances / mismanagement of finances have you heard from Dublin GAA? How many have you heard from other county boards?
It is a clear cultural divide in my view which is the root of the problem.
Who you know, not what you know - 'nod and wink culture' with some county boards.
That culture has to change or more money will not make a damn bit of difference - if things are not done correctly.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/gaa/chairman-claims-he-blocked-nothing-during-probe-into-mismanagement-of-galway-county-board-finances-892809.html

https://galwaydaily.com/news/galway-treasurer-slams-e45000-of-personal-expenses-on-gaa-credit-card/

https://punditarena.com/gaa/smcmahon/galway-gaa-rotten-core-financial/

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/gaa/pat-nolan-cork-galway-wont-13765601

https://midwestradio.ie/index.php/news/33857-millionaire-tim-o-leary-believes-certain-people-are-out-to-discredit-him-in-row-with-mayo-county-board

The right people have to be put in charge, for the right reasons.

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Help?
Dublin do not have any sugar daddy like Mayo's Tim O'Leary, they have no GAA centre of excellence like Tyrone, Donegal, Galway. Kerry etc

You would swear other counties are playing matches in thier bare feet the way you are talking!

How many improprieties with finances / mismanagement of finances have you heard from Dublin GAA? How many have you heard from other county boards?
It is a clear cultural divide in my view which is the root of the problem.
Who you know, not what you know - 'nod and wink culture' with some county boards.
That culture has to change or more money will not make a damn bit of difference.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/gaa/chairman-claims-he-blocked-nothing-during-probe-into-mismanagement-of-galway-county-board-finances-892809.html

https://galwaydaily.com/news/galway-treasurer-slams-e45000-of-personal-expenses-on-gaa-credit-card/

https://punditarena.com/gaa/smcmahon/galway-gaa-rotten-core-financial/

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/gaa/pat-nolan-cork-galway-wont-13765601

The right people have to be put in charge, for the right reasons.

Mayo and other counties should not be reliant on sugar daddies or the like. But its the unfortunate reality for most if not all counties outside super-rich Dublin who don't even have to fundraise.

What happened the proceeds of some of the Dublin fundraising nights by the way? I heard mention on here of 10k a table events, yet Dublin accounts only showed 50k fundraised most years.

The reality for most counties outside Dublin, is beg and borrow to get funds, where-ever they can. No significant GAA funding for their player development for example.

You also continue to peddle the nonsense that other counties shouldn't be entitled to any GDF until they get their house in order, further displaying an ignorance of how GDF is allocated and overseen.

Dublin were a basketcase up to about 2002. The GAA stepped in and pumped in massive money but crucially with strict oversite. Every county should be entitled to that, but if they got the same level of funding as Dublin, it would cost something like 40 million annually. Bertie and the GAA had to make decisions in 2002. And shock horror, Bertie decided to ring fence it for the Dubs only. The greatest sugar daddy of them all

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Help?
Dublin do not have any sugar daddy like Mayo's Tim O'Leary, they have no GAA centre of excellence like Tyrone, Donegal, Galway. Kerry etc

You would swear other counties are playing matches in thier bare feet the way you are talking!

How many improprieties with finances have you heard from Dublin GAA? How many have you heard from other county boards?
It is a clear cultural divide in my view which is the root of the problem.
Who you know, not what you know - 'nod and wink culture' with some county boards.
That culture has to change or more money will not make a damn bit of difference.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/gaa/chairman-claims-he-blocked-nothing-during-probe-into-mismanagement-of-galway-county-board-finances-892809.html

https://galwaydaily.com/news/galway-treasurer-slams-e45000-of-personal-expenses-on-gaa-credit-card/

https://punditarena.com/gaa/smcmahon/galway-gaa-rotten-core-financial/

The right people have to be put in charge, for the right reasons.

Continue to miss the point. Fair play. Go back and read the GAA Strategic Plan of 2002 when they wanted to split Dublin in two. Not because Dublin was too strong, but because the DCB couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery. With a lot of hard work from those in Dublin at the time but also with a lot of help from GAA Headquarters they fixed a sinking ship. This idea DCB just decided one day not to be a shambles is laughable. GAA helped. The same has been offered to no other county.

I couldn't give a monkeys about centres of excellence or "sugar daddies". Wasn't the point I was making in any shape or form.

Happyilylost wrote: »

I couldn't give a monkeys about centres of excellence or "sugar daddies". wasn't the point I was making in any shape or form.

You are deliberately missing my point - you seem happily lost.
The fact is that there are many in county boards around the country who should not be there. If they were not they would be run better be more transparent and above board.
But they are clearly not.
Despite this some of those counties still manage to produce centres of excellence (which Dublin do not have).
In my view county boards who have the disadvantage of people being there in the first should be commended for not letting thier counties go under completely.

Maybe a solution would be to get the GAA HQ to run county boards directly and take charge where they are not being run correctly, or if there are severe question marks over them?

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

You are deliberately missing my point - you seem happily lost.
The fact is that there are many in county boards around the country who should not be there. If they were not they would be run better be more transparent and above board.
But they are clearly not.
Despite this some of those counties still manage to produce centres of excellence (which Dublin do not have).
In my view county boards who have the disadvantage of people being there in the first should be commended for not letting thier counties go under completely.

Maybe a solution would be to get the GAA HQ to run county boards directly and take charge where they are not being run correctly, or if there are severe question marks over them?

Or maybe GAA headquarters could offer the same help with plans/blueprints/personnel like they did with Dublin back in 2002. Just a thought.

ToBeFrank123 wrote: »

Mayo and other counties should not be reliant on sugar daddies or the like. But its the unfortunate reality for most if not all counties outside super-rich Dublin who don't even have to fundraise.

Exactly but they are not above board with thier fianancies to said sugar daddy why is that?

What happened the proceeds of some of the Dublin fundraising nights by the way? I heard mention on here of 10k a table events, yet Dublin accounts only showed 50k fundraised most years.

I am not aware of that story you will have to fill me in on the details and the source.

The reality for most counties outside Dublin, is beg and borrow to get funds, where-ever they can. No significant GAA funding for their player development for example.

You also continue to peddle the nonsense that other counties shouldn't be entitled to any GDF until they get their house in order, further displaying an ignorance of how GDF is allocated and overseen.

So would you consider giving money to the Galway county board for example.
Would the Galway people be able to trust those in charge of the purse strings?

Dublin were a basketcase up to about 2002. The GAA stepped in and pumped in massive money but crucially with strict oversite. Every county should be entitled to that, but if they got the same level of funding as Dublin, it would cost something like 40 million annually. Bertie and the GAA had to make decisions in 2002. And shock horror, Bertie decided to ring fence it for the Dubs only. The greatest sugar daddy of them all

So you admit Dublin were underfunded drastically and needed fixing otherwise the GAA and not just Dublin would have been in serious trouble?
The "something like €40m annually" reads like something David Drumm from Anglo-Irish did - 'picking a a figure out of his arse'
As for Bertie Ahern crucially it was transparent above board and had a plan a structure -

Parnell Park redevelopment example -

The €3.3 million budget for the project was, in the end, funded from a number of sources. The Leinster Council provided a £500,000 loan, and Croke Park a £500,000 grant. Bertie provided around £400,000 from State coffers, and clubs paid contributions of anything from £2,500 (junior club) to £15,000 (senior club). Season tickets were sold in bulk to clubs, which then sold them on; the proceeds of this scheme were used to repay the loans.

Happyilylost wrote: »

[/B]

Or maybe GAA headquarters could offer the same help with plans/blueprints/personnel like they did with Dublin back in 2002. Just a thought.

Are other county boards that inept? Seriously?

How difficult is it to copy a plan/blueprint that has being successful on a much smaller scale?
Even Leitrim have a centre of excellence - Leitrim!
Population - 32,044

https://www.leitrimobserver.ie/gallery/gaelic-games/476497/leitrim-gaa-celebrates-opening-of-mcgovern-aughavas-leitrim-gaa-centre-of-excellence-gallery.html

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Are other county boards that inept? Seriously?

How difficult is it to copy a plan/blueprint that has being successful on a much smaller scale?
Even Leitrim have a centre of excellence - Leitrim!
Population - 32,044

https://www.leitrimobserver.ie/gallery/gaelic-games/476497/leitrim-gaa-celebrates-opening-of-mcgovern-aughavas-leitrim-gaa-centre-of-excellence-gallery.html

It would seem this is the case. Same as Dublin were in 2002.

Happyilylost wrote: »

It would seem this is the case. Same as Dublin were in 2002.

Oh I am not denying Dublin were inept in 2002 - drastically underachieving, badly run - they were well below the mean of what they should have being based on untapped potential alone.

It all boils down to the right plan, the right people, and the right structure.
Other county boards committees need to get heaves going and clear the dead wood/corruption/negative nepotism that is the step one. Plus they need patience - improvement does not happen overnight.

Are other county boards willing to do this?
It is up to them

The acid test will be -

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

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Oh I am not denying Dublin were inept in 2002 - drastically underachieving, badly run - they were well below the mean of what they should have being based on untapped potential alone.

It all boils down to the right plan, the right people, and the right structure.
Other county boards committees need to get heaves going and clear the dead wood/corruption/negative nepotism that is the step one. Plus they need patience - improvement does not happen overnight.

Are other county boards willing to this?
It is up to them

The acid test will be -

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

I'll leave it Gorm. My comments were in no way aimed at Dublin GAA. They never have been. I have a massive issue with Galway County Board. Most people in Galway do. We have made a few changes that will hopefully help going forward.

My next issue is the GAA themselves. They helped sort Dublin. Should be commended. Problem is that is where in ended. Again nothing to do with Dublin but it is the way it is. Clubs in my county fight tooth and nail to get so very little from the GAA and sports grants yet that is not the case in Dublin.

As for county boards I really feel it needs to get to the case where paid officials are hired. But again. Where does the money come from? Supermacs can bring up what he likes but there is a double edge sword to that as well. And plenty would have problems with the sponsorship in general in Galway.

https://www.balls.ie/gaa/kevin-mcstay-dublin-funding-roscommon-412756

I'll only copy and paste the part I feel is relevant from the link above.

McStay also raised the importance of competent administrators.

"The big thing I would say straight off the bat in all this debate is if you have a good idea and you have a good plan, the way you execute is to make sure you have good people," said McStay.

"In John Costello, [Dublin have] the pre-eminent administrator, CEO, in the country. In Jim Gavin, likewise, in terms of management. Look how long they've been around it, the stability, the consistency, the strategic approach to what they want to do. You have to have good people who understand what they are doing.

"John Costello is a CEO, maybe two or three other counties have a CEO. Most of us have a volunteer officership. These are full-time, they live it, they breathe it. It is their life.

"The normal chairman or secretary can give it two or three hours a day."

Dublin GAA are doing fine. That shouldn't be demonised or scoffed at. The rest of the country needs help too. The plans in Antrim and Leinster are to me the bare minimum required and probably underfunded. GAA needs to do more.

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Oh I am not denying Dublin were inept in 2002 - drastically underachieving, badly run - they were well below the mean of what they should have being based on untapped potential alone.

It all boils down to the right plan, the right people, and the right structure.
Other county boards committees need to get heaves going and clear the dead wood/corruption/negative nepotism that is the step one. Plus they need patience - improvement does not happen overnight.

Are other county boards willing to do this?
It is up to them

The acid test will be -

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

They weren't drastically underachieving. Their record was an average 1 Sam Maguire per decade since the early 1920s. They won in '95 and '83 before that. They probably would have won in 2011 without the massive GDF.

The beneficiaries of GDF such as Kilkenny, McCaffrey, Fenton, etc didn't start coming through until 2013 or 2015.

Winning 1 Sam Maguire per decade is nothing to be ashamed of by the way, its still ahead of most other counties. Saying they should be winning 3-4 per decade because of their population and therefore they needed to be funded to achieve this, is just a really sad attempt to rig a competition to produce a targeted result. And that is not sport.

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Are other county boards that inept? Seriously?

How difficult is it to copy a plan/blueprint that has being successful on a much smaller scale?
Even Leitrim have a centre of excellence - Leitrim!
Population - 32,044

https://www.leitrimobserver.ie/gallery/gaelic-games/476497/leitrim-gaa-celebrates-opening-of-mcgovern-aughavas-leitrim-gaa-centre-of-excellence-gallery.html

Paid for by supporters.

Who paid for Dublin's centre of excellence by the way? Or where is their centre?

Funny how the Leinster centre is located in Abbotstown in Dublin, miles away from most counties in Leinster but as usual a short drive for most Dublin players outside of rush hour.

Floppybits

ToBeFrank123 wrote: »

Paid for by supporters.

Who paid for Dublin's centre of excellence by the way? Or where is their centre?

Funny how the Leinster centre is located in Abbotstown in Dublin, miles away from most counties in Leinster but as usual a short drive for most Dublin players outside of rush hour.

Dublin don't have a centre of excellence.

They also don't use the Abbotstown facility. Dublin train at Inisfails ground.

tritium

ToBeFrank123 wrote: »

Paid for by supporters.

Who paid for Dublin's centre of excellence by the way? Or where is their centre?

Funny how the Leinster centre is located in Abbotstown in Dublin, miles away from most counties in Leinster but as usual a short drive for most Dublin players outside of rush hour.

Jesus there’s some ****e posted on here: from google maps, at4.20pm on a Wednesday, time to travel to Abbotstown

Dublin city centre 50 mins
Kildare town 52 mins
Portlaoise 70mins
Kells 42 mins
Mullingar 56 mins

tritium

Happyilylost wrote: »

[/B]

Or maybe GAA headquarters could offer the same help with plans/blueprints/personnel like they did with Dublin back in 2002. Just a thought.

Any reason not to do both? As someone who genuinely wants a healthy GAA I fully support funding weaker counties to help their development, but I’d also like to know money wasn’t just being pissed away. The dublin model seems to have been a mix of funding and organizational capability, which would anyone try to replicate half of that?

tritium wrote: »

Jesus there’s some ****e posted on here: from google maps, at4.20pm on a Wednesday, time to travel to Abbotstown

Dublin city centre 50 mins
Kildare town 52 mins
Portlaoise 70mins
Kells 42 mins
Mullingar 56 mins

What Dublin players live in Dublin city centre? Most of them live Northside. So take 20 minutes off that.

What's the time to the towns of Wicklow, New Ross, Carlow, Kilkenny or Longford?

Actually it gets worse, the centre at Abbotsown is a national centre.

https://www.the42.ie/gaa-abbotstown-dublin-2697995-Apr2016/

FFS, what a joke. How are Munster, Connacht or Ulster teams supposed to make use of this facility?

This part made me laugh.

It is envisaged that second-level schools and third-level colleges games will be played at the facility while it can also be used for challenge games between counties from different parts of the country given it’s central location.

Dublin is not central to anyone on the western seaboard.

Floppybits

ToBeFrank123 wrote: »

Actually it gets worse, the centre at Abbotsown is a national centre.

https://www.the42.ie/gaa-abbotstown-dublin-2697995-Apr2016/

FFS, what a joke. How are Munster, Connacht or Ulster teams supposed to make use of this facility?

You need to direct that question to the organisation that built it? It wasn't Dublin GAA that built it and it wasn't built for Dublin.

Maybe the location was chosen because it is beside the National Aquatic Centre and National sports Campus. Who knows? I often drive by it and rarely see it in use.

Floppybits wrote: »

You need to direct that question to the organisation that built it? It wasn't Dublin GAA that built it and it wasn't built for Dublin.

Maybe the location was chosen because it is beside the National Aquatic Centre and National sports Campus. Who knows? I often drive by it and rarely see it in use.

I'm not blaming Dublin. I'm blaming the GAA. It is not and never was a central location. It is completely impractical for most counties to train or hold friendlies there.

tritium

ToBeFrank123 wrote: »

What Dublin players live in Dublin city centre? Most of them live Northside. So take 20 minutes off that.

What's the time to the towns of Wicklow, New Ross, Carlow, Kilkenny or Longford?

Correct me if I’m wrong but based on a quick google I think Longford are the only one of those without their own centre of excellence

Longford is approx 80mins

ToBeFrank123 wrote: »

They weren't drastically underachieving. Their record was an average 1 Sam Maguire per decade since the early 1920s. They won in '95 and '83 before that. They probably would have won in 2011 without the massive GDF.

The beneficiaries of GDF such as Kilkenny, McCaffrey, Fenton, etc didn't start coming through until 2013 or 2015.

Winning 1 Sam Maguire per decade is nothing to be ashamed of by the way, its still ahead of most other counties. Saying they should be winning 3-4 per decade because of their population and therefore they needed to be funded to achieve this, is just a really sad attempt to rig a competition to produce a targeted result. And that is not sport.

Ah come on Dublin should be winning at least two or three sams per decade given population advantage etc. Look at Kerry's average, The reality was Dublin GAA was badly run it was viewed as a culchie sport. in fact many non-Dubs used to play on Dublin County teams. Dublin was an out and out soccer county for most of it's existance. The populace was more interested in Drums v Bohs. Jimmy Keaveney used to be embarrassed to tell people he was a Dublin footballer in the mid 1960's that's how low it was.

I think you are confusing cause and effect with the funding Dublin received
Dublin were very lucky to win sam in 2011 - Kerry were much the better team.
Dublin only beat Wexford by one goal in the 2011 Leinster final.
Dublin were nearly ambushed by Jim McGuinness 'revolutionary' defensive tactics in the SF. Dublin were extremely fortunate that Donegal missed a goal chance that would have killed the game.

In the final in 2011 Kerry thought they had it won and eased off the Kevin Mc goal caught them cold, against the run of play.
To imply that Dublin would not have won the 2011 final only for funding is being blind to the vagaries of sport, tactics, nous and the human condition.

Also from that 2011 final there were 11 Dublin players still the panel for the 2019 championship season. In contrast Kerry only had two survivors.
That tells the real story.