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Gaelic Football Ban In Dundalk School

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Replying To lilywhite1:  "Fair play to the students for staging a protest against what is essentially a ban on Gaelic football by Dundalk Grammar School."
I am in total agreement here, archaic biased attitude, its about preserving a perceived superiority which is frankly hiliarious but also irratating.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4940 - 23/05/2024 13:26:26    2546588

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A bit of the point but a school in wexford recently enough got rid of gaa pitch and built a soccer pitch, unbelievable Jeff

Lockerroomboy (Wexford) - Posts: 472 - 23/05/2024 13:30:46    2546589

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I agree with the ban on Gaelic football on the condition they're all forced to play hurling instead!

Kinvara (Galway) - Posts: 181 - 23/05/2024 14:01:05    2546597

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Valuable life lesson for the students. You can't always get what you want. It's like going into a boutique and demanding they sell Aran sweaters for men.

Its clear they don't cater for GAA. The information is there before they attend. If they're really that keen on GAA then I'm sure there are plenty of options in the Dundalk area to cater for them. If its the academic side that appeals to them then there are still options outside of school to cater for them. If you really want to achieve your goals you'll make it work. Once again, you can't always get you want.

Our national game? Presumably we'll have a protest about the lack of handball walls in schools?

ThePowerhouse (Leitrim) - Posts: 141 - 23/05/2024 14:21:41    2546603

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Replying To Kinvara:  "I agree with the ban on Gaelic football on the condition they're all forced to play hurling instead!"
Yes hurling would fit neatly into their group of minority sports... Cricket, spikeball, hockey, hurling. Football is too big a sport and might conflict with their big sport programmes of soccer and rugby.

anotheralias (Galway) - Posts: 955 - 23/05/2024 14:39:18    2546607

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Replying To Lockerroomboy:  "A bit of the point but a school in wexford recently enough got rid of gaa pitch and built a soccer pitch, unbelievable Jeff"
Presume you're talking about the CBS. Did they actually get rid of a GAA pitch? I thought the controversy was just that they chose to develop a soccer pitch on the ground there, rather than a GAA one.

Even heard a suggestion at one stage that this was because there wasn't enough room for a GAA pitch. But if they actually got rid of one, then that would be a whole other story.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2619 - 23/05/2024 16:01:05    2546630

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Replying To ThePowerhouse:  "Valuable life lesson for the students. You can't always get what you want. It's like going into a boutique and demanding they sell Aran sweaters for men.

Its clear they don't cater for GAA. The information is there before they attend. If they're really that keen on GAA then I'm sure there are plenty of options in the Dundalk area to cater for them. If its the academic side that appeals to them then there are still options outside of school to cater for them. If you really want to achieve your goals you'll make it work. Once again, you can't always get you want.

Our national game? Presumably we'll have a protest about the lack of handball walls in schools?"
When the school has recently added new sports like cricket and horseriding, your point falls a bit flat. It seems they can get whatever sport they want, except if it's Gaelic football. Of course the students can and almost certainly do play Gaelic football outside of the school.
The point is they're looking for the opportunity to play it at their school, as there appears to be sufficient demand and interest.

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2187 - 23/05/2024 18:51:17    2546683

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Presume you're talking about the CBS. Did they actually get rid of a GAA pitch? I thought the controversy was just that they chose to develop a soccer pitch on the ground there, rather than a GAA one.

Even heard a suggestion at one stage that this was because there wasn't enough room for a GAA pitch. But if they actually got rid of one, then that would be a whole other story."
Yes wexford cbs had a gaa pitch. Trained on it many a time while I was their, soccer pitch they have now, they use local gaa clubs for training and home matches

Lockerroomboy (Wexford) - Posts: 472 - 24/05/2024 09:24:32    2546740

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Replying To ThePowerhouse:  "Valuable life lesson for the students. You can't always get what you want. It's like going into a boutique and demanding they sell Aran sweaters for men.

Its clear they don't cater for GAA. The information is there before they attend. If they're really that keen on GAA then I'm sure there are plenty of options in the Dundalk area to cater for them. If its the academic side that appeals to them then there are still options outside of school to cater for them. If you really want to achieve your goals you'll make it work. Once again, you can't always get you want.

Our national game? Presumably we'll have a protest about the lack of handball walls in schools?"
You are missing the main crux of this issue, deliberately or otherwise, that other sports were introduced (which were also not available when these students enrolled) but subsequent efforts by teachers & students to have Gaelic Football introduced were subjected to a completely different and more rigorous application process before ultimately being denied without satisfactory justification or explanation. Whether you like to admit it or not, that is discrimination and that it happens to have occurred in a school does not take from that fact.

louthspeaker (Louth) - Posts: 45 - 24/05/2024 09:27:16    2546742

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Replying To louthspeaker:  "You are missing the main crux of this issue, deliberately or otherwise, that other sports were introduced (which were also not available when these students enrolled) but subsequent efforts by teachers & students to have Gaelic Football introduced were subjected to a completely different and more rigorous application process before ultimately being denied without satisfactory justification or explanation. Whether you like to admit it or not, that is discrimination and that it happens to have occurred in a school does not take from that fact."
I'm not missing the point. I'm dealing in reality.

Here's another valuable lesson for everyone. Stop whinging and do something about it. If, as you allege, the school is discriminatory then the students/parents should get proper advice.
Principals and boards of management are well used to dealing with the latest cause that motivates people to give out. I would venture that the schools stance is on the basis of advice.

If the advice the students/parents receive is that its not worth the time and money then it's another valuable life lesson for them. Everyday is a school day!

ThePowerhouse (Leitrim) - Posts: 141 - 24/05/2024 10:38:16    2546761

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Replying To ThePowerhouse:  "I'm not missing the point. I'm dealing in reality.

Here's another valuable lesson for everyone. Stop whinging and do something about it. If, as you allege, the school is discriminatory then the students/parents should get proper advice.
Principals and boards of management are well used to dealing with the latest cause that motivates people to give out. I would venture that the schools stance is on the basis of advice.

If the advice the students/parents receive is that its not worth the time and money then it's another valuable life lesson for them. Everyday is a school day!"
They are doing something about. By raising the issue about how their request has been dealt with differently than other sports, they're highlighting the unfairness and putting pressure on the school to address it.
There's a valuable life lesson for you. Creating public awareness can be very effective in dealing with issues of perceived unfairness.

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 2187 - 24/05/2024 11:08:11    2546770

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Replying To louthspeaker:  "You are missing the main crux of this issue, deliberately or otherwise, that other sports were introduced (which were also not available when these students enrolled) but subsequent efforts by teachers & students to have Gaelic Football introduced were subjected to a completely different and more rigorous application process before ultimately being denied without satisfactory justification or explanation. Whether you like to admit it or not, that is discrimination and that it happens to have occurred in a school does not take from that fact."
In fairness, there's nothing in the original article you linked to that says that other sports have been introduced in the past four to five years, or the processes gone through when making different decisions about these other sports and gaelic football. And that article is all that we've got to go on, for anyone not as close to it as you, and not having more local knowledge.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2619 - 24/05/2024 11:48:56    2546783

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Replying To ThePowerhouse:  "I'm not missing the point. I'm dealing in reality.

Here's another valuable lesson for everyone. Stop whinging and do something about it. If, as you allege, the school is discriminatory then the students/parents should get proper advice.
Principals and boards of management are well used to dealing with the latest cause that motivates people to give out. I would venture that the schools stance is on the basis of advice.

If the advice the students/parents receive is that its not worth the time and money then it's another valuable life lesson for them. Everyday is a school day!"
Some advice for the parents/students might be that there's no little or no point in seeking that sort of advice.

"Discrimination" is a strong word from a legal point of view and is very clearly defined. A school choosing to field teams in some sports but not another doesn't legally qualify as discrimination. As previously stated, whether we like it or not and whether we agree with it or not, decisions on what extra-curricular activities are offered are completely a school's own perogative.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2619 - 24/05/2024 11:53:12    2546786

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I get it that some schools don't have the resources to focus on multiple sports but banning is ridiculous.

Any time you hear the word "ban" there is usually something ridiculous statement coming! A motion went to Congress a few years back to "ban the huddle"........ jesus wept!

It is happening very subtle across the country within GAA clubs as well. Predominantly hurling clubs undermine the football aspect and vice versa.

I don't think this is a soccer v gaa issue. I think it is more of a "i want to focus on my sport only" issue.

Mayonman (Galway) - Posts: 1890 - 24/05/2024 12:08:47    2546793

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Some advice for the parents/students might be that there's no little or no point in seeking that sort of advice.

"Discrimination" is a strong word from a legal point of view and is very clearly defined. A school choosing to field teams in some sports but not another doesn't legally qualify as discrimination. As previously stated, whether we like it or not and whether we agree with it or not, decisions on what extra-curricular activities are offered are completely a school's own perogative."
Agreed. They haven't a leg to stand on. One wonders if people would be quite as excited if a GAA school "banned" rugby or as one contributor called them "garrison" games.

ThePowerhouse (Leitrim) - Posts: 141 - 24/05/2024 12:36:55    2546809

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Replying To ThePowerhouse:  "Agreed. They haven't a leg to stand on. One wonders if people would be quite as excited if a GAA school "banned" rugby or as one contributor called them "garrison" games."
As previously stated, the school I went to myself has regularly "banned" soccer since I was there in the late 1980s, in that they've turned down requests from students every few years to start fielding soccer teams in competitions.

There was a campaign for it when I was there myself. The most recent one I'm aware of was two years ago, when the son of a friend of mine was one of the students angling for it. I know it came up there several other times in the decades in between too.

Never any huge fuss about it, and nobody alleging "discrimination". Just as with Dundalk Grammar School, the school is free to make its own decisions on what sports to compete in.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2619 - 24/05/2024 13:10:19    2546817

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Replying To LePetitComté:  "Absolutely. Pure bigotry. No great surprise, considering the school involved. But there are lots of others like them."
And here we are again.....let the bigotry continue....

"Students vow to keep fighting for GAA team as principal says school will focus on three sports only

Senior students at the school took to the streets for the second time last Friday demanding them be allowed play the national game"

[url=]https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/gaa/dundalk-grammar-school-gaa-ban-33881124

LePetitComté (Louth) - Posts: 5 - 13/10/2024 13:11:11    2574503

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Replying To LePetitComté:  "And here we are again.....let the bigotry continue....

"Students vow to keep fighting for GAA team as principal says school will focus on three sports only

Senior students at the school took to the streets for the second time last Friday demanding them be allowed play the national game"

Strong words LePetitComté, I'd say they're not very Fondue!

I'll get me coat!

Onion_Sack (Dublin) - Posts: 256 - 13/10/2024 20:03:01    2574623

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Replying To Onion_Sack:  "
Replying To LePetitComté:  "And here we are again.....let the bigotry continue....

"Students vow to keep fighting for GAA team as principal says school will focus on three sports only

Senior students at the school took to the streets for the second time last Friday demanding them be allowed play the national game"

Strong words LePetitComté, I'd say they're not very Fondue!

I'll get me coat!"
Touché!

LePetitComté (Louth) - Posts: 5 - 13/10/2024 22:13:48    2574663

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Replying To sponger:  "Plenty of GAA clubs knocking around that don't allow their members play soccer."
Can you please name them

germac (Down) - Posts: 555 - 26/10/2024 20:31:34    2577080

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