Kelly stands firm on Croker opening

OUTGOING GAA President Sean Kelly last night made a robust defence of the December 10 Central Council decision to agree to the playing of (six) rugby and soccer internationals in Croke Park in 2007.

He did so in the face of a strong argument from Cork delegate Bob Honohan, who maintained that what Central Council had decided was contrary to what Congress had agreed last April.

Mr Honohan also expressed a fear that rugby and soccer could be played in Croke Park indefinitely, and his concern was echoed by Down Secretary Donal McCormack, who said that once other sports “got their foot in the door”, it might not be so easy to dislodge them.

After listening to what the Cork delegate had to say, Mr Kelly insisted that nobody had been “duped” or misled. He insisted they had complied with what was passed by Congress.

At the outset, Mr Honohan stated that the agreement reached with the IRFU and the FAI in December was not consistent with what was decided last April. “There was one common thread running through the entire debate and that was that Croke Park would not be available for an indefinite period of time. Temporary does not mean indefinite. The number of years would have to be defined. The motion clearly specified that it was while Lansdowne Road was being developed and Congress gave power to Central Council to make decisions for the use of Croke Park for this limited period.”

Mr Honohan referred to a newspaper report from last January which suggested rugby and soccer would never leave Croke Park. And, he believed that this might happen. This could be very divisive if there were people planning to go down that road, he said, and he would make a strong plea to the incoming GAA president Nickey Brennan to ensure they did not go down this road.

In response Mr Kelly told him that anything that had happened was done openly and above board, based on all the available facts. “There was nobody duped, nobody misled. There were some reservations with regard to planning permission, but the foremost planning authorities in the country said it would take 12 months,” replied Mr Kelly.

* Last night’s GAA Central Council meeting, which was held in camera, cleared Dublin footballer Mark Vaughan to play with Kilmacud Crokes in the Dublin County Championship against Thomas Davis next Sunday.

* Earlier in the evening Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Minister Eamonn Ó Cuiv launched a booklet of terms in the Irish language for use by GAA players, officials and supporters. Sean Kelly, who welcomed the publication of the booklet, was performing his last public duty as president before handing over to incumbent Nickey Brennan later today.

* Former Cork Chairman Jim Forbes is set to take over as Chairman of the GAA Central Disciplinary Committee. Willie Ring is the new chairman of Coiste na Gaeilge and Christy Cooney, who is considered certain to stand for the presidency in three years’ time, has been given the chairmanship of the GAA Coaching & Games Committee.