Boothman regrets continuation of ban

IN HIS final address to Congress, outgoing GAA president Jack Boothman expressed regret at the lack of movement during his presidency on the reconsideration of Rule 21 which prohibits members of the north's security forces from joining the association.

"My presidency was a time of great hope and fierce disappointment in Northern Ireland. I am sad to say that as regards Rule 21 which excludes British soldiers and policemen from GAA membership, we did not make the strides that might have been expected in changing circumstances.

"We did, however, establish a new set of relationships with the northern authorities, unprecedented in GAA history, and contact points have been established with them which can only be of benefit in the years to come, when hopefully an evolving political situation in the north eastern counties might make further progress possible on this issue."

He also referred to steps taken by the GAA in relation to the problems of children involved in the association, whether related to taking underage competition too seriously or otherwise.

"The GAA must be vigilant that our reputation as custodian to these children cannot be sullied by child abuse of a more sinister kind. On the basis that Cumann Luthehleas Gael has a membership of over 750,000 people and on the basis that we are therefore a mirror image of society, we cannot be complacent and we must accept that we may have some deviants in our ranks.

"Because of this, we commissioned leading experts to draw up guidelines that would assist us in ensuring that our young charges received every protection possible and where violation is detected, to ensure that we can take the necessary action to rid ourselves of violators."

After some recent ambivalence on the part of the GAA in relation to the possibility of satellite coverage, the issue of television rights to Gaelic games was also addressed. In particular the issue of government protection for the terrestrial broadcast of important GAA matches was mentioned.

"The GAA can never in conscience decide to sell television rights to any media provider who will be widely available throughout the country, and which will not be national in character. We are not going to sell our people down the river for money.

"We want to make our entire calendar available to the maximum audience. We want to cater for all parts of the island, for RTE alone is not our national station. And we want the freedom to make our own decisions "to the maximum benefit of the association, its members and followers.

"Our decisions can be made when there are more broadcasting media in the market place with national coverage.

He went on to touch on the fraught issue of discipline in the games. "The pound of flesh syndrome which stops players playing the games and is applied inconsistently across the association will not solve anything. It is time for preventative medicine. We must remember that it is our attitudes that will have to change most of all, and we must start immediately to change attitudes at every level in the game.

"The latent violence which has emerged all around us throughout society has found its way on to our playing fields. As an association we must stop this rot. The GAA is not the only custodian of our young people, however, and while we must cope with stamping out violence in our own games we should also urge those in authority to apply themselves to the wider social issues from where these problems seem to be emanating."

Reviewing the success of the hurling development committee during his term of office he added: "The change in hurling might bring about a re examination of the football league structures, perhaps to allow time outs from the rigid four divisional structure and give weaker counties a chance of high class competition in the winter months on a one year basis that wouldn't affect the status of the counties when the format resumes."

Boothman began his speech by offering the overview that the shifting demographics of the country might affect the traditional geographical structures of the GAA.

"I believe that the time has come for us to develop a real and meaningful picture as to what our resources are, what potentially they could be. This may need a national survey using the most modern techniques and expertise.

"It may result in a radical adjustment of our club profile and structures and in some instances indeed traditional county units. While club and county definitions have served us well for so long, I believe that we cannot stand still. I believe the demographic considerations have become so serious that we must re evaluate, refocus and restructure where necessary.

"The GAA has played its part in building the new communities of urban areas, the rapidly growing provincial towns and cities, and the areas that the politicians have forgotten. What passed for social engineering for many years in all parts of the island has dumped large numbers of families in communities with few facilities and little hope of economic or social betterment.

"Sports and Gaelic games can offer a lot for these people. It is here that leadership is most badly needed. It is here that our efforts should be directed. It is also here that the volunteers are fewest and our organisation is at its most stretched."

Finally, he thanked delegates, management committee and Central Council for their co operation. He especially thanked Pat Guthrie, GAA PRO Danny Lynch and director general Liam Mulvihill before adding a special word for his wife, Nuala, and family.