Football

Right of reply: GAA Director of Communications Alan Milton takes issue with Cahair O’Kane's column `Souled Out’

Right of reply: GAA Director of Communications Alan Milton takes issue with Cahair O’Kane's column `Souled Out’ published on Sept 5.

LAST year, Central Level games alone (ie: those fixtures organised by CCCC at national level) totalled 340.

Only 45, or less than 14 per cent of these matches, resulted in a surplus.

At national level this means that the games staged in August and September in essence pay for the vast array of matches at various grades and levels that cost more to stage than they yield in gate receipts.

This, more than anything, underlines the GAA’s commitment and focus on games promotion and participation and not the pursuit of largesse which is a theme that occupies much of Cahair's analysis of our activities.

It is disappointing that these facts have been ignored – especially when they were clearly presented, as they are every year, in a briefing to GAA media at the publication of our annual report and accounts on the eve of Congress.

In addition to this, as an active club player, he will no doubt be aware of the GAA’s policy of re-investing funds in our games and facilities, to the tune of 80 per cent-plus last year.

Additionally, a child can attend any game for €5/£5 - and in a group for €3/£3 - up to and including both All-Ireland semi-finals in both codes.

Children attend matches in the majority of games in the Allianz Leagues free of charge.

An adult can attend Championship games as part of a club group for games up to and including the All-Ireland semi-finals for €10/£10.

Cahair’s assertion that the Champions’ League make concession tickets available for their final may well be true (‘Off the Fence’ September 7).

What he chooses not to include is the price of the rest of the tickets for this fixture which range from £60 to £390 (2017 fixture).

Whether you deem €80 good value for attendance at the All-Ireland final is subjective but I defy anyone to show me a showcase final of similar national standing in any code where attendance can be secured for this price.

Finally, as a Dubliner and an active club member, I found his comments about ‘Northsiders’ and ‘Southsiders’ insulting and wide of the mark but I will leave it to others to pick holes in the shortcomings of his demographic analysis and sweeping generalisations.

I would ask the question however, would the same comments he made about northside Dubliners have been published if they’d referred to the people of West Belfast, East Tyrone or South Derry?

Is mise,

Alan Milton

GAA Director of Communications

Ps: Ballyfermot is south of the Liffey, not north.