The truth of the matter is it is a disgrace how better facilities have not been provided to Galway. A dual county which should be given priority. The dublins, kerrys and tyrones of this world wouldnt have to travel to a neighbouring county to have a pitch session. Its an absolute disgrace. If the GAA want sam to cross the shannon again they'd want to start investing more into Galway gaa. Tuam deserves a total renovation being the spiritual home of Galway football. This a traditional county with 9 All Irelands. Its time Galway is treated with the respect it deserves. You cant just keep pumping money into dublin. Galway deserves its fair share

Lyreenside (Carlow) - Posts:5 - 19/04/2016 18:03:58

The truth of the matter is that Galway's travails are mostly of their own making, due to a disastrous decision to invest in a centre of excellence for hurling that was never used in the end. Take a quick look at the links below and tell me if you still feel the same?

http://connachttribune.ie/plug-is-pulled-on-galway-s-mountain-south-project/

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/galway-urged-to-come-up-with-plan-to-tackle-5m-debt-pile-188949.html

Galway also have football-related debts due to the development of Pearse Stadium (another white elephant) and a football centre of excellence at Loughgeorge. I do agree though that a renovated Tuam would be much be better for football and indeed for accessibility.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 20/04/2016 10:21:40    1847475

Galway also have football-related debts due to the development of Pearse Stadium (another white elephant) and a football centre of excellence at Loughgeorge. I do agree though that a renovated Tuam would be much be better for football and indeed for accessibility.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts:678 - 20/04/2016 10:21:40 1847475
Two points Gleebo..

1 Galway teams train at Loughgeorge, in the Gym during winter, and on the pitches all year round. Club games are also played there so it is been utilised all day every day.

2 Tuam Stadium is in the process of been redeveloped, with new dressing rooms, toliet facilites, a warm area and major workss on the stand.
all the local committee need is for the Gaa at county and national level to row in behind them..

Belclare1 (Galway) - Posts: 1626 - 20/04/2016 11:00:04    1847516

There is still a 5 million euro debt to be cleared. How about some ideas to help sort that out?

galwayford (Galway) - Posts: 2522 - 20/04/2016 11:09:02    1847521

In reply to THE MASTER

I am not against any county centre of excellence. All counties should have one.

I am against the Connacht one no matter where it is located. Prenty Park is the right name on so so many levels.

10m (cost of Bekan apparently) split and dispersed to the 5 counties would have resulted in 5 facilities throughout the province which will/would get greater use than the one in Bekan in totality

overinthewest (Sligo) - Posts: 119 - 20/04/2016 12:43:30    1847588

It seems that the amateur game is dead.

You have to go to croke park with a business plan now to secure any funding, if you dont you wont get a penny.

If the gaa were truly amateur, they would cap sponsorship and divide the monies evenly and fairly around the country rather than give it to the guy with the business plan.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 20/04/2016 12:54:32    1847593

Totally agree with overinthewest, in fact this goes back to the introduction of soccer & rugby in Croke Park where we were told that the windfall from the income earned would be dispersed amongst all clubs. So the Connacht Council who oversaw the funding here spent it on the Centre of Excellence at Bekan, Ballyhaunis. No clubs got anything as promised. The €10 or €12 million, no official figures unfortunately would have been better spent on the five counties. Having said that when you see the financial mismanagement by the Galway County board you would have to have the Troika watching them if you gave them money.

moc.dna (Galway) - Posts: 1212 - 20/04/2016 13:10:46    1847604

The dublins, kerrys and tyrones of this world wouldnt have to travel to a neighbouring county to have a pitch session.
Lyreenside (Carlow) - Posts:5 - 19/04/2016 18:03:58

Dublin hurlers been training in Bray for the last few years.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13718 - 20/04/2016 14:16:01    1847628

2 Tuam Stadium is in the process of been redeveloped, with new dressing rooms, toliet facilites, a warm area and major workss on the stand.
all the local committee need is for the Gaa at county and national level to row in behind them..

Belclare1

That's good news....what are the chances of a Galway v Mayo championship game happening there in the near future?

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11241 - 20/04/2016 14:40:30    1847637

Another white elephant is Abbotstown, this is a folly by the Gaa just to be seen as having a presence in the National Sports campus. In my opinion Dublin Gaa should have the main use of this facility as it does have a dearth of training facilities. It is the largest poulated area in the country & makes sense to let then use this whilst allowing other counties do so at all other times. To argue that Dublin is already too powerful & rich overlooks the fact that they are well organised compared to other counties & are competing for large tracts of population against many other sports.

moc.dna (Galway) - Posts: 1212 - 20/04/2016 14:45:29    1847638

moc.dna,

You seem particularly adept at arguing both sides of the toss.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 20/04/2016 15:49:55    1847676

Particularly adept. No, just an ordinary Joe particularly peed at all the anomalies in the Gaa at present locally & nationally. As for arguing both sides of the toss if it comes across that way so be it, as it's only common sense when you get beyond the parochial & county bias. If you brought in an independent outside body to evaluate it they would probably make the same point. Joint up thinking & common sense, that's all. The gist of my points are criticim of an organisation I have been involved in all my life, that at local board, provincial & Central council level has lost touch with its grassroots & is riven with politics. In pointing out a positive in a criticism it is only to highlight the absence of common sense thinking.

moc.dna (Galway) - Posts: 1212 - 20/04/2016 16:54:10    1847710

moc.dna, well organized does not mean a sense of entitlement. Yes, I agree that counties should not be given a blank check to waste, but in fairness, there is now a situation where so much funding has been made available through sponsorship or through the GAA itself to particular counties, that it has rendered the field utterly toothless. Donegal possibly are going to be remembered the last team in gaelic football to break the status quo by winning the all ireland in 2012, only by the fact that they behaved in a thoroughly professional manner, expecting time and commitment from people on the ground as well as the players that is unsustainable in the long run. By 2020, there will be a celtic rangers style championship and it is going to be very hard to get excited about it.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 20/04/2016 17:50:07    1847732

Dublin will be 'Rangers'.

bloodyban (Limerick) - Posts: 1710 - 20/04/2016 18:17:52    1847738