The view from the Oval Office

ONE has to be careful talking about the GAA.

Last spring, this column expressed the amazement of rugby people, and indeed most sports people, at the intransigence of the GAA regarding the opening of Croke Park to other sports, in particular the Euro 2008 soccer championships.

It seemed incredible that they were against an event which, would not only be lucrative, but would also bring great prestige to the country whose traditional values and culture the GAA purports to represent.