Ballyboden St. Enda’s GAA, Camogie and Ladies Gaelic Football Club
Press Release – 11 January 2024
Ballyboden St Enda’s call on Ladies Gaelic Football and Camogie Associations to meet their commitments to the One Club Model
Ballyboden St. Enda’s GAA, Camogie and Ladies Football Club (‘Ballyboden”) has made a submission to the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (‘LGFA”) and the Camogie Association requesting the two associations to cooperate and ensure a Club Fixture programme is implemented in Dublin to protect the welfare of adult dual players. The current fixture programme is placing totally unreasonable demands on female dual players.
Gaelic Games Integration
Mary Mc Aleese, Chairperson of Gaelic Games Steering on Integration , Late Late Show September 2023:
“ The support for integration is phenomenal ….”
“ The mens and the womens , there’ll be no difference”
“ There’s a lot of clubs that are already down the road of one club”
“ Our clubs are the future and one structure is the future”
No quibbles with any of the above except that the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (“LGFA”) and the Camogie Association have failed to deliver on their commitments to supporting the One Club Model that they signed up to in 2017 https://www.gaa.ie/api/pdfs/image/upload/juoskhphievkxtfthz4v.pdf
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One Club Model
Ballyboden St Enda’s is one of an ever increasing number of Clubs throughout the country who have implemented the One Club Model. As a Club we have seen the huge benefits from promoting Gaelic games which caters for all family members, both male and female. We are delighted with the growth in females playing football and camogie in our Club as reflected in almost equal numbers of girls and boys playing our games.
Q. So, if Ballyboden St Enda’s has implemented the One Club Model, is there any difference now between the mens and womens and, if so, what is the issue?
A. Ballyboden St Enda’s doesn’t differentiate but the lack of a formally coordinated female adult football and camogie Club fixture schedule is placing totally unreasonable demands on our dual players and giving rise to serious player welfare concerns e.g league games regularly scheduled on successive days , three games within eight days and seven championship games scheduled within a four week period.
Q. Why is this not a player welfare issue in the mens?
A: Dublin GAA County Board‘s remit covers both football and hurling and their games programme facilitates dual players – broadly speaking alternative weeks of football and hurling. However, Dublin LGFA County Board view their sole remit as the promotion of Ladies Football and Dublin Camogie County Board view their sole remit as the promotion of Camogie.
Q. So, in line with the One Club Model framework, Ballyboden St Enda’s is promoting Ladies Gaelic football and Camogie in an inclusive manner but are governed by County Boards whose sole remit is the promotion of their respective sports?
A. Yes
Q. But how can this be if the LGFA and the Camogie Associations at national level have formally committed to supporting the promotion of Gaelic games under the One Club Model?
A. There lies the issue. In our view, the LGFA and Camogie Associations at national level have failed to deliver on their commitments to supporting the One Club Model by not insisting that their respective County Boards implement formalised coordinated Club fixture programmes which fairly take into account the player welfare of adult dual players.
Q. What is the solution?
A. We have made a submission to the LGFA and the Camogie Association requesting that they direct their respective Dublin County Boards to implement formally coordinated Club fixture programmes which fairly take into account the player welfare of adult dual players. A copy of the submission is attached.
Q. Are the GAA to blame?
A. No, this has nothing to do with the GAA. The solution lies solely with the LGFA and the Camogie Association but needs both associations to cooperate together.
Q. Does the Gaelic Games Steering Group on Integration have a role to play in resolving this issue?
A. As outlined above, the solution is totally within the remit of the LGFA and the Camogie Association subject to both cooperating with each other. If they do not resolve the issue and meet their formal commitments to supporting the One Club Model, the bigger issue for the Integration Group and the GAA is the degree of reliance which they could put on any formal commitments given by the LGFA and the Camogie Association during the course of the Integration negotiations.
Q. Does the player welfare issue have applications outside of Dublin?
A. Based on our discussions with other Clubs operating the One Club model, we believe so.
Ballyboden St Enda’s Ladies Footballer Rachel Ruddy & Camogie Player Hannah Leddy are available for interview.
Ballyboden St Enda’s Coaching and Player Development Manager – Timmy Hammersley also available for interview.
For further information, please contact Ballyboden’s PRO, Sinéad O’Dea , [email protected] or mobile 086 3010829