Galway GAA chief demands change in attitude from Leinster Council towards the county
As Galway’s senior hurlers prepare for their ninth season in the Leinster championship in 2017, it has emerged that of the €3.47 million generated in gate receipts from games the county’s seniors have played in – Walsh Cup and Championship – Galway GAA has only received less than €130,000.
Those figures, which exclude 2016 as they have yet to be compiled, was what Galway CEO John Hynes presented to delegates at a meeting earlier this week, adding that the time had come for Galway GAA to “front up” on this matter and take their grievances to Croke Park by making it a national issue.
Over the past year and a half, Galway County Committee representatives have held a series of meetings with their Leinster counterparts, but Hynes says these talks have now reached an impasse.
“It is confirmed to us that they (Leinster Council) will not be accommodating our U-21s and minors in their competitions; there will be no home and away arrangement for semi-finals and finals; and there is no coaching funding forthcoming from Leinster to Galway,” he outlines.
“So, we are now changing the game, we are fronting up to it, and we are now making this a national issue. It is no longer a Galway-Leinster issue. We are now changing it and moving it into the national arena. And it is a national issue and it is an issue that needs to be addressed by Central Council and the management committee. That is where we now are.”
Galway GAA’s frustration is understandable. When the Tribesmen turned up for their Leinster senior hurling championship showdown with Kilkenny in July, in front of an attendance of over 29,000, they were greeted by a Leinster GAA advertisement on page 4 of the match-day programme which declared €9.1 million had been spent on Leinster GAA project in 2015.
This included €4.5 million on Leinster GAA Games Development – none of which made its way to Galway, a participating county – and another €1.32 million on grants for clubs, schools, county grounds
The advert thanked fans for their on-going support – including, presumably, those many Galway supporters in attendance – and outlined that their support had helped finance 130 full-time Coaching & Games Development officers in Leinster and afforded 900 schools to avail of Leinster GAA coaching. There was nothing for Galway.
“Whereas in Galway, what we have in terms of hurling resources is one full-time coaching officer (Gerry Spelman) and nine part-time school coaching officers who work two nine-week blocks over the year,” highlights the Galway CEO.
For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.