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What Now For Merger Of GAA Camogie And LGFA

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The resignation of Dr Mary McAleese underlines the suspicion of many here that a cross code merger would not happen soon.What is the next reasonable step to steer this much needed project back on track or has it been derailed completely by stakeholder actions. https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaa/a-slap-in-the-face-for-women-mary-mcaleese-slams-gaa-after-resignation-from-integration-steering-group/a/161168447.html Iveagh (Westmeath) - Posts: 29 - 08/09/2026 23:02:47 2693203 Link
Replying To Iveagh: "The resignation of Dr Mary McAleese underlines the suspicion of many here that a cross code merger would not happen soon.What is the next reasonable step to steer this much needed project back on track or has it been derailed completely by stakeholder actions. https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaa/a-slap-in-the-face-for-women-mary-mcaleese-slams-gaa-after-resignation-from-integration-steering-group/a/161168447.html" I guess it has proven to be more complicated, but what is surprising is the suggested reasons for hold up. It is fair to say a lot of clubs in Dublin and other counties have a single club membership for both make and females. It works at ground level, despite the messy separate county fixtures which ladies football and camogie just cannot get right. But apart from that the holdup seems to be at county level and I suspect some counties are further behind than others. Disappointing but maybe the media spotlight will increase pressure. arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4975 - 09/09/2026 08:48:44 2693209 Link
Replying To Iveagh: "The resignation of Dr Mary McAleese underlines the suspicion of many here that a cross code merger would not happen soon.What is the next reasonable step to steer this much needed project back on track or has it been derailed completely by stakeholder actions. https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaa/a-slap-in-the-face-for-women-mary-mcaleese-slams-gaa-after-resignation-from-integration-steering-group/a/161168447.html" She cut loose yesterday criticising the Gaa management but it's simply a business decision. The Gaa cannot be expected to subsidise Camogie and LGFA players in terms of expenses for inter county players at the same level as the men. The women's games don't generate 10% of the gate receipts and to expect the Gaa to fund them to the tune of €11m every year from now on is just ridiculous. If the adult ladies' players got 15% of the revenue that their games generate then there would be no problem. That's what the men get. Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2789 - 09/09/2026 09:15:02 2693211 Link
Replying To Claretandblue: "She cut loose yesterday criticising the Gaa management but it's simply a business decision. The Gaa cannot be expected to subsidise Camogie and LGFA players in terms of expenses for inter county players at the same level as the men. The women's games don't generate 10% of the gate receipts and to expect the Gaa to fund them to the tune of €11m every year from now on is just ridiculous. If the adult ladies' players got 15% of the revenue that their games generate then there would be no problem. That's what the men get." Currently how much does the GAA spend on expenses for inter county players for (a) Football & (b) Hurling ? How much does LGFA/ camogie associations spend on expenses for inter county players for (c) Football & (d) Camogie? Also not sure how this fits in to bigger picture of GAA budgets, how big of proportion of overall GAA expenses per year would this really entail. Genuinely wondering, I'd never thought of this angle before. GreenMan1987 (Meath) - Posts: 146 - 09/09/2026 10:45:20 2693224 Link
The former president also stated she suspects they don't want women making decisions at the top level. The truth is nine of the nineteen GAA committee members are women. yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 12257 - 09/09/2026 11:00:50 2693228 Link
Replying To yew_tree: "The former president also stated she suspects they don't want women making decisions at the top level. The truth is nine of the nineteen GAA committee members are women." I have a lot of respect for Mary McAleese, but I feel she has been unfair by making this an issue of misogyny and painting it as an old men trying to stop progress issue. Those type of allegations are easy to throw around, but very difficult to get rid of. Especially when coming from someone held in such high regard in the country. It paints a picture of people who are in the main volunteers giving up a lot of their time for the betterment of Irish society. I would severely doubt there's a single person at the top level in the GAA who hasn't worked to progress the integration efforts and who doesn't want it to happen. Anyone with their ear to the ground knew that this was going to take a lot longer than 2027. It absolutely will happen and I wish it would happen sooner. I can understand her frustration as she has a vision which might differ from that of the organisations themselves. What's interesting is that the heads of Camogie and LGFA haven't spoken out against the GAA at all, and have said they're working hard together to bring this forward. There are many issues to be resolved, including people's jobs. It's not something which can just be thrown together. You have to remember the LGFA and Camogie associations never had the will to integrate in the past, and that would have been even more straightforward. WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 3051 - 09/09/2026 11:28:48 2693238 Link
Replying To yew_tree: "The former president also stated she suspects they don't want women making decisions at the top level. The truth is nine of the nineteen GAA committee members are women." Even at club level nearly half our Executive are ladies. And have been since I was involved, although Executive members have changed every year theres always been around half. Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20659 - 09/09/2026 11:29:01 2693239 Link
Replying To yew_tree: "The former president also stated she suspects they don't want women making decisions at the top level. The truth is nine of the nineteen GAA committee members are women." And one of those female members of An Coiste Bainistí (the Management Committee) in Croke Park is herself the Chairperson of the largest GAA club in the country! Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 4007 - 09/09/2026 11:34:39 2693241 Link
Replying To arock: "I guess it has proven to be more complicated, but what is surprising is the suggested reasons for hold up. It is fair to say a lot of clubs in Dublin and other counties have a single club membership for both make and females. It works at ground level, despite the messy separate county fixtures which ladies football and camogie just cannot get right. But apart from that the holdup seems to be at county level and I suspect some counties are further behind than others. Disappointing but maybe the media spotlight will increase pressure." There's a big, big difference between a club operating a "One Club" model and a full integration of three Associations at all levels. And as somebody else alluded to above, many of the difficulties are financially-related, specifically with regard to levels of expectation for extra benefits for the Camogie & LGFA end of things after an integration, without there being any concrete proposals on how to generate extra revenue to pay for such things. It's a whole can of worms and I don't propose to go into it here. Let's just say it would make a book rather than a post on an internet forum! Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 4007 - 09/09/2026 11:42:56 2693244 Link
Replying To WanPintWin: "I have a lot of respect for Mary McAleese, but I feel she has been unfair by making this an issue of misogyny and painting it as an old men trying to stop progress issue. Those type of allegations are easy to throw around, but very difficult to get rid of. Especially when coming from someone held in such high regard in the country. It paints a picture of people who are in the main volunteers giving up a lot of their time for the betterment of Irish society. I would severely doubt there's a single person at the top level in the GAA who hasn't worked to progress the integration efforts and who doesn't want it to happen. Anyone with their ear to the ground knew that this was going to take a lot longer than 2027. It absolutely will happen and I wish it would happen sooner. I can understand her frustration as she has a vision which might differ from that of the organisations themselves. What's interesting is that the heads of Camogie and LGFA haven't spoken out against the GAA at all, and have said they're working hard together to bring this forward. There are many issues to be resolved, including people's jobs. It's not something which can just be thrown together. You have to remember the LGFA and Camogie associations never had the will to integrate in the past, and that would have been even more straightforward." Agree 100% with all you've said there. And on your last line - I've always maintained and will continue to maintain that surely the most obvious and logical first step is for Camogie Association and LGFA to integrate first. There are significant differences in how they handle even basic things like a Player Injury Scheme (Camogie doesn't even have one!) and mileage expenses for inter-county players. First step should surely be achieving parity between those two Associations, rather than the ideal of parity between all three. Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 4007 - 09/09/2026 11:49:10 2693246 Link
Replying To Viking66: "Even at club level nearly half our Executive are ladies. And have been since I was involved, although Executive members have changed every year theres always been around half." Agree however doesnt mean they have power necessarily mahbe they do but some cases cpuld be tp just tick the box. There is still issue grsnted we have come alongg way but there are still elements of women just do the secretary role and make the role fact Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 1340 - 09/09/2026 12:01:54 2693250 Link
Replying To Claretandblue: "She cut loose yesterday criticising the Gaa management but it's simply a business decision. The Gaa cannot be expected to subsidise Camogie and LGFA players in terms of expenses for inter county players at the same level as the men. The women's games don't generate 10% of the gate receipts and to expect the Gaa to fund them to the tune of €11m every year from now on is just ridiculous. If the adult ladies' players got 15% of the revenue that their games generate then there would be no problem. That's what the men get." Are you implying thats women players fault. Now most want it i agree however just say fiances as reaspn its more complicated Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 1340 - 09/09/2026 12:03:11 2693251 Link
Replying To Claretandblue: "She cut loose yesterday criticising the Gaa management but it's simply a business decision. The Gaa cannot be expected to subsidise Camogie and LGFA players in terms of expenses for inter county players at the same level as the men. The women's games don't generate 10% of the gate receipts and to expect the Gaa to fund them to the tune of €11m every year from now on is just ridiculous. If the adult ladies' players got 15% of the revenue that their games generate then there would be no problem. That's what the men get." Lgfa needs support to grow from their own but also pthers if thats how to small business grow without some supports at times. Yes fiances but its alsp an excuse to do nothing about it. Having wpmen on committees males them look could but clearly strategic plan mean nothing for the gaa Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 1340 - 09/09/2026 12:05:20 2693252 Link
In this case, maybe the solution is to stop kidding ourselves and just abandon the idea altogether. At least then we wouldn't be giving female players false hope. I'm sorry, and I know I'll probably get slated for saying it, but there is a perception that we need more fresh faces at the top table, rather than the same people who have been there for years with the same old attitudes and who seem to know how to deflect criticism when it comes their way. Maybe we should gi semi pro if based fiances we know men game ahrad but we can hekp and grow women's game. But ibtaught its amateur game at heart for all. Ye right, more and more are delusional Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 1340 - 09/09/2026 12:09:41 2693255 Link
Replying To Pikeman96: "And one of those female members of An Coiste Bainistí (the Management Committee) in Croke Park is herself the Chairperson of the largest GAA club in the country!" Thats great but its 2027 so women shoukd be greatful for just few historic things. I know fact working on committees there is attiude that women can go so far but dont question enough or are ousted . Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 1340 - 09/09/2026 12:15:37 2693256 Link
Wonder will any journos in the corporate media be brave enough to challenge her or will they as i predict obediently smile and nod at everything she says is some warped attempt to seem "progressive". Seniorleague (Galway) - Posts: 327 - 09/09/2026 12:20:14 2693258 Link
Replying To Gaaforlife2023: "Agree however doesnt mean they have power necessarily mahbe they do but some cases cpuld be tp just tick the box. There is still issue grsnted we have come alongg way but there are still elements of women just do the secretary role and make the role fact" Secretary is the 2nd most important and influential role after Chairperson at any club. Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20659 - 09/09/2026 13:19:42 2693272 Link
Replying To Gaaforlife2023: "Thats great but its 2027 so women shoukd be greatful for just few historic things. I know fact working on committees there is attiude that women can go so far but dont question enough or are ousted ." Not sure what your point is and obviously don't know what committees you've sat on or the attitudes of your colleagues there. Point I'm making is simply how easy it is to debunk McAleese's claim that people don't want women making decisions in the GAA. Nine of the nineteen members of An Coiste Bainistí in Croke Park (i.e. the most powerful committee in the Association) are women. One of them is Chairperson of the largest GAA club in the country (Kilmacud Crokes). Come to think of it, another is a former Chairperson of Cork County Board, obviously one of the largest county boards in the country. These women are well used to shaping and making key decisions in the GAA. They don't just sit quietly in the background and behave like good little girls, meekly nodding and agreeing with everything the men say and decide. Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 4007 - 09/09/2026 13:34:35 2693275 Link
Replying To Pikeman96: "Not sure what your point is and obviously don't know what committees you've sat on or the attitudes of your colleagues there. Point I'm making is simply how easy it is to debunk McAleese's claim that people don't want women making decisions in the GAA. Nine of the nineteen members of An Coiste Bainistí in Croke Park (i.e. the most powerful committee in the Association) are women. One of them is Chairperson of the largest GAA club in the country (Kilmacud Crokes). Come to think of it, another is a former Chairperson of Cork County Board, obviously one of the largest county boards in the country. These women are well used to shaping and making key decisions in the GAA. They don't just sit quietly in the background and behave like good little girls, meekly nodding and agreeing with everything the men say and decide." Norman foley I just heard lamented the gaa for its attitude towards women,and then two seconds later claimed the gaa would fall apart if women went on strike,thereby unintentionally admitting that women have been given plenty of leadership roles within the gaa. Pretty much completely contradicted herself in the same sentence. Woe betide the interviewer who points this out however. Seniorleague (Galway) - Posts: 327 - 09/09/2026 14:28:22 2693291 Link