Association President Criostóir Ó Cuana has called on members everywhere to engage with their local clubs next Sunday.

Clubs have been encouraged to celebrate the GAA’s century and a quarter anniversary by organising events within their communities which underline their importance to their respective areas.

A variety of different initiatives have been organised by units with a special emphasis on games, culture and community on a day when no club fixtures have been scheduled.

The GAA President, who is a Youghal clubman, joined forces with Ard Stiúrthoir Páraic Duffy and Iar-Uachtarán Nioclás Ó Braonáin to shine a light on their own club allegiances and he urged members everywhere to make a special effort to ensure that Sunday is a memorable day that places our clubs – some of whom are also celebrating their 125th anniversaries – at the heart of the Association’s 125 calendar.

He said: “Our home club is where it begins for us all and for that reason it occupies a special place in us all. It’s where we are first introduced to the games and it very quickly assumes a badge of identity that in many cases comes second only to our family allegiances.

“Sunday is all about highlighting the incredible work that our clubs do in every community in Ireland and re-affirming the place of the club at the very heart of the organisation.

“Some of our older club units are also celebrating their 125th anniversaries, which is testament to the massive and long standing contributions that they make to the fabric of the communities they interact with and serve so well.

“I acknowledge the superb work overseen by our volunteers in clubs everywhere and hope that the GAA will be as well served by its members in the years ahead as it has been since its inception back in 1884.”

That legend that is handball ace , Paul Brady, has not surprisingly secured his place on the team which will represent Ireland at the World Handball Championships in Portland, Oregon next October. The Cavanman will also be in action in the Irish Open Doubles trials this weekend.

Brady pairs up with long-time partner, Michael Finnegan but will have to fend off some tough competition if the Breffni duo are to become Ireland’s official Men’s Open Doubles team for the World Championships.

“We’re trying to respond after our recent loss in the All-Ireland Doubles Final and this will be a real test of character for us,” said Brady.
“We’re taking it one step at a time and getting through this weekend is our priority for now.”

The Cavan duo won the World title in 2003 but were defeated by Cork’s Tony Healy and Dublin’s Eoin Kennedy in the 2006 final. Kennedy and Healy are seeded one in the trials but with Healy carrying a leg injury which badly affected his performance last weekend, it is difficult to see the 2006 champions coming through these intense trials.

Mayo pairing, Dessie Keegan and Joseph McCann, who recently defeated Finnegan and Brady in the All-Ireland Senior Doubles Final, will also be among the top favourites but McCann has also been hampered by injury in recent weeks.

In the Ladies Open Doubles trials, there will be some exciting encounters as World Champion, Fiona Shannon and sister, Sibeal, go to battle with a talented field of new pairings. Antrim’s Aisling Reilly links up with Kerry’s Maria Daly in what looks to be the strongest opposition the sisters will meet, while Roscommon’s Marianna Rushe and Kildare’s Anna Wrynn will also provide a tough opposition for any pair.

The GAA are certainly going all out to celebrate their one and a quarter centuries of existence. Some weeks ago we had the incredible fireworks display at the start of the league campaign at Croke Park. No harm in that, but one must ask the question about the cost of all this and the possibility of funds being literally burned that could be used to promote the under-age game.  As a tool to promote the game, the 125th Anniversary certainly helps put the spotlight on the Association in a year when other sports vie for the attention of the youth of Ireland. Rugby, in particular, is regarded as a big threat to the ability of the GAA to capture the best of the young talent. The incredible sucess of the Irish and Munster/Leinster teams in 2009 makes the task, especially in urban areas, all the more difficult.

It is fine to celebrate our GAA history as long as it not at the expense of the future of the code.

Nonetheless, continuing the 125th Anniversary celebrations, the GAA Museum and Sports History Ireland will host a one-day history conference in Croke Park on Saturday 25th April.  Leading social and sporting historians from Ireland and overseas will participate and explore the history of the GAA and its place within Irish society.

Saturday 25th April 2009

Speakers will discuss a range of topics including the ancient origins of hurling, the life of Michael Cusack, the GAA in Ulster and amongst the Irish diaspora, the GAA and politics, the GAA in film and photography, the GAA and the Irish language, the socio-economic background of players and the question of the GAA’s relationship to amateurism.

The conference will close with the launch of a collection of fourteen essays, The Gaelic Athletic Association, 1884-2009 (Irish Academic Press, 2009) by the President of the GAA, Christy Cooney.  The essays, published by Irish Academic Press, have been edited by Mike Cronin, William Murphy and Paul Rouse.

The conference has been organised by Sport History Ireland in conjunction with the GAA Museum in Croke Park and the GAA 125 Oral History Project, based in Boston College, Dublin.

Tickets are available to purchase from the GAA Museum in Croke Park - Adult €15, Student/Senior €10. Admission price includes tea/coffee at registration. Lunch not included.  Please note that booking is essential.

For more information and booking please contact -
Selina O’Regan
GAA Museum Education Officer
Tel – 01 819 2361 or Email – soregan@crokepark.ie
www.gaa.ie/museum

GAA 125 History Conference
Saturday 25th April 2009
Croke Park Conference Centre

09.30 – 10.00: Registration in the GAA Museum

10.00 – 11.15: Hurling in Medieval Ireland
A.B. Gleason (Princeton University)

Riotous proceedings and the cricket of savages: football and hurling in early modern Ireland

Eoin Kinsella (Royal Irish Academy)

Michael Cusack: Sportsman and Journalist
Paul Rouse (UCD)

Commentator - Cathal Mac Coille (RTE)

11.15 – 12.30: “The Greatest Amateur Association in the World”? The GAA and Amateurism

Dónal McAnallen (O Fiaich Library Armagh),

The GAA in Ulster
David Hassan (University of Ulster)

Gaelic Games and the Irish Diaspora in the United States
Paul Darby (University of Ulster)

Commentator - TBC

12.30 – 13.30: Lunch

13.30 – 14.30:The Camera and the Gael: the Early Photography of the GAA, 1884-1914 Mark Duncan (Boston College-Ireland)

Gaelic games and ‘the movies’
Seán Crosson (NUI Galway)

Commentator - Stuart Ward (Visiting Professor of Australian Studies, UCD)

14.30 – 15.45 The GAA and the Irish Language
Brian Ó Conchubhair (Notre Dame University)

The GAA during the Irish Revolution, 1913-23
William Murphy (Mater Dei)

The GAA: Social Structure and Associated Clubs
Tom Hunt (Mullingar)

Commentator - TBC

15.45 – 16.00: Break

16.00 – 16.45: Roundtable Discussion - The GAA and Irish History
Mike Cronin (Boston College-Ireland)

Richard Holt (International Centre for Sports History, DMU)
Gearóid Ó Tuaithaigh (NUI Galway)
Mary Corcoran (NUI Maynooth)
William Nolan (UCD)

17.00: Concluding remarks and book launch by President of the GAA, Christy Cooney.

Mike Cronin, William Murphy and Paul Rouse (eds.), The Gaelic Athletic Association, 1884-2009 (Irish Academic Press)

Personally, I disliked the yellow card rule and effective full match sin-bin for the offender with a player from the subs bench replacing him. It left referees in an invidious position in perhaps having to make a big call in banishing a star player early in the game. It also gave opportunity to those who practice such behaviour to provoke a star player into retaliation at the early stages of a match.  Instead of looking for a way of solving discipline problems through punishment measures, the GAA should be looking again at the tackle in football with a view to altering it and defining it more clearly so that referees can more uniformly implement a fair regime of supervision.

At the Annual Congress, new President Christy Cooney took over the reins for the next three years from Nicky Brennan who exits the stage without an achievement worthy of mention. Let us all hope that Cooney can provide effective leadership and visionary strategies during his term.

Interviewed afterwards, Brennan indicated that the biggest disappointment of his tenure was not sorting out the GPA problem and “bringing them inside the organization rather than they working outside it”.  Well, in that situation Nicky, it was a case of you having the key and refusing to open the door with it!  Do not apportion blame to all but yourself. You missed a golden opportunity to reform the whole pay issue with your “dig your heels in” stubborn attitude.

You ride into the sunset without kicking up any dust!

After a few months break from the game, due to the birth of his first child, Cork’s Tony Healy returns to competitive action this weekend where he chases a fourth consecutive Men’s Open crown. Irish handball has never had it as good in the international arena and, with Cavan’s Paul Brady and Healy world number one and two at present, some fierce on-court action can be expected in Ulster this weekend.

Since Brady’s loss at the US Open of Handball in Los Angeles last October, the Mullahoran man has cruised to his fifth successive All-Ireland title without coming close to dropping a game in the entire campaign. Few would bet against Brady in this weekend’s field, especially with the added incentive of a trip to Portland in October for the World Championships on the official Irish team up for grabs.

“It’s a big year with the World’s but the US Nationals are important to me this year, especially as they are in LA, the scene of my last loss. These are both are huge goals for me,” commented Brady.

The Irish Nationals provides a prominent stage for the country’s top players, from underage level up to Masters level, to showcase their skills, while bidding to capture one of the eighteen titles on offer.

Action gets underway on Friday around the province, with finals taking place in Kingscourt (Cavan) on Sunday. There is an added element of excitement to this year’s tournament with the WPH (We Play Handball) flying in from the USA to webcast the event all over the world.

I suppose it is hard to compare any Presidency with the reforming, no bullshit tenure of the previous incumbent, Sean Kelly, who gave the staid image and complex decision-making regime of the GAA a kick in the arse into the 21st century by zealously pushing through reforms that changed forever the face of the GAA in the most positive way.

Kelly was always going to be a hard act to follow in fairness, but what we got was the ultra-conservative Brennan, a complete contrast to Kelly.  His mission for his period in office, he declared at the outset, was to sort out displine on the field of play.  What a lofty ambition for his three-year term?  As the Bob Geldof autobiography stated “Is that it?”. Was there not more pressing problems in the GAA that needed attention along with discipline ones?   Well not so, it seems. Brennan proceeded to engage in a Cover Your Arse presidency from there onwards with the only discipline reforms being the farcical yellow card/subsitute trial during the current League campaign which ended this weekend and look certain to sent to the dustbin where they belong at next weekends Annual Congress.

It is well known that he tirelessly travelled the country and worked the various rooms in promoting the GAA and, more importantly, himself.  He didn’t earn the moniker “Network Nicky” for nothing.  Brennan is viewing has a bigger picture down the road. After a three-year sabattical from Glanbia, he will return there after next week but watch out for his profile rising in political circles in the next few years. Nicky has ambitions beyond that of the IT department of Glanbia and avoiding any controversy as President of the GAA was the priority in his tenure at the top in order to achieve them.

He suceeded in that for sure.  No dishes were broken on his watch, but then no dishes were cleaned either.  He shamefully stayed out of the Cork hurling debacle when it was an issue that went to the very heart of the GAA structure. Nicky dodged the bullets with some aplomb - a trait that is very useful in politics as will have been noted by party scouts.

The Dail is of course a place where the talents of Nicky belong.  CYA is a mandatory asset there and the ability to say a lot of horseshit but actually do nothing suits him perfectly, for that is what happens in the Dail. Like the dull, monotone character he is, he will fit into the anonyomous backbencher wallpaper so well.

No, Nicky, you will not be missed. You will not be remembered for any achievement other than your own profile enhancement. Your picture will hang in the boardrooms and the museum of Croke Park, but anybody scanning the list of past presidents will quickly skip by your one. In years to come, you may be remembered for not being remembered. A trivia question in a pub quiz, perhaps.

A word of advice for the political game. Do something you never done when you were in the top job in the GAA - smile. You never did it while you were President, but when you are kissing babies for photo-shoots you’ll have to do it!

The aim of the strategy is to offer an inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone to participate in our games and in our culture.

GAA President Nickey Brennan stressed the significance of the event and the strategy itself at what was one of the last public appearances of his three-year tenure.

He said: “Initiatives such as this are of utmost importance and this topic was one of the 11 we highlighted in our Strategic, Vision and Action Plan which we unveiled last November.

“Sport and the cultural offshoots of our association provide a perfect vehicle for us to welcome those who might not be familiar with our games and past times allowing them to integrate with those who are already immersed in these activities, especially at a young age. Sport has a huge role to play in tackling barriers and divisions.

“While we may sometimes take the association, our games and the influence they have on wider society for granted, we should remember that there may be a demystifying and educational process required to allow those from non-traditional GAA backgrounds to access our games and activities to the full.

“The aim of this strategy has to be to encourage people of all ages, abilities, ethnicities, nationalities and religious backgrounds, living in Ireland, to feel comfortable enough to get involved with the GAA and that’s the goal we will be working towards through this strategy.”

Also in attendance for today’s strategy launch were Helen O’Rourke, Ard Stiúrthóir of Ladies Gaelic Football and Joan O’Flynn, President of the Camogie Association.

Both associations lent their support to an initiative that they hope will lead to a more open and inclusive association – one that can have a positive influence on wider society.

Pat Quill President of Ladies Gaelic Football said, “The ethnic diversity of modern Ireland presents so many opportunities for our country and sporting organisations. The wider GAA family must welcome non-Irish nationals with open arms and we need to examine all measures to ensure this process continues apace so that our sport continues to be representative of the whole country.”

Joan O’Flynn added: “For the Camogie Association, the Inclusion and Integration Strategy is a statement of intent of our commitment to reach out and promote the positive inclusion of groups who may be under-represented amongst our players, membership and supporters and to identify and work to overcome barriers that may inhibit some groups from getting involved in Camogie either as players, members or supporters.”

The strategy was devised by a ten-person committee after consultation with a number of interested and relevant external parties.

The meeting of the current big alley and small court greats caused quite a stir in the handball fraternity, leading to a sell-out crowd at the Connacht venue. Brady was in devastating form over the two games, demonstrating a varying array of shots and all with clinical finishing, as he powered to a 21-10 win in the first. In the second game, the Dubliner had no answers for the Breffni man as pushed into top gear to finish 21-4 to take his sixth senior singles title.

“I’m delighted with the win,” said dual star, Brady, who is also a member of the Cavan senior football panel.

“It was always going to be tough against Eoin and I’m just relieved to have come through it.”

Brady, the current World number one, now moves a step closer to equaling the record of eight senior titles held by Kilkenny handball legend, Michael ‘Ducksy’ Walsh. Brady will return to the court on Saturday next where he partners Michael Finnegan against Wicklow’s Michael Gregan and Johnny Willoughby in the All-Ireland Senior Doubles Semi-Final.

Antrim’s Fiona Shannon also collected her eight All-Ireland Senior Singles title at the Roscommon venue when she defeated fellow Saffron, Aisling Reilly, on a 21-19, 21-11 scoreline in the Ladies Final. The first game provided a marathon of handball as Shannon served for game six times before eventually sealing the deal. Reilly pushed her St Paul’s clubmate in the second, but the current World Champion held firm to take her eight crown.

Meanwhile, in the All-Ireland Minor Final, Tyrone’s Caolan Daly and Meath’s Gary McConnell served up a thriller as the Ulsterman took a 21-20, 21-15 victory to take his first All-Ireland title. The Royal County man had chances in the first but Daly was resilient and finished out the game in style.

GAA 40×20 ALL-IRELAND HANDBALL FINALS
C Daly (Tyrone) df G McConnell (Meath) 21-20, 21-15
F Shannon (Antrim) df A Reilly (Shannon) 21-19, 21-11
P Brady (Cavan) df E Kennedy (Dublin) 21-10, 21-4

The stage is finally set for this weekend’s sellout GAA 40×20 Handball Finals which sees Cavan’s Paul Brady bidding for his fifth consecutive title as he takes on Dublin’s Eoin Kennedy at St Coman’s, Roscommon.

The defending champion overpowered Armagh’s Charly Shanks 21-11, 21-4 in last weekend’s semi-final meeting. The Mullahoran man dominated the second game as his Orchard County opponent was forced to look on in awe. Meanwhile Kennedy, the 2008 60×30 champion, defeated Wicklow ace, Michael Gregan 21-14, 21-18. Kennedy opened the game with intent but Gregan matched his clinical finishing, with the Dubliner just edging the second game.

Curtain raiser to the big event sees Tyrone Caolan Daly pitted against Meath’s Gary McConnell in the All-Ireland Minor final. Daly and McConnell, the 2008 Minor champion, last met at the US Juniors in Vancouver, Washington in December where Daly took a tiebreaker victory over the Royal County man.

The second game on the programme sees Antrim’s Fiona Shannon and Aisling Reilly fight it out for the most coveted Ladies title in the 40×20 code. Shannon is aiming for an incredible eighth All-Ireland Senior title when she takes on her long-time friend and playing partner, Reilly next week. At the Irish Nationals in 2008, the rising young star defeated Shannon for the first time in her competitive career. At 19, she is one of the bright lights of the future in Irish handball and this meeting will be as exciting the last. Shannon will not give up her crown without a fight, and it’s certain that an awesome battle is in store.

The Senior Men’s Final is one of the most keenly awaited in years and Brady has dominated this particular championship since the turn of the century. Kennedy is a supreme athlete and playing at the top of his game, he will certainly provide a tough test for the Breffni man.

“I’m just going to concentrate on what I have to do to this Saturday; everything that happened in the past is irrelevant and I just want to get the result,” said Brady. Tickets are already sold out for the finals and as the current 40×20 and 60×30 champions meet, tactics will play an important role in the outcome.

Following an exciting weekend of GAA 40×20 Handball Championship action, only four players remain in the race for 2009 senior title honours.

Defending champion, Cavan’s Paul Brady, recorded a comprehensive win over Kerry’s Dominick Lynch at Abbeylara (Longford) yesterday. Brady, the current World and US champion, put in a determined performance, despite the best efforts of the Kingdom man, to take the match in two straight games.

Also at the Midlands venue, Mayo kingpin, Dessie Keegan went down to Wicklow ace, Michael Gregan in a thrilling match over three games. Keegan took the first 21-12 but Gregan battled back and had just enough in the reserves tank to take the third 21-8.

On Saturday at Kingscourt (Cavan), Dublin’s Eoin Kennedy defeated Meath young-gun, Brian Carroll in two straight games. Carroll put in a tough challenge in the opening game and notched 13 aces before the Dubliner hit 21. However, Kennedy, who is seeded number three in the championship, pushed into overdrive in the second to take the game 21-5.

Also in action at the Cavan venue was number four seed, Armagh’s Charly Shanks, who edged out former Wexford hurler, Gavin Buggy in a 21-4 tiebreaker finish. Buggy upset the script with a Round of 16 victory over Westmeath’s Robbie McCarthy two weeks ago, and looked like causing another championship surprise on Saturday when he took the second game 21-14. However, Shanks battled back and turned in a top performance in the third to take victory.

Now, only four handball aces remain with two exciting semi-finals in store in a fortnight’s time where Brady takes on Shanks and Kennedy meets Gregan.