Letters to the Editor: GAA needs to outlaw back-hand passing
'A look back at the league final of 2013 between Dublin and Tyrone, broadcast on TG4 on March 29 this year, will instantly reveal the appalling falling off of the standard of Gaelic football in 2025.' Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
A look back at the league final of 2013 between Dublin and Tyrone, broadcast on TG4 on March 29 this year, will instantly reveal the appalling falling off of the standard of Gaelic football in 2025.
The thrilling speed of forward movement at all times, exhibiting precision kick-passing by both teams in 2013, contrasts with the soccer-influenced pattern of the modern hand-passing obsessed, dreary tactical possession game â as demonstrated, for example, between Monaghan and Roscommon on the same night on TG4 â leaves absolutely no doubt that the game is in its unwatchable death throes.
The much ballyhooed new rules have made no difference whatsoever. The introduction of a myriad series of tweaks have added to the confusion, which the referees canât cope with.
There is but one solution, and that is to outlaw any kind of backward hand passing completely.
Reintroduce the kicking game in all its glory, and pray that the totally disenchanted public will somehow have their interest rekindled. Otherwise, itâs Gaelic football RIP.
The faux indignation emanating from the three Government groups â particularly Fine Gael â with respect to the oppositionâs approach to the ceann comhairle is nothing short of galling.
Back in 2007, newly appointed ceann comhairle, John OâDonoghue, was attempting to implement DĂĄil standing orders when Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny stood smirking and interrupting him as attempted to speak. Then, to the chortles and guffaws of his Fine Gael colleagues, he proceeded to tell the ceann comhairle to be quiet. A video of the incident is available online.
As such, it is hugely ironic to see Fine Gael now up in arms at the oppositionâs treatment of the chair â something that seems to be lost on them in the midst of their bizarre attempt to have the Regional group speaking from both sides of the house.
Even more ironic is the fact that during that particular incident, Enda Kenny was quizzing Bertie Ahern about what Jackie Healy-Rae had gotten for his support of the government.
Although its origin is unknown, the earliest reference associating April 1 with foolish behaviour is in The Canterbury Tales, written by Geoffrey Chaucer in 1392.
One of the best ever April Foolsâ Day jokes was the infamous BBC report in 1957 about the spaghetti harvest in Switzerland. The report, believed to be one of the first televised April Foolsâ Day pranks, informed a gullible British public that the mild spring had resulted in such a bumper harvest that the spaghetti trees were laden down with spaghetti. One of the most trustworthy news organisations in Britain managed to trick their viewers into believing that spaghetti really did grow on trees.
Some viewers failed to see the funny side and criticised the BBC for airing the item on what was supposed to be a serious factual programme. Others, however, were so intrigued that they wanted to find out where they could purchase their very own spaghetti tree.
In a world fraught with conflict, April Foolsâ Day brings a bit of light relief and amusement. Laughter is the best medicine, and an innocent prank can be enjoyed by everyone â even the victim!
April Foolsâ Day is a breath of fresh air and a reminder not to take ourselves too seriously.
But watch your back and keep your fingers to yourself on Tuesday, especially if youâll be in the DĂĄil!
On March 19, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) published its annual report for 2024. Its findings were stark.
It indicates âclear signs of human-induced climate change reached new heights in 2024â, with some of its frightening consequences being seen as âirreversible over hundreds, if not thousands of yearsâ.
A few short hours after the publication of this report, my daughter gave birth to a beautiful girl.
Amid the joy and the happiness of holding my first grandchild, my thoughts also turned to the WMO report and its longer-term implications for my granddaughter and others.
All of this is happening at a time when, here in Ireland, we decided in our recent election that we donât need a Green Party to keep our battle against climate change alive and effective. Here was a party that worked diligently on climate action, knowing that some of that action was highly unpopular.
It chose to continue, believing it to be the right thing to do. The parties that came into power show no evidence of awareness for urgent action, and the next election is four and a half years away.
A dream that has been going through my mind over the past few days is that of an Irish president who has competence, dedication, and experience in tackling climate change in Ireland and beyond.
In the past, Ireland has earned a reputation for punching above its weight on a range of international issues. It could do so again if political parties would rally around a presidential candidate with a proven track record on climate action.
What a difference it could make.
Theresa Reidy, the political scientist at UCC, was quite correct to highlight the fact (Irish Examiner, March 26) that âIreland is unusual in not letting its citizens abroad have voting rightsâ.
She added that the situation is at odds with âmost other EU and world states who provide voting rights for their citizens who live outside the Stateâ.
Why should we be any different?
Emigration has always been a problem in Ireland, mainly caused by successive government failures.
During the 50s and the 80s, unemployment was a big problem. But during the past 20 years, Ireland has had plenty of work.
Emigration is still a big problem, with the country continuing to export a highly educated workforce for the most part, because many of these forced emigrants are just not able to get onto the housing ladder.
That has been their primary reason for getting out of Ireland, and I suppose there is little or no chance that any of the failed governments over the past 25 years will accept responsibility for having almost completely decimated a beautiful younger generation.
Many of these unfortunates would much prefer to be living and working in their home place rather than trying to secure a living in some godforsaken place, where they are quite often not fully appreciated.
It is indeed a scandalous state of affairs that some rural GAA clubs are now unable to field teams because a large number of their players have been forced to live where they do not want to be, with the housing situation so critical now in Ireland that it will take decades to fix.
Our Government should introduce a referendum which, if passed, would allow voting rights to Irish passport holders living abroad. After all, it is mainly the Governmentâs fault that many of them are not living in Ireland.
They should be afforded the same rights as some of us who are fortunate enough to be able to live at home.
The recent shenanigans in DĂĄil Ăireann prompts me to write. This weekend, I had the privilege of attending the Knights of St Columbanus Public Speaking All-Ireland final. Secondary school students in Transition Year and 5th year spoke passionately about a diverse range of topics: The scourge and indignity of human trafficking for the victims, even in an Irish context; the need for peace, dialogue, and resolution in a world warped by war; as well as the so-called millennial saint blessed Carlo Acutis and how his life and message continues to speak to young people today. The defining feature of the day was the respect shown by each team to the other â especially when speaking â and the way in which an atmosphere of mutual understanding and tolerance for difference of opinion was demonstrated, even when competing teams spoke on the same topic. This stands in marked contrast to the deplorable behaviour of so many elected representatives speaking in DĂĄil Ăireann since the resumption of DĂĄil business. In this regard, they could learn a thing or two from our respectful and dignified young people. Finally, the motto of âour youth, our leadersâ has never been more appropriate.
