The Tyrone ladies football team spent €13’000 on arranging a pitch for training in 2017. €13’000.
And it’s a pitch owned by the Tyrone county board. The Tyrone GAA Garvaghey Centre is a £6.7 million facility that was built in 2013 for the use of Tyrone GAA teams for years to come.
The county’s ladies football team still have to pay for their use of this facility every time they train or play a match there. And it’s no small fee that they’re paying.
Tyrone aren’t the only county forking out. The Meath ladies had to foot a bill of €14’500 for their use of GAA facilities this year.
Because the LGFA is a separate entity to the GAA, all ladies football teams in the country have to arrange an agreement with their GAA county boards for the use of the GAA owned pitches in the county.
Because the LGFA don’t have resources or pitches of their own.
There are some good will stories. Some GAA county boards, like Fermanagh’s and Offaly’s allow their ladies teams to use their pitches for free.
Fermanagh County Board do not charge Fermanagh Ladies for the use of Lissan County training grounds.
— Teresa McNabb (@McNabbTeresa) December 10, 2017
It’s important to highlight that Faithful Fields does not charge camogie to train only when under lights 👏🏼 https://t.co/q6LG7Qt8OC
— Ann Marie (@AnnMarieGuinan) December 12, 2017
But in others, take like Laois for example, the ladies teams can’t even afford to pay for the use of the GAA’s facilities, as ladies footballer Clare Conlon revealed.
Laois ladies can't afford to train in the Laois Centre of Excellence facility in Portlaoise looking forward 2 seeing outcome in Tyrone
— Clare Conlon (@ClareConlon13) December 11, 2017
Tyrone footballer Gemma Begley announced that the Red Hand county’s LGFA are tabling a motion to abolish the fees involved with ladies using the men’s pitches, and with the topic coming up for discussion on Thursday’s GAA Hour Show, the lads asked the simple question first, why is the LGFA a separate entity to the GAA?
3 motions from clubs on Tyrone GAA AGM agenda re cost of use of Garvaghey for Tyrone Ladies teams.
Cost £13,650 in 2017.
Time for change. pic.twitter.com/K3K2mFAZYL— Gemma Begley (@GBegs) December 10, 2017
It all just seems like one big, unnecessary mess, and Colm Parkinson had his say on the matter on The GAA Hour.
“The Tyrone senior ladies were charged €13’000 for their use of Garvaghey facilities in 2017. This just seems bizarre to me, I just don’t understand it,” began Parkinson.
“The women’s game has been separated from the GAA since it was founded in 1974, it’s always been separate, why is it separate? I just don’t get it.
“They’ve no facilities of their own, maybe they want to stand on their own two feet, I’m not too sure, but why would they? They’ve no facilites, they’re being charged under the GAA umbrella. I just don’t understand it.
“I see Teresa McNabb, from Fermanagh, she says the Fermanagh county board don’t charge the Fermanagh ladies, so it’s obviously not a rule that’s set in stone, but I’d be very disappointed with counties who are charging their own ladies teams to use the GAA facilities, or why can’t they come to an agreement?
“It just seems bizarre to me that a team who is representing your county is being charged to use your facilities,” added the Laois man.
Conan Doherty wonders why the GAA doesn’t sort the mess out, by accruing the LGFA, but still letting them have their own union and organisation.
“They’re happy enough to accrue the GPA, why don’t they go out and get the LGFA? That looks really bad. It can still be a separate entity, and still be self governed but it should be under the GAA,” said the Derryman.
It seems like such a simple solution, but Parkinson feels either one side, or the other isn’t agreeing to it.
“But why can’t they join up then? Why would the ladies not come in under the GAA umbrella, or why don’t the GAA want them in or whatever?
“Do they want to?”
You can listen to this discussion (from 28″00′) and much more from Thursday’s GAA Hour Show, right here.
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