GAA should follow Fogarty’s advice on pre-Christmas training

I WISH to congratulate Sean Fogarty, chairman of the Munster Council, on his sensible article regarding the training of players in the recent programme for the Munster football final.

For many years, many Gaelic Athletic Association followers have been hoping for a lead, from somebody in the higher ranks of the association, concerning the present, crazy system of training.

It is ludicrous, in an amateur association, for inter-county training sessions to begin before Christmas.

The GAA was founded shortly after the famine, when the morale of the Irish people was at a low.

The GAA began as a sporting/cultural association. Its main objective was to restore pride and self-respect in the Irish people, after the horrors of the famine. Despite many set-backs, it succeeded beyond all expectation.

The present situation, where inter-county teams are training before Christmas, is completely against the core beliefs of the GAA.

A significant aspect of this issue is the complete silence of the GPA on this vital matter.

If the GPA gives support in ending the present, crazy system it will at last have done something sensitive and constructive for the players.

Micheal O’Connor,

Kilvoultra

Clondrohid

Macroom

Co.Cork.