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Zuckerberg Donates €150,000 To Three GAA Clubs Near Waterford Castle - 1 Like(s)
Replying To FullOfPorter: "Sports washing at its best. Soften up the locals, oldest trick in the book. Sure we have a long history of bending the knee to the man with the biggest wallet. Can't complain then about some of the carry on of their companies." Would these 3 clubs be big campaigners against Meta, otherwise? Is that the role of GAA clubs? To complain about the carry on of large US tech companies.
How are the clubs bending the knee? Are there some principles they're having to sacrifice as a result of getting this money?
They happen to be local to a castle bought by one of the richest men in the world. Apart from that, I'm not sure what you think they have to do now.
The money should come in handy. It's hard to find any wallet willing to open itself for the needs of GAA clubs.
WanPintWin (National) - 30/09/2026 13:26:37
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Monaghan GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To patk: "Must say I find it a bit disheartening to see the level of support for Banty returning here, and I think it's incredibly shortsighted too. I just see it as a huge step backwards.
He did some good work in his initial spell sure, but that was bringing up a team from the bottom and making them competitive - it's an entirely different proposition to take a team who have been relatively competitive like Monaghan for a while now, and taking them to the next level. I really don't see how Banty is the man for that - or Gallagher for that matter. As others have said, I think they would be completely found out with the new rules, they're relics of a different time. As I say, Banty did well in his first spell, but that's simply a different era of football at this stage.
Maybe I'll be proven wrong, and Banty is simply the face and he'll bring in some shrewd operators who are modern coaches and tacticians, and suited to the current ruleset. But if it's say Banty, Gallagher and McEntee - well my optimism for the near future of Monaghan football will plummet" I wouldn't worry, he will not be getting the job, despite the "links", he was "linked" to plenty of jobs over the years, Down, Donegal etc. and never got any of them because there was no truth in it. I believe there is support growing for
John McEntee who is assembling a backroom team currently.
sporto (National) - 30/09/2026 14:03:42
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Tiered Leinster SHC - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Viking66: "Basically the 2 counties with the most hurlers, Kilkenny and Galway, will likely be playing mostly in Group 1, while the other 2 Group 1 places will possibly vary a little year on year?
Isn't that something like what we have already? Or from a development point of view something worse than we have already? At least under the current format the 5th and 6th placed teams get to play Kilkenny and Galway every year. Carlow drew with Kilkenny only recently.
Under this new system most of the group 2 counties will hardly ever get to play Kilkenny or Galway." Yup, and again much the same point I made in my initial longer post outlining what I see as the issues with this thing.
You'd expect both Kilkenny and Galway in Group 1 in any given year after making the semi-finals the previous year, either by virtue of finishing in the top two in Group 1 that previous year, or winning a quarter-final against a Group 2 team if they'd had a "bad" year and only came third or fourth.
Even this year, with Kilkenny having a bad year and coming fourth, they'd still have been fancied in any quarter-final against any team below them (either ourselves, Kildare, or any of the Joe McDonagh Cup teams).
Barring a surprise somewhere along the way, you'd expect the other two teams in Group 1 to come from Dublin, Offaly, and ourselves. And that the third of them would end up claiming one of the top two spots in Group 2.
That means that the teams such as Kildare, Laois, Westmeath, Antrim, etc., that this new system would be supposed to help, are basically playing off in Group 2 for one spot for one of them to play a quarter-final. And if Kilkenny finish in top two every year, they'd never get the chance to play the Cats at all, unless they spring that surprise in the quarter-final. And even then, would only be a 50-50 chance of playing Kilkenny, as they could be in the other semi-final instead!
The more I think about it, the more obvious it becomes that this system would actually put playing at the highest level more out of reach of all those counties than it is now.
Pikeman96 (National) - 30/09/2026 14:04:17
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Wexford Club Hurling 2026 - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Viking66: "Buffers Alley also have good young lads coming. Whether thats enough to get either club established at Senior in the coming years is another question though.
Neither club has the numbers most of the established Senior clubs have. Rathnure and Fethard the exceptions. Oylegate, Oulart and St Annes, while having more than Fethard and Rathnure, wouldn't have large numbers compared to Martins, Shels, Barntown, Harriers, Gorey or Ferns either." Viking you keep coming back to numbers. That is only an easy excuse for failure. If Rathnure and Fethard can be successful as in one of the best hurling teams in Rathnure and dual Senior for Fethard then basically there is no excuses for any other club. There are many more reasons why teams are successful or unsuccessful other than numbers. I noticed on the minor clubber commentary only 4 Monageer boys up to the age and only 7 Glynn lads. If there success was number driven they would have way more up to the age. I dare to say they are two of the younger teams age wise in the top 2 Divisions.
Trump2 (National) - 30/09/2026 14:27:10
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Galway Football thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To ColmFlaherty: "I'm keeping track of who gets in the GBay TOTWs and most of them have definitely been featured more than once." Wouldnt worry about that as a metric to be honest.
Galway Bay always have their favourites, some lads get on that team by just togging out.
Ollie Turner and Johnny Higgins have a soft spot for the same individuals.
GalwaysFinest (National) - 30/09/2026 16:11:43
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Sunday Game - 1 Like(s)
Replying To GreenandRed: " Replying To WanPintWin: "[quote=GreenandRed: "[quote=WanPintWin: "[quote=Seniorleague: "[quote=Commodore: "I read somewhere (forget where tbh) that 30% of babies born in Ireland today have parents who were born outside the country and our liberal immigration policy means that number will only increase as the years go by.
Unless the GAA ,an organisation that leans heavily on tradition for recruitment, can somehow generate more interest among new demographs football nd hurling could very conceivably become minority sports within a generation or two.
Seniorleague (Galway) - Posts: 344 - 28/09/2026 19:10:25 2
I would be skeptical of that 30% figure, sounds very high, but regardless of where their parents were born, they will be exposed to GAA at primary school and at summer Cul camps etc. I actually think the GAA does a great job at underage, participation is very high at underage level." Depends where you are in the country i suppose. I live in the east side of galway city and id imagine its at least 30%,probably more tbh,,whereas in other parts of the county and country it might be less. Im totally unaware of stats re underage participation but from what ive seen underage soccer and rugby teams,boxing clubs etc here are considerably more multi racial than our local gaa clubs Liam Mellows and St James."
Regardless of foreign born parents or not, Galway City is a bit of a wasteland for GAA, relative to its population. There's much greater availability of other sports there too. Foreign born parents will naturally gravitate to more familiar sports for their children."]Are you a foreign born parent?"]My other half is."]So is mine! Philippina. We've two girls playing LGFA. The eldest,16, only started during COVID. Apologies and happy to be wrong, but you sound a bit defeated on getting foreign parents interested in GAA if there's other sports available to them that they might be more familar with. Takes a bit of work and customer care skills from the clubs for defininite."]Not really where I'm from. I live rurally, and there isn't any issue out here getting kids of foreign parents involved in GAA clubs. The fact that the club and community are so interwined rurally helps greatly.
I do think it's a greater issue in the city. There's less of a community base around the GAA there, and also many sports clubs which would be more familiar to foreign parents. Participation rates in GAA are much lower there to start with, so it can be even more difficult to get others involved.
WanPintWin (National) - 30/09/2026 16:39:44
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Zuckerberg Donates €150,000 To Three GAA Clubs Near Waterford Castle - 1 Like(s)
Replying To WanPintWin: "Would these 3 clubs be big campaigners against Meta, otherwise? Is that the role of GAA clubs? To complain about the carry on of large US tech companies.
How are the clubs bending the knee? Are there some principles they're having to sacrifice as a result of getting this money?
They happen to be local to a castle bought by one of the richest men in the world. Apart from that, I'm not sure what you think they have to do now.
The money should come in handy. It's hard to find any wallet willing to open itself for the needs of GAA clubs." Doesn't need to be those clubs specifically, look how many from all over the country in the GAA fraternity will now start fawning over this. Arra sure isn't that mighty of him, not a bad chap. It has softening up on a local and national scale. What is it about a segment of Irish society that just loves someone that has mega wealth regardless of what cost to the rest of society that wealth has been created? And when they give us the slightest wink or attention we go weak at the knees. These companies have to be brought kicking and screaming to put in safe guards to protect society as a whole but particularly children. They have been fined a number of times and resist regulations for online safety and transparency. But yet here is the head of company donating money to local clubs, a large segment of the clubs are children. Then factor in that the regulator of digital services in Europe lies with Ireland. It's without doubt a publicity stunt and a soft power tactic. You can imagine now if Meta or Zuckerberg ever were to get into hot water with said regulator there will be a seed of doubt in some GAA members heads as to whether the apple cart should be upset. It'll be interesting to see if more goodies are given out in the coming years. I'd sooner take money off Carrolls or Benson and Hedges, at least they don't pretend anymore that they don't cause damage to people.
FullOfPorter (National) - 30/09/2026 17:18:01
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Galway Football thread - 1 Like(s)
Fitzmaurice confirmed this evening, three year term with backroom team to be finalised in the coming weeks. About as good an appointment as you could have hoped for really, experienced manager and all Ireland winner who was directly involved in the FRCs rule making thought process.
LárBáire (National) - 30/09/2026 20:35:00
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Galway Football thread - 1 Like(s)
Some appointment. Great players at his disposal just hope he's not stuck in the old rules like Joyce
Farneyarmy2013 (National) - 30/09/2026 21:40:17
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Monaghan GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
No one can objectively say Banty performed better than O'Rourke. Banty for a third term, no thanks. I appreciate the time and effort he has put in for Monaghan teams, 13 years when you take into minor and U21/U20 and happy for him he got an ulster championship at minor level - and even at that you could say he underperformed with that minor group because at U16 level they were arguably the best team in Ireland.
Banty has consistently at county level been found lacking tactically and his chest thumping motivational style only works as the exception. Over the course of a competition, he's always found out. There has been some deserved criticism of previous U20 management teams e.g.. Paul Curran in 2022. Don't forget Banty was U20 manager in his second stint at U20 during 2019 and 2020, - record was 2 games, 2 first round exits.
A third term for Banty is very unappealing. Yeah, he'll get the buy in from players in terms of commitment and by all means, no expense is spared from what I've heard and players are well looked after. But what matters most is on the pitch and he's always been behind the curve tactically. Banty has always been a follower, rather than a tactical innovator, no matter who he has in as coach. Ultimately he makes the final decision.
sleater (National) - 01/10/2026 10:27:00
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Monaghan GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To farneygael3: "You're missing the point. It's not the manager, it's what tactical geniuses he can bring with him. As you say, no expense spared. It's a no brainer." It is a no brainer - he shouldn't get the role. No matter who Banty brings is as coach, he is such an alpha figure that he will make the tactical calls, decide on the substitutions and pick the team. And that is where he has fallen down in the past. His boom and bust motivational style can work as a once off but is not sustainable.
sleater (National) - 01/10/2026 11:49:00
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