I hardly ever write a blog, but today a pair of articles by Daniel McDonnell http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/daniel-mcdonnell-soccer-still-the-biggest-ticket-29582198.html and Jarlath Burns http://gaeliclife.com/2013/09/jarlath-burns-worlds-apart/ grabbed my attention, the latter an example of what the former highlighted. I struggle to understand the need for sports fans to view one code’s failure as another’s opportunity. I get annoyed by GAA pundits’ recent habit of using a successful day of GAA as an opportunity to lord it over other sports, especially when it comes to mention of the association’s amateur status.
To strengthen the largely uncontested claims that the GAA is the primary community and amateur game on the Island, negative comparisons are often made [as in the second link above] to the highest paid soccer players at the World’s biggest clubs and leagues.
Of course, Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid are as far removed from the domestic football game here as they are from the GAA. The grassroots and national leagues of all Irish sports are populated by dedicated local volunteers and coaches; the GAA do not have a monopoly on passionate local volunteers working at their community club. League of Ireland clubs are largely run by volunteers and almost entirely operated on a volunteer ethos with only a few lucky people, including myself, fortunate enough to enjoy a modest living from the game we love. Attend any League of Ireland game and I guarantee that few of the ‘staff’ you interact with are paid for their contributions on the match night. I know that Rugby at Ulster Bank league level is much the same.
Of course, It’s more than just the GAA who lash out, football clubs do it to each other on a smaller scale; I’ve seen supporters of many LoI clubs, enjoying brief periods of success, lord their elevated attendances over rivals, ignoring the fact that no LoI club attracts crowds worth boasting about.
In truth, no Irish sport has much of a solid footing from which to boast. For every All-Ireland Final there’s National league games played in front of tiny, albeit passionate crowds. For every Dublin decider selling out the Aviva, there’s near empty League of Ireland grounds. For every Heineken Cup game, there’s Ulster Bank league encounters ignored. There are few events in our National Sporting Calendar where tickets are truly difficult to get.
Below those attention grabbing marquee fixtures all codes have a lot in common, but we choose to battle rather than co-operate. The lashing out, in my opinion, is largely out of fear at the competition we all face for volunteers, supporters, facilities and particularly sponsorship at National League and local levels. It doesn’t have to be like that, it’s a choice to become insular when co-operation across codes is an option. We have much in common; there’s opportunity to learn from each other ensuring we all grow, starting with something as simple as sitting down together to discuss fixtures calendars.
Next year, 2014, Limerick is Ireland’s designated City of Culture and among the various groups working together to make the year a success are sports clubs and organisations. Munster and Ireland rugby legend Paul O’Connell is a City of Culture ambassador and it’s a good fit, not only for his Rugby reputation and love of sports but his renown as a swimmer and basketball player earned before he’d ever picked up a rugby ball. He loves sport and has been supportive of Limerick GAA and Limerick FC. Whether by his influence or not, it’s been hugely encouraging to see the co-operation across Football, GAA, Rubgy, Athletics, Golf, Greyhound Racing and others that has typified the City of Culture planning for Sports. The focus is on selling Limerick as a vibrant sports city first and then allowing our visitors make their own choices.
On an event by event basis, some may win more than others, but there doesn’t have to be a loser.
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