Mulvey reveals his ‘shock’

KIERAN MULVEY, the man who brokered the peace deal in last year’s Cork GAA dispute, last night admitted he was ‘shocked and taken aback’ at the treatment of former hurling manager Gerald McCarthy.

McCarthy resigned from the post on Tuesday after claiming his family had received death threats in the five-month saga which followed his re-appointment.

Labour Relations Commission chief executive Kieran Mulvey is concerned that the events in Cork may have opened a ‘Pandora’s Box’ in the Association in the county — and nationally.

Said Mulvey: “I am not ascribing blame but I am quite shocked and taken aback at treatment of Gerald McCarthy.

“My feelings today are with McCarthy and his family. Anyone who read his statement could not be unmoved.

“This was a man’s heartfelt expressions at the end of his career in the GAA. That someone of his eminence and service to county and GAA nationally has been treated in this way reflects very badly on the GAA community.

“That he and his family were subjected to this kind of abuse is beyond comprehension.”

Last year Mr Mulvey spent weeks in Cork ending a standoff between the board and the senior footballers with a binding arbitration document which included a stipulation that players have a role to play in the selection of future management teams.

The hurlers subsequently claimed that their viewpoints weren’t taking onboard in the weeks before McCarthy’s re-appointment, a claim which the Board has strenuously rejected.

But Mulvey insisted: “At no stage did I ever say that the players would have a veto or determine who the manager should be.

“But given that things move with the times, consultation is hallmark of any organisation and I felt it should be no different in this situation.”

He said of his role last year: “What I tried to do last year was to build a foundation around which both sides involved in the conflict could build upon. Goodwill on all sides was required to make it work. Again I am not ascribing motives to either side but if both had approached the terms of that agreement fully we would not be at this juncture.

“I didn’t get involved this time and I felt that this should be resolved in Cork itself.

“I was also disappointed with comments from the likes of former GAA President Sean Kelly about my involvement last year.

“I only came in at the behest of authorities to assist in Cork.”

When questioned about the mindset of those involved in talks last year he admitted: “The only thing I felt about the situation was that there was an underlying issue around commercial sponsorship agreement. On more than one occasion the issue of who should be the supplier of protein drinks to the Cork County Board and the marketing arrangement of same was an issue. The players had one view — and the board had another.

“But this sticking point came up with a frequency that was unhealthy.”

One of the key points in the binding arbitration was that then football manager Teddy Holland step down from his post.

Last night Mulvey admitted that decision still pains him.

“I had to request that Teddy Holland step down. I was never comfortable with that. My decision was based on the way the board had gone about his appointment and the absence of structures to address that. But I was not going to do it twice.

“I have a deep sense of regret that Gerald McCarthy has been treated in this way. Sometimes events can get out of hand. I feel a man’s reputation, history, successes, commitment and achievements did not seem to matter with some people. My belief is this that we have opened a Pandora’s Box and nobody has emerged out of this with any dignity except the man himself who decided at the end of the day to walk away.

“Obviously the GAA in Cork will come to some interim solution. But it is merely papering over cracks. This has the potential to come back. Other counties are looking with jaundiced eyes at a Cork problem.

“Maybe it is time to call a spade a spade. The GAA may need to have a stern talk to individuals counties. No manager, acceptable or otherwise should be subjected to this kind of treatment.”

The Gaelic Players Association has been targeted as the chief agitator of unrest in recent seasons however the LRC chief disputes that theory. “I wouldn’t go along with that. I know that Nickey Brennan and Dessie Farrell have been working extremely hard at developing a formal relationship between the GAA and GPA. Some agreement needs to be arrived at quickly defining what is GPA business and what is GAA business and where the crossover is. Otherwise situations like this will be occurring annually within the counties.”