Shooting ourselves in the foot

IN A FORTNIGHT when we had fantastic games of hurling and football all the publicity for the GAA should have been positive, as our players served up many matches of great skill and sportsmanship.

Instead it was the opposite, as three high-profile self-inflicted wounds dominated the airwaves and column inches — namely, the Paul Galvin affair, the Ring, Rackard and Murphy Cup final fixture controversies and the Munster U21 hurling fiasco.

I was reminded of the words of the President of the GAA, PJ Nolan, during the War of Independence. Nolan urged the members of the GAA to “join the volunteers and learn to shoot straight”.