trim GAA Board pull a fast one
Speaking exclusively to An Phoblacht, a senior County Antrim
committee member has exposed the attempts of the County Antrim
GAA Board to stifle debate about dropping Rule 21 (which bars
members of the crown forces from the GAA).
It appears that the Ulster GAA executive has reneged on its
decision to allow grassroots club members to decide what
direction their County Boards would take at the extraordinary GAA
conference on 30 May which will vote on the issue.
The Antrim controversy surrounds three moves. Firstly, at a
meeting in Ballycastle last Tuesday, GAA official Joe O'Boyle
over-ruled an association by-law in ruling that the vote should
be taken by secret ballot, normally reserved for the election of
GAA officials.
Secondly, members and club officials have been warned not to talk
to the media, under threat of suspension. As one GAA member
pointed out, this is contrary to the actions of GAA president Joe
McDonagh who has actively courted the media.
But the most serious and undemocratic move by the Antrim Board is
the distribution of 18 votes to the three Antrim divisional
boards. This means that only a few clubs will have to support the
Antrim executive for it to claim a mandate for scrapping Rule 21,
effectively silencing any opposition.
The GAA club official expressed concerns not only about the
influence of the four Knights of Columbanus on the Antrim County
Board, but also at the comments of a senior Board official who
told him that Rule 21 was as good as gone.
The GAA source said that rather than a decision coming from the
grassroots, as the executive had promised, a decision would come
from the top. He added, ``the executive have failed to take the
time to consult the people on the ground.'' The committed GAA man
said he suspected that the move to drop Rule 21 was being
influenced by financial considerations. He simply asked, ``what
price is your soul?''
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