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LAST UPDATE | 20 Jul 2018
PRESSURE IS MOUNTING on the GAA to host a tribute match for the late soccer player Liam Miller at Páirc Uí Chaoimh after tickets for the game were snapped up within minutes.
And in a statement this evening, the GAA said that it would not be moved on the issue and that the Cork County Board has “no discretion” on the use of the stadium.
Thousands of fans were left disappointed after organisers confirmed that the match, due to be played at the 7,000-capacity Turner’s Cross on September 25, has sold out.
The match has been organised to raise funds for Miller, a former Republic of Ireland international who passed away from pancreatic cancer at the age of 36 earlier this year.
Controversy arose yesterday when it emerged that Páirc Uí Chaoimh, which has a capacity of 45,000, could not be used to host the game as it breached the GAA’s ban on foreign sports being played at Gaelic grounds.
Cork County councillor Bernard Moynihan told TheJournal.ie that he will bring a motion before the local authority calling for support for the bigger stadium to be used.
He said: “On Monday morning I’m going to be calling for the suspension of standing orders.
“I’ll be contacting our county mayor, Patrick Gerard Murphy over the weekend because I want the county council to get involved.”
The Government is also expected to seek an explanation from the Cork County Board over the inability of Páirc Uí Chaoimh to host the match.
The Irish Examiner reports that the move may fall foul of a July 2016 ruling by the European Commission.
The ruling was issued following a complaint from an EU citizen that the Government’s provision of the €30m redevelopment grant gave undue advantage to the GAA and would distort competition in the local sports market.
The Commission cleared the Government of providing illegal State aid, but attached a number of conditions to the use of the stadium, including a direction that it should be used to host other sports.
It also directed the Government to monitor the stadium’s use for 15 years, and said community groups should be given access to its facilities for free.
It said: “These include, for instance, local resident or voluntary associations (for organising various meetings or activities in the interest to the community.)”
A spokesman for the Department of Transport, Tourism, and Sport told TheJournal.ie that it was set to contact the Cork County Board over the terms of the grant.
In a statement, the spokesman said: “The Department was not contacted by the event organisers.
“The redevelopment of Páirc Uí Chaoimh received an allocation of €30 million. In accordance with the conditions of the grant, the Department is monitoring the use of the facility and is liaising with Cork County Board on this issue.”
In a statement this evening, the GAA said that it would not make a decision on hosting games other than those under its control in its grounds outside its annual Congress.
It said: “The GAA is prohibited in rule from hosting games other than those under the control of the Association in its stadia and grounds. The Cork County Committee and Central Council have no discretion in this matter.
“Only a change at Annual Congress can alter this situation. Congress takes place in February each year.
“The GAA has sought legal advice around funding received towards the redevelopment of Páirc Uí Chaoimh and believes it is compliant with the terms and conditions laid down in September 2016.
“The Association re-affirms its offer to provide hospitality facilities at the venue free gratis to assist fundraising efforts around the Liam Miller Tribute Match and wish the event organisers every success in their endeavours.”
Come on GAA move with the times.
@Pounamustone: exactly GAA get your head out of your Arse
@John donnelly: easy answer, bring it to Killarney’s Fitzgerald stadium (privately owned) or Thomond Park & let the daisies grow in Pairc Ui Caoimh. Even though both are outside his home county, which is a disgrace, & Killarney would have to be during the day due to no floodlights a lot more will get to attend & give him the send off he desert.
Shame on the GAA from a proud fan of GAA games. This is like the fiasco of the Tallaght Stadium when the GAA funded a local club to lodge a complaint about using the stadium for League of Ireland games, it cost the GAA over 1m Euro to bring this to court even though they knew they’d ultimately fail. No bother allowing Taylor Swift play at Croke Park a few weeks ago. Shame on the GAA.
@Pounamustone: There is still a few in Croke Park that think the BAN should still be in place.
@John donnelly: its embarrasing that what is supposed to be a tribute to a great sporting man who died too young has turned into a mud slinging contest.
@Terry McSweeney: GAA can f*#k off with their heart of the community bull! When the dust is settled I ll always remember their nothing but a business and a hypocritical one at that!!
@Pounamustone: Ita about time FAI MOVED WITH THE TIMES!Havnt got 1 decent Stadium they can call their own!
@Frank Cauldhame: Why would they fund that if they knew it would fail?
@Pounamustone: more like FAI to move with the times!
@Owen Lynch: It still exists in a lot of them just not in the rule book.
@Ethan Read: To sop the stadium as long as they could and to ramp up pressure for equal funding for their club who already had a council funded fcility but wanted to move
We shouldn’t need an EU ruling, if you get state funding for a stadium, the government should include a stipulation that the grounds can be used for events that benefit the people as a whole regardless of whether they play or are involved in that particular sport, obviously once it doesn’t clash with a fixture of the sport which primarily uses the stadium.
@RMcG: Absolutely right.
@Daniel Donovan: Every tax payer in the country and every single man, woman or child who has ever paid for a ticket to a GAA match or concert in GAA stadia should have a say in what happens inside these grounds. This “I’m sorry, we have a rule” bolloxology isn’t gonna cut it I’m afraid. Planks the lot of them in the upper echelons of this organisation.
@RMcG: Naybe this is another example of why the EU is a good thing
@RMcG: I think that stipulation is there already.
@Lisa Byrne: this is about the GAA and their archaic rules and nothing to do with the EU in fairnessnro them. I sit on the exec of our local GAA club and I can say with certainty none would support this ruling.
@RMcG: it’s not the GAAs fault the FAI don’t have a decent stadium outside of Dublin to play a game in. I’m not a fan of the GAA but surely the FAI could move with the times and develop alternatives to Lansdowne Road.
@Bingobango: much same as the unionist party in NI..
@Mairtin Antaine O Conaill: I am no fan of the FAI, but in what normal circumstance would they need anything beyond the 7,000 capacity of Turner’s Cross, other than the exceptional circumstance of a game in honour of the late Liam Miller? Tax payers money went into funding the redevelopment of Pairc Ui Chaoimh, yet we get no say in what it’s used for? Even aside from GAA grounds being used for crap musical acts, it irks me that, aside from the odd game and musical atrocities like Ed Sheeran & Michael Bublé, most of them outside of Croke Park & Semple Stadium are hardly used all year.
@Mairtin Antaine O Conaill:
The last thing Ireland needs is another stadium that will be filled only very occasionally!
@Paul Fahey: Well then tell your county board
@Mairtin Antaine O Conaill: They are developing facilities outside Dublin but they have focused on the grass roots and inclusion rather than having large stadia all over the country,
@RMcG: The GAA is the The Government
… The Government is the GAA..
If it was red sheeran on the other hand….
@Ray Farrell: simply red sheeran?
@Ray Farrell: http://gaa.ie/news/gaa-statement-on-pairc-ui-chaoimh-availability/
They’ve just told everyone hoping for common sense to prevail to eff off. Miserable shower of pillocks.
@Ray Farrell: They would make big money out of him. but because it’s for a good cause. there’s nothing in it for them.
@Sean Conway: Yeah your dead right, the brass in the GAA really showing themselves up.
The Irish people give so much to the GAA yet when us the Irish want a match changed for a good cause there is a no (The GAA deserves a black card )
@Darren Farrell: If the members of the GAA wanted the rule gone, it would be gone. It’s a democratic organisation with a club in every parish in the country and every man, woman and child welcome to join and make their feelings known. Unfortunately like everything else in this country people’s passion and anger doesn’t go beyond getting outraged on social media. If you want soccer on GAA pitches get off your arse and do something about it. Join your local GAA club (Google it if you don’t know what it is), get a proposal in and if it’s as popular an idea as we’re being led to believe there won’t be a thing the “dinosaurs” can do about it.
Of course that would involve actually doing something.
@Chicken George: Why join a club you have no interest in. The rule is morally wrong and should be changed and in fact can be ignored in this case as shown by of all people Joe Brolly. It is just the narrow mindedness of them showing again. Not all the GAA people are like that but enough to make this an issue
A tribute match yes, but why does his family need money? His Man Utd contract payed him a minimum of GBP 5 million after tax. That is apart from the money he earned in the other 10 years of his career.
@Dave Doyle: because perhaps he didn’t think he was going to die at 36, not many plan their finances around dying so young.
@Dave Doyle: His family will no doubt give a portion of it to a charity.
@RMcG: but presumably his earning days as a footballer would not have gone much beyond 36. If you got paid 5 million you should put 4 million in the bank in case of a rainy day….and not finding a job in football after 36
@Arthur Pewty: If they are giving money to charity then state that and be precise with what percentage. Then maybe they would sell out the black tie ball as well.
@Dave Doyle: could’ve should’ve would’ve, I know nothing about his finances, but I know that I’ve made investments that didn’t come off, that’s life. And sports people often work beyond 36, in coaching, tv work, etc
@Dave Doyle: you’re a d!ck
@RMcG: So basically you are saying there should be a massive safety net for anyone to blow all their money and when they need bailing out they should get it. So then why bother saving or buying insurance, when it goes wrong I will call you and you will fork out to clear my problems? If you have earned 5 million you should be the one giving to charity not receiving.
@Ardmore02: If that means I believe people should not go looking for handouts when they can look after themselves…then yes I am
@Dave Doyle: what a moron
@Dave Doyle: that’s disgraceful, you better hope a family member of yours doesn’t get cancer then you’ll know all about it.
@Paul: 1 in 2 of us get cancer a some point in our lives. Yes unfortunately that has included members of my immediate family. However we did not seek financial assistance as my family dealt with the situation from our own resources including having private healthcare which we chose to have as we can afford it and think we should leave the health system to be used by those who cannot afford private care. We used our health insurance to pay medical bills and had life insurance and savings to deal with the other financial implications. In a nutshell we saved for a rainy day. However if you wish to donate to us I can provide my bank details.
@Dave Doyle: I imagine the bulk if not all of the money is going to cancer charities.
@Padraig: If it is going to charity then I am all in favour of the fund raising element of the match, but the information supplied so far says the money is going to support Liam’s young family. Happy to be corrected on this.
@Paul: null
@Arthur Pewty: how can you come to that conclusion now??.
@Dave Doyle: Dave in fairness though you have a choice, go to the match or do not go, based on your own principles which is your business. Its rather petty of the GAA not to allow this go ahead and its basically because its a soccer match. The GAA see soccer as a ‘foreign’ sport despite it being the most played sport on the planet.
@Dave Doyle: It’s not a handout it is it though Dave? It’s a match for
him that people can choose to go.
If you don’t like it, don’t go. Why shout from the rooftops that people should be financially prudent when big earners? Maybe he was, maybe he wasn’t. But he is dead and you’re arguing over how he managed his finances.
@Arthur Pewty: Scott Brown gave a cut of his testimonial money to the family was this ever reportef in the Iris media?.
@Ardmore02: Precisely!
@Dave Doyle: The stench of a FGer is strong off you. No heart and a neck like a jockey’s town halls.
@Frank Cauldhame: I’ll start by saying think the match should go ahead in the pair. However I just wanted to say, why would the gaa not have a rule banning soccer and rugby from their stadiums. It’s not for the archaic reasons people think. The gas do not pay players and pump millions into local communities and their facilities. They are in competition with soccer and rugby for people’s interest so why would they assist them in promoting their game whenever they get a big day they can’t facilitate themselves. They have already bailed the IRFU and the FAI out once so they are not the hate ridden dinosaurs people like to see them as. They are competing in a small country with sports that have global appeal. You have to admit they do a hell of a job
@Dave Doyle: I won’t comment on your contributions here – my opinion of you is not relevant. But if you can’t or won’t do anything for the bereaved family, perhaps you could find the generosity to give them the benefit of your silence? Thank you.
@Dave Doyle:
Get down off the bar stool. His family have lost their father, and we/ you can’t assume anything about their finances.
It is the right and decent thing to do. If you don’t get it you have nothing but my pity!
@Dave Doyle: good man dave. completely missing the point. and waffling on in other comments. sometimes its better to be quiet
Maybe if the FAI got it’s act together they could have nice stadiums too. What are they paying Delaney and co for if they can’t build the world’s most popular sport in Ireland to such a point where there’s more than one stadium capable of holding more than a few thousand people. The government allocated the cash to the GAA full well knowing their rules. Why on Earth should they change their rules to facilitate another sport who’s management are completely incapable of supporting their own ?
@John Ryan: how are the 1920s going for you anyway?
@John Ryan: PUC only got the €30m from the government for the redevelopment in the hope that Ireland would win the RWC bid, so the GAA got a redeveloped stadium so that rugby could be played in PUC.
@John O Reilly: This isn’t the first time people attached to the FAI have gotten involved in something and when it got out of control they expect others (the GAA) to swoop in and save their asses and when they don’t it’s the other guys being unreasonable. Fu#k the FAI…
@RMcG: And what was stopping the stroke pullers at the FAI getting involved for a cut of the action ? Was Delaney on another one of his benders again ?
@John Ryan: I was making the point that they got the funding on the proviso that a ‘foreign game’ could be played there, so this whole fiasco should be a moot point!
@John Ryan: the FAI didn’t plan on Liam Miller dying and the public wanting a soccer match with 45000 people in Cork…
@David Clements: If people want to donate let them donate. If they want use of a ground that can hold 45k people then maybe they should have supported domestic soccer all the time instead of when it becomes some cause. You’d be lucky to get 200 people out at Turner’s Cross some evenings now all of a sudden people expect others to open their grounds at the drop of a hat because they themselves couldn’t be arsed supporting their own game enough to for them to build decent infrastructure..and if they don’t they’re the bad guy.. Don’t make me laugh..
@John Ryan: Maybe you could tell us which games at Turner’s Cross attract crowds of 200? Perhaps Cork City’s under 15, 17, 19 or women’s games? City’s average League of Ireland attendance is approx. 4,500, and on occasions will be 7,000.
@John Ryan:
Get down off the bar stool. It’s called decency and doing the right thing. You only have my pity for your views
@John Ryan: then why are gaa clubs getting significat tax payer funding. Soccer cant compete with GAA here its that simple.
@John Ryan:
Ireland doesn’t need more empty stadiums!
@james foley:
Because GAA members are taxpayers too. DOH.
Come on Cork gaa, have a heart after all Liam was a corkman, ye will allow rock concerts in, it is discracefull if ye do this to one of your OWN!
@James_665: it’s not Cork GAA, they would do it in an instant. The headline here is completely out of tune with the reality that Croke Park is the only GAA stadium in the country allowed to host non GAA controlled sports, the decision rests with central council at Croke Park
@Tommy C: oh yes, it couldn’t be corks fault, it has to be those monsters in ‘ the pale’
@John: nice comeback John but facts are facts.
@deisecelt: to be honest don’t care who’s to blame. At the end of the day it needs to be played there for Liam’s family’s sake and for the people who want to see it. Just sort it out between ye
@John: what part of Central Council don’t you get John?? At what point do i lay any blame on the pale????
@deisecelt: Facts are it is a community event and can be played as shown by Joe Brolly and others Croke Park was left by the Cork board with no option but to agree
Pressure isn’t on Cork GAA. Tracey Kennedy would love match to be played but “their hands are tied”. It’s the big whigs in Dublin to blame.
@Ciaran Dineen: call an EGM, and get the problem sorted or the government should stop giving funding to these stadia until they allow access to the grounds for other uses.
@Ciaran Dineen: Thats a cop out, if Cork GAA wanted to open the Parc they could, what would happen? Are Dublin going put guards and security at the Stadium to prevent the Millar family and his ex team mates from entering?Kennedy and Co.Board should tell Croke Park they are giving over stadium for this occasion, and let Croke Park do what they like after.Co Board should also respond to requests for comments from the media besides running away all the time.Someone needs to remind them its 2018 not 1918.
@Ciaran Dineen: BOW LOCKS
@Ciaran Dineen: I knew dublin would be blamed at some stage, never ceases to amaze me how it is shoehorned into every article.
@John: I’d blame the Orange fella meself.
@John: To be fair, when Kildare wanted to play at their home ground it was the big wigs in Dublin that didn’t want them playing there. Dublin the HQ does have alot of power you know.
@RMcG: Can anyone explain to me why the FAI have not allocated large sums of money around to a few of the bigger clubs to build about 4 fairly large Stadia . I think that the FAI get their hands on huge sums of money , what do they do with that now??. I would that people should desist from criticising the GAA, they are governed by Rules, made at Congress .
@Ciaran Dineen: Tracy might but the real boss Frank would hate it.
@Ciaran Dineen: big wigs in dublin are all boggers.GAA terrorism at its best
@Ciaran Dineen: Bondage big in Cork County board with all their hands being tied.
@Ciaran Dineen: She must have got someone to release her from her hands being tied so that she can release this statement
@Ciaran Dineen: She must have got someone to release her from her hands being tied so that she can print such nonsense
Shame on the GAA
@John Sheehan: Strange isn’t it – not a word of censure for the FAI, John (€360,000 per year) Delaney or their Aviva Stadium. Surely those organising this event could have done some forward planning (i.e. hosting it on another date in the larger Aviva) so as to come up with a better solution. Simply blaming the GAA for the ineptitude of those staging the event is nothing more than a cop out.
@Brian Deane: the idea is to hold it in his home county. Not everyone or thing is from or in Dublin!
@Brian Deane:
Get someone to lift you off the bar stool and go home!
Have you no sympathy for a young mother and children who have lost their father . Shame on you .
@Brian Deane: it is a Cork event and the support was considerably bigger than expected. top trying to push the blame .The Cork County Board cocked up simple as that
Football in 2018 considered a ‘foreign sport’ but allowing British royalty into croke park and walk onto that hallow turf is acceptable. Seems like double standards by the GAA.
Its disappointing that Liam Millers tribute match will be remembered not as cork people paying tribute to one of their own. Instead remembered as the Gaa playing politics, makes that 30 million grant announced by Enda Kenny look like a bribe to get Seán Kelly elected as a MEP.
@leartius: That’s not fair on Sean Kelly. No one has done more to drag the GAA into modern times with the opening up of Croke Park.
I’m as disappointed as everyone else that the GAA can’t organize a special Congress for next weekend to sort this out. Sean Kelly has lent his support to the campaign, lets hear support from other high profile GAA people, especially the likes of Peter Canavan, Joe Brolly and Sean Kavanagh who are on tv.
Pairc Ui Choimh or nowhere
It has always been a lie that the GAA represents the local community. The GAA represents itself, and its own reactionary ideology. Massive state resources are given to the GAA under the pretext that the facilities can be used by the local community. Yet these local facilities are not at all automatically available. (And I am not only talking about the disgusting phrase “foreign games”). The GAA committees operate like a local control clique that rules the community, especially in rural areas. It is akin to disagreeing with the priest to go against the GAA.
@PV Nevin: we tried to get local gaa ground to open the toilets for a cycle event that was passing . Got refused used local community centre instead.
@PV Nevin: that’s a load of BS. The GAA does massive community work throughout the country and is often the first port in a storm for many in rural areas. The “foreign sports” thing is a different matter, I would like to see events like the one being discussed held in the local GAA grounds but with local charities benefiting as well as the individual family. However I do not think the GAA should have to hand a ground over to a local soccer club who due to mismanagement/incompetence over the last century have grounds that are 50 years out of date. Also if you want better grounds go and support you LOCAL team!!!
@Jg Igoe: would hardly consider Man Utd and Celtic a local soccer team?? This is a once off event that the people of Ireland would like to enjoy. The GAA should of course be inclusive of the entire community and not just those that make it money (Ed Sheeran).
@ed w: on the other hand, my GAA club makes entire grounds and showers, toilets, etc available to a charity cycle event each year. Don’t tar them all with the one brush.
@Citygal: Eh……that’s the point. A city like Cork has its main soccer stadium holding 7000!!! If people supported their local team as much as their “outside” club soccer would be in a much healthier position in the country.
@Jg Igoe: that’s fine if you don’t hold out your hand for public money.
Once you do, then you owe a debt to the Irish people, and you have to put aside your petty bigotry and do the right thing.
It’s only a couple of weeks since this same organization a supporter arrested for waving a Palestinian flag at a match.
Nice people.
@Jg Igoe: that’s fine if you don’t hold out your hand for public money.
Once you do, then you owe a debt to the Irish people, and you have to put aside your petty bigotry and do the right thing.
It’s only a couple of weeks since this same organization had a supporter arrested for waving a Palestinian flag at a match.
Nice people.
@Jg Igoe: Which “local” club is seeking the use of the ground? If you’re talking about Cork City, they have absolutely no involvement in the organisation of this event. And if you were ever at Turner’s Cross you just might discover that it is not out of date by 50 years or 5 years. But don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story.
@PV Nevin: Well put and the truth even if some people dont want to believe it
@Jg Igoe: It is not the club that are benefiting it is the family of a young man young man who died. You really do have the hatred deep inside you thats for sure. Faced it loads of times, just sad
@Jg Igoe: Thats the thing about football, it is a world game, Not just one island and its exiles trying to be at home. Biggest single sporting event in the world The world Cup Football Final,
Cork GAA are well up for it its the boys in HQ with their manual!!
@George McCarthy: the rebels should stand up and tell Croke Park where to go .
But they don’t have it …
I don’t agree with the GAA stance on this, but technically they are within their rights under the terms of the grant to deny use of the stadium in this case. They have to allow use that benefits the local community. This match doesn’t. It benefits one particular family. Not that I have a problem with that, but the exact terms of use should have been fleshed out and an agreement signed BEFORE a €30m cheque was handed over. Looking at this from the GAA perspective, where do they draw the line ? Do you have to reach a certain level of celebrity to be afforded use of the stadium, or can any family demand use of the facilities for a tribute to their own deceased relatives ? Common sense should prevail though and this particular tribute match should be allowed.
@Tommy Roche: I agree, the GAA and all other sports, shouldn’t get funding for stadia unless they allow them to be used for other events when they are not using them themselves.
A benefit to the local community doesn’t have to be monetary, this event may benefit the community moral, give the local community an opportunity to be entertained, most of us get a boost from an enjoyable day out.
@Tommy Roche: The ruling also states that the stadium must be open to other sports. This match would be of huge benefit to the local community in terms of money spent in the area for food/drink etc and the beneficiaries could donate a portion of the revenue to the local community groups. The government could step in here and force the GAA to honour the EU ruling on this if common sense is not going to prevail.
@Kevin Lonergan: doesn’t part of the money go to Marymount. Surely that should be considered for the community
@RMcG: The community does benefit, they get to attend a football match in honour of a local born footballer, who played/represented Ireland, who has family and roots in Cork, it’s the perfect place to have such an event
@Lisa Byrne: that’s the point I was trying to make to Tommy, as he was trying to say that the community doesn’t benefit.
@RMcG: any football/ rugby pitch is going to have to be doubled in area so if there’s a grant for development work so that it can also be used for gaa? I’m sure that’s a practical solution
There is a severe shortage of resources for local communities. Massive sums are given by the state to the GAA that could actually be used to fund local facilities and activities. The GAA then control these resources, and if you doff your cap to the GAA then you might, repeat might, get some access. Totally at their say-so.
The GAA cliques attempt to run local communities. Boards made up of local businessmen and bureaucrats on the make. The GAA is not a community organisation. It is an organosation that represses the local community.
@PV Nevin: you talk some rubbish.
@Jg Igoe: He speaks the truth,
People love to slate the GAA, what about the organisers of the tribute match? Sell tickets first then look for venue! This match could have been held next year with special permission from central council sought for in the mean time. But that might make sense
@Jim73: No, No, they asked permission to use PUC, they said no, so the game was moved to Turners Cross, tickets sold out within minutes. The match probably couldn’t be held next year, perhaps the likes of Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Jaap Stam and co, had plans.
GAA should be told to open up for this event or there will be no permission from council for future concerts etc to take place there.
Never too late to do the right thing.
Stop cowering behind rule book and weasel words “my hands are tied”.
GAA is better and bigger than this
@Eamonn Duggan: bigger yes….better..I dunno. Look to Waterfords home games this summer, look at the Newbridge or nowhere fiasco, look at dubs playing home games in croker instead of Parnell. Seems to me they love to make money and hate to spend it. Ain’t much cash gonna be raised from a charity event.
Shame on GAA
Great start to Sean Kelly’s presidential bid lol. Wont be using too much of the ‘inclusive’, ‘community’, ‘progress’ line.
Just issued a statement saying there is no way it will happen .they have taken legal advice and they are compliant with terms of 30 million.shower of sleeveens
They will never get another red cent from our family
I’m not sure if I’m more embarrassed for the GAA for refusing a very reasonable request for the use of their stadium or for all the GAA apologists who say it’s the FAIs fault for not having a decent soccer stadium in cork. There’s no need for a soccer stadium larger than turners cross in cork, this is a once off game and given the circumstances Pairc ui chaoimh should have been offered. An EGM would have dealt with the situation but there is an obvious reluctance from Croke Park to do so and they are quite happy to hide behind their rules. They are a bunch of hypocrites who would rather see the Leinster final played in Tipperary so they could hold a concert and make a few bob.
It all boils down to whether or not they wanted to help out a good cause and they said they didn’t. Shameful.
@Jim Demps: Reasonable request ? A reasonable request would have been asking for the use of Pairc Ui Rinn not another organizations brand new facility that they’ve barely used themselves..
@John Ryan: maybe if you let all the soccer types into puc you can then sprinkle them with holy water and they’ll all be cured from watch the foreign game?
@Nick: Oh give over.. it’s not the GAAs fault the Ole Ole brigade are too thick to organise themselves…
@John Ryan: yes it’s a perfectly reasonable request. What difference does it make if it’s new or not? It’s not a sandwich they are borrowing.
The GAA are hiding behind the rule book, all they have to do is call an EGM if they wanted to host the game.
@John Ryan: Dyed in the wool bigotry. That’s the spirit!
@Philip Exley:
Irish soccer fans are not Irish soccer supporters as most spend their money supporting British teams and not their local teams. They only jump on board to Irish soccer when its the Irish international team playing. So yes, Irish soccer supporters are the Ole, Oles.
@John Ryan: Thick enough to have more people playing the sport than any other.
The GAA stance here could be seen as principled, albeit in a dog-in-the-manger, outdated way, but the fact that the GAA can overcome their objections to allow foreign sports, rock stars and British Royalty into the stadium when the price is right reveals the stance to be less about principle and more about money.
What about pp the match until spring? Let it go to Congress. Just throwing it out there.
@George McCarthy:
I would imagine most of the players could only play this in the office season.
Im sorry lads but this reeks of the garth brooks gigs. Announce the event then go after the venue? Good luck like i hope it works but talk about poorly planned
@Trevor Beacom: they had a venue before they announced, not sure what you are talking about? It’s the people of Ireland who are hoping for a bigger venue, not the organisers!
@Citygal: The “people of Ireland” couldn’t pick this last out of a line up..
@John Ryan: lad not last
@Citygal: fine so venue sorted….so due to its selling out start putting pressure on the GAA to change their rules (rules which can only be changed in.feb every year) why comment if you dont know what im talking about. Will the gaa ground sell out if opened? And as person of this nation I wish this event well but “your ppl of ireland” please.
Bureaucratic nonsense.
What have the FAI done with all the vast sums of money that they have received down the years. They haven’t one decent stadium in the whole country . Only for the Rugby Union they wouldn’t have a field to bring any middling sized game here. Stop criticising the GAA , they are a tremendous organisation , as can be seen from their infrastructure all over the Country, the FAI had the same ways of getting grants if they wanted.
@Eugene Comaskey: in general there isn’t a need for bigger stadiums for soccer, this is a once off event which involves the whole community. So much for your tremendous GAA can’t even follow their own values of being community based!
@Citygal: You crowd that have no time for GAA cannot see that they are governed by rules, if the County Board broke those rules , and goes against the Governing body all hell would break loose. Why do you think that the soccer clubs don’t need bigger and better facilities? Are any of them any good for anything , or what funding do they get from the FAI? . This week we can see that two clubs cannot afford to pay their players. What kind of an outfit is that?. What are the FAI doing with their money, didn’t the get a few million after Terry Henry threw the ball into the net.! what do ya think of that me lad.
@Eugene Comaskey: the GAA breaks it’s rules every week. Paying players, paying coaches. Renting Astroturfs to soccer and rugby clubs, soccer played on most senior clubs grounds all weather pitches most nights of the week, Leinster finals played in tipp to facilitate a concert, American football games played at HQ, galway playing in the Leinster championship, I could go on.
All rules are created equal but some rules are more equal than others.
What do you think of that me aul flower??
@Eugene Comaskey: They have put the money into the grass routes of the sport. All across the country and fully inclusive in the Football For All scheme. The FAi are building the infrastructure to support the most played sport in the country. It did not have the support of the church and others to make the claims that GAA does
The GAA are only one sporting organisation to get government funding. The local soccer pitch here in Tallaght was built by the County Council not to mention the amount the State put into the Aviva stadium and other soccer stadia which cannot accommodate Gaelic games.
@Lita Campbell: Tallaght is a multi sport stadium as is the aviva
@Lita Campbell: tallaght has hosted gaa and rugby. They’re not adding a new stand because rovers keep selling it out either. And just in case you missed it the Aviva has been known to host the odd rugby match too…
@tubbsyfingal: neither are big enough to play Gaelic football or hurling in.
Surely the GAA would benefit financially from this also! Fill the stadium and everyone wins. Thinking of the Garth Brooks fiasco comes to mind.
@Pat Dooley: problem for GAA is it’s a charity event, all proceeds going to the family. No money for GAA in it
I, as a member of the GAA, am raging at this.
Facilities and funding to use those facilities should be completely open and democratically controlled. The air that the GAA takes upon itself is that because of its nationalist ideology it is above criticism or question. The principle of open access is taken away by handing resources to the GAA (or the Rugby or Football organisations).
But the nationalist and political sanctimony that the GAA represents and adopts places them in a special position of power (and abuse of power) in Ireland.
I’m sure the GAA don’t watch foreign Tv , movies, eat foreign food, go foreign on hols, play golf or drive de foreign cars and de foreign designer clothes , of course all GAA kits are hand stitched in the burren FFS, why are my tax dollars are going to this hoard !!
Its a charity event not a competitive match, so why not have a gaa game instead,teach the foreign lads the rules, really annoy the boys in Congress, as they won’t be able to refuse it then.
Bad old season for the GAA
They were willing to break city council rules to allow 5 garth brooks concerts.
@Nick:
This is becomin nonssensical. The GAA don’t organize concerts, they lease their grounds to concert organizers like Frank Aiken.
We need some of the six county GAA lads to throw the their weight behind this. It’s fine for the likes of Tomas O’Shea to be. Talking about it but what about other lads in the media like Sean Kavanagh and Peter Canavan? Let them come out and support this great cause.
Why not have a charity gaelic and hurling match there instead in his honour? And all the soccer fans fire off emails to the head of soccer in this country asking why facilities are so poor around the regions
@Enda Reynolds: He was a football player and the teas playing are football teams. Besides hurling matches in Cork dont draw people
Get a life GAA it’s a Charity Match don’t keep burying this in the sand
My local GAA club have an all weather pitch as many clubs all over the country do. They rent it out seven nights a week to people to play soccer on. They rent it to the local rugby and soccer clubs every week. I’m sure most GAA clubs are the same. Surely this is in contravention to the same rule that the GAA say is preventing this game going ahead in cork.
“The GAA is prohibited in rule from hosting games other than those under the control of the Association in its stadia and grounds. The Cork County Committee and Central Council have no discretion in this matter”
Note the part “in its stadia and grounds “
Shocking that what was supposed to be a tribute to a man who died so young has turned into such a fiasco.all involved should be embarrassed and ashamed .
I can’t help thinking of Liam Miller’s wife, children and family. Surely it’s awful enough that they have lost their loved one without his memorial being turned into a political circus by the GAA. Nobody disagrees that the FAI should have better facilities but they haven’t so it’s a bit silly to be using it as a defence for the GAA. If the powers that be have any modicum of humanity then think of the family and let this memorial go ahead at the bigger venue….after all it’s more support for the Millers and God knows they could probably do with as much help as they can get. If GAA is all about community then surely that community includes the Millers.
Hi. Can someone advise if musgrave park was looked at for this or is it been developed. Just a taught.
30 million for a stadium and thousands homeless,and when it is requested fo the use for a worthwhile cause they invoke their rules and say no,With all the money the GAA are making this is a disgusting rule to invoke,The EU needs to invoke some rules as to how this amount of money was given for a stadium,and curbe the spending of this government
Can’t be true, the GAA is all about family and the community, they would never…..wait, of course they would unless they get their hands greased!! These boys could teach the Maria a few things!! Utter …..!!!
Disgraceful people , thankfully a dying sport and a meaningless Organisation , next / pending grant applications should be suspended as this is backward
While sales of tickets to this worthy cause are fantastic, I am not sure you would sell 44k, not even 20k Irish independent Park can hold 9k and there is a brand new surface just laid
Is musgrave park not an option.
@Nigel Daly: The GAA could offer Pairc Ui Rinn which was originally a soccer ground before the GAA bought and renovated it. It might remind/embarrass the FAI into fixing their sh#t…
Shame on the GAA
Gaa big wigs.. what a sickening bunch!
What would I know being a foreigner who follows foreign sports but wasn’t there a who-ha a few Years back when the GAA or Dublin branch protested the grant of funds towards Tallaght stadium demanding that they should be able to use the stadium as well?
since the rules of the grant are broken. call in the debt of 30 million & request the gaa to pay same
The GAA need a new PR team, it’s been a dismal few weeks. But why can’t the FAI step in and offer The Aviva, and free buses up & back to all who want to attend??
@Malachy Rivers:
Because the organizers would rather blame the GAA than admit they have turned the event into an organizational fiasco.
There is no reason they cannot host this game. Considering they are hosting Concerts and they have already let the Irish Soccer team play at Croker. Why not have an GAA allstars game on the same evening and lend their support to the family of Liam a one time GAA player. Dont be petty . Lets make this happen.
The backwardness Of The GAA executive still exists, so does their instinct for material gain.Insular and tunnel visioned. Will confine my support to local GAA clubs and matches.
The GAA fear opening up their facilities. They are relentlessly promoted as the community organisation, the expression of what is true Ireland.
Well, there is no true Ireland. That’s the point. The shrill nature of GAA propagandising by the GAA itself and by RTE and all and sundry tells a story. The story being that the national project resolves nothing. Indeed, it perpetuates oppression and exploitation.
The GAA may proclaim the sanctity of the so-called national game; but they aren’t too slow in getting down and dirty with Diageo, Lidl and the AIB. Rationalising that relationship doesn’t ring true.
And when they send out their groomed ‘mentors’ to spread the word they bring to mind the Mormons, but more snapillly dressed. Off course.
The GAA is like the Red Cross:
-The GAA gets its players for free and sells the game
-The Red Cross gets the blood for free & sells the blood products
Sooner other than later, the GAA will have tossed its amateur sport charade
and professionalise its players & clubs like Aussie Rules AFL
It’s not a match….it’s a charity event. there’s your way around the stupid rule. Ireland is a sports mad country and most people love lots of sports. the only effects of allowing the use of the stadium for such an event would be positive for the GAA
I hope that the Grab All Association stick to their guns. Then, when they have to return the €30m a large chunk can go to the Millar family & the rest can be put to much better use than giving it to that elitest shower of money grabbers called the GAA!
Host the game or hand back the $30M – simple really!
The GAA have short memories after hosting American Football, Soccer, Baseball, Boxing, Rugby Union (Club, Provincial & International) and not to mention numerous music concerts. They put back The All-Ireland Football Final to accomodate The Pope and The world meeting of families in August.
What about Rule 5.1(b) which reads:
(Central Council shall have the power to authorise the use of Croke Park for games other than those controlled by the Association.) It`s different strokes for different folks!
Host the game or hand back the $30M
How is it that’s always someone else looking to use GAA Grounds, the once the GAA looked for use of grounds, Tallagh Stadium, everyone turned them down including the Courts ???
@James Horkan: the gaa wanted the ground redesigned in tallaght.
The gaa were given 30m for the stadium in cork on condition other sports could use it. Don’t be such a clueless bigot
This shows the contempt the GAA has. This is a charitable event and as the Stadium was built with 30million tax payers money they should let it be used. I understand this was one of the conditions for the funding. I would suggest that if the GAA refuse then they should repay this money to the taxpayer with interest
Send in Roy!
And/or Captain Boycott until they concede.
Every True Cork sportsperson should BOYCOTT all future games at Pairc Ui Caoimh . Let the money grabbing Cork County live alone in their precious stadium. The ban is and always has been alive and well in the Cork County Board.
We all know the feeling , you ask (who you thought was a friend ) for a favour only to be rebuffed with trivial excuses. You are sorry you ever asked in the first place.
It is very sad that a young man lost his life so young to a deadly disease. I agree with the tribute match but should the money really go to his family. Liam made millions playing football. The charitys and research need it more. As for the gaa its a shame pairc ui choimh cant be used the fans obviously want it and its not like the stadium is been used for that date anyway.
We would all like to see the match played in Pairc UiCaoimh if the rules allowed. What is the point of rules if the powers that be can break them at will? Like Bertie’s solution for a frictionless border, turn a blind eye to the rules.
@EV McFinnity: common sense must prevail. Play it in the park, give out after, change rule at congress, move on. Simple.
Send Roy in to the GAA to sort it, & put a picket on the stadium until they concede.
Send in Roy!
And/or Captain Boycott pickets until they concede.
Bring the game to Thomond Park don’t think Cork GAA sponsors would be happy
@Eamonn Easylifecover Freeman: Chill out there.
It took for the GAA to be backed into a corner over the Newbridge or nowhere fiasco, so I doubt we’ve heard the end of this. This is the GAA acting the Billy big balls when there’s absolutely no need for it. The government and then the EU if required should intervene. The GAA think they’re this generations arch diocese
Sure the stadium is pretty much vacant all season long bar for.the hurlers. Shocking that tax payers monies to the tune of 30,000,000 was given to build this stadium and yet they WONT look after one of their own. It’s a sad day that in sport when the GRAB ALL ASSOCIATION are shown form their real values.
Executive elite with Taliban mindset!
Why is it the Gaa that need to do the right thing? The organisers could have done the right thing and go through Congress. It is a shambles, but what can the Gaa do? Break their own rules? It’s a great country, people give out stink when rules are bent and broken until it suits them. It seems now the obvious thing is to take it to the Aviva, I know not in cork, but if it’s all about raising money then that’s where they will maximise it, you could get 60 thousand in there but that’s no good because you can’t moan then about the Gaa. It’s not the GAAs fault that the FAI can’t sort their own house. He was an Irish international after all
Here’s a petition on change.org to get the GAA to agree to get the game moved if anyone wants to sign it. Hope the GAA sees sense on this.
https://chn.ge/2uScNdj
Cork should just go ahead and do it. What will Dublin do? Ban Cork for life? I don’t think so.
have your say