'Nobody will ever be left out. Kerry GAA is family': Kerry County board on move away from cash entry

The move has led to a lot of negative commentary on both social media and local radio. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

The move away from cash entry at turnstiles has seen some supporters being turned away from Kerry's Austin Stack Park and Fitzgerald Stadium for National League games and games under the jurisdiction of both the Munster Council and the Munster PPS. 

The move has led to a lot of negative commentary on both social media and local radio with those on the turnstiles often bearing the brunt of patrons’ annoyance at not being allowed to pay cash and thus being turned away.

Treasurer Paudie Healy and County Board chief Peter Twiss - when asked if cash would be accepted at Kerry turnstiles going forward - were adamant that a sledgehammer approach would not be used within the county.

Twiss believes that while it is inevitable that cashless turnstiles are going to be a fact of life, it has to be a gradual process, and most importantly, those who arrive with cash only must never be turned away.

“I think it’s gradually getting less of an issue, but the key to the solution is that it’s gradually getting there. If we can gradually help people to get there, but the idea of drawing a line across it and saying no, not any more, I don’t think that really works.

“By saying it doesn’t work shouldn’t mean that we don’t work towards gradually getting there? Obviously, the aim is no more cash; it’s safer for everyone, especially the people who’re handling the cash. It’s probably about gently putting on the brakes on a fast-moving vehicle.

“I think Croke Park and the Munster Council came on strongly, and maybe they had to do that, but at county level, especially Kerry, whatever it is in Kerry, and it’s probably why we win All-Irelands, is that everybody feels part of it.

“The first thing that should be said to him or her is that you are going in to see the game today, so relax. That’s the most important thing to say, and then everything else should flow. Whoever they are, they’re part of the Kerry GAA family. That’s it.

“You do still have to have a policy of how you get there, and I would envisage, maybe over the next four or five years, it will be historical, and people will have moved on. While we’re going to that stage, let’s be a small bit gentle.” 

Treasurer Healy explained that their hands are sometimes tied, however.

“Where people can get confused sometimes is that Kerry GAA control gates, but it’s Munster for Munster competitions, and Croke Park for All-Ireland competitions, and then schools is different again. 

"All I can comment on is the games that we control, and we’ve increased our resources on our gates to help people further. Nobody will ever be left out. Kerry GAA is family.” 

Meanwhile, Twiss has confirmed that work on the construction of a new 3G pitch (with a capital spend of €1.8m), and on a fifth grass pitch dedicated to Kerry LGFA in Currans - costing of €700,000 - will be completed during 2026.

“The 3G will be up and running by next summer. The hard work is done there. What’s left is the most expensive, but the easiest part of it. It’s basically putting in the carpet. Putting in a 3G pitch is a very technical thing, and we wouldn’t have huge experience of it,” he explained.

“We’re being very, very thorough in making sure that whatever goes in there is absolutely of the best quality. It’s being almost over-cautious. Obviously when you’re then doing it, you don’t need very good weather, but you don’t want very bad weather.

“After that, it’s a very quick process. I would expect it by next June anyway. The only reason I wouldn’t say April or May is that the weather might turn bad. The ladies' pitch will be ready for the winter of next year. It won’t be far behind the 3G pitch,” he added.