Galway GAA Discussion Thread #2

Happyilylost · 07-12-2019 02:38PM

h2005 wrote:

What do you mean by creaming it?

Another word for stealing.

Very experimental team for the hurlers today.

jr86 · 07-12-2019 02:42PM

Experimental side but not all that many new faces for Galway. I suppose the big news is that Tadhg Haran seemed to cut loose in the first half. Although he's 29 next year he appears to be the best hope of breaking into the side and adding serious firepower that was badly found wanting in 2018

Lots of Cappy and Turlough guys playing. For Galway's sake I'd be hoping he's not bringing in guys solely based on their club's progress this year but we'll wait and see!

DVDM93 · 07-12-2019 02:47PM

Here's the team & result lads;

Senior hurling challenge result:
Galway 4-16 Clare 0-21

2 goals for Haran in the 1st half & the other came from Bleahene.

I haven't a clue where the other 1-16 came from tbh as I wasn't there/have yet to see more reports.

DVDM93 · 11-12-2019 11:07AM

Galway GAA financial crises deepens with loss of over €250,000 disclosed.

http://hoganstand.com/Article/Index/306726

RobbieRuns · 12-12-2019 01:40PM

Honestly never realised just how much the Tribesman GAA raised for the teams. Approx 400k per year. That is some going. Feel for them having to make a statement defending themselves. Real shame

mountgomery burns · 12-12-2019 11:08PM

Do the Galway Ladies footballers and camogie teams come under the bracket of the county team expenses which I think I saw was 1.6million last year?

Spanish Johnny · 14-12-2019 03:58AM

RobbieRuns wrote: »

Honestly never realised just how much the Tribesman GAA raised for the teams. Approx 400k per year. That is some going. Feel for them having to make a statement defending themselves. Real shame

As outlined at the Finance meeting the other night they raised barely a third of this. The rest came through their accounts from US fundraising which had nothing to do with them or their initiatives.

How do people keeping falling for this crap??? They kicked up because their shortcomings were highlighted.

No mention of the progress by the county board on the debt reduction or massive gate intake, etc....only interest on here is on scandal.

RobbieRuns · 14-12-2019 08:29AM

No interest on any scandal at all. Don’t fall for any “crap” as you put it. I don’t know all the facts (like you seemingly do with the county board who you think do a great job). But I know that the Tribesmen supporters club do raise money for the teams and give it to the county board for spending on all the teams who wear Maroon.

Your accusation that they raised barely a third of it is strange one. If money from functions in the US was put through their accounts, surely it was with agreement with the County Board? So it was raised by them? If it was organized and raised by the CB then why did it not go straight to them? Strange indeed.

The fact that you Spanish J feel the need to come on here and slate them, say how great the CB are for reducing debt (should not have any in the first place if they were doing their jobs properly) is what is a scandal. They are a bunch of volunteers, they follow the teams, they are supporters. With the kind of gratitude that you are showing for their efforts (even if it is only a third as you say) then I don’t blame them for packing it in. Leave all fundraising to the County Board and move on. They have been doing such a great job with the finances and they show such great thanks like you do to those who try to help.

grbear · 14-12-2019 09:58AM

The problem at the moment is that no one has been named publiclly as the main culprits behind the financial mismanagement of Galway GAA. I understand that there's legal reasons that they can't be named but the current situation has created a vacuum where every shortcoming or mistake is leapt on as evidence that so and so is the crook who ruined Galway.

Kearney, love him or hate him, has had his name blackened for being chairman while the financial shenanigans were exposed. To the best of my knowledge theres no suggestion he was fiddling the books or engaged in crooked behaviour but I've heard it multiple times from people who barely follow the story that "he's on the take" or phrases like that. I've corrected them when I could but how many times has that sort of talk gone unchallenged?

The supporters club seems to have been struck with something similar. From what I've been told of the Mazars report the shortcomings in the way they handle money is not down to deviousness or bad intentions, just not following best practice. Some are unfairly jumping to negative conclusions though and assuming criticism in the Mazars report is a sure sign of corruption. That's not necessarily the case.

ProudDUB · 14-12-2019 10:59AM

How can the puny profit, revenue, takings (whatever you want to call 'money') generated by the Ed Sheeran concerts be dismissed as not following best practice? Considering the revenue Kilkenny & Cork were able to generate, does something not smell seriously fishy there, over & above mere organizational incompetence or financial sloppiness?

Happyilylost · 14-12-2019 11:32AM

ProudDUB wrote: »

How can the puny profit, revenue, takings (whatever you want to call 'money') generated by the Ed Sheeran concerts be dismissed as not following best practice? Considering the revenue Kilkenny & Cork were able to generate, does something not smell seriously fishy there, over & above mere organizational incompetence or financial sloppiness?

Cork brought in a professional company to negotiate the deal with the Ed Sheeran company. Galway County board decided to negotiate it themselves. So Ed Sheeran got a Galway welcome and a Lidl bargain. Add that to the remedial work done on Pearse Stadium and there wasn't a whole lot left to steal.

ProudDUB · 14-12-2019 11:46AM

How would they know if neither the Galway Co Board offices or Pearse Stadium have a safe, a till or a cash register? They didn't according to one of the numerous reports anyway. It's hard to give them the benefit of the doubt, when talk of financial mismanagement (to use a kind term) follow the Galway Co Board around like a bad smell. When that talk comes from sponsors & paid accountants, it can't just be dismissed as idle pub gossip, or keyboard warriors with an agenda.

Happyilylost · 14-12-2019 12:00PM

ProudDUB wrote: »

How would they know if neither the Galway Co Board offices or Pearse Stadium have a safe, a till or a cash register? They didn't according to one of the numerous reports anyway. It's hard to give them the benefit of the doubt, when talk of financial mismanagement (to use a kind term) follow the Galway Co Board around like a bad smell. When that talk comes from sponsors & paid accountants, it can't just be dismissed as idle pub gossip, or keyboard warriors with an agenda.

It's not idle. Plenty of people stole from Galway Gaa. €900,000 over a eleven year period was one figure I was given. Just saying I don't think much criminality when on in relation to the Ed Sheeran concert other than they got a very bad deal and were then forced to carry out work on the stadium which affected the profit margin more.

grbear · 14-12-2019 01:53PM

ProudDUB wrote: »

How can the puny profit, revenue, takings (whatever you want to call 'money') generated by the Ed Sheeran concerts be dismissed as not following best practice? Considering the revenue Kilkenny & Cork were able to generate, does something not smell seriously fishy there, over & above mere organizational incompetence or financial sloppiness?

I'm guessing that your post is a direct response to mine based on including the phrase "best practise".

Last year when the pitiful return on the Sheeran concerts was revealed I was in here ranting about how the whole thing stank.

There's absolutely no denying that something has been rotten in Galway GAA for years and that a lot of money has been lost through people abusing their position and their access to the boards resources. It absolutely stinks and it's disgusting that it looks like they are going to get away with it and avoid being named because they can lawyer up and threaten the current administration with legal action.

I was just saying that not every shortcoming highlighted by the recent audits should be treated as an accusation of dodgy behaviour.

Best practices need to be brought in and followed to ensure money meant to be spent on Galway GAA isn't pocketed by some chancer ever again.

kippy · 14-12-2019 03:52PM

Happyilylost wrote: »

Cork brought in a professional company to negotiate the deal with the Ed Sheeran company. Galway County board decided to negotiate it themselves. So Ed Sheeran got a Galway welcome and a Lidl bargain. Add that to the remedial work done on Pearse Stadium and there wasn't a whole lot left to steal.

You'd wonder why the GAA centrally couldn't provide a central way for county boards who are generally not getting paid, to negotiate and maximise revenue from these types of things.

ProudDUB · 14-12-2019 05:28PM

Good idea. But there have been concerts & festivals taking place in GAA stadiums for decades. Granted, there isn't one taking place in every single provincial ground every weekend, but it's not like it's a new fangled concept that a bunch of aul lads in the committee room are being confronted with for the first time.

Hulk Hands · 14-12-2019 06:08PM

Spanish Johnny wrote: »

No mention of the progress by the county board on the debt reduction or massive gate intake, etc....only interest on here is on scandal.

No, people are far more concerned with the absolutely farcical situation that happened in the Autumn regarding our management teams in both codes. We lost a top quality manager in hurling, had the football manager give a very transparent statement stating how the board were holding Galway back, then had the absolute embarrassment of every hurling candidate pulling their names out of the running until nobody was left. Not to mention the players threat of striking. If Kearney etc had any decency they'd have stood aside long ago. Tell him that when you see him sure...

Happyilylost · 14-12-2019 06:27PM

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/gaa/galway-not-a-basket-case-insists-treasurer-970358.html

I have respect for what this man has done so despite the negativity I feel his words are worth something.

kippy · 14-12-2019 07:15PM

ProudDUB wrote: »

Good idea. But there have been concerts & festivals taking place in GAA stadiums for decades. Granted, there isn't one taking place in every single provincial ground every weekend, but it's not like it's a new fangled concept that a bunch of aul lads in the committee room are being confronted with for the first time.

Obviously there's not a standard approach to maximising revenues from these facilities. That's the issue.

jr86 · 15-12-2019 02:54PM

Claregalway win their first ever county under 20/21 A title

Will no doubt become a real senior force in the next few years.

Happyilylost · 15-12-2019 03:11PM

jr86 wrote: »

Claregalway win their first ever county under 20/21 A title

Will no doubt become a real senior force in the next few years.

Defences for both teams excellent. Man of the match for Claregalway the number 11 possibly kicked all their 9points. Salthill county players were well shackled.

jr86 · 15-12-2019 05:23PM

Happyilylost wrote: »

Defences for both teams excellent. Man of the match for Claregalway the number 11 possibly kicked all their 9points. Salthill county players were well shackled.

Yeah Padraic Commins

Heard Grainger had a great game too in the FF line. A ready made replacement for Danny Cummins you'd imagine

Utopia Parkway · 16-12-2019 09:35PM

https://twitter.com/peterswellman/status/1206687184612397057?s=20

Happyilylost · 16-12-2019 09:54PM

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

https://twitter.com/peterswellman/status/1206687184612397057?s=20

Hurling remains King in Galway. Have to say I'm disappointed. 22 officers voted for Kearney. Good starting point for him.

Hulk Hands · 16-12-2019 11:47PM

Depressing stuff. Saw a comment on Facebook, "split the boards and let the hurlers take their debt with them". Thought it rang the right note. Culhane was no certainty to be good but at least it looked like someone new with a fair plan for all and fresh ideas and enthusiasm. Instead we're back to a lad the players (on his own side of the fence) threatened to strike over in the summer

kaizersoze · 17-12-2019 01:03AM

Hulk Hands wrote: »

Depressing stuff. Saw a comment on Facebook, "split the boards and let the hurlers take their debt with them". Thought it rang the right note. Culhane was no certainty to be good but at least it looked like someone new with a fair plan for all and fresh ideas and enthusiasm. Instead we're back to a lad the players (on his own side of the fence) threatened to strike over in the summer

His comments in recent days belittling the new hurling management showed he wouldn't have been any addition. Very silly comments from a man looking for support.

h2005 · 17-12-2019 05:55AM

kaizersoze wrote: »

His comments in recent days belittling the new hurling management showed he wouldn't have been any addition. Very silly comments from a man looking for support.

What were the comments?

kaizersoze · 17-12-2019 09:30AM

h2005 wrote: »

What were the comments?

Along the lines of....'if there was a proper chairman and county board in place during the year, Michael Donohue and his team would still be in place'...ie, not the current manager. Some vote of confidence.

MfMan · 17-12-2019 09:40AM

Hulk Hands wrote: »

Depressing stuff. Saw a comment on Facebook, "split the boards and let the hurlers take their debt with them". Thought it rang the right note. Culhane was no certainty to be good but at least it looked like someone new with a fair plan for all and fresh ideas and enthusiasm. Instead we're back to a lad the players (on his own side of the fence) threatened to strike over in the summer

I'm no defender or apologist for Kearney, but he may have been carrying the can unfairly for previous administrations' financial misdemeanours. He only has another year left. His opponent, on the other hand, be very careful what you wish for.

Happyilylost · 17-12-2019 10:41AM

MfMan wrote: »

I'm no defender or apologist for Kearney, but he may have been carrying the can unfairly for previous administrations' financial misdemeanours. He only has another year left. His opponent, on the other hand, be very careful what you wish for.

I agree that Kearney should not be tarred with the same brush in relation to the financial s***e that happen previously. The county board spearheaded by Mike Burke (I thought he spoke very well last night) and overseen by Croke Park have righted a lot of wrongs and given a platform for Galway going forward.

But. The issue with the last management team, the current sponsor and Kearney still remain. Maybe he was going to go anyway but MD said that he was impossible to work with, Larkin and Forde said they would not be considered for the position unless he stepped down. This all relates to constant refusal of requests throughout the year. His motto was if you want more for the team fundraise the money yourself. MD made it clear he was not doing that again in 2020. He was told he would have to do without then so he considered his position and ultimately left.

I struggle to understand the relationship with the board and Pat McDonagh (Supermacs). Like him or loathe him, feel he is giving too much or not enough he is engrained in Galway GAA. The fact he needed to go public for whatever reason to get answers over how his sponsorship was been used I find curious. I feel a better relationship between the board (which Kearney is head of) and the main sponsor could avoided all this so you'd have to wonder what sort of relationship they have at all.

The accounts show a massive drop in fundraising incoming for 2019. This is probably due to the discontent with the finance scandal in relation to Galway GAA. Whether it was grandstanding or not Culhane said one of his main focuses would be matching the fundraising levels of the top intercounty teams. The newly elected board need to be as energised for this as the man who lost out. Running successful teams without the finance to back it is near impossible.

Lastly just a question for any people involved in their clubs (especially in East Galway) does you club committee ballot or engage with its members prior to the convention to ask who its member would prefer to see elected?

Galway GAA Discussion Thread #2

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