Uncertainty over GPA protest overshadows on-field drama
The GPA’s call for a 15-minute delay may only be a token gesture, but has the potential to create awkward moments in some fixtures, as Kildare’s Anthony Rainbow admitted yesterday.
“One thing about our game is that most of the Kildare and Laois players are members of the GPA, so it will be easy in that sense. It will be easy to organise in Portlaoise.
“I can see where the difficulty will arise in some games where you have some teams that aren’t part of the GPA and other teams that are playing each other. That might cause a small bit if friction.”
Last weekend in Portlaoise, the GPA executive found themselves pulling some of their more militant members back from the brink of an all-out strike, and Laois’s Ross Munnelly echoed Dessie Farrell’s line of thinking yesterday in advocating the “dignified protest” approach.
“The GPA has done an awful lot of work and there’s probably going to be a lot more done over the next few months and more correspondence with the GAA,” he said.
“Fifteen minutes on Sunday isn’t going to be a huge disruption and we have to think of the supporters who are bringing kids to games, people travelling back long distances after the match.”
Despite such sentiments, most players are equally forthright that their desire to receive sports grants from the government are far from unreasonable.
“I know the media have taken it up a bit in the last few weeks with talk of a GPA strike, but they’re minor things that players are looking for when you look at what soccer and rugby players get,” said Rainbow.
Meanwhile, after being forced to abandon the original plan to name the various levels in the redeveloped Croke Park after the icons of the fledgling GAA, the commemorative process was taken a further step yesterday with the re-dedication of the Canal and Hill 16 terraces and other areas of the stadium. The campaign to honour the Association’s very first President, Maurice Davin, has resulted in the Canal End being re-named the Davin Stand, while the popular Hill end is to be known as the Dineen/Hill 16 Terrace - after Limerick-born Frank Dineen who bought Croke Park and was the only man to fill the offices of General Secretary and President.
The name of PW Nally will be perpetuated through the Nally Terrace, situated between Hill 16 and the Hogan Stand.
Yesterday’s dedication service was performed by outgoing President Sean Kelly, accompanied by his successor Nickey Brennan and Director-General Liam Mulvihill, in the company of family, provincial and county representatives.
The media centre is being dedicated to the memory of Micheál O’Hehir, while long-time Secretary Padraig Ó Caoimh has had the Central Council meeting rooms named after him. Likewise, the Management Committee room (Seomra Uí Thuathail) will commemorate Luke O’Toole, General Secretary for 28 years from the beginning of the last century.
Sean Ó Síocháin, who was General Secretary in between Padraig Ó Caoimh and Liam Mulvihill, will have the Ashe function room on the Cusack Stand named after him.
Liam Mulvihill pointed out that PW Nally had played a prominent role in the very early days, commenting: “he was the man Cusack credited with giving him the germ of the idea of founding the Association. Maurice Davin played a very active role in the whole Association and Luke O’Toole was President during the 1916 Rising.
“Paddy O’Keeffe took over from him and was General Secretary during a period of great growth for the Association. Micheal O Hehir, of course was a legend in his lifetime and is still so fondly remembered by all followers of Gaelic Games. Every single one of the people honoured today made a great contribution to the Association and in honouring them we are honouring their families and all the families throughout the country.”
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