Club’s four-year wait for hearing on parish rule

Almost four years on, Birr GAA club are still waiting to hear from the Disputes Resolution Authority about a fourth hearing concerning the legitimacy of the parish rule.

In correspondence received by Birr on May 20 2010, DRA secretary Matt Shaw, at the direction of the group stated both Birr and the Offaly County Board/GAA should meet in front of the tribunal again in relation to the club’s case.

In January 2003, a decision, which was reaffirmed two years later, was taken by the county executive to rearrange the boundaries within the parish, a division unknown to the Birr club. It left Birr with approximately 11% of the parish, comprising 400 acres around Birr Castle, the main shopping streets in the town and adjacent bogland.

Despite assurances given to Birr officials that a vote on the matter would be postponed because of health and family bereavement reasons associated with their county board delegates who couldn’t attend the meeting, the minutes of the executive meeting were adopted by the board.

A subsequent appeal by Birr was ruled out of order as it wasn’t sent in on time. Birr explained the same extenuating reasons preventing them from doing so. Based on how the catchment areas are drawn up now and disregarding the father rule, at least 12 of the club’s All-Ireland winning team of 2003 would not be eligible to play for Birr as they are residing in the Crinkill area.

Birr estimate they have spent €20,000 in legal fees pursuing their case. “The only thing Birr want is the proper implementation of the rule that is in the bye laws of Offaly GAA,” said club chairman, Kevin Murphy. “We’re not looking for any extra areas. All we want is a level playing field that exists in the rest of the country and is part of the GAA Official Guide.”

In one of the last pieces of correspondence received by Birr in April 2011, Shaw confirmed to Birr the tribunal had already determined parish rule applies in Offaly. He stated anybody born within the Birr parish is confined to playing with a hurling club within it.

He referred to the binding bilateral agreements determining catchment areas within the parish, but stressed neither breaches “Offaly bye-laws, which provide for parish rule and does not breach the Teor Oifigúil (Official Guide)”. The club are taking advice from Gaelic Rules Advice’s Alan Nash: “We’re looking for the GAA to sort out this mess,” said Nash. “We will be exploring all our options.”