GAA pitch invaders an undisciplined, self indulgent rabble

[patslatt]

GAA post-match pitch invasions are a national embarrassment,the actions of an undisciplined,self indulgent rabble indifferent to crowd safety. Foreign visitors unaccustomed to mob rule must feel pity and contempt for this behaviour.

It is time the GAA took decisive action to put a stop to invasions. There should be public announcements at half time in big matches that in the interests of crowd safety,pitch invasions are banned and invaders will be given heavy fines of say €500 by gardai present at matches.

[The_SR]

What I have always wondered is why running on to the pitch at a football international or LoI game is a stay in the cells overnight and a chat with the judge, whereas you do it on a Gah pitch and no action is taken? Seems there is a widely different interpretation of the law at different sports.

Bear in mind a steward at the hurling inter county cup final had his nose broken when he tried to stop people spilling onto the pitch and got a punch. Imagine the headlines if that happened at a Rovers game.....

[rockofcashel]

GAA post-match pitch invasions are a national embarrassment,the actions of an undisciplined,self indulgent rabble indifferent to crowd safety. Foreign visitors unaccustomed to mob rule must feel pity and contempt for this behaviour.

It is time the GAA took decisive action to put a stop to invasions. There should be public announcements at half time in big matches that in the interests of crowd safety,pitch invasions are banned and invaders will be given heavy fines of say €500 by gardai present at matches.

Please bear in mind, that the GAA hierarchy are in many cases (especially outside of Croke Park), either ambivalent or actively encouraging of this kind of action. What you consider to be your opinion, is not necessarily the way others see it.

As regards foreign visitors feeling contempt or pity, might you care to provide evidence for this ? Anecdotally, whenever I have spoken to foreign visitors to our national games, they have been positively amazed by the community athmosphere which takes place despite intense rivalries.

Finally, Gardaí cannot issue fines for actions which are not illegal. It is not illegal to run onto a GAA field, and as far as I know, the GAA have no plans to make such actions illegal

[Sync]

It's a ridiculous situation that will eventually end with someone getting hurt/killed. It's amazing to simply pretend what has happened in other more widely played sports won't happen here.

[john scott]

Pitch invasions after matches. Marvellous!! I've been doing it since I was about six years old.

[TimBuckII]

GAA post-match pitch invasions are a national embarrassment,the actions of an undisciplined,self indulgent rabble indifferent to crowd safety. Foreign visitors unaccustomed to mob rule must feel pity and contempt for this behaviour.

It is time the GAA took decisive action to put a stop to invasions. There should be public announcements at half time in big matches that in the interests of crowd safety,pitch invasions are banned and invaders will be given heavy fines of say €500 by gardai present at matches.

I love pitch invasions.

[Fir Bolg]

Long may the pitch invasions continue.

[toughbutfair]

Who cares?

There is a tiny risk something bad will happen, those that go accept that risk.

[Sync]

Who cares?

There is a tiny risk something bad will happen, those that go accept that risk.

Except they won't. The second something happens some idiot 7 year old, the police, stewards, the unfortunate guy who stood on the 7 year old, and eventually GAA through the courts will all get blamed. At no point with the handwringers say "Well gee maybe the 7 year old shouldn't have been on the bloody pitch"

['orebel]

It's a ridiculous situation that will eventually end with someone getting hurt/killed. It's amazing to simply pretend what has happened in other more widely played sports won't happen here.

Indeed, thats just what this country is lacking, more health and safety regs. In fact if they just played the games and closed the stadiums to the public things would be so much safer.