Laois man begins loud protest at parish rule

A 71-year-old Laois man has begun a protest against the GAA’s parish rule until his club is given the right to hold on to the underage players they have been developing.

Ballypickas treasurer Tom Cahill has attached a loudspeaker to his car and plans to picket county board offices, the Leinster Council offices, all Laois home games and various towns across the county following what he views to be an unfavourable response to mediation talks.

The club, drawing players from the Ballinakill and Abbeyleix parishes, has been fighting the rule since 1987. However, despite the Leinster Council agreeing to oversee a gentleman’s agreement between Ballinakill and Ballypickas, Cahill saw red on hearing the first round of mediations did not go his club’s way. Two members from each club and the county board and three members from the council met last week to adjudicate over the playing rights of 22 children, four of whom were denied Bally-pickas membership. Cahill reacted by starting his protest: “I’m not going to protest everyday. I have things to do on certain days and time,” he said. “I won’t be hereMonday or Tuesday but I will be somewhere Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday for part of them days. I will be outside O’Moore Park onSunday and protest right through the matches in Portlaoise on my loudspeaker. I’m going to keep the protest going and upset roads andrailways and stations and streets in Mountrath, Abbeyleix, Ballinakill, St Canice’s, you name it. ”