Is the GAA failing to reach the New Irish ?

I understand that family background will make a difference and that people from other countries will not have the same attachment.

At underage my impression is that the African kids are participating and being very successful but not unexpectedly they may have a higher drop out at later ages.

The level of commitment required in later ages at GAA is high.

I think the real Failure or GAP seems to be in the Eastern European community which maybe makes up 10% of the population and a lot of very athletic people , are they sticking to Soccer and Basketball ? I am not aware of anyone at Senior intercounty level from that background . maybe I am wrong.

Does somebody need to understand why the low participation level is , can we do anything about it ?


http://www.hoganstand.com/Article/Index/296729

eamonnmac (Cavan) - Posts: 59 - 12/03/2019 12:20:03    2171843

Hard to get those of mid and east European extraction involved in the GAA imo. Not exactly fair to generalize of course. They watch Polish/East European nations tv on satellite, they have their own shops selling goods from their home country, they speak their own language in the home and are raising their kids bilingually.....Polish/whatever language with English. My sense is that the majority are more connected to and immersed in their home country than they are to Ireland and its culture and their children born here, "the new Irish", will continue the same. To be expected really....they are too big a percentage of the population to be fully assimilated into Irish culture imo.

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1902 - 12/03/2019 16:43:30    2171892

It will be harder to engage large numbers of immigrants as long as the games are amateur. Also, I get the impression that a lot of Eastern Europeans move to a foreign country (such as the one I live in) for maybe 5-10 years, save up the money to buy a house and return. In such circumstances there isn't as big an incentive to immerse oneself in the domestic culture.

Provided that the GAA is getting into the schools, there isn't much more that can be done imo.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 12/03/2019 18:27:07    2171913

A huge number of Eastern European have bought houses here and are setting their families up here permanently. I think the big winner from this group is soccer, the same for African heritage kids..

More needs to be done to get them involved. If you look at your average soccer team in Dublin half of them are not of Irish background. Possibly through the schools get them involved and encourage them to join the local team.

This generation of Eastern Europeans will be harder to convert as they are influenced by their parents cultures. But in 20 to 40 years as the kids grow up and marry Irish people and have kids with them their siblings will likely have a much higher chance of joining the GAA.

I wonder what county will have the first high profile Eastern European to break through. I've not even heard of a player on an underage county panel. Surely there must be a few u14, u16 or even minor players?

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 12/03/2019 19:40:46    2171930

Another point regarding Dublin where a lot of non Irish reside. The hype around gaa matches involving Dublin has been at an all time low. Gone are the days of first round Leinster championship matches involving Dublin against Meath or Kildare selling out and attracting huge hype. As well as the leinster final. Very hard to interest this new generation when the hype isn't there.

This is a product of the GAA backing Dublin over the last 15 years at the detriment of the rest of Leinster. If there was a Dublin Derby in the GAA between North and South that would really help too obviously.

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 12/03/2019 19:57:53    2171932

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 12/03/2019 20:49:13    2171938

Kids tend to want to do what their classmates do. If they're playing soccer they're more likely to want to join in. If they're playing Minecraft they'll wan't to give it a go. If they're signing up for the Cúl camp in the summer, some of their mates regardless of where their parents are from, will want to try the Cúl camp. For many kids it's their first go at GAA and they really enjoy it. A lot of them are held at the bigger clubs and kids from smaller club areas attend. Could be a plan for someone from the smaller clubs to show the face and let their parents know about training at local clubs. I think there's a lot to be said from word of mouth to other parents before and after school. Everyone can be a bit fearful of striking up conversations but parents are usually delighted to have their kids make new friends and get involved in sport. Unbeknownst to us a lot of foreign nationals have some interest in hurling and gaelic foitball from t hge TV and radio. Many of them don't know about local clubs and we should tell them.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7337 - 13/03/2019 05:51:11    2171979

It is a good point that the procession in Leinster is bad for Football ..i was at the Dublin Meath series in 1991 and the atmosphere was electric.

It is a pity if we cant get more of the New Irish involved ...great for all for integration..most people wont be elite or professional athletes but the local bonds it creates.

You have a team like Cavan gaels are now struggling to field some underage teams or having to amalgamate with other clubs.

Idont know the solution but there should be a push to do something and all this money pouring into Dublin GAA should be redirected.

eamonnmac (Cavan) - Posts: 59 - 15/03/2019 08:52:34    2172330

It can take a generation for people to get absorbed into the culture of their new country, it takes a wee bit of time.

Sure look at Irish people moving abroad. Straight to the Irish bar, setting up new GAA clubs and hanging around with other Irish people. I know several Irish people who met their Irish born partner while living abroad.

It's a natural thing to become more nationalistic when living in a new culture. It's a sort of safety blanket thing.

You'll see plenty of different surnames in the next 15-20 years playing for their county.

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20600 - 15/03/2019 10:33:53    2172352

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11227 - 15/03/2019 11:35:40    2172364

In America in the 1860s right up to the 1890s Baseball was massive in the Irish American community. I think it being pro was a big reason.
It really is odd that we dont have more Polish kids playing hurling. Theres a fair sprinkling of Poles playing rugby in Limerick but no outstanding prospects as yet. I'm waiting for that prop that has the shoulder width of some of those Poles you see. Nothing stirring as yet though. Limerick has the biggest polish community outside of Dublin. I think Irish sporting organisations haven't done enough to get them involved aswell.

bloodyban (Limerick) - Posts: 1710 - 15/03/2019 17:12:06    2172421