Replying To gunman: "I do not understand your jibe about removing Derry from Nationalist Ireland.We all know that being Soccer supporters doesn't make them any less Nationalist.I just used the term Nationalist to describe a demographic that would be available for the promotion of Gaelic games.We know that when resources were put in to Dublin GAA it began to thrive.Maybe something like that needs to happen in Derry.I don't know where Athlone and Sligo come in to it.Have Athlone and St Marys Sligo not been very successful in their respective Senior championships over the years.Anyway I think we would all like to see a stronger Gaa in the city and on a lighter note maybe we could get them to declare for Donegal because the people on the West bank of the city have much more affinity with us than they have with Co Derry"
Athlone and Sligo towns are very much soccer towns. Most of them have no interest or knowledge of "De Gaaaaaylic"
Replying To gunman: "I would say that for the majority of the residents of The Lone Moor road what goes on behind the walls of Celtic Park is a complete mystery.You mention one city man in over 50 years i.e. Tom McGuinness who played county football.While there are a few clubs around the city I would say there is no place in Nationalist Ireland where there is so little interest in Gaelic Games.It is a terrible pity that that is the case in a city of 100K people where other aspects of Irish life are very much to the fore.The city's hinterland in Innishowen in Donegal was very similar but in the last 30 years or so the GAA has started to come on in leaps and bounds."
It is coming on well, there is a sizeable and growing GAA fanbase within the City with a lot volunteers putting in a lot hard work at grass roots level. But if you understand the Derry GAA landscape, all the Senior clubs are in mainly in South Derry, and many of those clubs are All Ireland winning caliber clubs, they are based in communities which live and breath Gaelic games all year round, and the top young players usually go to the big GAA schools like St Pats Maghera. And in those communities, everything seems to evolve around GAA. The City has dedicated Gaels, but just doesn't have the same overall foundation as South Derry, it will be a much slower building job.
Replying To GaryMc82: "It is coming on well, there is a sizeable and growing GAA fanbase within the City with a lot volunteers putting in a lot hard work at grass roots level. But if you understand the Derry GAA landscape, all the Senior clubs are in mainly in South Derry, and many of those clubs are All Ireland winning caliber clubs, they are based in communities which live and breath Gaelic games all year round, and the top young players usually go to the big GAA schools like St Pats Maghera. And in those communities, everything seems to evolve around GAA. The City has dedicated Gaels, but just doesn't have the same overall foundation as South Derry, it will be a much slower building job."
It is hard to break traditions.As I was saying before things started to improve in Innishowen after Donegal won the All Ireland in 1992 and has continued to improve.Did Derrys 1993 All Ireland have any effect in the city or is there a big disconnect between the City and the GAA strongholds.
Replying To gunman: "It is hard to break traditions.As I was saying before things started to improve in Innishowen after Donegal won the All Ireland in 1992 and has continued to improve.Did Derrys 1993 All Ireland have any effect in the city or is there a big disconnect between the City and the GAA strongholds."
93 had a big effect in awakening an interest in the Derry Senior football team in Derry City, people who never graced a Derry GAA match before were taking an interest and taking pride in the team. It lifted the lid for a lot of people who never really followed the Derry Senior team before, I know men aged in 40's from Creggan, Shanty and Rosemount who attended their first Derry GAA match in 93 as young cubs, who in recent years have been bringing their own children to the odd league or Ulster match, buying jerseys and the like during the euphoria under Rory Gallagher. There is also improvement in numbers playing nowadays thanks to top work by locals as well as a few blow-ins.
I dont agree with the professionals using Gaa grounds. I think it sends out the wrong message to our competitors that its OK to start a team you dont need a Ground. As far as I recall was it ??????????????? who pointed out all the soccer fields that have been provided by the Government in Nothern Ireland for Soccer teams and not one Gaa field has been provided. So as a Cavan man said when Croke Park was being opened up, """" Do we give a Home to the homeless ??