Going pro would ‘destroy’ GAA, claims Jack McCaffrey
Dublin star Jack McCaffrey believes that moving to professionalism in the GAA would “destroy Gaelic entirely” and have an “awful effect” on the Association.
The 2015 Footballer of the Year and current All-Star made his comments in a webinar entitled Sport as an Empathy Tool During Covid-19 which was organised by NUI Galway.
Medical doctor McCaffrey was bullish with his response when asked by a contributor how professionalism and pay-for-play might affect the GAA.
“I think it would destroy Gaelic entirely, to be honest,” said McCaffrey.
“I certainly would be hugely opposed to it. The whole beauty of the GAA is that it’s rooted in Irish history and it’s rooted in the Irish community and even the Irish community abroad is where you often see it praised the most.
“It’s certainly one of the special things that you play with your club, you play with your county, then once you finish with the county you’re back with the club.
“There’s no kind of barrier or difference between the club player and the county player so I think it would have an awful effect on the organisation if it was ever to come in.”
Replying to a separate question about spectators criticising players on matchdays, McCaffrey said he hopes the Covid-19 experience can help everyone to reassess and act more compassionately in future.
“I’ve only been talking about that recently with my family and friends, about the positive things we can take from these really, really strange times,” said the wing-back.
“For example, I don’t think I’ll ever go out for a walk again where I don’t make eye contact with everyone I meet and say: ‘Hello, how are you getting on?’
"Even if you don’t stop for a chat and just keep moving. I think this pandemic and the lockdown we’re in has given us a real opportunity to reassess what we think is important.”
