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St Mary's Rosslare/Liam Griffin Motion At Congress

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All clubs required to field hurling teams at go games level surely this motion should get full support at Congress a fantastic initiative I know it failed to get enough support previously.

Sinbin (Wicklow) - Posts: 23 - 20/02/2025 10:45:50    2592038

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Replying To Sinbin:  "All clubs required to field hurling teams at go games level surely this motion should get full support at Congress a fantastic initiative I know it failed to get enough support previously."
And how about the same for football!

Seanfanbocht (Roscommon) - Posts: 2076 - 20/02/2025 10:53:23    2592044

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Replying To Sinbin:  "All clubs required to field hurling teams at go games level surely this motion should get full support at Congress a fantastic initiative I know it failed to get enough support previously."
It only got 34.6% support last time. Hopefully it gets more this time. It's a fantastic motion, the knd of motion any GAA person would support if they are being true to the organisations roots and original aspirations.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 14782 - 20/02/2025 10:54:28    2592045

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Replying To Seanfanbocht:  "And how about the same for football!"
Does football really need more attention nationally? The crown jewel of the GAA needs support or it will die. Anybody can pick up a football.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3374 - 20/02/2025 11:19:52    2592050

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Replying To Seanfanbocht:  "And how about the same for football!"
Should be also but pretty much is already. But as it is most hurling clubs either have football at underage, or have a neighbouring club that does. Which is one of the exceptions in the motion. Another is demographic situation.
Even most clubs in Kilkenny play Football at underage.
There are likely very few areas of the country where you can't play Football somewhere nearby if you want to. But I agree, there should be access to Football for every child of 6 to 10 in the same way as there should be access to hurling.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 14782 - 20/02/2025 11:30:29    2592051

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Replying To Sinbin:  "All clubs required to field hurling teams at go games level surely this motion should get full support at Congress a fantastic initiative I know it failed to get enough support previously."
In practice how would this work? All very well and good for large counties but in Leitrim we have 2 hurling clubs (23 football). There was 4 but they disbanded in recent years assume due to a lack of numbers and people to coach etc. Leitrim has "half' of a GPO shared with Sligo so something like this would require large investment from Croke Park.

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1152 - 20/02/2025 11:47:21    2592055

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "Does football really need more attention nationally? The crown jewel of the GAA needs support or it will die. Anybody can pick up a football."
It's actually not that easy to do well until you have practised it alot. Easier than picking up a sliotar with a hurl though.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 14782 - 20/02/2025 11:53:38    2592061

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Replying To Viking66:  "It's actually not that easy to do well until you have practised it alot. Easier than picking up a sliotar with a hurl though."
My point is there are many other big ball games with transferable skills. I e. You can make a decent football out of a soccer or AFL player in a relatively short time, or you could start as a teen and still do well. This is much more difficult in hurling without the building blocks from a young age.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3374 - 20/02/2025 12:11:35    2592063

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Replying To Square_B:  "In practice how would this work? All very well and good for large counties but in Leitrim we have 2 hurling clubs (23 football). There was 4 but they disbanded in recent years assume due to a lack of numbers and people to coach etc. Leitrim has "half' of a GPO shared with Sligo so something like this would require large investment from Croke Park."
Exactly! It's all well and good for counties with a lot of clubs, participants, volunteers etc etc but it would be extremely difficult for smaller counties like Leitrim or my own (21 Football Clubs, 3 Hurling Clubs at senior level) to implement this by getting enough people to support this development.

In longford, there has been 2 new underage hurling clubs in the last i would say 25-30 years in addition to the clubs that have a senior team, which represented huge progress. Would it be a more attainable caveat to ensure that every club has involvement with a hurling team at go games level, even if it meant an amalgamation?

LongfordSham (Longford) - Posts: 120 - 20/02/2025 12:15:21    2592064

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Replying To Square_B:  "In practice how would this work? All very well and good for large counties but in Leitrim we have 2 hurling clubs (23 football). There was 4 but they disbanded in recent years assume due to a lack of numbers and people to coach etc. Leitrim has "half' of a GPO shared with Sligo so something like this would require large investment from Croke Park."
And it should get it. What's the point of continously pouring money into grand infrastructure projects, some of which come across as vanity or legacy projects, and some of which would actually be less useful promoting the games than white elephants would be.
A fraction of the money PUC cost for example would provide coaching courses for parents, provided for by GPOs, centrally funded, in areas where there was no hurling. And for disadvantaged parents, on low or minimum wages or social welfare, I'm sure we could organise some sort of national fundraiser to provide clubs with hurls and helmets to lend these children as required. I'd have no bother throwing some money into this, or selling tickets or whatever it took to get it off the ground.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 14782 - 20/02/2025 12:22:13    2592065

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It's a good topic on the forum to get the anti football or anti hurling brigades giving their opinions .
It would be ironic in the fact that the man its named after is in general no fan of football to say the least .
In theory it's a good proposition . But there are so many counties not that interested in progressing hurling as they would feel it would be detrimental to their football progress .
Much like in wexford at present where behind the scenes and in the motions brought to county convention almost every motion is to propel hurling to higher standing than football. Ie our HAC proposals as example .

If I was to propose anything it would be to maybe make hurling a compulsary part of the physical education in schools rather than force clubs to participate using school or gaa headquarters funds to fund the purchase of equipment. Giving the history and background talks on the sport , plus videos etc as part of the training give the kids the background first .
Visual and then practical they need to know the history rather than just thrown in at the deep end small steps educate them first 2 or 3 background sessions before they do the practical age appropriate of course .
If its so much of part of our dna / heritage / history why would nt it be part of our curriculum .
And then have clubs willing to take the hurling on as a sport with supports in place by gaa headquarters even if its only every 2nd or third club in football dominant counties it would ne a start . If not the clubs will only be doing it until the dont have to . Then some of the kids that possibly developed a gra for hurling will be lost as they won't have a team to play for .
I think it's a dream by people who love hurling that once kids experience it they ll love it like they do .
That does nt even happen in hurling dominant counties like our own .
We ve debated on the forums about the lack of participation in our own towns .
Take wexford town 4 football and only 1 and 1/2 hurling clubs
Would the proposal increase hurling numbers in wexford town? Doubt it . As part of proposal says football only clubs are exempt if there is a hurling only club that would be available for them to play with .
Take letterkenny how many football clubs in the town i dint know but lets say 3 for talks sake .
That's 3 clubs that if they don't already have hurling will now have to field teams at underage so that's 3 clubs in letterkenny and yet in our dominant hurling county wexford town has more football than hurling participation .
Long winded but surely we should be looking at ourselves before we look at others .

I feel forcing clubs to play wont work .
I don't think most football counties clubs would welcome any compulsory action . Take that decision out of their hands by putting it on the curriculum.
All kids like to get out of class even start with inter schools competitions almalgamate schools if needed . where participation will be rewarded by headquarters with extra funding .

If the schools come good the clubs will grow

Formertownie (Wexford) - Posts: 336 - 20/02/2025 12:46:57    2592072

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Replying To Viking66:  "And it should get it. What's the point of continously pouring money into grand infrastructure projects, some of which come across as vanity or legacy projects, and some of which would actually be less useful promoting the games than white elephants would be.
A fraction of the money PUC cost for example would provide coaching courses for parents, provided for by GPOs, centrally funded, in areas where there was no hurling. And for disadvantaged parents, on low or minimum wages or social welfare, I'm sure we could organise some sort of national fundraiser to provide clubs with hurls and helmets to lend these children as required. I'd have no bother throwing some money into this, or selling tickets or whatever it took to get it off the ground."
I'd get on board with that 100%

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3374 - 20/02/2025 13:28:03    2592087

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Replying To Viking66:  "And it should get it. What's the point of continously pouring money into grand infrastructure projects, some of which come across as vanity or legacy projects, and some of which would actually be less useful promoting the games than white elephants would be.
A fraction of the money PUC cost for example would provide coaching courses for parents, provided for by GPOs, centrally funded, in areas where there was no hurling. And for disadvantaged parents, on low or minimum wages or social welfare, I'm sure we could organise some sort of national fundraiser to provide clubs with hurls and helmets to lend these children as required. I'd have no bother throwing some money into this, or selling tickets or whatever it took to get it off the ground."
If the powers that be are serious about ensuring the future of hurling, surely this is a great way of going about it - and you are right, CP should ensure that each county has the tools to implement this great (if passed) initiative.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1409 - 20/02/2025 13:36:04    2592088

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I think it sounds like a great initiative but I'd be sceptical about it's implementation if passed. Key points like equipment availability, coaching, player uptake etc have been well highlighted by previous posters. I know that at the club my children play at they provide equipment to kids starting the game, then if they enjoy it enough and stay playing they can purchase their own equipment over time which they even sell at a discounted rate. Coaching is often linked with tradition as non hurling areas having got the experienced personnel who have played the game. Then the part about player uptake which to me is often the most difficult as parents from non traditional areas could be reluctant or even discourage their children from taking up the sport. I love the game of hurling and would love to see this passed but realistically it might be too much too soon.

Unusedsub (Carlow) - Posts: 101 - 20/02/2025 15:01:00    2592104

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Should also have a cúpla foirne for a tráth na gceist

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12252 - 20/02/2025 15:15:20    2592107

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What about if there is an odd scenario where a rural parish already has a distinct Hurling and Football clubs like in Killygordon in Co Donegal, where the village has Red Hughes Gaelic Football club and Setanta Hurling club?

Would there be exemptions allowed?

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1266 - 20/02/2025 15:24:44    2592109

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Not really a practical idea. Whats the penalty for a club that doesnt comply. And its not a case that a club can easily just turn out a team to tick the box. i.e who supplies/funds the helmets/hurleys if lads dont want to play.
There are other ways of incentivising participation and development....but mandates are not the way to go

anotheralias (Galway) - Posts: 969 - 20/02/2025 15:51:56    2592116

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Replying To Commodore:  "What about if there is an odd scenario where a rural parish already has a distinct Hurling and Football clubs like in Killygordon in Co Donegal, where the village has Red Hughes Gaelic Football club and Setanta Hurling club?

Would there be exemptions allowed?"
There is already an exemption in the motion for that. The purpose of the motion is that kids get the opportunity to play if they want to. At a club that isn't too many miles away.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 14782 - 20/02/2025 17:15:07    2592137

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Replying To Viking66:  "And it should get it. What's the point of continously pouring money into grand infrastructure projects, some of which come across as vanity or legacy projects, and some of which would actually be less useful promoting the games than white elephants would be.
A fraction of the money PUC cost for example would provide coaching courses for parents, provided for by GPOs, centrally funded, in areas where there was no hurling. And for disadvantaged parents, on low or minimum wages or social welfare, I'm sure we could organise some sort of national fundraiser to provide clubs with hurls and helmets to lend these children as required. I'd have no bother throwing some money into this, or selling tickets or whatever it took to get it off the ground."
All great and all that but the people who run the clubs already are stretched for players and coaches as it is. Who's going to get these teams up and running and keep the football side of the house going as well? I'd absolutely love to see more hurling in Leitrim but it's fanciful stuff in counties like Leitrim to be honest.

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1152 - 20/02/2025 18:35:22    2592153

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Replying To anotheralias:  "Not really a practical idea. Whats the penalty for a club that doesnt comply. And its not a case that a club can easily just turn out a team to tick the box. i.e who supplies/funds the helmets/hurleys if lads dont want to play.
There are other ways of incentivising participation and development....but mandates are not the way to go"
There are 2 hurling clubs in the same area as Fuerty football club.

Seanfanbocht (Roscommon) - Posts: 2076 - 20/02/2025 18:45:18    2592155

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