Mike Quirke: How the American dream has become a nightmare for the GAA

When the recession hit this country hard a number of years ago and we were facing economic uncertainty and instability, we lost thousands of our most prized assets – our young people. Many of them never return to these shores again.

Thousands of tradesmen, nurses, teachers, and other third level graduates were forced away because of little hope for a future. Their prospects of finding work, or progressing in their chosen fields, was miniscule if they stayed in Ireland. Naturally the opportunity of more money and a better quality of life in Australia, Canada or the US was too appealing to turn down for the majority.

Fast forward to 2016 and another exodus is getting ready to depart again.