I came up with the idea to put up a discussion chat on the forum so other counties can talk about others ,
It will change from county to county every 3 days and will provide outsiders insights into each county !

I thought it would be an idea to start with Antrim , purely because of alphabetical order ......

Get Discussing ! .....

M.Simoncelli (Meath) - Posts: 126 - 11/05/2013 12:38:27    1381991

Their underage hurlers need to be brought into the Leinster Championship.

Cut the chord completely from Ulster as it's holding them back.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13846 - 11/05/2013 13:49:29    1382032

Agreed. The younger players need to be playing high level hurling.

LohansRedHelmet (Clare) - Posts: 2698 - 11/05/2013 14:09:17    1382041

Everything needs to be done for Antrims hurling to get them into the mix. There footballers are ok where they are.

crossfieldball (Galway) - Posts: 650 - 11/05/2013 14:12:18    1382044

To much in fighting between the clubs for them to be real contenders in either code.

dufferman (Down) - Posts: 159 - 11/05/2013 14:13:10    1382045

Their footballers are going nowhere.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4105 - 11/05/2013 14:18:29    1382051

In football they have big one-off performances in them. Should've beaten us in 2010. Knocked out the 'natural footballers' of Galway in injury-time last year. Still partial to odd hiding in the league though. St.Gall's were class for a few years there but there is a lot of infighting without doubt and players need to stop booking holidays for the middle of the summer.

doublehop (Kildare) - Posts: 4172 - 11/05/2013 14:21:33    1382052

Where to begin. Every so often we get false dawns in both codes then get brought back down to earth. Thing is, I have no doubt that we have the same level of talent as other counties but here we like to let other (some might call trivial) things get in the way. Like city boys and the country boys not always seeing eye to eye in football or the neighbouring parishes in North Antrim having a hatred of each other which continues when they are on the same county team. As to what the solution to our problems is I don't really know. There is no denying we have suffered more than most counties due to the troubles and should be remembered that alongside Cavan we were the strongest in Ulster prior to the period that cast a shadow over us for 40 odd years. I think that the GAA could maybe invest more money like they did with Dublin to great effect. But I am not stupid enough to think that money is the solution as you could grow all the money at something but without the right structures in place you may as well pee in the wind.

No disrespect to any other hurling county in Ulster but the lack of commitment from most other counties (with the exception of Derry, Down and more recently Armagh) has not helped our plight or progression. Geographically we couldn't be further from the counties we need to be playing regularly to reach that next step so unless we can be transplanted somewhere near the midlands then this is going to be the case.

On the football front, need to get rid of egos as they have more often than not responsible in one shape or another for crap performances.

To be honest it is really frustrating supporting Antrim. I love both hurling and football but it does start to wear down the most ardent supporters over time. Having said that I will still try and get to as many county games as I can knowing I am probably a glutton for punishment and frustration but hey ho it's what the GAA ia all about as over the course of the season all but one county in each code will be disappointed, albeit a lot later in most cases than Antrims disappointment.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 11/05/2013 15:14:08    1382067

Maybe an Association-wide outreach to Unionist communities would help? There the potential there to more than double Antrim's playing numbers

We should be more intolerant of sectarianism than we are of racism, considering the damage it's done in this country

Count_Awesome (Kildare) - Posts: 736 - 11/05/2013 15:39:16    1382079

I know what you are saying Count Awesome and indeed if we had more of our Protestant countymen playing then I have no doubt we would be in a lot better place for it -same goes for all counties in the North. I have played alongside Protestants at different times but to be honest it is very much the exception and while the GAA community within the county could do more to reach out to our Protestant brethren there is a bigger hurdle to cross before this comes to be in the shape of Unionism and their representatives. I am not going to go in to examples and make what may be construed as Political points as we are all aware of the beast it can be, but I suppose the main issue within that community is the way the leaders like to keep 'their' people in a state of fear and suspicion and one of those suspicions is of our 'terrorist' organisation. What is encouraging though is that in the workplace I find more and more Protestants are watching games that are televised and the genuine interest through conversations had shows that we may one day turn the corner though it could still be 10 years or more away. Unless their was some sort of freak asteroid strike at the next pan-Unionist meeting...

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 11/05/2013 16:26:09    1382096

Good post Offside_Rule. Can I ask do you think a re-developed Casement will do anything to attract more people to the games? Even if only within the Nationalist community? I was up at the replay in 2010 and there was a very low attendance from Antrim supporters for what was actually a double header with the hurlers.

Also while I was delighted to see Cliftonville win the league this year do you think this would have any detrimental effect on Gaelic Games? I have taken the ferry over from Belfast for a good few Celtic games and was amazed how many people from Belfast travel over regularly just to them games.

doublehop (Kildare) - Posts: 4172 - 11/05/2013 18:07:48    1382179

Firstly most Unionists aren't interested in the GAA and never will be so you can put that to bed. The GAA,particularly in Antrim, has put out it's hand so many times in friendship only for it to be slapped right back so that's a non starter. We are a club orientated county with no real passion or desire for the Safrron jersey; the club sides don't like each other; the rural sides don't like each other and the city/rural teams hate each other. There are too many big time Charlies egos on and off the pitch and they won't put aside their feuds, jealousies and petty arguments for the greater good. There is talent there as our club sides have won All Irelands in both codes but there is a mental block and too much personal stuff going on at county level. There have been some stories of club players on county panels ignoring other fellas and not passing to them etc so that's what you are up against. Yes we have suffered a lot from the conflict and it has left a legacy especially in places like North Belfast where soccer is now the Number 1 sport by a long, long distance and the GAA is losing out massively. Ardoyne and St. Endas have had several members murdered over the years and some parents were reluctant to let their kids play the games. I also don't believe that Croke Park or the Ulster Council have done enough in these places to support or encourage Gaelic Games and when one compares what has been done in Dublin you have to say that's a disgrace. I don't see any light or change soon to be honest.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9840 - 11/05/2013 19:45:02    1382258

I'd like to know what the county board is doing with the money we do get because it sure isn't going into youth development. We have proved in Antrim that we can produce great under 12 and under 14 club teams judging by the honours won at all Ireland tournaments down the years. Yet when it comes to county level our underage teams get roasted far too often. There is a missing link between club and county in Antrim and speaking to some players who walked away from county competition they all point at the county board's lack of support or interest as the main reason.

Topa_the_left (Antrim) - Posts: 250 - 11/05/2013 20:24:58    1382271

Capable of upsetting anyone on their day especially in casement but again this year more country players have fallen off the panel. There has and seems to always be a massive disconnect between Belfast and the county teams . Same in hurling. This does nothing but to cause disharmony and discontentment within the camps and serves Antrim GAA no good. Until this problem is solved Antrim will not contend, considering loughguile , Dunloy , st galls, cargin etc have all such proud club histories this is a shame. As for our unionist brethren , hopefully at some stage in the future they will see what a fantastic organisation the gaa is and we can attract more members. It would certainly more productive than waving a flag and beating a drum through the likes of the short strand and Dunloy, no modern and progressive society should have to experience such nonesense. It'll be a long aul winding road, but wan day we'll get there.

johnjoseph (Derry) - Posts: 158 - 12/05/2013 11:46:06    1382387

I was at a qualifier in casement park a couple of years ago and the hurlers were playing after, nearly all the football fans left after the first match and a totally new set of supporters arrived for the hurling. There seemed to be little or no interest from the fans in the other sport, more so than I have seen anywhere else

Bal1991 (Westmeath) - Posts: 95 - 12/05/2013 13:13:26    1382439

A strange county and one i know well. The divide between rural and urban that has been spoken about above is prevalent and very much to the fore. Antrim are very much the anomaly in the GAA as they are probably the only county with a huge population that are relatively weak at both codes at county level. Granted in the region of 50% of the population wouldn't consider playing the sports but as a realistic pick i'd be surprised (open to correction here) if Antrim (football) didn't have the largest player base to choose from in Ulster. Hurling is different it must be said as the participation levels appear to be mainly from the Glens and a few urban areas.

Its hard to see how a change could be manufactured. Maybe a new stadium could galvinise the county.

seany16 (Dublin) - Posts: 1663 - 12/05/2013 13:29:02    1382446

So Ulsterman. You say it is a disgrace that Croke Park and the Ulster Council is not doing enough in one sentence and in anothere sentence you say it is a waste of time reaching out to the Unionist Community and to put that one to bed. Thankfully both sides kept the the hand reached out during the peace process nothing is impossible where a little good will is encouraged

dubarra (Wicklow) - Posts: 541 - 12/05/2013 14:00:10    1382469

Dubarra with respect I think I know Antrim and the Northern situation a lot better than you and I know what has been done to reach out to others so please no patronising lectures if you haven't lived in and experienced it. The GAA has, and continues, to reach out to the Unionist tradition and there is a small element within Unionism who are open to that but the fact is that MOST Unionists want nothing to do with the GAA; that is an indisputable fact and a by product of our history. I agree that we should always keep our minds, and doors, open but pretending or hoping that the Unionist community is a potential sea of players is just frankly ridiculous; it's not going to happen.
Belfast, the surrounding urban area and rursl Antrim, have the second biggest population within the GAA and I would love to know how much has been put into Belfast and Antrim by the GAA compared to the likes of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick etc over the years. I live in North Belfast and see 100's of young people every week going to soccer games with their kits and I am lucky if I see a dozen Gaels doing likewise. While there are some good local people putting a lot of time into the GAA the battle with soccer has been lost and that's why I believe that Croke Park and the Ulster Council have serious questions to answer on their failings within Belfast and Antrim. I also believe that some within the GAA outside Ulster literally buried their heads and abandoned Northern Gaels to their own fate during the conflict but that's a different discussion and I reckon the HS mods wouldn't allow it.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9840 - 12/05/2013 15:23:01    1382500

Belfast, the surrounding urban area and rursl Antrim, have the second biggest population within the GAA and I would love to know how much has been put into Belfast and Antrim by the GAA compared to the likes of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick etc over the years. I live in North Belfast and see 100's of young people every week going to soccer games with their kits and I am lucky if I see a dozen Gaels doing likewise. While there are some good local people putting a lot of time into the GAA the battle with soccer has been lost and that's why I believe that Croke Park and the Ulster Council have serious questions to answer on their failings within Belfast and Antrim. I also believe that some within the GAA outside Ulster literally buried their heads and abandoned Northern Gaels to their own fate during the conflict but that's a different discussion and I reckon the HS mods wouldn't allow it.

Totally disagree. Thats actually a patronizing position to hold in reference to your fellow Antrim GAA folk. It alludes to the idea they are clueless and powerless. To lay all the blame on Ulster and Croke Park and none on Antrim itself, how about getting your own house in order before pointing the finger. The troubles had a huge effect on all of the 6 counties, there's no doubting that. But to somehow adjust that to be a factor in Antrims failings alone is ridiculous. Down, Derry, Armagh and Tyrone all won All Irelands in the last 20/30 years? Some of those counties have flourished post troubles, Antrim hasn't......Why?

seany16 (Dublin) - Posts: 1663 - 12/05/2013 16:20:43    1382540

Seany, do yourself a favour and read posts before replying to what you assume has been wrtten. As teachers say before exams; read and answer what is asked for and not what you think was asked. I did NOT pin ALL Antrim's ills on the Ulster Council, Croke Park OR the conflict. I have already stated on this thread that many of Antrim's problems are self inflicted BUT that these other elements are small contributing factors as well. FACT; Belfast, particularly North Belfast, has more cheek by jowl interfaces and sectarian divisions than anywhere else in Western Europe AND that did have an effect on the GAA in the city where some clubs like Ardoyne, St. Enda's and Pearses had numerous memebers killed; the GAA and potential players HAVE been affected by the conflict. FACT; there has been a lack of resources put into Antrim and Belfast by the GAA compared to other major Irish urban areas like Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick etc; release the figures. FACT; Belfast bore the brunt of sectarian killings compared to other parts of the 6 counties and Nationalists there didn't have the rallying focus of local GAA clubs unlike rural parts of the North where Gaels probably bonded around the Gaelic club during the conflict and that's why they are stronger now. These are not excuses just facts and statistics.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9840 - 12/05/2013 16:53:59    1382562