Changing times in GAA

The extraordinary success of the matches under International Rules in Australia last month has sparked some comment on the possibility of professionalism in the ranks of the GAA. This is not surprising. Anyone who watched the two matches on television and, the 120,000 or more who attended the matches in Melbourne and Adelaide and a big local television audience in Australia were highly impressed by the complete fitness, commitment and, indeed, professionalism of the Irish squad.

In a month in which Irish sport was subjected to a number of harrowing set-backs, it was good to know that we could take on a task of international proportions and win. Our representatives did us proud, of that there can be no doubt. The approach adopted by Colm O'Rourke, John O'Keeffe and Mickey Moran and the GAA backup team served the players well. All involved deserve our gratitude.

One can only wonder why some form of welcome home for the squad was not organised and one hopes that some kind of formal recognition may yet be arranged.

These lads, all of them amateurs, were, clearly completely focussed on their role as ambassadors. What can be said is that all of them gave everything they had, and a little bit more.

Their dedication, quite naturally, raised questions about whether or not they should have been paid. The rules of the GAA are quite specific insofar as "pay for play" is concerned and is understandable and admirable. For many years the GAA was the poor relation in Irish sport. The rules of the GAA in regard to paying players are clear. Yet things are not as simple as they seem. There have been rumours of "under the counter" payments to managers and players in recent times but without any real confirmation.

Sponsorship, which has come in the past few years now means that a new commercial approach to intercounty and even inter-club affairs has partially taken over what were previously county board duties. One man, who has surveyed the situation in depth is, Brendan Vaughan, from the county of Clare. Brendan's roots in the GAA go back more years than he cares to admit. He played senior hurling with Quin and later went into administration including stints as chairman of the Clare county board, chairman of the Munster Council and Clare delegate to the Central Council.

Not very long ago Vaughan articulated some of the concerns which apply to this debate in a comprehensive look at the matter in the course of which he wrote: "Could or would amateur players continue to put more and more commitment and endeavour without the financial inducements so liberally available to soccer and rugby players? It is a difficult equation to analyse, impossible to forecast with any degree of certitude.

"It may well be a cameo of a much greater equation - can the culture, traditions, language, etc of a small country, sandwiched between the sources of the Anglo-American influences, survive? Can the Irish nation preserve its identity or will it decline into becoming a clone of a mass global cultural miasma?"

This may be putting too fine a point on the problem but it is not too late to ask the crucial questions, which he does: "Is it a lost cause or are we drifting inexorably out of control?"

For someone who might well be regarded by many as coming from the "conservative" wing of the GAA, a statement like that from such a distinguished source, should pull people up short. Now is the time to have a wide-ranging debate on what has become a very live issue within the GAA. Delay could be deadly and no-one, least of all the players, will be well served if the matter is allowed to develop in a vacuum. The nettle must be grasped straight away.

Those with ears to hear, let them hear!