Integration will take years, warns Connacht chair John Murphy

New York joint captains Darragh Hynes and David Mangan receive the cup from Connacht GAA President John Murphy.

Integration will take years to complete, outgoing Connacht chairman John Murphy has claimed.

In his final address to provincial convention in Bekan on Monday night, Murphy also expressed disappointment that the Government threatened to pull funding from the GAA if its management committee didn’t achieve 40% female representation.

“While integration is a positive move for the association, I believe it will take years to implement,” said Murphy. “The (steering) committee are now discovering that it is a mammoth task.

“To develop the association with the means to accommodate all genders will require a massive investment in facilities. Currently we are not in a position to develop facilities as they will be required/demanded therefore it will require a huge financial contribution from the Government to bring it about.

“It is not possible to change a culture or facilities built for a male dominated game overnight and people have to understand that.

“The GPA (Gaelic Players Association) are off the mark when they push for us to pay the LGFA/Camogie players travel expenses. At present they are a separate organisation and integration in its time will take care of that issue.

“Again, you cannot bring about integration by looking after a small cohort of players. So talks will continue but I believe integration is not imminent although it will happen at some point in the future.

“Diversity for the N.G.O. (Non Government Organisation) is now complete and while I agree with the principle of it, I personally believe we went about it in the wrong way and could have achieved it other ways. It would be better if we applied a simple solution until integration was achieved.

“It was unfortunate that the Government threatened us with the withdrawal of funding especially when they themselves failed to achieve a 30% gender balance in Government like they said they would.” Murphy also repeated his point that the GPA should work with Central Council to put a cap on training sessions.

“The GPA tell us that they are concerned about player welfare with the stress – physical and mentally – that players are under. Well, if that’s the case, they should have no issue with this approach.

“I further believe that there is no point in the GPA dealing with mental health issues and the association paying large medical bills when prevention would be a much more acceptable route to take.

“Let us, Ard Chomhairle and GPA join together support the players to resist continuous training and educate the county officers re the unnecessary spending in this area.

“A push back by both units would be a significant step in reversing the situation and in time would filter down through to the club scene. For the moment, we know it’s simply out of control.

“It is my belief that football and hurling would be more enjoyable if outside agents didn’t make it so intense and there would still be sponsors and 82,300 at All-Ireland Finals.”