Kerry fans angry over crest change

ANGRY Kerry supporters have been hugely vocal in their criticism of the county’s new official GAA crest. One fan has even set up an online petition to demand the return of the former crest.

Kerry County Board officers have stressed the change was made because they did not have copyright for the previous motif.

Chairman Jerome Conway said the board could not legally register the older badge and that enabled other individuals and companies to use it for commercial reasons. The chairman acknowledged that the change will result in a cash windfall for the county board in terms of merchandise sales but he was unable to estimate just how much it is likely to generate.

“As the time goes on, it could be quite substantial as we will have our own shop in the proposed new Kerry GAA museum in Killarney,” Mr Conway said.

Board press officer Maureen O’Shea said official merchandise on sale in the existing Kerry GAA shop was not selling well because it was not unique to the county board and other companies were cashing in on the success of county teams. The new crest is aimed at attracting a whole new generation of Kerry supporters and it will be a major boost for the sale of new-look green and gold jerseys, hoodies, sports bags and other merchandise, particularly in the lead-up to Christmas.

But the official Kerry GAA Facebook page and other fans’ forums who are very vocal in their criticism of the new emblem. Dozens of fans have slated the design, imagery and colours used and many are calling for the reintroduction of the former crest which had been in use for 23 years.

One disgruntled supporter posted a message on supporters’ website urging people to sign a petition objecting to the new crest.

“It’s time that the people of Kerry took a stand. We will not stop until the county board changes it back to the old one that has become synonymous with the proud history and tradition of the GAA,” he wrote.

The new crest, which will feature on all inter-county jerseys and merchandise from 2012, features imagery of St Brendan’s Voyage, red deer which are native to Killarney, the landmark Skellig Michael heritage site and woodland fern found on Kerry’s mountains and valleys.

The GAA now owns copyright of the new crest and outside parties will have to secure written permission to use it for any reason.