Kerry clubs feel brunt of recession

KERRY GAA chiefs have expressed fears for the future of their club competitions after almost 200 players left the county in the first seven months of 2010.

The unprecedented player drain has caused major difficulties for football and hurling clubs attempting to field teams and there are concerns the exodus will escalate in 2011.

Figures obtained by The Kingdom newspaper illustrate that for the January to July period in 2010, a total of 57 Kerry GAA players moved to America with a further 27 emigrating to New York. 56 club players left for Great Britain, 37 club players moved to Australia, 4 players emigrated to Canada and 16 players transferred from their home clubs to clubs elsewhere in the country due to changing work circumstances.

The actual number of players who have emigrated is believed to be much higher as the official figures do not take into account club players in the county that have moved abroad but are yet to transfer their club registration.

Kerry county board chairman, Jerome Conway said: “Due to the economic situation, some players, particularly those that are just out of college, are finding it difficult to find employment. During the summer, they go to America and while some players return, unfortunately, a number of footballers decide to stay there.

“It’s a concern, especially for rural clubs who are finding it difficult to field second teams, whereas before they would have had no problem If this was to continue, it would certainly impact negatively on rural GAA clubs.”

Conway pleaded with players who find themselves unemployed to consider participating in another training course rather than opting for emigration and lauded a scheme being undertaken by the South Kerry board to address the problem.

“We’ve to encourage these people to diversify so that they would be able to take up employment in some other aspect of life for the time being, until this current economic climate improves. The South Kerry GAA Board is putting in place a scheme where young players who qualified from college can do other schemes than the ones where they have earned their qualifications. They are encouraging players to diversify, which is a way forward.”

Christy Kissane, chairman of the Kingdom Kerry Gaels GAA Club in London, has witnessed first-hand an increase in the number of players immigrating to the English capital in search of work.

“There has been a big increase in the number of footballer and hurlers from Ireland coming across here in the last few years. We got a few players from Kerry during the summer. You have lads coming here to work for a few months and then they head off to Australia. There are job opportunities here but I wouldn’t say there is a load.

“It must be a concern as there are a lot of people going to leave Ireland looking for jobs.”

Some of the players who were sanctioned to play for clubs in New York for a time this year included former underage stars Paul O’Connor (Kenmare), Patrick Curtin (Moyvane), Shane Enright (Tarbert), Gary O’Driscoll (Skellig Rangers), Eoin O’Neill (Renard) and Ciarán Kelliher (Milltown/Castlemaine) amongst others.