Roadshow no-show: Just 70 people attend GAA integration event at Páirc Uí Chaoimh

The size of the crowd at Cork stop and the number of questions left unanswered casts further doubt over the willingness of all stakeholders to deliver integration by the 2027 timeline

NO RESPONSE: A question to the top table, which included GAA president Jarlath Burns, as to how many counties have formed integration committees, did not receive an answer. Pic: INPHO/Nick Elliott

A crowd of less than 100 people attended the latest integration roadshow at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Tuesday night.

In what was the third of the four national roadshows, a crowd of approximately 70 people was all that showed up for the Munster instalment.

Various proposals surrounding one membership, one club, one county board, one provincial council, and one association have been presented at the three roadshows to date, but given a key purpose of going out on the road was the collection of feedback to help refine final proposals ahead of Special Congresses being held by the three associations this October, the size of the crowd at Páirc Uí Chaoimh and the number of questions left unanswered at the event casts further doubt over the willingness of all stakeholders to deliver integration by the 2027 timeline.

A question to the top table, which included GAA president Jarlath Burns, as to how many counties have formed the integration committees they were asked to establish, comprising two officials each from the GAA, Camogie, and Ladies Football county boards in the respective county, did not receive an answer.

It is understood that the number of formed integration committees is in single digits.

New Munster Ladies Football President Lorraine Royle, speaking to the Irish Examiner in January, was optimistic the roadshows would remove some of the fear that she believes club and county officers have with regard to the merger.

“I think there is so much unknown out there that communication is vital. The information that will come from the integration roadshows with regard to the one GAA family and one club model will give everyone much more confidence in the integration process because to date a lot of it has been going on in the background, whereas we need to lay out how it is going to look for the clubs because uncertainty can make people nervous about change,” she said.

The final roadshow takes place next Thursday, March 17, at The Landmark Hotel, Carrick-on-Shannon.

Elsewhere, Donegal have confirmed they are nominating O’Donnell Park, Letterkenny, as their home venue for the Ulster SFC quarter-final against Down on Sunday, April 26.

The county’s primary ground, MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey, is currently having a new pitch surface laid and the venue will not be ready to host the county’s Ulster opener at the end of April.

Of Donegal’s three home games in this year’s Division 1 League, only one was played at the now championship nominated Letterkenny venue. That was the eight-point win over Mayo played in front of a 8,900 capacity crowd.

The visits of Kerry and Galway - which ended in victory and stalemate respectively for the home side - were staged at Ballyshannon.

O’Donnell Park last hosted an Ulster SFC game in 1951. Jim McGuinness’ side are chasing the county’s first ever three-in-a-row of provincial crowns.

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