Soccer Pitch ploughed during night on instrutions of GAA Club

[bobbysands81]

So we ignore Duffy's comments last week about demanding inclusion in soccer projects.

We ignore the fact the GAA is trying to force inclusion in the Lusk project by political pressure.

We ignore the failed Tallaght court case.

We ignore the fact the GAA lobbied to have Landsdowne Road redesigned for free for them.

We ignore the fact the GAA lobbied to have Abbotstown redesigned for free for them.

Its just a local spat with football that happened to be organised at national level and fits into no pattern or policy.

...and we'll also ignore the fact that Rovers got their stadium for free after they sold Milltown. What's good for the goose is good for Ghandi.

The SR is a good guy in real life but I stay the hell away from him when it comes to the GAA!!!

Incidentally, he attends Dublin matches and I even have a picture of him in a Dublin jersey!!!

Just read the article, would like to hear both sides of the story, but even if the GAA do own the ground and were within their rights to do what they did, the way they've dealt with this is a disgrace. In situations like this when will they realise that it is far better to co-exist with neighbours than to be fighting with them. Straining relations like this is far more damaging to the GAA than allowing any so called "foreign sport" to be played on their grounds.

[The_SR]

...and we'll also ignore the fact that Rovers got their stadium for free after they sold Milltown. What's good for the goose is good for Ghandi.

Not quite free, but thats neither here nor there. Do you think the GAA have a policy here to "get stuck in" to football wherever the opportunity presents itself or have there been a raft of incidents independent of each other?

The SR is a good guy in real life but I stay the hell away from him when it comes to the GAA!!!

I'm magnificent.

...Incidentally, he attends Dublin matches and I even have a picture of him in a Dublin jersey!!!

I do, that is correct. I take freebies and head along once in a while. But I also despise FIFA and Blatter, doens't stop me heading to football.

But then again, I laugh at the GAA folk who still see themesleves as part of a 'movement' and as such, criticism isn't tolerated.

[scratchnsniff]

Ploughing up this pitch whilst the ownership is still in dispute is shear bloody arrogance.
the Destroying of a facility used by a large part of the community, by any organisation would be a revolting act. The fact that it has been done by a fellow sporting association who should be working for the bennefit of the whole community in partnership with other sports, is sickening.

To me this looks like a few arrogent bullies have taken the opertunity to say f<ck you to locals who they have no respect for.
I would not care if they were GAA FAI or the chess club, they are turning people against eachover.
clubs of all persuasions should be taken out of the hands of devisive pathetic little men like this. I hope the costs come out of their pockets not the supporters.
Kerry is a great place we must not let w,nkers like this drag it down

[Charon]

Surely just a quality April fools day gag by the GAA

[Sam Lord]

Well, they're losing lifelong members now. Good move...

"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."

Well done Jason Giles.

I used to be effusive in my praise of the GAA and all they contributed to the country over the years. Now after the Tallaght debacle I don't even correct my young lad when I hear him mention "bogball".

They are alienating supporters. Not a good long term strategy. The decent members need to get a grip on this organisation before the zealots do much more damage.

[The_SR]

According to my mole in the Kerry GAA there is a complicated background.

The land was vested to the state by a local anglo family before they returned home in the 30's for use as a community sports field. The Land Commission gave the land to the GAA (where the GAA got most of their land) to maintain on behalf of the community and a three person commission was founded to do so.

The land was used for all sorts over the years, but never GAA. The three person committee still stands and was 2 GAA members to one non member. The non member died recently and was replaced by a third GAA man. At that point a decision was made to apply for planning permission to build a car park on part of the field and do a general tidy up job.

Croke Park got involved and dictated that the field should be considered GAA property and ordered the club to enforce Rule 42 or face the consequences. The local club then had the pitch ploughed after dark and stated that after the work, that only sports that are not banned on GAA pitches (anything other than football, rugby, cricket and for some reason horse racing) would be permitted to be played there but it will not be a GAA pitch. So its still a 'communtty' amenity, but under rule 42 the local GAA club get to dictate who gets to use it.

The local football club have found another pitch about 10 miles away.

Sounds to me like the committee that are entrusted to represent the community changed their allegences and in fact represented one private club at the expense of another.

Where this leaves the easter and summer camps for the kids is another issue. Collateral in a crusade I suppose.

[The_SR]

CASTLEMAINE locals will picket outside Kerry GAA's Tralee HQ prior to Kerry's top-of-the-table clash with Galway this Sunday in protest at the nightime ploughing of the local sportsfield under the instructions of the GAA.
Castlemaine Community Sportsfield Action Group has held several meetings since the pitch was ploughed, with up to 150 concerned parties attending at one stage. The group now feels that a protest is the only course of action open to them.
The protest outside the Kerry—Galway game on Sunday will again bring the heated dispute to national attention.
The issue hit national headlines last week after The Kerryman highlighted the issue. On Monday, RTÉ's Liveline programme carried a 45-minute debate with County Board Chairman Jerome Conway discussing the issue with soccer and community interests. During the show, both sides claimed to have documentary evidence concerning ownership.
A statement from the executive of the Milltown/Castlemaine GAA Club this week points to registration of the land by the Land Registry Authority and full planning permission, while the action group refers to the original deeds of the land as handed over by the Spring Walker family to the community in 1936.

[FrankSpeaks]

CASTLEMAINE locals will picket outside Kerry GAA's Tralee HQ prior to Kerry's top-of-the-table clash with Galway this Sunday in protest at the nightime ploughing of the local sportsfield under the instructions of the GAA.
Castlemaine Community Sportsfield Action Group has held several meetings since the pitch was ploughed, with up to 150 concerned parties attending at one stage. The group now feels that a protest is the only course of action open to them.
The protest outside the Kerry—Galway game on Sunday will again bring the heated dispute to national attention.
The issue hit national headlines last week after The Kerryman highlighted the issue. On Monday, RTÉ's Liveline programme carried a 45-minute debate with County Board Chairman Jerome Conway discussing the issue with soccer and community interests. During the show, both sides claimed to have documentary evidence concerning ownership.
A statement from the executive of the Milltown/Castlemaine GAA Club this week points to registration of the land by the Land Registry Authority and full planning permission, while the action group refers to the original deeds of the land as handed over by the Spring Walker family to the community in 1936.

The GAA should never have ordered the ploughing of the field when they knew that this situation was going before the law. It is disgraceful and I fully support the actions of the community in picketing the match on Sunday.

[The_SR]

Its very interesting how universal the people of Kerry, including the GAA community, have been in opposition to this action.

Hopefully the Kerry GAA folk formalise their objections within the GAA and marginalise the nutters involved.

[Glennshane]

CASTLEMAINE locals will picket outside Kerry GAA's Tralee HQ prior to Kerry's top-of-the-table clash with Galway this Sunday in protest at the nightime ploughing of the local sportsfield under the instructions of the GAA.
Castlemaine Community Sportsfield Action Group has held several meetings since the pitch was ploughed, with up to 150 concerned parties attending at one stage. The group now feels that a protest is the only course of action open to them.
The protest outside the Kerry—Galway game on Sunday will again bring the heated dispute to national attention.
The issue hit national headlines last week after The Kerryman highlighted the issue. On Monday, RTÉ's Liveline programme carried a 45-minute debate with County Board Chairman Jerome Conway discussing the issue with soccer and community interests. During the show, both sides claimed to have documentary evidence concerning ownership.
A statement from the executive of the Milltown/Castlemaine GAA Club this week points to registration of the land by the Land Registry Authority and full planning permission, while the action group refers to the original deeds of the land as handed over by the Spring Walker family to the community in 1936.

Did the intended picket take place? Has the GAA surrendered yet?