Clubs must realise that GAA is not a charity

An incident I observed at a GAA event a few months ago reminded me of a practice I had heard about but never witnessed, writes Paddy Heaney.

It was a fundraiser. Before the function got under way, an official stood at a lectern and read out the names of a list of patrons who had donated money to the cause. Starting with the people who gave the lowest sums, the man solemnly made his way through the long list of benefactors until he eventually reached the really big spenders. These were the individuals who had dug deepest of all.

Not surprisingly, there was a little bit of additional ceremony before their identities were revealed.