A Bronx tale

WHO is behind the recent spate of visa refusals for hurlers travelling to New York for weekend games? That’s a question that’s been exercising the minds of many GAA people in New York in recent weeks, particularly those who have been adversely affected.

Three weeks ago, three Kilkenny All-Ireland-winning hurlers, Derek Lyng, Michael Kavanagh and John Hoyne, were turned back by US immigration officials at Shannon, despite the fact that all three were in possession of letters of invitation to play from Waterford Hurling Club in New York, had letters from their employers stating they were away just for the weekend, and each had letters of sanction signed by all the relevant people in the GAA in Ireland.

The following week, it was the turn of three Limerick players, all again turned back at Shannon in similar circumstances. The reason given by the immigration authorities, on both weekends, was that because the players were getting expenses, and because they would be playing in front of a paying audience, they needed special 'temporary worker' visas, and not the tourist visas under which they had expected to travel.