ONE OF LONDON’S hurling clubs have proposed that a British Army GAA team, the Irish Guards, are denied entry to the English capital’s junior championship.
After much debate, the team were officially confirmed as part of London GAA last September and were preparing to compete at junior level this year.
But The Irish Post has revealed that their status is now in jeopardy after the Granuaile club started a motion to reverse the original decision.
Noel O’Sullivan, the former London GAA chairman, oversaw the Irish Guards’ official addition to the club scene in the city last year. But his replacement, John Lacey, is a Granuaile member and that could be a significant obstacle for the Irish Guards.
Their addition to the championship was a controversial one and was narrowly passed when O’Sullivan cast the deciding vote in favour of the Guards after a tied ballot.
An email sent to the city’s clubs from London County Board secretary Mark Gottsche read:
A Chara, in accordance with Rule 4.3 Voting T.O. 2015 (p58) I have been requested by Granuaile Hurling Club to notify all members of the London County Committee of their intention to propose the rescindment of the decision to approve the affiliation of the Irish Guards as a club to London County Committee. Could all clubs please ensure that their club delegates are briefed and mandated on this proposal.
The old Rule 21 in the GAA, which banned members of the British security forces from playing GAA, was abolished in 2001.
The Irish Guards are the first army regiment to become an affiliated club in the history of the GAA.
