milltownsupport County: Kerry All right I am a member and a former coach in this great club Milltown Castlemaine. So here are the facts. Milltown Castlemaine own and have the deeds of the pitch. Crke Park have given us an ultimatium stop soccer been played or be thrown out of the GAA. We as a club play in Milltown last 45 years, now we are putting in an all wather pitch for training and under age games. This will allow the Castlemaine contingent who have for years drove tthe 2 miles to Milltown a chance to train in Castlemaine and give something back to the community. The Community Council (a minority of older people) who for some reason have said there will be no carnivals now in the village (I cannot remember a carnival in 20 years) have a meeting tonight and are claiming we are selling the field. We have money for the ptch reconstruction. Yes there right we are giving some of the land away for construction. To the local play group (Playschool or montsoori not sure which one) free of charge and the local protestant primary school have asked to allow access to the GAA car park so kid s do not have to disembark by the road. Funny thing is Castlemaine soccer club has majority of players from Milltown. There is a si nister side to this, there is a Novice club Keel who try to claim players from Milltown and they are stirring it. End of the day it is a minority of the community carrying out a witch hunt. Milltown Casttlemaine opens its gates to all sports within the rules of the GAA and will do in the future. __________________________________________________ Thanks for that, finally a bit of clarity on the matter. So local GAA club plough their own pitch. I fail to see what the problem is.

monaghan_ultra (None) - Posts: 211 - 03/04/2009 21:39:23    247899

One fial note, tonight proved te fact at the action groups meeting (Anti GAA PEople) the majority of people there were from neibhouring parish Keel. A lot of people in Castlemaine support the GAA.

milltownsupport (Kerry) - Posts: 85 - 03/04/2009 22:51:45    247964

go on a nationwide tour and tear all the soccer pitches up!

superdub (Dublin) - Posts: 392 - 03/04/2009 23:39:34    247999

There's something sinister alright....its alright when soccer is turning the GAA a profit at hq but when it comes to grassroots...........In the dark!?......Underhanded cowardly act

macca91 (Offaly) - Posts: 19 - 03/04/2009 23:58:25    248011

Macca 91, read the previous mails, what do you want the club to do break the rules? The GAA own it and are putting facilities in place to help young people like my brother. And the community centre is protected under 99 year lease and the club are giing land to lay group and school. Jesus do they wan blood from a stone.
We are been exploited.

castlemaine (Kerry) - Posts: 546 - 04/04/2009 00:42:40    248030

macca 91 just 1 other thing, GAA pitch was dug on Sat night, is that right? Finally it was soccer who asked to play in Croker so whatever money GAA gets they deserve and owe no other sport nothing, remember mate opening croker was not a small deal and still is divisive so get back into Brian Cowens box.

castlemaine (Kerry) - Posts: 546 - 04/04/2009 00:45:45    248031

Soccer should be banned in kerry There is no place for it on a Gaa pitch

wfkerry (USA) - Posts: 933 - 04/04/2009 01:41:21    248052

Didn't J.B. Keane write about this called "The Field".

And we know what happened there.

patrique (Antrim) - Posts: 13709 - 04/04/2009 02:14:05    248061

I have to say there are alot of people out there within parishes who just don't have much time for the GAA and will do everything in their power to make life hard for those involved.
I see it in my own parish. They are usually young fellas who couldn't get on the team when they were younger or who play soccer or who just aren't really interested in sport anyway. Most of the time the reason these guys didn't make the team was because they just weren't good enough but they spend alot of time telling anybody who wants to know that that crowd are just a clanish shower of GAA-heads who'll only put people in their circle on the team. In a lot of cases this way of thinking is handed down from father to son.
Alot of it in country areas stems from the fact that alot of people from farming backgrounds are involved in GAA and people outside of farming alway see them as being clanish.

ColinWex (Wexford) - Posts: 901 - 04/04/2009 08:59:49    248082

The media is making this situation look like a GAA v Soccer argument. In truth there is more to it than just the fact that some soccer players are complaining about their pitch being taken from them from the GAA. It is a pity that it has come down to this. The GAA will always win out in a fight against soccer...especially in a county such as Kerry where the GAA tradition is so strong. I personally hate soccer...HATE IT! I love football! Being a Kerry woman that is the only way it can be! BUT I'm against the GAA in this one.

I have lived in Castlemaine for practically all my life. I remember it being used for soccer. I remember training for athletics there. I remeber going to summer camp every summer there. I remember the school sports days. I remember the parish sports day. I remember walking the dog. I remember the great albeit rare music concerts there. I remembering the hay fights, the games of hide and seek, playing in the sand, dancing...so many memories. Now maybe I am losing it a bit as I'm getting older (at 21 I'm not as young as I used to be!) but one thing I can't remember happening in that field is a game of football or hurling. In fact I am quite certain that i am not losing it because it would be impossible to play these games in a field that doesn't even have football posts...you can't score points over soccer posts.

I am really involved in the youth of this small community. I would hate to see such a valuable community asset to be taken away from us so that it can profit another entirely different community. The only thing that Milltown/Castlemaine GAA club that to do with Castlemaine is the often omitted second half of its name! The majority of Castlemainers are members of Keel GAA club...a club that is in heart of our community and not 5 minutes away. Therefore...if this is a GAA pitch then why shouldn't Keel club get the right to do it up as their pitch? Once again I stress...Milltown has NOTHING to do with Castlemaine.

I would reckon I half spent approximately half of my entire life in either the Castlemaine community field or in the adjacent Castlemaine Community Centre...and more recently, in the newly opened Castlemaine community gym. The only way to get to the field is by getting through the grounds of these two properties. This is seriosuly risking the safety of Castlemaine's young kids as a creche and daycare facility runs every weekday. The only way to avoid placing our local kids in jeopardy is to close the facility while work is being carried out. This causes a number of other problems. Music, singing and dancing classes for kids are run in the centre every day of the week. The future of these activities is also in danger. Yoga classes take place there a number of times practically every day. These are also at risk...I mean who in their right minds would want to relax with the sounds of a building site outside the window?! Activities for the older citizens of our community will also be at risk. The community gym has taken years of planning, organising, fundraising and building and has finally opened in the last month. The future success of this great community project will be in danger.

This development project is not a battle between soccer and GAA. Its not a battle between Castlemaine and Milltown. I have many plesent memories of Milltown also! The problem is that when Milltown GAA club come to Castlemaine they are not only taking away our field. They are taking our memories of the past, they are taking away our yet unmade memories from the future and most importantly they are taking away our community spirit! Castlemaine is a small enough community as it is. We do not need a larger community like Milltown to come in an split us down the middle!

I say long live the GAA. Long live all the great things the GAA has provided for us Kerry people. But more importantly, I say LONG LIVE CASTLEMAINE!

Cmaine (Kerry) - Posts: 1 - 04/04/2009 22:29:24    248342

04/04/2009 20:16:26
cailindana
County: Kerry
Posts: 1

248293
If the milltown /Castlemaine Gaa are afraid of a few old ladies God help them on the foolball field!Glad to say most of the young lads in the parish of Castlemaine have great respect for old ladies. Also get yourfacts right Keel and Castlemaine belong to the same parish. Thanks to the KEEL lads for their support...its the sign of good neighbours. Also we have had lots of support from fair minded milltown people- Míle Buíochas.

cailindana (Kerry) - Posts: 5 - 05/04/2009 01:49:59    248399

That's a mighty fine bit of scaremongering there. For the love of God it's a GAA club doing up a pitch, it's not the black and tans coming back to destroy the village.

You have memories of athletics, sports days, walking the dog etc on the old sportsfield. Where i live we have a GAA field and guess what, i have memories, recent memories of athletics, sports days and dog walking etc there too. Just because a pitch is redeveloped doesn't mean that it can't be still used for all these things.

How pray tell by doing up a pitch can a GAA club take away memories? The only way the community will be split is with these type of suggestions that life as you know it in Castlemaine will cease to be if this development work is undertaken.

monaghan_ultra (None) - Posts: 211 - 05/04/2009 02:04:30    248401

firstly cmaine i am from castlemaine and play with the club,the name of the club is milltown/castlemaine so what are you saying about milltown having nothing to do with castlemaine!.from reading what you said on your post i would like to ask you what are you doing on a gaa forum because you know very little about you local gaa,did you forget to mention that there is currently 6 of us from castlemaine starting on the current milltown/castlemaine senior team,also if you were a gaa person you would know about rule 42 which does not allow soccer being played in gaa grounds,croke park sent a letter out to milltown/castlemaine stating that if they continued to allow soccer to be played there they would be expelled from all gaa compititions so the gaa had no other option,kerry county board sanctioned the ploughing of the field,also if they got expelled from playing this would deprive all the kids from castlemaine playing football,if you care about your comunity as you say you do do you want to see the kids from castlemaine not being able to play football.its sad to see a small majority of people trying to block a state of the art facility being brought into the community when we have nothing only a field with a hill lying there for years,its all win for the community,the national school kids will able to get into school safetly and there will be a creche developed.if the people of the community didnt want this as you say,why didnt they object when milltown/castlemaine applied for planning permission.when this pitch will be developed it will be a proud moment for man as a castlemaine man to train in a state of the art facility in my own town.CASTLEMAINE BORN AND PROUD.

kerryrulefooty (Kerry) - Posts: 1 - 05/04/2009 11:04:21    248421

At the meeting the last night, all was solved. Castlemaine have found a soccer pitch. Yep there will be a small icnvience when field is been laid, but sheep dog trials carnivals and anything that you have mentioned that does not contrevene GAA rules wll be accomodated Im sure once Insurance Issues are covered and was said in AGM. Personally cannot remember a carnival etc been held there last 20 years. Thee so called good samaritans from Keel, let me confirm that they aproached County Board last 3 to 5 years to claim the pitch, but Tralee told them they have no right to it. Talking to Milltown lads they are all behind there Castlemaine playing colleagues who mostly not all are thrilled that the club are now able to train in Castlemaine again (we done it not so long ago while pitch in Milltown was developed).
I cannot see the problem? Soccer have there pitch now. Community will have a good facility for the yung lads and girls to train. Happy days in recssion time s for the youth to play.

milltownsupport (Kerry) - Posts: 85 - 05/04/2009 16:48:23    248535

In reply to milltownsupport.
If you were at the meeting last friday night you would have heard the situation regarding keel gaa club and this community field but i will remind you.on two occasions in the last 12 years while the keel pitch was being developed it was suggested to the keel club officials that the pitch in castlemaine was available to them to play there while their own pitch was out of use.On both occasions the offers was refused by the keel club completely as they had no wish to use a pitch that was for the community.This is fact and you cannot confirm otherwise because you are only spreading untruths.Also for your info the pitch in castlemaine was also offered by the county board to a hurling team that was based in Mid Kerry/Firies area approx 10 tears ago.These are facts.Again i say keep keel gaa out of this because they have never done anything to create a dispute regarding this community facility.In relation to milltown/castlemaine using the pitch for training while your own pitch was unavailable..i seem to remember that ye had an alternative pitch in use back in milltown but i may stand corrected.

cille120 (Kerry) - Posts: 2 - 05/04/2009 19:57:04    248693

By god thats put me in great form..only in Ireland!Didn't think the Kerry folk would but up with that horses**te anyway

keep_the_faith (Meath) - Posts: 400 - 05/04/2009 23:46:27    248974

from reading I can't se what all the fuss is about. okay it looks like the soccer team will have to find a new pitch, but for the rest of the community it seems all benefits.by the sounds of it the pitch in question is poor so the redevelopment would be of great value to the local gaa team, athletics, summer camps, playschool children.Also a childcare building is being provided and also a safe entrance to a primary school. its unfortunate for the soccer team, but i'm sure all other activies like concerts etc would greatly benefit from a decent facility. the gaa club own it so they should not be stopped from doing whatever they want with it, especially in this case when its plan are benefiting so many. The protesters like the other local gaa club should keep out of it and stop standing in the way of a positive development for the community. they obviously have their own agendas if they cant see the benefits of the project

claregael (Clare) - Posts: 3 - 06/04/2009 00:27:08    249013

right so called mr castlemane and mr miltownsupport obviously ye were at a very different meeting that i was at tonight !!!! facts are, there was about 150 people at it and about 5 were pro gaa (that is some majority miltown fella)and when they said their piece they took off without hearing the other side, which by now i have learned is typical gaa tactics, facts are as discussed tonight field was origionally given to the community as a SPORTSFIELD there is no mention of a gaa or soccer field just SPORTSFIELD, 2 of the 3 trusties of the community group decided that means a gaa field while the other said no its for all sports till his death 2yrs ago, and its only since then the gaa have started their tactics.Fact soccer has been played their since 1970 without a word from croke park for 38yrs till now!!! why now i have to ask is it to do with the big grant ye got from croke park and ye have to spend the 300k somewhere so why not come to castlemaine and bully us out of the field and coz of the parish rule now its alot safer have a pitch in c/maine incase kids from their go playing for another club!!!! Fact no member from the m/town c/maine club came to the community group and discuss their development just thought dont mind them and work away. To quote m.town support"Castlemaine FC have played last 4 home games in Tralee" this i agree "as the pitch is in bits from them and they dont look after it." wrong FACT is ye dug 4 so called TRIAL HOLES around the pitch and sprayed the pitch which burned all the grass so u tell me how could games be played there????Finally ive played for both m/town c/maine + c/maine utd and feel its a disgrace what the gaa are at, as do most people from castlemaine especially after tonights meeting, the people have spoken and will continue to do so until croke park wakes up and takes us seriously.As the gaa member said tonight when asked when was the last gaa game in that field?answer "30's or 40's" so what right have they to come to our village and demand the field back now over 60yrs later when it wasnt even given to them in the first place??? i am major gaa supporter but this sickens me deeply

castlemaineman (Kerry) - Posts: 3 - 06/04/2009 16:26:47    249702

Why won't the Chairman or Secretary of Milltown GAA Club come to these meetings or go on the radio besides sending ordinary people from Milltown on their behalf. Its the Chairman and the Secretary that should deal with these matters not anyone else.

ProCastlemaine (Kerry) - Posts: 9 - 06/04/2009 17:29:53    249849

The 'Castlemaine Action Group' is made up of well educated and intelligent people of all ages. It is a pity we can't say the same about the Milltown Committee, is that the best they can come up with accusing the Castlemaine Committee of not being educated. If they were so educated and intelligent themselves why haven't they engaged in talks/negotiations as of yet or attended the Public Meeting last Friday night?? Because they knew they were out of their depths to come and explain their recent acts of vandalism. The truth of the matter is Milltown have received numerous letters and so have the County Board and Croke Park and indeed some of the letters were sent by Registered Post. To date we have received no response. The PRO of Kerry County Board said on a recent debate about the Sportsfield that they had replied to one of the letters which was not correct. The Action Group and the Soccer Club have made every effort possible to get Milltown officials around the table to negotiate. The Action Group and the Soccer Club have received no reply on this matter. The reason they won't talk is simple. They know they grabbed the field after allowing sports that contradict GAA rules to be played down through the years there. The Spring/Walker family would be turning in their graves if they thought that the GAA took over the field. Milltown offering the Childcare Centre a site on the sportsfield is only another ploy to get local people on side which obviously isn't working! I would like the people of Milltown to be fully aware that it is the Milltown Committee that is preventing talks/negotiations from going ahead because they are too stubborn to reply to the letters sent to them by Castlemaine Action Group and Soccer Club. I would also like to say fair play to the many Milltown people who are against Milltown GAA taking over the field it is only a minority rather than a majority of people in Milltown who want the Soccer out of Castlemaine. Also, many Keel people turned out to support Castlemaine at the meeting last Friday and fair play to all of them. Together we will hopefully make a difference and prevent the GAA from kicking out soccer that has been played for years there.

ProCastlemaine (Kerry) - Posts: 9 - 06/04/2009 18:27:27    249959