Killarney

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Former Kerry goalkeeper Eamonn Fitzgerald believes the time is right for the men’s and women’s governing bodies to join forces



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There will be plenty of business on the agenda for this weekend’s GAA Congress. I will be keeping interested eyes on the motion to bring the LGFA and the Camogie Association fully under the umbrella of the GAA. Larry McCarthy can make his name as President by curing this long festering sore.



In some cases, women in the GAA have been treated as though they are of lesser importance than men. Misogyny, or a fear of a takeover? Who does so much of the work for the GAA?



The women, of course. Conceiving and bearing the players of the future. Encouraging them from the sidelines.



Go to any Saturday morning academy and see who does most of the ferrying of the young boys and girls to the local pitch? Mná na hÉireann for the most part. Click and collect in action. Only the broad-minded clubs give equality of access to the ladies, for usage of the pitches for training and playing matches.



Increasingly, clubs are depending on the female members to take up demanding positions on the executives. The Kilcummin GAA club has set out a marker with ladies in all of the main positions on the executive. What’s more, far too often the LGFA has to raise its own funds to continue its programmes.



I was delighted to see that the FAI and the IRFU have moved towards some equality for the sexes, especially in respect of the international teams getting equal remuneration for representing their county. Begrudgery curtailed that enlightened approach for far too long, but better late than never.



I hope the GAA will do the right thing tomorrow and support this move for equality. The LGFA is not under the official banner of the GAA. It’s time to get in under that umbrella, otherwise there will be a new storm brewing to equal Eunice et al.



LONG WAIT



When I interviewed Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh many years ago for this column and asked him for his wish for the GAA in the future, he had no hesitation in his reply.



“That the GAA will elect a woman as Uachtarán (President) for the first time ever, to lead us on to great things for the organisation.”



I think that was for Mícheál’s 80th birthday. He is still hale, hearty and enthusiastic as ever heading for 92. Mo bhrón and o chón, no sign of a breakthrough on that enlightened vision.



I know of a least one lady in waiting &#8211; ready, willing and able to wear that symbolic chain. There may be other unannounced candidates. Maybe Patrick O’Sullivan, the chairman of the Kerry County Board, will help expedite Mícheál’s vision.



The LGFA are a separate entity to the GAA and do not have the resources of their male counterparts, such as playing pitches etc. The Laois ladies team could not play in the county’s centre of excellence because they were priced out of it.



I do recall when Liam O’Neill was president of the GAA he tried to get the LGFA to come in under the GAA umbrella, but the LGFA didn’t come in. I wonder why? Hopefully, there will be support for the motion tomorrow, but knowing how the civil service of the GAA works, especially at convention and at congress levels, the best one can hope for is agreement on principle and a committee appointed to look into it. Reporting back will be a slow burner.



Over to you Larry, the President of the GAA (with strong Killarney connections).



EMBRACING



Many years ago Denis Conroy (Cork) highlighted the growing problem of how difficult it was to get men to become club officers. He made a passionate plea at congress, cocluding: “In the name of God, to save the GAA, what we need to do is to embrace the women of Ireland.”



Gerald McKenna, Chairman of the Kerry County Board at that time, who was famous for his witty one-liners, replied.



“I would like to assure Mr Conroy that we are doing just that in Kerry for centuries.”



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GAA must bring LGFA in under its umbrella

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