GAA steer clear of anthem issue

GAA president Nickey Brennan is keen not to be drawn on the issue of the playing of "God Save the Queen" at Croke Park this weekend, and says it has nothing to do with the Association.

Speaking at today's press briefing on budgetary matters at GAA headquarters, Brennan said: "In deciding to open up the grounds at Congress in 2005, we also were deciding that the actual event itself would be the responsibility of the hosting body - the IRFU or the FAI.

"And we have not and will not interfere with the protocol surrounding those events, and in fact the protocol for the events is the business of the two hosting bodies.

"That was the situation when we made the decision and that remains the situation here today."

However, the Kilkenny man did stress that he fully understands the viewpoint of those who are worried about the playing of the English national anthem at Croke Park before Saturday's historic Six Nations clash between Ireland and England.

"I understand that the English media have given a fair bit of coverage to Croke Park and its past and it has a past that was a very sad one for a lot of people," he added.

"History will not change that nor do we want it too change. Sadly we experienced a very difficult time here in 1920 and there are families who, to this day, feel very hurt by that as do a lot of people.

"We didn't get into that - we are renting our field and the issues around any aspect of that we didn't get into at all. We understand the feelings of people also and we are not trying to be insensitive."

Brennan was also happy that the Irish rugby team's encounter with France, played at the Jones's Road venue on February 11, passed off without a hitch.

"I was just delighted to get the first game over with, to be honest. It had been a long run-in to the event and now we have the second one this weekend with England and then the soccer games in March," he said.

"I'm just happy to get on with those games now and get them over with.

"I suppose it's not going to be the same thereafter. From my point of view, they are in Croke Park now and I am just satisfied from an organisational viewpoint that the first game went well.

"The main issue we had was in terms of hosting the event and getting the crowd in and out of the ground and for the supporters' safety while they were in the stadium."

Brennan was speaking at Croke Park today where the GAA's new director of finance Tom Ryan outlined an increase in ticket prices for hurling and football championship fixtures for 2007 - from the Round 3 qualifier stage onwards, excluding the All-Ireland quarter-finals.

Stand and terrace tickets for All-Ireland semi-finals will both be increased by €5 with terrace tickets now costing €30, while stand tickets will cost €45.

All-Ireland final terrace tickets will now cost €35 while stand tickets leap from €60 to €70, just €10 less than the cost of a ticket for Saturday's Six Nations match at Croke Park.

"The GAA haven't increased prices for games since the 2005 championships and that these increases will help increase grant allowances to counties and clubs," said Ryan.