Wicklow GAA joke 'in extraordinarily bad taste, tone deaf and very insulting,' says Tánaiste

The April Fools' post stated that a new redevelopment of Aughrim would be shared with the Ladies Gaelic Football Association and The Camogie Association as 'equal partners'.

NO JOKE: Tánaiste and Fine Gael Minister for Finance Simon Harris speaking to the media at Government Buildings this week. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA

Tánaiste Simon Harris has condemned the April Fool’s joke made in an official Wicklow GAA social media post.

A TD representing a constituency in the county, Harris described as “tone deaf” the message, which stated a new multi-million redevelopment of Echelon Park in Aughrim would be shared with the Ladies Gaelic Football Association and The Camogie Association as “equal partners”.

At a time when the female codes don’t have the same access to facilities as their male colleagues, the post has been widely criticised and has since been deleted.

Harris told “Newstalk”: “I think this post was extremely disappointing, in extraordinarily bad taste, tone deaf and really very insulting. Insulting to women playing sport in my own county of Wicklow and right across the country, insulting to the many women who volunteer as part of the GAA, as part of Camogie, and as part of Ladies' Gaelic Football.” 

Speaking to the station, Wicklow Camogie Association chairperson Leanne Lifely called for the GAA county board to apologise for the post.

“There has been no leadership on it to say, ‘That was wrong, we accept that that was wrong and let's work together collaboratively to ensure that we can work towards an equal access or similar access for women in sport’.” LIfely added: “It has been confirmed that equal access won't be given to the women in sport in Wicklow. Rather, we will have access to those facilities when they're available.

“I've seen some posts and comments on social media recently where individuals have said, ‘Yeah, you get it when it's available. But that's fundamentally the issue that we're having here – you can have essentially the breadcrumbs of what's left.” Meanwhile, Waterford have confirmed the second phase of Azzurri Walsh Park redevelopment has progressed to the tender stage.

The phase includes the construction of the western terrace, dressing room at the east/city end as well as disability facilities and viewing area in the southern stand.

Elsewhere, each of the Waterford minor hurlers named to start Friday’s Munster opener against Limerick hailed from different clubs.

Although there are four Ballygunner players included on the bench, captain Andrew Power is the club’s one representative on the team. Ballygunner’s 2022 All-Ireland winning boss Darragh O’Sullivan and coach David Franks lead the management set-up.

Along with The Gunners, Geraldines, Passage, St Mary’s East, Abbeyside-Ballinacourty, Mount Sion, Stradbally, Sliabh gCua-St Mary’s, Lismore, Butlerstown, Ballyduff Upper, St Molleran’s, De La Salle, Roanmore and An Rinn each have a player on the team.