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IN WHAT CAME as a huge surprise, Pope Benedict XVI announced yesterday morning that he is to step down as Pope.
Saying that he is stepping down from the role due to his age and deteriorating health, his decision came after almost eight years as the head of the Catholic Church.
During his seven years in power, the pontiff faced rumours about his failing health; making decisions on how to deal with the many church sex abuse scandals; and leading Roman Catholics in a changing world.
2005
The newly-elected Pope waves from a balcony at the Vatican. Pic: Andrew Medichini/AP/Press Association Images
2006
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2010
Pic: Martin Cleaver/AP/Press Association Images
2011
December 2011: Pope Benedict XVI delivers his blessing during the Angelus prayer from his studio overlooking St. Peter’s square. Pic: AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca
(romereports/YouTube)
2012
Pic: AP Photo/Osservatore Romano
(AFP/YouTube)
Paolo Gabriele, bottom left, with the Pope in May 2012. Pic: Andrew Medichini/AP/Press Association Images
2013
I agree that the GAA should open its doors for such an occasion. It’s about the cause not the sport.
That said, I sick of hearing former and current soccer players having a go. These players are overpaid and as such if 200 of them donated 5,000 each then a million could be raised.
Just an alternative view/solution
@Paolo: Who says they are not doing that also.
@CrabaRev: Who says they are. If they are I would then gladly retract my comment but until then my view stands
Are you going to tell every one how much you contributed?
@Paolo: I agrre with you, I like Duffer but dont like his comments.. I would love to go to see this one, i saw Liam play once in Celtic plus I thought he was a talent ..
Would be great to see Keane and Irwin agian too
@CrabaRev: I have no doubt that many of them have made significant donations but, appropriately have not advertised the fact and nor should they, merely to assuage your pusillanimous outrage. As to being overpaid, the market determines their worth, not begrudgers.
@Deaglan Macgiollaphadraig: sorry, that was meant for Poalo
@Fracko: No ones asking him to give a couple of thousand? You are missing the point.
@Paolo: Interesting to see that Damien Duff has a great command of the English language. What else would you expect I suppose.
@Paolo: Dahayeser comments summed it up perfectly
@Tim Quigley: What??
@Tim Quigley: no different to the board of Anglo Irish bank or any other organisation
@Irish Bob: Just read it and he’s right. The league here is struggling. Just look at Bray and Limerick. If those commenting cared about the game then they’d be out supporting their local team but sadly they’re not and all the bashing of the GAA and FAI follows.
@Paolo: well said it’s becoming a joke now
I would like for the GAA to open for this occasion also.
But I really dislike alot of the anti-GAA comments from people.
Rules are rules, i dont like like a lot of rules either.
The GAA has done great things for this country since its foundation, I believe it has done more for this country as a independant organisation that any others.
@Irish Bob: to be fair I think the GAA probably need the money. The pairc will not be used till next summer. It would make sense to allow Munster to play there and if City do will in Europe the cross isn’t that big. But this should have been agreed before the redevelopment money was given.
@prop joe: it would make financial sense but it would be promoting both sports. Which is the philosophy behind the rule. Plus they wouldn’t be receiving any money as the gate receipts go to his family.
@prop joe: Look I have no issue with other sports being played in GAA grounds, nearly had a tear in eye with the Rugby in Croker, my lad plays both Hurling and Soccer.
And yes the money would be good for the GAA. Of course there is lots of issues in the GAA, but there is far more good than issues.
This is a new one in that nomally Soccer testimonial’s are played at a ground the player used to play at, and this siutation should have been discussed between the GAA and the oranisers instead of the rubbish that has been on the TV, Radio, Newspapers and Social Media, most of it just bashing the GAA, by hypocrites that pick and chose what laws and rules they decide to follow or not follow. But unfortunatley this is the way of things these days.
@prop joe: I am also a Liam Miller fan and thing he was not given enough time at Man U, definetley one of the most skilled Irish players ever.
@Irish Bob: you are quite correct. Rules are rules and must be respected. Much like paying for water was a rule and you clearly respected that. GAA have done great things but they have also got 30million in funding from government to build this stadium so now to help out the community here.
@Jason Blackman: I do and still pay for my water, I have my own well. I am totally against the super quango that is Irish Water though. If you feel like lining the pockets of Gerry Grant and Elizabeth Arnett then I feel sorry for you and your ignorance of the real facts.
WTF has that got to do the GAA ?
Have the GAA refused yet ?
@the druid: i meant independant as in not the Goverment, you do know ofr many years the only sense of community in areas was driven through the GAA .. what the point with ye anti GAA people, ussing this to futher other agendas i suppose .. comments by Dahayeser later is post sums it all up really .I have noting else to say ..
@Irish Bob: rules are rules hut rules and laws must adapt with time. Once women were not able to vote due to rules. A rule you set yourself should always be able to be reviewed or changed. Part of the rules for them getting the 30 million was to open POC to the community and develop the surrounding area this has yet to start planning to do. Funny they can choose what rules they want to follow
@Irish Bob: the GAA bashing is a bit much and I am not a big gaa person . I completely blame the politicians who decided to give the money for the studium up grade. now they want to change the rules. Personally I think there is more to this story than meets the eye. Is there a need for more events to make the studium sustainable?
@Irish Bob: A country that relies on a minority sport for its pride, character and culture is a sad country indeed. Grow up and live in the 21st Century. GAA is just a part of a wider propaganda programme.
It’s funny looking at all the whinging on this topic and how all the blame is being distributed. The GAA of course are taking an almighty bashing, there are a fair few swipes being taken at the FAI for not having a worthwhile stadium in the second city. John Delaney is taking a bashing, his famous salary of course is taking a hammering. People do love a good old whinger don’t they?!
One question, say Cork City were playing one of Miller’s other clubs, Hibernian or Perth glory would there be a need to move it to a bigger stadium? No despite the social media hoards apparent empathy with the Miller family, the answer is – of course not. I don’t think the whingers really care too much about the Millers, they just love a bit of GAA / FAI / John Delaney bashing. Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Keano are the draw here.
Oh how the “Irish” soccer fan salivates at the mouth at the prospect of any tiny crumb from the English Soccer table. Even a gang of over 40 having a leisurely kick about is more appealing to them than a top of the table league clash between our very own league champions Cork City and the aristocrats Irish of football Dundalk…
So to summerise, we pour our money by the bucket load in to the English game and then when we don’t have a stadium that can hold even a modest 5 digit crowd we blame … the GAA, the FAI, John Delaney … insert as you please. Time to look closer people. This problem is one of the “Irish” soccer followers own making. Show a bit of loyalty ad support our own teams like the Scots and we don’t have this problem.
@Dahayeser: nail and head .. hard to beat atmosphere in Turners Cross against Dundalk .. pity its too smal for this, would be some atmosphere.
@Dahayeser: Where is any reasonable person blaming the GAA, it is a simple question of facilitating a special event and it would be nice if one Sporting Organisation could give that special helping hand to another Sporting Organisation.
@Dahayeser: You have totally missed the point. This is nothing to do with the FAI, John Delaney, English Football or league of Ireland. It is simply to do with the GAA being asked to support an event to raise funds for the family of a local sportsman. A man who died very young and left a young family. They GAA are refusing, because the event is a sporting event that is different from the one they play. There will be no cost to the GAA and no inconvenience to the GAA. I have no strong opinions on the GAA in general, but in this particular incidence, they are wrong wrong wrong.
The other thing that has amazed me is the unbelievable pettiness and vindictiveness of the posters on this thread who have been trying to support the GAA’s position ( I don’t include you in that). I am beginning to to think that the intransigence of the GAA is not just in its management. It also appears that the hatred of ‘foreign games’ is still alive and well in some of the GAAs grass roots supporters.
@Dahayeser: absolutely spot on
@Dahayeser: 100% on the money sir. Support our own, because it’s your kids that will be playing football on poor pitches and getting changed in leaking dressing rooms. Why? Well remember those trips to Anfield over the years that cost maybe €4,000 and the €600 you spent on the New Jersey every year? It’s nowt to do with the GAA and as poor as the FAI are, it’s little to do with them. It’s the Irish ourselves that are to blame for the poor league infrastructure here.
@Dahayeser: Great post,as a Gaa secretary and as a soccer manager this has annoyed me big time,to me Liam was a talented player that probably left Celtic too early could have become a legend up in paradise,so a tribute to the lad is absolutely fantastic but the story now is the Gaa v soccer really not on
Well he is an Irish sportsman after all who unfortunately has his life cut short.
It only makes sense to help his family down the road!!
@Stephen Moroney: part of the problem arose when the organisers started ploughing on with plans for Pairc Ui C without even asking GAA. All perfectly understandable but sure everyone loves to bash the GAA every now and then
@Stephen Moroney: They should be told to stick the ground where the sun don’t shine.
There’s one key element going unnoticed in this debacle: the refurbishment was done using public funds i.e. our taxes and hence, citizens should have access, particularly for this worthy event. Further, I would suggest that the vast majority of patrons attending would be from a vast array of sporting backgrounds, if any. This is regressive and smacks of the “ ban” era.!
Maybe they should hold a GAA match in his honour, or a competition in any sport that has managed to put a strong infrastructure in place to support their games rather than lining the pockets of greedy executives at the expense of providing public facilities for membership.
@Liam Doyle: The GAA have received hundred of million in state grants for the facilities they have. The Executives of the GAA are very well paid also. And they GAA won’t reveal their salaries, which is saying something.
@CrabaRev: every farmer in the country has received grants. Should we just build social housing on one of their fields under the guise of it being a good cause and they got a grant
@Chicken George: That analogy is not even close.
A better analogy is: If they received grants to plant a certain crop, you would expect them to allow anyone in Ireland to buy that crop, and not restrict the sale to only family members.
@Chicken George: that’s essentially how well considered his argument is, but lacking alternatives or logic he is destined to repeat the same ill-reasoned, mundane nonsense over and over unfortunately.
@CrabaRev: if you did your homework you might see that the FAI, LOI clubs,grass roots level have also received millions of euros in funding from the government and national lottery but have not utilized it properly, the GAA will open its gates but it will not be enough for your haters… all you soccer guys should concentrate your efforts on helping John Delaney find that €5 million he misplaced from FIFA and was not accounted for… at least the GAA can account for their money
@CrabaRev: what about the 100’s of millions the FAI have also received with sweet f.a. to show for it. At least the GAA have the facilities to show where the money goes. John Delaney is on€350,000 a year mutiples of anyone in the GAA or IRFU for that matter. If it wasn’t for the IRFU they wouldn’t even have the long term rent of half a stadium.
@Liam Doyle: When €30m euro of taxes go to fund a stadium I would expect it to be used for the good of all the sporting organisations in the country, it appears so do the government.
https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/pairc-ui-chaoimhs-liam-miller-refusal-queried-472926.html
@Eddie Aherne: I am not a huge fan of the FAI, The FAI have received a tiny fraction of the amount the GAA have received over the years.
This is not about the FAI. It is about raising money for a local sportsman’s family, and the largest sporting organisation in the country refusing to allow one of their stadia to be used. It is petty in the extreme.
@Liam Doyle: thinking the same myself! I’d love to see the GAA offer the use of Pairc Ui Chaoimh for a GAA match in honour of Liam Miller. If everyone who believes that PUC should be open to such a tribute were to attend, then surely it would be a massive success!
@Liam Doyle: public funding was given for a municipal stadium
@CrabaRev: you should look up all the grants the FAI have received if you think they’ve gotten far less than the GAA. The fact is there’s very little between what the 2 associations have received. It’s what they do with their money is the issue. What use do other sports get out of the Aviva? Seeing as that cost the taxpayer a cool €190 million. Every year there’s a capital sports grant last year it was €7 million. The FAI got 2.8, the GAA 2.3 and the IRFU got 1.9. In fact for the previous 5 years the FAI have received the biggest portion. They now have applied for s grant to redevelop Dalymount, if granted will the GAA or IRFU have the use of the facilities there, no of course they won’t.
They are some shower of muppets in the GAA. This was a no brainer, but it does appear that some in the upper echelons of the GAA have no brains.
@CrabaRev: Pot and Kettle comes to mind ..As does all of your posts.
@Irish Bob: Are you okay there Bob?
@CrabaRev: Where are you from ?
@Irish Bob: Sorry Bob I am happily married.
@CrabaRev: Do you let your partner out of the dungeon often ?
@Irish Bob: So not only are you throwing personal insults at me, but you are insulting my partner. Would you like to have a go at my children also?
You are a classy bloke
@Irish Bob: Ah! just checked your twitter page. Now I understand. Good luck.
@CrabaRev: you are the classy person that started the post calling people muppets .. They you try to be funny in not answering the question and then get annoyed when same done to you .. Build a bring man and get over it
@CrabaRev: As if I didnt check your new’sh fake one !!
and you wonder why i said pot and kettle earlier to you..
Explain yourself, where are you from, why to you hate the GAA ?
Ah dont bodder, I know the answer anyways ..me bus is coming work day over yippe .. now of to my lads U-14 Hurling Match ..
@CrabaRev: Yeah sure.. start insulting the people who’s help you want. It’s no wonder the Ole Ole brigade have a reputation for being thick…
@John Ryan: I don’t know what the ole ole brigade is. I am just pointing out the pettiness of the GAA as an organisation in refusing to help raise money for the family of a local sportsman. It is poor PR. And shows the complete ineptitude of its management.
@CrabaRev: It won’t make a blind but of difference to the GAA whether they open the stadium or not PR wise.Their matches will still still out. The only one’s who’ll come out looking bad here will be idiots like you demanding that it change it’s rules of a lifetime because some other code can’t take care of their own. This is already backfiring big time on the FAI and it’s fanboys with people asking where the money the taxpayers spent on them has gone. People like you wading in with insults and snide remarks about the GAA is hardly going to endear them to the cause.
@John Ryan: Check out later post by Dahayeser .. excellent analysis .. lets see the responce to it.
@John Ryan: The dogs on the street can see who the spotlight falls on here. It’s not because of this one thing but because of massive well of support for a new more forward thinking GAA that’s not peering our of the rubble of 1916. People have had it up to their necks with their old biddy ways.
@Tommy C: And yet next weekends games will be sell-outs despite what people say.. won’t matter a bit which way this thing pans out..
@John Ryan: but that’s not what the GAA is supposed to be about. I’ts supposed to be about grass roots and community. And that’s where this type of thing does damage.
Does it have to be in Cork? Why not hold it in the aviva or thomand?
@G Fitz: I suppose not, but he was a Cork native as Keane and Irwin are too ..
@G Fitz: He was from Cork, so you would think that it could be held there
@CrabaRev: Normally testimonials are played where a player had his career irrespective of where he was from.
@Chicken George: This isn’t a normal testimonial though.
@Chicken George: Its not a testemonial tho, is it?
@Chicken George: This is not a testomonial.
There are some really bitter GAA heads on here.
@CrabaRev: if he was from leitrim what would they do? I know that doesnt matter in this case but the point is you would hold it in a place that is available. I can see it from both sides. Where do his wife and kids live? Is cork even convenient for them?
@G Fitz: because it’s a charity event for his family and fellow county men and Wemon who would make up the bulk of the paying supporters. Why should everyone have to hit the motor way to Dublin? That’s nonsense
@Fracko: I have no particular feelings for the GAA or the FAI. It just amazes me that people can be so small minded and petty in this day and age.
@Tommy C: so I’ll support it as long as I don’t have to go out of my way? Who cares if the gaa have to put 100 years of tradition behind them
@G Fitz: ???????????? My mind boggles
@G Fitz: That’s not tradition. That’s out dated war of independence old biddy behaviour. They died so we could have a future not to have us stuck in our past.
@Fracko: You clearly don’t understand what the word petty means. There is nothing petty about giving out about an organisation who refuses to support the family of a recently deceased local sportsman.
I just had a look at your public twitter page.- now that’s the definition of petty. There are some really classy GAA fans on here.
Just get on with it and open the doors – like drawing blood from a stone at this stage.
Typical GAAAAAAA
if we worked together as a sporting nation a lot could be achieved
@Mark Walsh: You mean if the GAA carried others not willing to put in the work a lot could be achieved. Funny you don’t see groups like the IRFU or even Cricket Ireland getting themselves into the fixes soccer in Ireland seems to get itself into…
@John Ryan: what fixes are you talking about? I look forward to your list?
@peter crew: Oh let’s see… Remember the Ireland-Scotland for the Euros bid using Croke Park in the bid without permission ? Then there’s little things like €5m bribes sorry loans to keep sthum about being kicked out of major tournaments.Things like not being able to pay players medical bills despite the head of the FAI being paid ten times the average industrial wage. Saipan was another one.. The list is as long as my arm.. Funny how other organizations, who’s administrators aren’t payed a fraction of footballs don’t constantly end up with these problems..
Too little.. too late
Cork County Board must be doing their head in here. The ONLY county board in the South to vote again Croke Park opening CP to soccer/rugby. A county board who had to wait 3 weeks to send Cork City FC a congratulatory tweet on winning the double last year … and only did so after public pressure and after a vote of their management committee. How will they handle the ‘soccer crowd’ [and probably some Englishmen to boot] playing in their beloved PuC?
@Ordinary lad: Everyone who knows anything about the story knows the Cork county board we’re agreeable to this from the start but their hands were tied by Croke Park. Still waiting on Cork city’s congratulations on winning the Munster championship again.
@Eddie Aherne: haha Eddie … stop trying to save face here. The time for positive PR was a long time ago. There’s a public position and the private stance that the Cork country board has on this. The dogs in the street in Cork city from Togher to Knocknaheeny know this. Frank got Flower Lodge (his greatest ‘stroke’) … we may well get PuC as a secondary home ground. # €30million
@Ordinary lad: Save face. You’re calling Michael Flynn the main organizer a liar so. Flower lodge as usual the FAI didn’t have a pot to piss in and needs the money to look after themselves rather than pay for facilities. God the soccer boys get very jealous when they realize they’ve got nothing.
@Ordinary lad: Save face. You’re calling Michael Flynn the main organizer a liar so. Flower lodge as usual the FAI didn’t have a pot to piss in and needs the money to look after themselves rather than pay for facilities. God the soccer boys get very jealous when they realize they’ve got nothing.
@Ordinary lad: Save face. You’re calling Michael Flynn the main organizer a liar so. Flower lodge as usual the FAI didn’t have a pot to piss in and needs the money to look after themselves rather than pay for facilities. God the soccer boys get very jealous when they realize they’ve got nothing.
@Ordinary lad: Save face.? You’re calling Michael Flynn the main organizer a liar so. Flower lodge as usual the FAI didn’t have a pot to piss in and needed the money to look after themselves rather than pay for facilities. God the soccer boys get very jealous when they realize they’ve got nothing.
@Ordinary lad: Save face.? You’re calling Michael Flynn the main organizer a liar so. Flower lodge as usual the FAI didn’t have a pot to piss in and needed the money to look after themselves rather than pay for facilities. God the soccer boys get very jealous when they realize they’ve got nothing.
@Ordinary lad: Save face.? You’re calling Michael Flynn the main organizer a liar so. Flower lodge as usual the FAI didn’t have a pot to piss in and needed the money to look after themselves rather than pay for facilities. God the soccer boys get very jealous when they realize they’ve got nothing.
@Ordinary lad: Save face.? You’re calling Michael Flynn the main organizer a liar so. Flower lodge as usual the FAI didn’t have a pot to piss in and needed the money to look after themselves rather than pay for facilities. God the soccer boys get very jealous when they realize they’ve got nothing.
@Ordinary lad: Save face.? You’re calling Michael Flynn the main organizer a liar so. Flower lodge as usual the FAI didn’t have a pot to piss in and needed the money to look after themselves rather than pay for facilities. God the soccer boys get very jealous when they realize they’ve got nothing.
@Eddie Aherne: You’re funny Eddie. Frank and co might be the big men in the bunker and their little GAA circle but they are being whipped big time here by Micky Flynn … a man who successfully took on US vulture funds and regained control of his company. What did the Fuhrer say ? … ”the soccer crowd, I wouldn’t even let them into the car park at Croke Park” …….. The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport >>> European Commission Directorate-General for Competition >>. European Court Of Luxembourg …….. #€30million
@Ordinary lad: Unfortunately I can’t say the same about you, you’re not funny at all. Just full of the usual whining and moaning. Oh we’ve got nothing despite all the government money we have also received down through the years.
@Eddie Aherne: Hee Hee Eddie … the hole you’re digging is getting bigger and bigger and ….
———–
“Bull” McCabe: The field is mine.
The American: Well we’ll see about that, won’t we?
————–
State Aid Registry
Email: stateaidgreffe@ec.europa.eu
Postal address:
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For the attention of the State Aid Registry
1049 Bruxelles/Brussel
BELGIQUE/BELGIË
I pay 185 euro for a tv licence ,and i cant even watch my national sport ,now these idiots cant make a simple gesture to an irish sports star whos life was cut way too short .public money has been used for some of the best sporting facilities in the world and i see no good reaso why this stadia can not be used .ffs the irish are experts at bending the rules .arsehole s in highplaces
@Anthony Gallagher: why can’t you watch your national sport on your tv? Is your tv broken?
@Ray Dempsey: are you just stupid or blind? ,please what i said before making childish comments .
@Anthony Gallagher: so why can’t you watch your national sport. They show games on rte
Can they be any more pompous
Gaa got 30 million euro of tax payers money to build that stadium
Should this not be the other way around?? “Organisers consider offer of stadium from the Gaa”
C’mom GAA get the finger out, Liam was proud Corkman!
Retired Irish Soccer players are a disgrace, slagging off the GAA. FAI has a lot to learn about how to run their organisation. I feel sorry for the family been dragged into this shite. If the organisers went about it the proper way from the start this could have all been avoided. The true professionals in this country are the players that go every week and train and but a huge effort in and revive no payment. How dare they slag off the GAA.
Surely the point here is that GAA shouldn’t be allowed have rules that exclude people, sports, events etc. It’s ancient behavior and there is no place for that type of carry on in a modern pluralist society. This exclusion doesn’t represent what people on the ground want and should certainly not be allowed for organisations receiving state funding. Golf clubs can’t exclude women etc.
It’s called meitheal. Simple as that.
Cork County Board must be doing their head in here. The ONLY county board in the South to vote again Croke Park reopening. A county board who had to wait 3 weeks to send Cork City FC a congratulatory tweet on winning the double last year … and only did so after public pressure and after a vote of their management committee. How will they handle the ‘soccer crowd’ [and probably some Englishmen to boot] playing in their beloved PuC?
@Ordinary lad:
I just hope they have had a phone call from their sponsors …….. bare jerseys next season!
Imagine a GAA team approached their local golf club with a request to hold a golf classic fundraiser and were told – sorry the rules of our club state that we cannot hire the course out to any other sporting bodies. We have our next AGM in February 2019 and might talk about it then if you like but in the meantime rules are rules. There would be uproar.
The gaa are utter bigots
Try for thomond instead, 25k capacity. Ignore GAA
An exceptional event calls for exceptional measures….this tit for tat name calling and defending the honour of both sides is sullying the entire event. The FAI haven’t the facilities true but this isn’t the time or place to discuss it. The GAA have the facilities and given the exceptional circumstances could have facilitated with minimum fuss….this isn’t merely a football game…it’s a charity event where ALL in the fine city of Cork should be cooperating to honour one of their own. This debacle is a sad day for sport.
Message to the G.A.A. Make a decision either stick by your rules or change (bend) them and stop messing about . It not Liam Millers family being considered here, its only your fear of public opinion.
Who the hell do the GAA leadership think they are? Sport is sport and prejudice and historical bias should have not be displayed under any circumstances. They should move with the times and stop being so terribly petty. They are acting like power crazed children.
have your say