The Grab All Association?

[corn02]

This is one lazy term that realy irks me.

Obviously there is reasons for the term, the McKenna Cup prices being one, but, overall, as an organisation, it offers fantastic support at grassroots level.

The £35 million for clubs the other week was significant in these times of economic hardship.

Most clubs, i’d imagine, have received funding for certain projects too.

What do you think, an unfair tag?

[Begbie]

Unfair tag. However, the price of tickets to some matches are ridiculous. It was 25 quid into the Monaghan vs Armagh qualifier last year? That was asking too much and hardly taking the current economic climate into consideration. The price of tickets has to be looked at. Gaelic games can't sell Croke Park out anymore. As I say the tag is unfair but I can totally understand people when they use it.

Every football club in the country is constantly looking for money. So much money goes into draws, organised nights, fundraising etc. People do get tired of giving money to the GAA, especially people who have no interest in it. How much money have you spent on draws in the last 5 years? Prizes are big so 20 quid is the norm for a ticket these days. A nice chap from Ballymacnab was the most recent, he called out the house and he was good banter so I had to buy the bloody thing.

People in this country don't exactly give money away too easily. I think if you look to the Lourdes Commitee or The Hospice or Trocaire, these three put together would not come close to the money we give to the GAA. Obviously there are exceptions but I think that would apply to the majority of us. It is unfair but as I've said it could be justified by many.

[ThrowBall]

I understand that it was £9 into the U21 preliminary round last night. If I remember correctly it was only £8 into the Armagh v Cavan game last year. Increasing prices at times of economic hardship does not help. On saying that what would we do without it?

[wingback]

it is an unfair tag! £5 for membership 2 clubs for minors and under is excellent quality, this 1 fiver covers insurance pays for buses 2 matches all year equipment has to be bought for these underage teams food ect after any finals or anything like that these teams get 2! ok tickets to matches are expensive but for everything else it is not dear! the money croke park are putting in to armagh hurling (thanks to paul kelly) is emense and as corn said this 35 million that is going into the grass roots of the association prove that this tag is unjust!

[gar]

I think on the whole the tag is unfair . The Gaa is one of the very organisations where money makes its way from the top down to the very roots. If I go to watch celtic the cheapest ticket I can get is almost £40 . It's professional you might say but the one thing I have in common with the celtic supporter is we are both amateurs. Under 16s at gaa get into most matches, unless all-ticket, free. Last saturday night juvenile tickets were £4 . I was there very early selling tickets for my club and the thousands of young people going to the game was very encouraging. i know I complain about the prices sometimes but it is more the McKenna cup games that irk me. Here we have a chance to send out a message that the gaa is thinking of the current economic climate. we could score a massive publicity hit here by dropping prices to a £5 or £4 . We dont do that.
I hate like hell to hear people call the gaa the grab all association. It really annoys me. I can't speak for croke park but I do know that Armagh does their very best to run a tight ship. The money we gather as a club goes into the well being of our club not just our club but the whole community. The social and well being of our youth is something we cant put a price on. When the annals of history is written through time the gaa will stand out as a beacon of self-less interest for the betterment of others . The strength of the community ,something we take for granted will for ever be in the debt of the gaa . I have two boys who love their club ,their county and their sport and above all their identity . I wake up in the morning and thank god for it. Ireland and certainly my small community would be the worse of without it. I am the first to admit we have our problems but those who knock the the gaa and call it the grab all association makes me want to grab their alls and twist it around their neck.
a good thread Corn and now after my rant goodnight (what pub are those two boys of mine in the bolloxes drinking and them only 21 and 13 )

[corn02]

Great post Gar.

[Begbie]

Great post Gar.

Seconded. Brilliant post.