Taxpayer supports more than one sport

I WOULD like to take issue with David Corkery’s comments during a recent rugby discussion on RTE 2.

The show was broadcast live from Clanwilliam rugby club in Tipperary.

During the show, Mr Corkery made two rather extraordinary statements: “The success of the Munster rugby team has meant that kids who up to six or seven years ago could be seen going around with a hurley in their hand now have a rugby ball, which is great”.

He followed this up by saying (and again I quote): “We are just about to move into Croke Park now… finally. It’s about time, too, seeing as how we paid for half of it”.

The first statement seems to reflect an attitude among some of the rugby fraternity that they would be happy to see our uniquely Irish game of hurling wiped out. They are being helped in this by the unashamedly pro-rugby, pro-soccer cheerleaders in the mass media.

Mr Corkery should know taxpayers’ money will be used also to redevelop Lansdowne Road. Can GAA players and fans look forward to using the newly-developed facilities there, or indeed at the new stadium in Tallaght which is also being built with taxpayers’ money?

Professional rugby players enjoy the benefits of a tax-exempt pay cheque. I imagine it is the taxpayer who also picks up the tab here.

Recent statements from both the rugby and soccer lobbies have made many who would have been in favour of allowing Croke Park to be used for other sports to re-examine our views.

Colm Purcell

Ballyclerihan

Clonmel

Co Tipperary