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Dublin GAA - no longer working class?

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The GAA endeavours to attract people from all social backgrouds to participate in their games
but significant progress has been made in participation in recent years in South Dublin.

fainleog (Limerick) - Posts: 598 - 28/06/2017 22:24:41    2007156

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Where I grew up the local club was founded by teachers and the working class estate , but when a new posh estate was built over the years the people there had more influence in the club so much now that hardly anybody plays from the working class estate anymore , the gas had lost its identity there . Also its 80 euro juvenile membership and then 2 euro subs for matches , and the team fundraiser and the the club fundraiser , people find it very expensive ,

hipster (Dublin) - Posts: 2509 - 28/06/2017 22:48:23    2007168

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Replying To wicklu:  "I never got the premise of the article. Maybe I'm missing something. I don't ever remember thinking of GAA as the working class sport in Dublin.
From recollection of an unbelievably in-depth article by David Walsh on the 70's team, the following are some of the jobs of the great 1970s teams. Open to correction on some of them but I'm fairly sure of accuracy.
Not much of a hint of working class in these professions.

Tony Hanahoe - Solicitor
Paddy Cullen - successful businessman
Sean Doherty - Doctor
John McCarthy - Garda
Brian Mullins - University Sports Director
Robbie Kelleher - Economist
Tommy Drumm - Company Director
Pat O'Neill - Doctor (specialist)
Anton O'Toole - IT consultant
David Hickey - Doctor (consultant)
Alan Larkin - Accountant"
Sean Doherty was a plumber, his nickname was the Doc which was a take on his surname!

DUBJOHN (Dublin) - Posts: 932 - 28/06/2017 23:39:17    2007187

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Replying To MesAmis:  "Soccer has always been, and probably will be, the most popular game in working class Ireland, not just Dublin.

Dublin GAA is weaker in working class areas than it is in middle class areas without doubt. However there are still plenty of clubs that are in working class areas, or that recruit from working class areas.

GAA is not as strong in working class areas but it is a significant sporting body in working class areas with most areas having easy access for a club.

GAA would be easily a strong enough second place in working class Dublin and will probably remain as such. The challenge is too make sure that it is as strong a second place as is possible.

In more middle class places in Dublin, GAA is more on parity with soccer but possibly still a tad behind in terms of numbers."
I don't know what some people here call "the working class" given Ireland is still mostly an agrarian economy. Travel out to rural Ireland and tell me how many soccer clubs you meet versus GAA clubs.

festinog (Galway) - Posts: 3097 - 29/06/2017 00:47:45    2007209

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Replying To DUBJOHN:  "Sean Doherty was a plumber, his nickname was the Doc which was a take on his surname!"
Lol funny cos it's true, mind you, that poor man went through hell.

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8596 - 29/06/2017 01:54:01    2007220

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Dublin gaa is a posh man's sport now. It's all about the "process like". Rugby is no longer the sole posh boy sport of choice.

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 29/06/2017 07:55:04    2007237

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I don't know what some people here call "the working class" given Ireland is still mostly an agrarian economy. Travel out to rural Ireland and tell me how many soccer clubs you meet versus GAA clubs.
festinog (Galway) - Posts:2069 - 29/06/2017 00:47:45

Is Ireland mostly an agrarian economy? I would very much doubt it is.

People living in rural Ireland are in the minority now and will continue to be.

We are an urban country now and have been for awhile.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13718 - 29/06/2017 10:40:48    2007322

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Replying To MesAmis:  "I don't know what some people here call "the working class" given Ireland is still mostly an agrarian economy. Travel out to rural Ireland and tell me how many soccer clubs you meet versus GAA clubs.
festinog (Galway) - Posts:2069 - 29/06/2017 00:47:45

Is Ireland mostly an agrarian economy? I would very much doubt it is.

People living in rural Ireland are in the minority now and will continue to be.

We are an urban country now and have been for awhile."
Correct - Ireland's economy is now a knowledge economy. Even the agri side is moving towards high end artizan type goods as we can't compete with nations that have so much more land.

The question on the working class thing is somewhat valid....I would say Dublin GAA clubs are more prevalent in what some could deem as working class areas. Cuala and Crokes are good clubs with recent success but they have huge catchment areas compared to lets say St. Vincents or Kickhams.

seanfinn (Monaghan) - Posts: 360 - 29/06/2017 11:44:00    2007364

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Replying To Jack_Goff:  "Dublin gaa is a posh man's sport now. It's all about the "process like". Rugby is no longer the sole posh boy sport of choice."
My god you are bitter

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4241 - 29/06/2017 13:16:03    2007424

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