GAA landgrab in Kerry (1 Viewer)

[Moods For Mallards]

I've been meaning to post about this for the last few days, as it's been the hot-topic amongst the male portion of my family:
http://www.kerryman.ie/news/pitch-battle-gaa-and-soccer-club-in-dispute-1693508.html

Are there any depths the powers that be in Castle Greyskull will not sink to?
Ploughing up pitches in the dead of night.
If this was an isolated incident I'd laugh, but this is consistent with GAA behaviour around the country at various times over the past 20 years and it's absolutely disgraceful.
Indeed, what other sporting organisation's president would talk about the "threat from other sports" like Christy Cooney did recently? That's indicative of the mindset that leads them to perform these acts of outright vandalism.
Perhaps impartial people who saw "both sides" of the argument over Tallaght Stadium would be best served by reading the following item.

Wednesday April 01 2009

CASTLEMAINE sportsfield, which is at the centre of a bitter dispute between local GAA and soccer clubs, was ploughed on the instructions of the GAA before the weekend.

Following the nighttime ploughing of the sportsfield, which is regularly used by the local soccer club, a hole was dug in the middle of Milltown/ Castlemaine GAA pitch late on Saturday night, forcing an under-21 game to be moved to another venue on Sunday afternoon.

County GAA Board Chairman Jerome Conway confirmed to The Kerryman that the sportsfield, which is the home ground of Castlemaine United soccer club, was ploughed on instructions from the GAA on Thursday. Soccer goalposts standing in the middle of the field are the only remaining evidence of sporting exploits there.

While local groups dispute the GAA's claim to exclusive ownership of the sportsfield, Mr Conway insisted the board had acted within its rights. In October, Milltown/ Castlemaine GAA Club was granted planning permission to redevelop the pitch, erect floodlights and construct a car park and associated services, despite an application from the soccer club for leave of appeal.

"The property belongs to the GAA and there's no debate about ownership as there is documentation there," Mr Conway stated, adding: "Of course the field was ploughed by the GAA".

Asked why the actions had been carried out in darkness, Mr Conway said he was unsure.

"The long term objective is to develop the pitch properly as there is a slope on it. We have been given a directive by Croke Park to use the property according to the rules and that's what we are doing," he added.

The actions mean that local soccer club Castlemaine United are now without a home ground, despite having used the pitch since their inception two decades ago. The suspension of GAA's Rule 42, banning soccer from the association's pitches, does not apply outside Croke Park.

The newly-formed Castlemaine Community Sportsfield Action Group — representing local community groups including Castlemaine United AFC — are furious that the GAA has had the pitch ploughed.

The group argues that the sportsfield was originally handed over to the general community by the Spring Walker family in 1936, had always been a community field and had merely been placed in the trust of the GAA. They point to carnivals, community fairs, sheep shearing, dog shows, tennis and basketball events held in the sportsfield to support their claim.

At a fiery meeting hosted by the group in Castlemaine Community Centre on Monday night, plans were initiated for a community-wide petition condemning the GAA's actions, with possible protest also planned outside Kerry County Board offices.

"This is the greatest bit of scamping I've seen for a long time," one angry action group member stated.

"Our group has had to resort to blockading and chaining. We will cover the entrance with cars every night if we have to," chairman Charlie Boyle stated.

Others present at Monday's meeting claimed the actions were "an insult to the children of the community". "Our event in June has gone, as has the Easter camp here," one stated.

"It is now very cheeky of the GAA club to come over and do their lotto draw in our village," the group's assistant PRO Brendan O'Reilly added.

The community group is now planning to reseed the pitch and a call for locals to help remove stones from the ground will be made in the coming days.

The action group is to lodge a petition with the Circuit Court seeking an injunction restraining Milltown Castlemaine GAA club from further interference at the site.

Meanhile, former senior captain of Milltown Castlemaine GAA club and player manager of Castlemaine United AFC, Jason Giles expressed his dismay at the recent developments and has decided to take action: "I will not be renewing my membership with Milltown/ Castlemaine GAA, a club I've been a lifelong member of. It's nothing against the players but I've been given no choice following this."

- KEVIN HUGHES [email protected]

 

[IFF]

oh yes, that was in the irish times on friday. let us know what happens in it

so what's the deal, if you plough a field, it's yours? nice i know a couple of fields that i'm going to go and plough now.

 

[BonsaiSuperstar]

they will never get to the bottom of it.
the club blame the GAA HQ, who say they gave permission to the kerry board to tell the club to dig the pitch or something to that affect.
each will blame the next and we will all go around in circles and get nothing done and then everyone will forget and the all ireland will happen and we will all be happy be thankful for having our own native games on the island.

**But seriously, my friend knows lads who play for both the soccer and GAA club down there and they don't know whose side to take in the whole affair. bitter and parochial attitude as per usual.

 

[flashback]

Hopefully Tom Humphries will be along shortly and explain how this is in everyone's best interest, and how GAA is a much more exciting sport than posh dirty Prod games anyway. And he will craft this into a clever, sardonic article which will help us all to look within ourselves for contradiction, before ultimately concluding with a wry joke that brings a smile to our lips and a slight shake of our head.

Well done Tom we'll think. Keepin it real. In your face posh boy.

 

[Moods For Mallards]

Hopefully Tom Humphries will be along shortly and explain how this is in everyone's best interest, and how GAA is a much more exciting sport than posh dirty Prod games anyway. And he will craft this into a clever, sardonic article which will help us all to look within ourselves for contradiction, before ultimately concluding with a wry joke that brings a smile to our lips and a slight shake of our head.

Well done Tom we'll think. Keepin it real. In your face posh boy.

Sure this is it.
You'll never be Hugh McIlvanney, Tom.

 

[Moods For Mallards]

**But seriously, my friend knows lads who play for both the soccer and GAA club down there and they don't know whose side to take in the whole affair. bitter and parochial attitude as per usual.

I've monitored enough of these GAA activities from my GAA Monitoring Facility to know what side to take.

 

[magicbastarder]

one's initial reaction would be disgust that the GAA would react in this way because of the rights and wrongs involved.

then one would realise that that it's just soccer at stake.

 

[rettucs]

I'm gonna wait until Damien Dempsey writes a song about this before deciding which side I'm gonna take.

 

[nooleen]

can you imagine the festering atmosphere in castlemaine, it must be great craic. i'd say soccer comes a poor second to the sport that's being wrung out of this controversy!

 

[Moods For Mallards]

one's initial reaction would be disgust that the GAA would react in this way because of the rights and wrongs involved.

then one would realise that that it's just soccer at stake.

First they came for soccer, but I did not speak up, becasue I was not a soccer. Wait until they plough the local crack dens, layabout centres and indie music hotspots - then you'll be sorry.

 

[IFF]

First they came for soccer, but I did not speak up, becasue I was not a soccer. Wait until they plough the local crack dens, layabout centres and indie music hotspots - then you'll be sorry.

the ******* better not touch the roads i cycle on

 

[Scientician 0.8]

*******?

 

[nooleen]

*fuppin backstards

 

[CinnamonBoy]

Firstly, slagging of Tom Humphries - fuck off.
Fantastic sports writer, ardent Leeds supporter, writes about all sports passionately and better than anyone else I can think of in this country.

Secondly, this is one incident in Kerry. That's all. A silly incident. I expected better from you MFM.

 

[nooleen]

Firstly, slagging of Tom Humphries - fuck off.
Fantastic sports writer, ardent Leeds supporter, writes about all sports passionately and better than anyone else I can think of in this country.

his head looks a bit like a thumb though

 

[flashback]

if u love Tom Humphries so much why don't u move there?

Ah no. To be fair, Tom was a good sports writer. About 8 years ago.
From what I can see now he has his head shoved deep into his ileum.

 

[Moods For Mallards]

Secondly, this is one incident in Kerry. That's all. A silly incident. I expected better from you MFM.

Tom Humphries is not a writer I admire, Leeds fan or not. He's really only ardent about one thing, in fairness - cake. No, hurling.

No it's not only a silly incident. Because it's in Kerry, it manifests itself as a bit silly, needless to say. Why are the GAA always instigating in these battles (I use this word because they see sport a conflict for the allegiance of the young people)? Tallaght Stadium still leaves a sour taste in the mouth.

I expect less from me!

 

[Anarcho Munk]

hahaha ive been hearing about this alright. hilarious.

I can't wait to see some castlemaine/milltown lads in town some night.
I'll even get a GAA jersey with Robbie Keane's name on the back for the occasion.


Nothing like a bit of parochial madness.

 

[Froog]

Secondly, this is one incident in Kerry. That's all. A silly incident. I expected better from you MFM.

but it's indicative of the pathetic GAA attitudes that should have died out decades ago along with the turf chewing muck savages that run the bastard. This is the most unsportsmanlike act i can think of from an organisation that is supposed to be all about the community. for shame.

and for the record, i don't play soccer and don't even follow it.