Madam, - Keith Duggan asserts (Sideline Cut, January 21st) that no one would begrudge players a State-based grant payable to all inter-county players equally. However, he fails to mention that the reason the Gaelic Players' Association has become more vocal is that, after nearly four years of negotiations, we have reached an impasse on this very issue of sports grants. And all the while the commercial revenue generated by the GAA continues to escalate.
Mr Duggan correctly points out that an inter-county career can cost a GAA player anything up to €150,000 in lost earnings and unclaimed expenses. However, he attributes these estimated figures to the GPA instead of to an independent actuary who reached the findings nearly five years ago.
Leaving aside the attempt to damn our association with faint praise, Mr Duggan also levels a series of serious allegations at the players' body. He asserts that our stance shows no respect for the GAA volunteer and, perhaps most baffling of all, the GAA fan.
A quick glance through a number of the GPA's officers refutes his first point. Dónal Óg Cusack, our chairman, has held various administrative positions, including juvenile treasurer, in his club, Cloyne, and was coach, captain and selector of the Cloyne senior hurling team for the past number of years.
Secretary Kieran McGeeney and President DJ Carey are an example to all and have been activists for the promotion of Gaelic games and an inspiration to children and adults throughout the country.
Our commercial director, Donal O'Neill, is trainer of the Queen's University football team and the Burren club in Down, while I myself have been intrinsically involved with my own club, Na Fianna, over the years and more recently with a Dublin under-13 development squad. Most GAA members will attest that the vast majority of their inter-county club players form a central part of their fundraising and games promotion.
The increased levels of performance and excellence achieved by our members in recent years has come about in response to the very supporters who, Mr Duggan alleges, are not recognised nor respected by the GAA players. The paying punter now demands high-level performance.
No GPA member wants in any way to upset the integrity of Gaelic games. The joy and honour of playing for one's county remain as strong as ever; Gaelic players remain, and wish to remain, intrinsic members of their communities and clubs. However, should the status quo persist, the players will continue to lose, their incredible contribution to our culture lost in a sea of rhetoric.
Mr Duggan and some of his esteemed colleagues would prefer it if, instead of "bullying" the public, the players would behave like Victorian children: be seen and not heard.
If this is the case, perhaps the players will bear that in mind when the interview-intensive playing season begins next month. - Yours, etc,
DESSIE FARRELL, Chief Executive, Gaelic Players' Association, Lower Drumcondra Road, Dublin 9.