Derval O'Rourke charged €10 to train at ALSAA

Pisco Sour · 04-04-2012 02:13PM #1

Christ Almighty! :eek:

http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/derval-orourke-i-had-to-pay-10-to-train-on-dublin-track-3070176.html

kingQuez · 04-04-2012 02:23PM

04072511 wrote: »

Christ Almighty! :eek:

http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/derval-orourke-i-had-to-pay-10-to-train-on-dublin-track-3070176.html

I'm not sure I see what's strange about this? Someone that isn't a member of the club which runs the facility turned up and used it. The quotes indicate she knows that the tracks in Ireland aren't public amenities (I wish they were!). Just because you're heading to the Olympics that doesn't change your entitlement to use stuff.

TheRoadRunner · 04-04-2012 02:25PM

04072511 wrote: »

Christ Almighty! :eek:

http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/derval-orourke-i-had-to-pay-10-to-train-on-dublin-track-3070176.html

It's a private facility as far as I know. At the least she should have asked them to use it beforehand. Insurance purposes and all that. I can see why she is annoyed but if an Irish Olympic swimmer went to use a pool in a private gym they'd probably be asked to pay as well.

Pisco Sour · 04-04-2012 02:26PM

kingQuez wrote: »

I'm not sure I see what's strange about this? Someone that isn't a member of the club which runs the facility turned up and used it. The quotes indicate she knows that the tracks in Ireland aren't public amenities (I wish they were!). Just because you're heading to the Olympics that doesn't change your entitlement to use stuff.

"Initially he said I just couldn't run at all, and then I tried to persuade him that I'm kind of into the running," O'Rourke explained dryly.

couerdelion · 04-04-2012 02:30PM

How many people know what Derval looks like?
I don't. Must be a slow news day.

tunney · 04-04-2012 02:36PM

PLus you can pretty much always hop the wall into morton stadium

Pisco Sour · 04-04-2012 02:36PM

Whatever about the 10 euro thing, but trying to kick one of our top athletes off an empty track and try not to let her run at all. How can that be defended? Typical sh1te that goes on in Ireland.

tunney · 04-04-2012 02:37PM

04072511 wrote: »

Whatever about the 10 euro thing, but trying to kick one of our top athletes off an empty track and try not to let her run at all. How can that be defended? Typical sh1te that goes on in Ireland.

A private facility, not publicly funded. Just cause she lives near it doesn't automatically entitle a right to use it. Only polite to ask to use something thats not yours.

TheRoadRunner · 04-04-2012 02:39PM

04072511 wrote: »

Whatever about the 10 euro thing, but trying to kick one of our top athletes off an empty track and try not to let her run at all. How can that be defended? Typical sh1te that goes on in Ireland.

Read above. Down to insurance. Seriously, that is the issue here. If she had of alerted them she was using it and signed a disclaimer there would probably be no issue. This is not a public facility.

PaulieC · 04-04-2012 02:39PM

omg! someone should surely be up in arms. quick, ring Joe Duffy or something

RacoonQueen · 04-04-2012 02:40PM

Saw that on her blog this morning. Seems she took a ''don't you know who I am'' approach to him. Surely she or her coach or someone should have organised it rather than her just walking on to the track unannounced.

Pisco Sour · 04-04-2012 02:41PM

A three and a nine. I fold!

RacoonQueen · 04-04-2012 02:44PM

04072511 wrote: »

A three and a nine. I fold!

Nah I agree with you, I don't think she should have to pay but she shouldn't just walk onto the track without notifying anyone either...

actuallylike · 04-04-2012 02:45PM

You'll stumble upon a track and they'll try to kick you off it, but generally I only go kicking and screaming.

Really? You refuse to pay and need to be dragged off? And you make this a regular thing?

It was probably a security thing where people come on and destroy the place and stuff, but I definitely wasn't going to set fire to anything

Well, you should have told him that, you know with the human ability to not be able to lie and all, he would've understood then.

then I tried to persuade him that I'm kind of into the running," O'Rourke explained dryly.

Sounds like an absolute weapon tbh

so I had to pay a tenner

Tough tits!

PCPhoto · 04-04-2012 02:47PM

04072511 wrote: »

"Initially he said I just couldn't run at all, and then I tried to persuade him that I'm kind of into the running," O'Rourke explained dryly.

is that a modern day version of ..."do you not know who I am???"

TheRoadRunner · 04-04-2012 02:50PM

04072511 wrote: »

Christ Almighty! :eek:

http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/derval-orourke-i-had-to-pay-10-to-train-on-dublin-track-3070176.html

A few friends and I seen a fenced off astro pitch the other day. We are big into football so we jumped in and had a kick around. The caretaker came out and asked us to move, we argued that we weren't going to light the place on fire and even asked him did he not know who we were. He didn't. One of my friends plays league of Ireland and dryly responded "I'm big into football". We still had to leave. What a disgrace

MyKeyG · 04-04-2012 02:57PM

04072511 wrote: »

Whatever about the 10 euro thing, but trying to kick one of our top athletes off an empty track and try not to let her run at all. How can that be defended? Typical sh1te that goes on in Ireland.

I'm really getting sick of this crap! We act as if we're a country of dummies and the rest of the world aren't capable of f****ing up at all.

I think she's an arrogant little madam. Yes there should be more public tracks but the one she showed up on wasn't one. I'd know her if she told me her name in an 'Oh yeah, so you are' kind of way but a lot wouldn't. Get over it and pay the measly tenner.

ThisRegard · 04-04-2012 02:59PM

04072511 wrote: »

Whatever about the 10 euro thing, but trying to kick one of our top athletes off an empty track and try not to let her run at all. How can that be defended? Typical sh1te that goes on in Ireland.

It's the typical ****e sense of entitlement. Yes, she's an olympic athlete, but it's not like the gardai flashing their badges to get into nightclubs for free. All of us here would expect to pay for its use.

MyKeyG · 04-04-2012 03:01PM

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

A few friends and I seen a fenced off astro pitch the other day. We are big into football so we jumped in and had a kick around. The caretaker came out and asked us to move, we argued that we weren't going to light the place on fire and even asked him did he not know who we were. He didn't. One of my friends plays league of Ireland and dryly responded "I'm big into football". We still had to leave. What a disgrace

I simply can't fathom what right people think they have to use private property just because it's there. It really is mind boggling. What if everyone was allowed to just jump over the fence and play away to their hearts content. Do you think maintenance on a soccer pitch due to wear and tear comes cheap?

mkdon05 · 04-04-2012 03:05PM

MyKeyG wrote: »

I simply can't fathom what right people think they have to use private property just because it's there. It really is mind boggling. What if everyone was allowed to just jump over the fence and play away to their hearts content. Do you think maintenance on a soccer pitch due to wear and tear comes cheap?

I think your missing the sarcasm there.

shels4ever · 04-04-2012 03:08PM

04072511 wrote: »

Whatever about the 10 euro thing, but trying to kick one of our top athletes off an empty track and try not to let her run at all. How can that be defended? Typical sh1te that goes on in Ireland.

Its not her track or the AAI's its a private track. If i want to do a run in yoru backgarden is that ok? Total non story - Whats she doing running there anyway the track is in bit and she'll get injured.

plodder · 04-04-2012 03:09PM

I've seen the chap at reception challenging people on the track there recently. So I suspect they are cracking down on free-loaders. Next time I'm there I'm going to tell him, there's someone that looks like Usain Bolt just hopped over the gate to do a sneaky session. Better catch him and get ten euros off him. :pac:

I suppose if she'd phoned ahead, there might not have been a problem. Well, you'd like to think there wouldn't have been ..

mkdon05 · 04-04-2012 03:11PM

I think we should remember that we are all expected to pay to use private facilities as members of Joe public, but Derval is not a regular member of Joe public, she is an elite athlete that will be representing Ireland on a worldwide stage this summer.
Surely that should see alsaa waving a tender fee and be happy to have her train there (insurance excuse aside)
Right or wrong, that's my opinion on it.

shels4ever · 04-04-2012 03:13PM

mkdon05 wrote: »

I think we should remember that we are all expected to pay to use private facilities as members of Joe public, bit Derval is not a regular member of Joe public, she is an elite athlete that will be representing Ireland on a worldwide stage this summer.
Surely that should see alsaa waving a tender fee and be happy to have her train there (insurance excuse aside)
Right or wrong, that's my opinion on it.

So can the irish football team show up now and play in Malahide or the AUL jsut because they want to - Private is private and its only polite to ask before usings something thats not yours..

mikemac1 · 04-04-2012 03:14PM

MyKeyG wrote: »

I simply can't fathom what right people think they have to use private property just because it's there. It really is mind boggling. What if everyone was allowed to just jump over the fence and play away to their hearts content. Do you think maintenance on a soccer pitch due to wear and tear comes cheap?

Whoosh

Well that post went over your head

TheRoadRunner · 04-04-2012 03:15PM

mkdon05 wrote: »

I think we should remember that we are all expected to pay to use private facilities as members of Joe public, bit Derval is not a regular member of Joe public, she is an elite athlete that will be representing Ireland on a worldwide stage this summer.
Surely that should see alsaa waving a tender fee and be happy to have her train there (insurance excuse aside)
Right or wrong, that's my opinion on it.

It seems the guy from ALSAA didn't know who she was so he wouldn't have known she was going to the Olympics. This really is a non-story.

Ash.J.Williams · 04-04-2012 03:17PM

I heard her interview and i'm pretty sure she said her ususal track was closed so she hopped the fence to train and got caught....big swinging micky

mkdon05 · 04-04-2012 03:24PM

shels4ever wrote: »

So can the irish football team show up now and play in Malahide or the AUL jsut because they want to - Private is private and its only polite to ask before usings something thats not yours..

Fair enough, its polite to ask first but if the the Irish squad couldn't use malahide for some reason and went back to there old training area in the AUL, I doubt they would be told to piss off, or charged a fee. (especially as there kit man is heavily involved with the AUL :-) ... )

MyKeyG · 04-04-2012 03:38PM

mikemac1 wrote: »

Whoosh

Well that post went over your head

Slow day! To be fair I was blinded by indignation when I posted it:D

nerraw1111 · 04-04-2012 03:38PM

I hope she had the confidence to say: ‘Do I know who I am.’ And the chap had a bit of cop on to say, ‘I can’t see any reason to refuse an Olympic athlete, sure give me a shout when you’re done. Best of luck in the Olympics.’

“Arrogant little madam.” Give over.

If anyone actually cared to read her quotes, she was very reasonable and polite about it. Pointed out to the journalist that it was probably an insurance thing and expressed a wish that there was a track in every public park in order to avoid such problems.

She also said initially they refused to let her run point blank, but after explaining she was training for the Olympics they charged her a tenner which she paid.

I can't see how anyone can therefore suddenly reach for the sexist and belittling insult 'arrogant little madam' when it's clear she was anything but.

MyKeyG · 04-04-2012 03:41PM

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

I heard her interview and i'm pretty sure she said her ususal track was closed so she hopped the fence to train and got caught....big swinging micky

You have to wonder would her local track not deserve a bit of negative press for being closed four months before their athlete most expectant to win a medal is running in the Olympics? Sort of like Sunday opening in the run up to Christmas kind of thing.

Derval O'Rourke charged €10 to train at ALSAA

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