GAA president challenged on drinks sponsor

IT is very difficult to respond in measured tones to the message sent out recently by the president of the GAA, Seán Kelly, concerning the unfortunate decision to involve the association again with sponsorship by an alcohol firm.

Mr Kelly's latest statement is so vacuous it's impossible to deal seriously with it in limited space.

He suggests that the sponsorship money could "be used... to alleviate the scourge of excessive drinking"; that the GAA "would be wimps to refuse such sponsorship, and that would be very disloyal" ... and "we fully recognise the responsibility that we carry in relation to the matter".