North reaction: Northern delegates to the GAA congress in Dublin say they accept the decision to open Croke Park to other sports and are confident the association will continue to prosper, writes Dan Keenan, Northern News Editor
Joe O'Boyle, chairman of the Antrim county board which, like all six Northern counties was mandated to oppose moves to allow other sports to be played at Croke Park, said there was no bitterness at the result.
"We hope the people who are now going to use Croke Park treat it with the same respect we do," he said last night. "We voted the way we did because we wanted to see our own clubs and our counties playing there rather than other teams. There was nothing political about it."
The issue was now resolved as far as the Antrim clubs were concerned, he said.
"Once it's over, it's over. The GAA will still be there and as strong as ever," he vowed. "The ban went away back years ago, rule 21 went more recently and many people said the GAA would suffer. The GAA will not suffer. The GAA will continue to grow and grow."
Another congress delegate, one of the seven from Down, told The Irish Times that the issue needed to be put in perspective.
Brian McAvoy acknowledged the fact that the opening of Croke Park to other codes was of national interest, but said: "The fact that Down won an under-21 title in Clones against Cavan was of more importance to us at the weekend.
"Congress took a decision, which we accept. It was only one of 49 or 50 decisions taken and we had a position on every one of them. Some we won and others we lost. That's how things go."
He said it was time to look to the future with the issue now resolved. "We move on. Congress voted to put our faith in central council. If and when an application does come, it will be considered and a decision will be made. That will be it."
He said there would be no lingering bitterness between the Northern representatives and the other provinces. "There was certainly no legacy of hostility following rule 21 or rule 27 away back in the 70s. This will be the same. For a while some people might find it a bit difficult to swallow. but we'll move on."
SDLP deputy leader Alasdair McDonnell, a GAA member in Co Antrim, greeted the decision.
"This is as welcome as it is positive," he said. "The margin of victory shows the confident mood within the association. I think it's a good thing that the GAA is sufficiently well-founded that it can host other sports for the benefit of the people of Ireland as a whole."