Outgoing GAA PRO Danny Lynch has slammed the organisation's Irish language policy, describing it as a "crazy situation."

[Harold Schiffman]

Lynch slates GAA Irish policy
by Arthur Sullivan, 05 October 2008


Outgoing GAA PRO Danny Lynch has slammed the organisation's Irish
language policy, describing it as a "crazy situation."
In the GAA, names have to be signed and recorded in Irish, with all
team sheets and other lists having all Irish names, often with no
English translation. Lynch believes the policy is outdated. "There's a
crazy situation with names having to be signed in Irish. I love the
Irish language - I speak it. I come from a quasi-Irish area but can
you imagine putting a Polish guy's name down in Irish?" he is quoted
as saying in the Irish Daily Mail.

"There are organisations out there with budgets of millions to support
the Irish language and we are expected to maintain it for no other
reason than tradition," he adds. The Kerry native also comments on a
number of other issues bothering him as he prepares for life after
leaving Croke Park. The 57-year-old believes the biggest challenge
facing the association is to stave off the threat of professionalism.
"Going forward, our biggest challenge is to ensure that
professionalism does not become a reality because if it were to do so,
I believe the GAA would crumble and disappear in a very short space of
time," he said.

He also commented on the increasing number of live games shown on TV,
saying it could lead to a fall in attendances. "There has to be an
appraisal of how live television coverage is managed.The easy option
is a scattered gun effect giving rights to as many people as you can,"
he said."We run the risk of over-exposure. It's crazy to have two big
games shown live on the one day. I know every broadcaster wants a
crack of the whip but you go into the situation where people will stop
going to games, and then you're also impacting on club matches. "We
should be focusing on the two main games. We have taken too much of an
all-embracing responsibility," he concluded.

http://www.setantasports.com/en/Sport/News/Other-sports/2008/10/05/GAA-Danny-Lynch-Quotes/?facets/sport-space/great-britain-locale/gaa/
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