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Lads I ve said it several times the balance has shifted the biggest clubs nowadays are on the outskirts of large urban areas . To the extent where there is a danger of them becoming superclubs
In last 25 years glynn martins shels last 10 years ballinstraw gaels Castletown, cushistown st annes last 5 years oylgate ballyhogue all have progressed to the detriment of urban clubs bar Naomh eanna .
All the above teams have grown numbers wise at underage to the point where they are dominating the top divisions in participation
Their numbers grow, towns teams numbers shrink.
If you have the numbers and good structures in place other stuff should fall into place and success should follow .
I m a former townie fir a reason I wanted to move to outside the town for better quality of life or so I thought .. like so many others dud and are now the backbone of rural clubs on outskirts and as land prices increas that get pushed that bit further from urbania
It's more demographics than any particular plan put in place by any particular club .
Population numbers may be large in towns but
Turning that into participation numbers with the changing cultural diaspora is not easy . Lack of gaa awareness , understanding and knowledge would nt help. Throw in community spirit and communication is spread thinly the interest has to be pushed on them .
Inevitably towns clubs have to try gather/entice the players where rural clubs have the benefit of players come to them easier for different reasons . That's just a fact I ve seen both sides .
Turning a multi cultural society with little knowledge or interest in gaa into a winning formula will get a huge challenge .
Those in how mad passionate we all are about our national games could seen as intimidating to these new Irish.
Formertownie (Wexford) - Posts: 393 - 11/08/2025 23:13:30
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Replying To Viking66: "But what help do you think they need and should be getting? They already have a GPO who I assume is in their National schools weekly like ours is. I'm not saying they shouldn't be helped neccessarily btw, only that it should be up to them to ask for it as they would have the best idea of what's needed." There is no simple solution with the changing diaspora of people . How do they get them to embrace gaa . If the gaa is truly wanting inclusion it will have to be a well thought out plan .
We struggle to get our own born and bred to play our national games . A lot of good gaa people have moved to outside town boundaries and are now involved with other clubs . This in itself causes problems for town teams as they lose people with whom they would have thought were future club stalwarts / coaches/ executive committee members and of course their future children too .
Leaving the old guard to plod on . That's the way it is
Every person moving to outside towns boosts satellite club numbers and are extremely hard to find replacements in town areas . Numbers falling of genuine gaa people in towns .
I don't have answers but I do feel sirry for the genuine people in these clubs struggling to keep them afloat .
Realistically no rural club will do much to help town clubs anyone that thinks so is delusional.
I did hear of the wex towns teams having a meeting and from what I can hear it was a box ticking exercise where lip service was paid and very little else .
Integration awareness and promotion of our games among the new Irish may be the way to go if we are serious that is a challenge for promoting our games . Can clubs alone do this i don't think so they need help from whoever is genuinely interested.
Formertownie (Wexford) - Posts: 393 - 12/08/2025 09:43:21
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Replying To Formertownie: "Lads I ve said it several times the balance has shifted the biggest clubs nowadays are on the outskirts of large urban areas . To the extent where there is a danger of them becoming superclubs
In last 25 years glynn martins shels last 10 years ballinstraw gaels Castletown, cushistown st annes last 5 years oylgate ballyhogue all have progressed to the detriment of urban clubs bar Naomh eanna .
All the above teams have grown numbers wise at underage to the point where they are dominating the top divisions in participation
Their numbers grow, towns teams numbers shrink.
If you have the numbers and good structures in place other stuff should fall into place and success should follow .
I m a former townie fir a reason I wanted to move to outside the town for better quality of life or so I thought .. like so many others dud and are now the backbone of rural clubs on outskirts and as land prices increas that get pushed that bit further from urbania
It's more demographics than any particular plan put in place by any particular club .
Population numbers may be large in towns but
Turning that into participation numbers with the changing cultural diaspora is not easy . Lack of gaa awareness , understanding and knowledge would nt help. Throw in community spirit and communication is spread thinly the interest has to be pushed on them .
Inevitably towns clubs have to try gather/entice the players where rural clubs have the benefit of players come to them easier for different reasons . That's just a fact I ve seen both sides .
Turning a multi cultural society with little knowledge or interest in gaa into a winning formula will get a huge challenge .
Those in how mad passionate we all are about our national games could seen as intimidating to these new Irish." Yes and no.
For example I'm not sure that the likes of oilgate, Ballyhougue and the Anne's are pulling players out from town teams at underage.
But definitely the changing demographics within towns is a factor and a huge one at that. It is something that may need a rethink in terms of how we as an organisation go about engaging and enticing these kids.
One thing that may help is we need to offer more than just the club. For example I was talking to the chairman of one kf the clubs you mentioned and he said how a simple thing such as having a new playground beside the pitch has helped. Kids are in the playground, they're in the pitch, they see activities happening, they want to be involved, one is pulling in to the other for example, the pitch is a hive of activity all day during holidays and when school is out he was saying.
But you're right, the shifting urban demographics is a big issue.
tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1550 - 12/08/2025 12:21:23
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Replying To tearintom: "Yes and no.
For example I'm not sure that the likes of oilgate, Ballyhougue and the Anne's are pulling players out from town teams at underage.
But definitely the changing demographics within towns is a factor and a huge one at that. It is something that may need a rethink in terms of how we as an organisation go about engaging and enticing these kids.
One thing that may help is we need to offer more than just the club. For example I was talking to the chairman of one kf the clubs you mentioned and he said how a simple thing such as having a new playground beside the pitch has helped. Kids are in the playground, they're in the pitch, they see activities happening, they want to be involved, one is pulling in to the other for example, the pitch is a hive of activity all day during holidays and when school is out he was saying.
But you're right, the shifting urban demographics is a big issue." Sorry misunderstanding I did nt mean oilgate ir annes coming lookingbfor towns players . It's to do with their community being the next affordable place to live or build . The population growth has built their numbers up .
Yes clubs on outskirts of town are exploiting the new estates which are part of town but in their catchment area . If anything the boundaries need to be expanded if towns clubs are to flourish. Or satellite clubs will grow to an extent it won't be good for either too few in towns too many to keep interest in satellite clubs . Already the numbers are huge in some of these clubs and hard tonkeep every child parent happy and by time they reach minor and u21 theres a huge drop off .
Just like in towns over the years .
Formertownie (Wexford) - Posts: 393 - 12/08/2025 13:30:10
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Replying To Formertownie: "Sorry misunderstanding I did nt mean oilgate ir annes coming lookingbfor towns players . It's to do with their community being the next affordable place to live or build . The population growth has built their numbers up .
Yes clubs on outskirts of town are exploiting the new estates which are part of town but in their catchment area . If anything the boundaries need to be expanded if towns clubs are to flourish. Or satellite clubs will grow to an extent it won't be good for either too few in towns too many to keep interest in satellite clubs . Already the numbers are huge in some of these clubs and hard tonkeep every child parent happy and by time they reach minor and u21 theres a huge drop off .
Just like in towns over the years ." Unfortunately Taghmon doesn't seem to be benefiting from inward migration......
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 16821 - 12/08/2025 14:28:08
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Replying To Formertownie: "Sorry misunderstanding I did nt mean oilgate ir annes coming lookingbfor towns players . It's to do with their community being the next affordable place to live or build . The population growth has built their numbers up .
Yes clubs on outskirts of town are exploiting the new estates which are part of town but in their catchment area . If anything the boundaries need to be expanded if towns clubs are to flourish. Or satellite clubs will grow to an extent it won't be good for either too few in towns too many to keep interest in satellite clubs . Already the numbers are huge in some of these clubs and hard tonkeep every child parent happy and by time they reach minor and u21 theres a huge drop off .
Just like in towns over the years ." However you look at some of the clubs you mentioned and they also struggle to make any inroads into some of the housing estates they have in their locality. Yes they benefit from some movement but the vast majority of that movement had no GAA involvement to begin and those clubs are still backboned by families that have existed there for years. However I think what we all agree is that in urban areas or estates the GAA has failed to make an impact in the way it should. For families that never were involved with the GAA and you would have to say the majority are in the towns, how do the GAA get kids involved. The GAA has no international profile, there are three different organizations running men's and women's and in particular for Hurling its seen as Expensive and Unsafe. One d=big disadvantage we have in Wexford is that we always seem to want to push Hurling first, the reality is if you go to an non GAA family and put Hurling as the No1 they will run a mile. The GAA pundits have done nothing to help in this regard when they glorify the manly stuff either. Hurling is not that dangerous to those involved but from the outside a parent would think its too dangerous. My view would be then, lead with Football and try and get kids to the pitch, try and get the parents there with Football, if they are involved there is a chance they will try Hurling but leading with it is a disaster. Lads will get upset over a statement like that but look at the towns and their performance in Hurling over the years. Wexford Town has gone backwards, Harriers not able to field an U21 team says a lot about the problems. No joined up strategy between the Football and Harriers on youth, the Starlights/Raps and Gorey do a much better job even if they have the towns to themselves. There is a lot of denial of reality in the GAA in Wexford and perhaps the GAA nationally. More that ever they have to again think how to change to be more relevant to people who do not come from traditional GAA families.
zinny (Wexford) - Posts: 2038 - 12/08/2025 15:46:14
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Replying To Viking66: "Unfortunately Taghmon doesn't seem to be benefiting from inward migration......" Well now in fairness, is that surprising?
countyman2022 (Wexford) - Posts: 874 - 12/08/2025 16:23:57
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Replying To countyman2022: "Well now in fairness, is that surprising?" :-D
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 16821 - 12/08/2025 17:39:49
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Replying To zinny: "However you look at some of the clubs you mentioned and they also struggle to make any inroads into some of the housing estates they have in their locality. Yes they benefit from some movement but the vast majority of that movement had no GAA involvement to begin and those clubs are still backboned by families that have existed there for years. However I think what we all agree is that in urban areas or estates the GAA has failed to make an impact in the way it should. For families that never were involved with the GAA and you would have to say the majority are in the towns, how do the GAA get kids involved. The GAA has no international profile, there are three different organizations running men's and women's and in particular for Hurling its seen as Expensive and Unsafe. One d=big disadvantage we have in Wexford is that we always seem to want to push Hurling first, the reality is if you go to an non GAA family and put Hurling as the No1 they will run a mile. The GAA pundits have done nothing to help in this regard when they glorify the manly stuff either. Hurling is not that dangerous to those involved but from the outside a parent would think its too dangerous. My view would be then, lead with Football and try and get kids to the pitch, try and get the parents there with Football, if they are involved there is a chance they will try Hurling but leading with it is a disaster. Lads will get upset over a statement like that but look at the towns and their performance in Hurling over the years. Wexford Town has gone backwards, Harriers not able to field an U21 team says a lot about the problems. No joined up strategy between the Football and Harriers on youth, the Starlights/Raps and Gorey do a much better job even if they have the towns to themselves. There is a lot of denial of reality in the GAA in Wexford and perhaps the GAA nationally. More that ever they have to again think how to change to be more relevant to people who do not come from traditional GAA families." In fairness the games of hurling and football are both excellent games to play by anyone in the worlds standards. Trick is trying to get young lads in through the door in the 1st place. This has to happen in the National Schools. Get a few lads in and hopefully peer pressure will help also. If you got a good few in one year hopefully the following years class would follow. Having NS Principles like Willie Cleary and Michael Martin obviously helps, as does having current players teaching in National Schools.
Maybe pre Schools could be encouraged to start the ball rolling?
Problem is if you have a NS Principle with very little interest even if you have teachers that do they might not be facilitated, and will eventually give up spreading the gospel.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 16821 - 12/08/2025 18:12:17
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Replying To Viking66: "In fairness the games of hurling and football are both excellent games to play by anyone in the worlds standards. Trick is trying to get young lads in through the door in the 1st place. This has to happen in the National Schools. Get a few lads in and hopefully peer pressure will help also. If you got a good few in one year hopefully the following years class would follow. Having NS Principles like Willie Cleary and Michael Martin obviously helps, as does having current players teaching in National Schools.
Maybe pre Schools could be encouraged to start the ball rolling?
Problem is if you have a NS Principle with very little interest even if you have teachers that do they might not be facilitated, and will eventually give up spreading the gospel." Yes but you are not going to get kids who have no background in the GAA to even look at Hurling in these schools and that is from speaking to people who are trying to do it. Football is the easy sell, get that right first and then once they are involved hopefully by osmosis they get involved. However for a lot of families Hurling is an expensive sport to be involved in and the GAA in general is. Clubs need to look at providing kit, gumshields, helmets, hurls for these kids. A lot of money is being spent on facilities and we ignore the intake. You then have the issue of if the family has a boy and girl they could have three different clubs they need to join, and sometimes three different colors or kits. We need to look at the barriers to entry as I believe most young kids want to play some sport even if their parents don't show much interest.
zinny (Wexford) - Posts: 2038 - 12/08/2025 20:15:00
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Replying To Viking66: "How is it a blot on the copy book of Wexford GAA? What are the rest of us supposed to do? I'd know a few members of that club, they are good people, but I don't see how any of the rest of us that don't really know the problems they are facing can tell them how to solve them." So do nothing? GAA in the town has been allowed to die already with that attitude. I've said it here before but the county board needs to step in and treat the town as a project in itself. It can't get any worse let's be honest. If it means disbanding GOH and starting with a new club then so be it. The alternative of completely writing off a town with ~9k people in it is unacceptable.
Timbertony (Wexford) - Posts: 443 - 12/08/2025 22:50:04
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Replying To Viking66: "In fairness the games of hurling and football are both excellent games to play by anyone in the worlds standards. Trick is trying to get young lads in through the door in the 1st place. This has to happen in the National Schools. Get a few lads in and hopefully peer pressure will help also. If you got a good few in one year hopefully the following years class would follow. Having NS Principles like Willie Cleary and Michael Martin obviously helps, as does having current players teaching in National Schools.
Maybe pre Schools could be encouraged to start the ball rolling?
Problem is if you have a NS Principle with very little interest even if you have teachers that do they might not be facilitated, and will eventually give up spreading the gospel." I don't know what it's like in Wexford but a male teacher in a primary school is a rarity in Wicklow, unfortunately.
Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1805 - 13/08/2025 09:22:59
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Replying To zinny: "Yes but you are not going to get kids who have no background in the GAA to even look at Hurling in these schools and that is from speaking to people who are trying to do it. Football is the easy sell, get that right first and then once they are involved hopefully by osmosis they get involved. However for a lot of families Hurling is an expensive sport to be involved in and the GAA in general is. Clubs need to look at providing kit, gumshields, helmets, hurls for these kids. A lot of money is being spent on facilities and we ignore the intake. You then have the issue of if the family has a boy and girl they could have three different clubs they need to join, and sometimes three different colors or kits. We need to look at the barriers to entry as I believe most young kids want to play some sport even if their parents don't show much interest." We provided equipment to both our National Schools last school year. We probably are reaping the benefits already this summer.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 16821 - 13/08/2025 14:04:52
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Replying To Timbertony: "So do nothing? GAA in the town has been allowed to die already with that attitude. I've said it here before but the county board needs to step in and treat the town as a project in itself. It can't get any worse let's be honest. If it means disbanding GOH and starting with a new club then so be it. The alternative of completely writing off a town with ~9k people in it is unacceptable." I'm not saying do nothing. I'm asking what should be done that's not already being done? And how do you think you go about "disbanding GOH and starting a new club instead"?
I've already gone over some of the issues they face, but the population thing is a bit of a red herring to start with. The people out of that 8700 living the other side of the river play with Tullogher-Rosbercon. Some of that population on the outskirts of Ross on the Wexford side send their kids to their nearest schools, which leads them to play for neighbouring clubs. Alot of the population in the centre of Ross is aging and don't have kids at school at all.
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 16821 - 13/08/2025 14:10:10
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Replying To Freethinker: "I don't know what it's like in Wexford but a male teacher in a primary school is a rarity in Wicklow, unfortunately." There aren't many down here either tbh
Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 16821 - 13/08/2025 15:03:34
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Predictions for the football championship over the weekend lads ?
Driveit_94 (USA) - Posts: 4 - 13/08/2025 16:07:06
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