Shane Curran: Why ‘last great social pillar’ GAA could go way of Roman Empire
The former Roscommon goalkeeper expanded on the argument he had started to make on The Sunday Game last weekend, claiming the GAA believes it’s almost “untouchable”.
Curran echoes what former GAA president Peter Quinn said eight years ago, when he warned “the Roman Empire ruled the developed world for nearly a century and disappeared in about 20 years”.
The St Brigid’s man is concerned that football is polarised between “the aristocracy” and “the peasants” and little is being done to bridge the gap between the haves and have nots.
“Television is a funny medium when you’re trying to make a point and are on a time schedule,” he said of his remarks on Sunday. “The GAA is the last great social pillar in the country, after the fall of the (Catholic) Church and Fianna Fáil and all the other establishments. It’s what keeps the rural fabric together.
“I believe in a lot of cases it’s breaking down. There is no tangible structure that I can see emanating from Croke Park to resource the weaker counties in a fair and equitable fashion. The inequalities in the GAA at the moment are so diverse and nobody in the GAA is asking ‘do we need to spread our resources a lot differently?’ “There is this certain element in the GAA where we think we’re untouchable.
“Look at the Church and Fianna Fáil and how vast pillars of the community can be brought down.
“People are saying this can’t happen to the GAA but it can, and it will if the organisation travels down the path it is without change.”
Curran says the likes of Fermanagh, Kildare and Sligo will be replaced next year by similar second or third-tier counties who will also be beaten heavily.
He reckons that vicious cycle will only stop when county boards go about their affairs in a more business-like manner.
“Croke Park needs to put in structures where there is a games element separated from county board duties. People who go to county board meetings are not necessarily blessed with a skillset to look after the actual needs of the participants or the games. That’s not an insult to them; it’s just the way it is. They’re on a different track completely.
“I know from experience that these guys are happy enough to go with the flow the whole time. They’re not going to upset the board and are going to row the boat in one direction, whether it’s good or bad.”
Curran believes the GAA is also not cognisant of the extent of the progress rugby is making in winning hearts and minds at underage level. “In weaker counties, there is enough anecdotal evidence and I can see it in Roscommon; rugby is beginning to get a stranglehold in the primary school structure as regards coaching and the GAA are turning a blind eye to that.”
