DONEGAL GAA secretary Declan Martin says clubs in the county have “major concern” over the loss of 17 and 18-year-olds to other sports as it was revealed club memberships in the county have fallen by more than 30 per cent since 2017.
The total number of registered members in Donegal in 2017 was just over 12,000, but that has fallen to just 8,239 in 2021.
Amid the ongoing debate around underage grades, Martin noted that both urban and rural clubs were finding unique difficulties around rules preventing 17 and 18-year-olds from playing adult football and hurling.
“A major concern to clubs throughout the past number of years, is the loss of 17 and 18 year olds to other sports,” he wrote.
“While the GAA continue to disqualify them to play adult GAA competitions, they are allowed to play all other sports at an adult level.
“In Donegal, where most of the clubs are rural communities, it is having an effect on fielding teams. It was highlighted by Naomh Ultan this year, that men in their 50s and 60s had to play in order for them to field a reserve team, while 17 olds are standing watching or worse still away playing other sports.
“While there is no issue with young people playing other sports, it is the fact that they are forbidden to play GAA which is the problem.
“The two-pronged problem here is that some 18 year olds, who no longer have underage competitions, cannot make their adult teams or county development squads, and therefore have no teams to play for, while 17 year olds who could be playing adult competitions are not allowed to do so.
“This therefore affects children in urban clubs with a large selection of players, and on the other side the rural clubs who have limited numbers of players.
“I would like to see Central Council have a review of the age grade structures currently in place.”
