Is rugby a posh thing in Ireland? In wales it's historically been a working class thing
Ireland's Greatest Ever Sporting Achievement
- Thread starter Pogue Mahone
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Is rugby a posh thing in Ireland? In wales it's historically been a working class thing
Gaelic football, hurling, soccer (football) and boxing would be the four main working-class sports in Ireland, or at least as close to working-class as you’d get here.
Rugby, golf, tennis, cycling, anything horse-related, cricket and rowing, to name but a few, would be the fairly minor, upper-class pursuits in pretty much every corner of the island.
That's interesting, cheers for that. I've spent a fair bit of time there and that never clicked for me regarding Rugby
There’s some regional variations. In Munster (especially Limerick) it would be seen as much less of a posh sport than it is in, say, Leinster.
Ah yes Saint Steve.
Stephen Roche was a great shout earlier on. Let's face it they're all doped to the eyeballs but still a phenomenal achievement to win everything in 1987.
spoiler that twat
Why is he wearing the Bernie mittens
Paul O'Donovan's achievements in rowing are phenomenal.
As much as I hate to say it, Dublin 6 in a row has to be up there too.
As much as I hate to say it, Dublin 6 in a row has to be up there too.
Brian Cody's achievements as Kilkenny manager are incredible. 14 Leinster titles and 11 All Irelands. Definitely an Irish sporting great.
Has Jimmy McLarnin gotten any love in this thread?
I know he grew up in Canada but it should still count.
I know he grew up in Canada but it should still count.
see a few boxing references, one that always goes unnoticed is Wayne McCullough going to Japan and beating Yakushiji to win WBC bantanweight title back in 95 . Not saying its the best Irish achievement of all time, but a hell of achievement going to a champs own country and winning the title like he did.
From the outside it has to be Roche's 87 season. Giro+Tour double and World championship.
Rugby shouldn't be close. It might be a great achievement within the sport to beat New Zealand but a sport that is played by about 6 nations just doesn't stack up against sports with far bigger reach.
Rugby shouldn't be close. It might be a great achievement within the sport to beat New Zealand but a sport that is played by about 6 nations just doesn't stack up against sports with far bigger reach.
Padraig Harrington both winning and defending the British Open is Ireland's greatest sporting achievement imo.
As well as adding the PGA Championship in the same year.
As well as adding the PGA Championship in the same year.
Going against the grain of the thread a bit, I reckon the GAA is Ireland's Greatest Ever Sporting Achievement.
Not sure if there are many countries across the world where indigenous sports have managed to retain such a foothold in the face of the likes of football, rugby, cricket etc, both in terms of how well-supported and widely followed they are at grassroots level, and in terms of the quality of the athletes who play them at the highest levels.
Not sure if there are many countries across the world where indigenous sports have managed to retain such a foothold in the face of the likes of football, rugby, cricket etc, both in terms of how well-supported and widely followed they are at grassroots level, and in terms of the quality of the athletes who play them at the highest levels.
That’s an interesting take and a good one too.
Does Taylor beating Davis get a mention?
Aussie rules would be the obvious comparison.
Nah, feck the GAA. We’d be so much better at football, the true global sport, if it wasn’t for it.
I reckon American sports probably have both examples
I reckon American sports probably have both examples
Oh yeah. Them too. God I hate American sports. All of them.
I think I agree, and despite the posts above I thing the GAA is stand alone in that discussion because it's an amateur sport. In that regard it is an amazing achievement. When you take into account the grassroots structure and compare it to the shambolic and fragmented structure of football on this island, it's quite amazing.
Also true.
When you take into account the amount of money provided to the 2 sports from the government at a grassroots level, it's easy to understand the difference in organisational quality.
But that's also about organisation and lobbying too. The main difference is that the GAA is a top to bottom entity. The DDSL, FAI and LOI are all lobbying against each other, and that's just basic petty squabbling. That and when you see what soccer generated on these islands under Charlton and none of it trickled down, you see that difference and squabbling materialise. .
edit - Also I was comparing it to Aussie Rules and American Sports. But you do bring up an interesting discussion.
also - https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport...tball receives €1.2,by Sport Ireland have shown.
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Bit random but only recently occurred to me that there’s a huge philosophical difference between GAA and soccer in Ireland.
My son plays for a soccer team that has a few quite talented kids in it. Their parents (and other clubs) are being absolutely ruthless about moving them on to bigger/better clubs. Especially now there’s a chance to play on the U14 national league. There’s not a hint of any loyalty to the club that developed them. Kids just not turning up to pre-season training and a belated whatsapp from dad saying he’s just joined Kevins Boys. Leaving us scrabbling round for new recruits or end up folding the team.
And we all know there’s feck all meaningful chance of them ever earning a living from the sport so this is in a no less amateur context than GAA. When you bear in mind the fuss over Shane Walsh moving to Crokes it really puts the complete lack of club loyalty in club soccer in Ireland into perspective.
My son plays for a soccer team that has a few quite talented kids in it. Their parents (and other clubs) are being absolutely ruthless about moving them on to bigger/better clubs. Especially now there’s a chance to play on the U14 national league. There’s not a hint of any loyalty to the club that developed them. Kids just not turning up to pre-season training and a belated whatsapp from dad saying he’s just joined Kevins Boys. Leaving us scrabbling round for new recruits or end up folding the team.
And we all know there’s feck all meaningful chance of them ever earning a living from the sport so this is in a no less amateur context than GAA. When you bear in mind the fuss over Shane Walsh moving to Crokes it really puts the complete lack of club loyalty in club soccer in Ireland into perspective.
100%, and that can somewhat be connected to the disparate governing bodies, there's jostling throughout the whole sport. The structure of the GAA feeds that loyalty. There is a really dumb parochial effect of that too BTW.
Rugby as well
Yeah, feck rugby.
Although at least we beat the Brits at rugby sometimes, so it does have that one redeeming feature.
I don’t think a country as small and relatively shit at sports as us can say “feck off” to one of the very few sports we’re legitimately good at.
And I say this as someone living in the Leinster rugby heart-land who is well aware of how many absolute dip-shits play and support the game.
I was messing cause I'm pretty sure he actually meant that rugby would be better without the GAA? Or maybe not.
Anyway, rugby is a good case and point. I don't think it has nearly the level of potential players who could be playing it if not for the GAA as soccer does, and because of excellent investment, we're really good at it and regularly punch well above our weight, which I feel would be the case with soccer too if not for the GAA. A lot of talented young lads in GAA mad counties like Kerry and Wexford probably don't even get a choice in the matter, it's a way of life down there.
Rugby, in fairness, is another good example of how a good system can harness and develop talent and literally elevate the sport.
I would bet that a lot of those parents don't see it as wholly amateur. I'm from a sporting but predominantly GAA background, and at my nephew's soccer games I've had more than one conversation on the topic of "sure there's no money in that".
I've long been of the view that irish domestic soccer needs to reorganise itself along county lines - one team per county, with 3 total in Dublin and 2 total in Cork. There's 26 counties plus Derry, there's your 30 teams.
Bottom line is that we are a parochial little country. The successful domestic sports (GAA and rugby) have a fan base because they are organised based on where you're from so everyone has a team and interest. In soccer, Mayo people just won't support Galway United or Sligo Rovers - its just not happening. That's a huge sport mad county with no draw to domestic soccer. There's loads of counties similar.
Needs a fresh look and lots of noses to be put out of joint.
As for the greatest Irish sporting moment, not sure, probably let you real irish guys sort that one.
My dad was Irish though and two memories I have of him going properly mad was firstly when Hurricane Higgins won the WC back in the early 80's and secondly Barry McGuigan beating what's his face Pedrosa to become the Flyweight champ. Those were two great nights to be with my Dad.
My dad was Irish though and two memories I have of him going properly mad was firstly when Hurricane Higgins won the WC back in the early 80's and secondly Barry McGuigan beating what's his face Pedrosa to become the Flyweight champ. Those were two great nights to be with my Dad.
Yea i agree with the poster about the GAA being a success story in itself. Its an amazing story really.
I think though the top gaa players like Dean Rock and Aaron Gillane should be paid for their achievements. That is the one thing i dont like about the GAA, you are expected to sarcrifice so much in terms of time and money and you get feck all in return. At least with Rugby and Football you could make a good career out of it if you are really good. I recall a camogie player saying she must have spent about 7 or 8 thousand on petrol driving from dublin to cork and back to train.
You quit then in the gaa and you are a pariah in the community. Like i suggest you are expected to devote everything to the gaa club and you get very little in return.
I think though the top gaa players like Dean Rock and Aaron Gillane should be paid for their achievements. That is the one thing i dont like about the GAA, you are expected to sarcrifice so much in terms of time and money and you get feck all in return. At least with Rugby and Football you could make a good career out of it if you are really good. I recall a camogie player saying she must have spent about 7 or 8 thousand on petrol driving from dublin to cork and back to train.
You quit then in the gaa and you are a pariah in the community. Like i suggest you are expected to devote everything to the gaa club and you get very little in return.
Stephen Roche winning the triple crown of Giro D'Italia, Tour de France and World Championship in 1987. The only man apart from Eddie Merckx to have acheived the feat in the history of cycling.
Has to be, others have said the success of the gaa, but for me that's a bit of a failure as the players don't get paid, unlike other native sports of other countries like basketball and American football in the USA now that's a success story of 2 organisations.
Totally agree. Then the head of the gaa in dublin is probably on 100k a year. Its like a pure capitalist system where the majority are exploited by the minority.
I was 15/16 years old playing GAA thinking i am getting out of this as soon as possible because i am getting nothing in return.
This lad won the Grand National 3 times and was runner up twice. The most successful horse ever in arguably the most difficult steeplechase event in the world. Red Rum is undoubtedly one of Ireland's greatest sportsmen, despite being a horse.