NY chairman laments poor timing by O’Neill

New York chairman Liam Bermingham has questioned the timing of comments made in Dublin on Monday by GAA president Liam O’Neill.

Bermingham said that casting doubt on the future participation of New York in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship on the week of the county board’s centenary banquet in Queens was an unfortunate decision.

And even more so, he added, given the hard work being put in by Ian Galvin and his senior panel ahead of the game against Mayo.

“I’m certainly disappointed by these comments,” he said. “The players have been putting in a lot of effort and we very much appreciate the hard work they have put in. To say the least, the timing is poor.”

Bermingham pointed to a successful structure at minor board level and expressed confidence this would continue to prove a vital outlet for the New York Irish. Bermingham and the New York County Board acknowledge that the president was not advocating New York should be removed from intercounty football entirely, and welcomes praise of the “significant developments” in the Rockland and Shannon Gaels GAA clubs.

GAA President-elect Aogán Ó Fearghail will be in New York this weekend to help the New York County Board celebrate its centenary banquet however there are no plans to officially raise any concerns out of due deference to the Connacht Council.

“There are no plans to discuss this with the president-elect,” pointed out Bermingham. “First and foremost, this is a conversation that must be had with the Connacht Council in the appropriate forum.”

As regards a potential GAA World Championship, Bermingham noted: “That’s a concept we are not in a position to give full consideration (to), given many of our own players’ difficulties with immigration. If it were to be played in the US, we’d certainly look at it closer but it’s not a concrete idea, by any stretch.”