Teachers fill the hall for tickets debate

INTO and the GAA: The most contentious motion at the INTO congress turned out to be a good-natured row over GAA tickets.

INTO and the GAA: The most contentious motion at the INTO congress turned out to be a good-natured row over GAA tickets.

Motions on equality legislation and on disadvantaged schools had the hall more than half full, but there was standing room only in the hall as delegates crowded in to argue over whether primary PE teachers, like secondary PE teachers, deserved allocations of stand tickets for All-Ireland matches.

For the past two years, teachers in Galway and Mayo have been campaigning for an allocation of tickets.

Mr Tommy Greally a teacher from Tuam, Co Galway, proposed a motion that in recognition of the voluntary promotion of Gaelic games in schools, the central executive would ask for the allocation of tickets for all schools participating in Cumann na mBunscoil competitions.

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"I am 22 years coaching football and I have never once got a ticket," he said. It was a question of inequality, he added.

"Every secondary school that participates in GAA sports gets two All Ireland hurling or All Ireland football tickets. Primary schools are also entitled to them. Educating children in hurling and football all starts in primary schools. We are the bedrock of the GAA.

"We spend unstinting hours in our schools promoting these games, yet we receive nothing from Croke Park except an acknowledgement of our work - but that's not enough."

He also suggested that there was a gender issue, since most PE teachers in primary schools were female and not members of GAA clubs. However, the predominantly female delegates whispered to each other what they really thought of the GAA motion. "Ridiculous," said one. "Childish," said another.

"I teach extracurricular music, does that mean I get allocated concert tickets?" one asked.

The lively debate escalated as points of order fell so that when the vote on the motion was so close, that tellers had to be called in. As delegates raised their cards, one teller walked through the crowd like a tout, shouting "buying or selling cards?"

Congress passed the motion, that: "In recognition of the voluntary promotion of Gaelic games in our schools, congress instructs the CEC to meet with the relevant CLCG officials to establish a system whereby an allocation of stand tickets be made to all primary schools in each of the four counties which qualify for the senior hurling and football finals."

Tommy Greally was pleased.