Replying To legendzxix:  "Was the political interference sought?

Dublin seem to have had free reign in getting more and more advantages.

Businesses follow the money. The GAA were shrewd to build Croke Park with premium and corporate levels.

While the GAA were not initially on board Dublin GAA plans, when they saw the financial advantages they were happy to get on board.

They have built a runaway train without any opposition.

Other factors like fending off Leinster Rugby and bringing a Spring Series to Croke Park have added more layers of advantages."

Replying To baire:  "It wasn't just GAA hq, there was political interference by a certain Taoiseach from 1995 that deliberately skewed things in Dublin's favour. We all know this, he even boasted about it, you can read it on the web! As for expecting the privileged Pale to appreciate the fate of others, you're wasting your time!"

Replying To superbluedub:  "Ah not poor Bertie again , do you not like him ? -:)"

Replying To baire:  "I love him dearly, he's super like yourself!"

Replying To superbluedub:  "Ah not poor Bertie again , do you not like him ? -:)"

Replying To CornAghais91:  "That's interesting stuff. Tells it's own story."

Replying To valley84:  "That's interesting stuff. Tells it's own story."

Replying To Donegalman:  "Does Bertie not like rugby? Swore I saw him grinning from the stand back in the 00's at donnybrook. He's good at that, or was good at that more like. Haven't seen him in the Hogan in a long while"

Replying To legendzxix:  "1 goal = 3 points.
Does 1 rural county All-Ireland = 3 Dublin All-Irelands due to the long list of advantages that they have?"

Replying To superbluedub:  "What do you think ? Let us all know your thoughts ."

Replying To legendzxix:  "1 goal = 3 points.
Does 1 rural county All-Ireland = 3 Dublin All-Irelands due to the long list of advantages that they have?"

Replying To legendzxix:  "Is it like comparing dog years to human years? Is it like comparing scoring goals in the Dutch Football League to scoring goals in the English Premier League?"

Replying To ConnollyDub:  "I know this topic has been done to death but this is an article the owl lad wrote so just thought I'd throw it on here...

The Dubs, The Monies and the Prejudices.
The Dublin football team's quest for five in a row is causing a lot of angst among commentators and journalists alike. Fearing that no team can stop them they are getting their retaliation in first before their worst nightmares are realised.
The Sunday Game programme last Sunday provided the live coverage of the Leinster football final between Dublin and Meath. The programme opened up with a 'Prime Time Special' which could have been titled "Oh My God, How Has It Come To This" in relation to Dublin's football success. It honed in on the amount of monies that Dublin GAA receive from headquarters to run their business and one was left in no doubt that it was this factor that was the real reason for Dublin's success. Back to the studio and despite Ciaran Whelan's gallant protestations that this present Dublin team could in no way be impacted by Dublin's general increase in funding and that they and their Manager are of exceptional talent, the host, Joanne Cantwell kept coming back with "But what about the money?"
The hope, seemingly, is that if you keep throwing the mud, it will stick..
Is it plausible that in any other sport across the world when TV coverage of the final of a competition between two teams that it would include the finances of one of those teams for nearly half of that match's playing time?
And before we lose all reality altogether, all these players are amateurs!!
Other commentators and journalists alike play to their base by acting the bull in the Dublin football china shop.
Diarmuid Connolly was one of the finest pieces of china around. He is gone now. Before the false narrative of the money came into play he filled their column inches and us Dubs feel that a genuine injustice was done to an amateur genius like him.
-But what about the money?

If you are going to equate funding and Dublin GAA success well let's just have a closer look.
In 2016, Mayo were the biggest spenders on their Inter county teams with €1.6m followed by Dublin, Cork, Galway, Tipperary and Roscommon respectively as those having spent over €1million.
In 2017 Cork were the biggest spenders on their intercounty teams with €1.7m expended followed by Dublin, Mayo, Galway, Limerick, Tipperary and Kerry respectively as those having expended over €1million.
While not having the breakdown for 2018 it is Galway who top the list with €1.8m
Kerry was going for five in a row in 1982. In their first final in 1979 they beat Dublin by 17 pts. In the following finals they beat Dublin again, by 11 pts, Roscommon by 3 pts and Offaly by 7 pts respectively, before succumbing to that famous last minute goal by Offaly's Seamus Darby in the 1982 final.
Dublin's present quest for five in a row started in 2015 when they beat Kerry by 3pts, Mayo by 1pt in 2016 (after a replay), Mayo again by 1pt in 2017 and Tyrone by 6pts in 2018. In the four finals combined Kerry won their finals by a collective margin of 38pts as against Dublin's 11pts.. Was there a collective scratching of heads as to what could be done about Kerry's dominance.. Was there an inquest into the type of grass that was growing in Kerry?, into what type of eggs that the Kerry hens were laying?
My recollection of that time is that all the talk was of how good this Kerry team and their Manager, Mick O'Dwyer were.
But what about the money?

Now let us look at some other facts that eh.. sort of exposes the not so extraordinary success of Dublin GAA.
In hurling, Kilkenny have won 11 senior Hurling titles since 2000. Was there an inquest into the type of magic that cats in Kilkenny were casting on their players? How many titles have Dublin Hurlers won in that period? How many finals have they competed in during that period.. The answer, sadly, is none to both of those questions. In fact it is 1938 since Dublin last won a senior hurling title. 81 long years and do you know what folks, there was only one Dublin man, Jim Byrne in the team.
But what about the money?

Dublin have won one Minor football All Ireland since 1984. Kerry have won seven, including five in a row that they completed last year.. and it could go on.
But what about the money?

Dublin last won a Minor Hurling All Ireland in 1965. Since then Kilkenny have won 14 titles, Galway 12, Cork 11 and Tipperary 8.
But what about the money?

Dublin Camogie haven't won an All Ireland since 1984.
In the period since then Cork have won 14 titles, Kilkenny have won 9, Tipperary 5 and Wexford 4.
Dublin has not even contested a final since then.
- But what about the money?

Between 2005 and 2016 Cork ladies football, have won 11 all Ireland titles, 5 in a row (2005 -2009) and 6 in a row (2011-2016) with only Dublin stopping them in 2010 from winning.. TWELVE IN A ROW.
- But what about the money?

Dublin GAA has many problems. Large Dublin areas have no GAA at all in them. Finglas, with a bigger population than Leitrim has only one GAA club, Erins Isle. Clondalkin, with a population of nearly 50,000 also has only one GAA club, Round Towers, the Club of Jim Gavin. Neither clubs have competed at the top level of Dublin GAA for many years now. GAA in all working class areas of Dublin is seriously under threat and it seems that the powers that be are silent on this and are prepared to concede these heavily populated areas to soccer. Over the years both Gaelic Games and Soccer have done a decent job in deprived areas of Dublin. For areas like these to lose an established body like the GAA will lead to serious social consequences for those same areas down the road.
These areas could do with massive GAA investment.. ah but you know yourself..

So what about the money?
Definitely look again at the distribution of monies but don't base it on the Dublin model because the Dublin model, if you were to base it on money, success, participation and retention has failed dramatically. No doubt, the investment deficits that I have outlined above in Dublin are badly needed across all counties.
And please Mr.& Mrs Croke Park when you are adding up your projected income for next year and beyond please drop the Sky package so that the 60 year-old man or woman all across Ireland who have probably spent all their lives looking after GAA teams can watch their county team play through the TV licence money that they pay to the National Broadcaster.
And finally back to this great Dublin Football team.
As the then club manager of Clanna Gael Fontenoy GAA club in Ringsend I witnessed first-hand the changes that were introduced in 2010 after Meath had beaten them in the Leinster semi-final and put five goals past them in doing so. They were so unlucky to lose out to Cork in the All Ireland semi-final later that summer. In the winter months that followed they gathered in our clubhouse at 8.00pm each Sunday night. Sunday night!!.. Down at the back pitch beside the beach and as cold a wind that would test the Russian Ice Hockey team, blowing in from the Irish Sea. When everyone else was winding down and heading for the leaba to prepare for the week ahead these guys were testing out the changes that Pat Gilroy and Mickey Whelan were trying to implement in an A v B match. This was probably their 5th or 6th gathering of the week. It was very much stop start. Mickey Whelan played bad Cop, screaming at players if they got it wrong and Pat Gilroy, the good Cop, putting a consoling hand on the offending player's back and whispering to him what he did wrong in the game plan..
I kicked the ball back to Stephen Cluxton a few times from behind the goal. Little did I know then that he was to change the face of Gaelic Football forever.
They usually pulled out of our Car Park at 10.00 each Sunday night. It was nights like these, I believe, as they tried to incorporate a defensive strategy , that the basis for the success of this football team's era was laid and by getting over that long 16 year wait the following September.
In came Jim Gavin and with all the polishing cloths of a Dublin nanny doing her brasses years ago, put the finishing shines to a steely exterior.
And running parallel to all of this were the likes of a man named Paddy Christie who with others and against all the odds were producing players from Ballymun, one of Dublin's most socially deprived areas. Ballymun Kickhams have produced the backbone of players throughout this reign and incredibly their players hold 26 All Ireland medals between them since 2011. What some of these players achieved in the face of such adversity is nothing short of incredible. Absolute Heroes!!
This achievement alone lays folly the notion that money is a contributor to this wonderful, incredible, fantastic and exhilarating Dublin Football team.
If other counties believe the fake news well then it will be longer still before they break their dominance.
Deep down they know what has to be done, and they know it has nothing to do with money.
Suck it up folks!!!!!
Shay Connolly"

Replying To legendzxix:  "Is it like comparing dog years to human years? Is it like comparing scoring goals in the Dutch Football League to scoring goals in the English Premier League?"

Replying To baire:  "It wasn't just GAA hq, there was political interference by a certain Taoiseach from 1995 that deliberately skewed things in Dublin's favour. We all know this, he even boasted about it, you can read it on the web! As for expecting the privileged Pale to appreciate the fate of others, you're wasting your time!"

Replying To Ashrules:  "Seen another Ex Dublin manager 'defending 'GAA funding.
The administration of funding was similiar to the many corrupt decisions made.
It was all down to who had men on the inside and completely wrong.

Now Dublin are trotting out former managers and players to talk rubbish defending Dublin and deflecting the argument onto non relevant issues. Makes it look more and more like there is an effort to keep things hidden."

Replying To Ashrules:  "Seen another Ex Dublin manager 'defending 'GAA funding.
The administration of funding was similiar to the many corrupt decisions made.
It was all down to who had men on the inside and completely wrong.

Now Dublin are trotting out former managers and players to talk rubbish defending Dublin and deflecting the argument onto non relevant issues. Makes it look more and more like there is an effort to keep things hidden."

Replying To Jack_Goff:  "Bertie was distraught every time Dublin were beaten in championship, especially by other Leinster counties. It's no wonder he used his position of power to influence Dublin GAA. This country is full of me feinners. Not a second thought given to other counties development at the time. Just Dublin have to be beating all.

The GAA was magic back then. Real excitement in the air. We may never get it back.

And I know our good Dublin president will make it his mission to leave a legacy by introducing a tier 2. But if the other top 10 or 15 teams are playing Dublin even more regularly and getting hammered that format will be a damp squid. The best thing about the championship now is teams from 3 provincials don't have to worry about Dublin until the AI quarter final stage."