LEITRIM GAA CLUB Ballinamore Séan O’Heslins have called for the GAA to drop AIB as sponsors of the 2022 club championships if the bank does not reverse plans to go entirely cashless at 70 branches around the country later this year.

AIB yesterday announced plans which will see the 70 branches in question no longer have coins, notes, cheques, foreign exchange or bank drafts on site, while AIB will also be removing all drop and night safes as well as any ATMs located outside.

And 2021 Leitrim senior football champions Ballinamore Séan O’Heslins have today responded to the news with a strongly-worded statement, describing the move as an “attack on rural and small town Ireland”.

The club also calls for AIB to stand by the tagline used in their advertising for the club championships, ‘Tough can’t quit’, and reverse their decision.

The AIB bank in Ballinamore is one of the branches set to be impacted by the changes, which the club say will have ‘a detrimental impact’ in communities around the country. 

The club’s statement in full reads: “Ballinamore Séan O’Heslins were deeply shocked at yesterday’s announcement from AIB that they are to remove banking services from our community and from many other communities across the length and breadth of our country.

“Again, it appears that rural and small communities will be impacted by a decision from an organisation that calls itself a “GAA Supporter” and sponsor.

Ballinamore Séan O'Heslins won the Leitrim senior football championship last year. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

“In AIB’s latest advert for the GAA Club championships “Tough Can’t Quit” they use the following tag-lines: ‘Why do we go on? Why do we get up when we fall? Why do we keep going when we have no shot? ‘We carry on, we can’t stop, it’s who we are, these are our people, this is our club, we can’t walk away, it’s in our blood’.

“Clearly the marketing people within AIB have a rose-tinted view of their own organisation that they can attempt to stand behind the words above and at the same time go against the very ethos of those statements with this decision.

It’s clear from the decision made by AIB to close 70 branches, a decision which will impact communities with upwards of 350 GAA clubs that operate in those very towns, villages, communities, and environs that we are clearly not their people and it’s clear they can just walk away and intend to do just that.

“Let’s be clear, this is not a cost saving exercise, this is profit maximisation by an organisation that was bailed out by the government using revenue generated by the very communities they are now deserting.

“This decision from AIB will have a detrimental impact on everyone in our communities including the vulnerable, at a time when we have a cost-of-living crisis the expectation is that people drive 30km or more to access banking facilities adding more cost is hard to fathom.

This is but one more attack on rural and small-town Ireland, business are already struggling to keep afloat and now there will be added costs for them to operate, the loss of an ATM on the main street of the town will have a massive impact on the night economy and on the viability of our summer festivals, events and our tourist industry.

“As an organisation that prides itself on being part of our community, we cannot stand idly by while our community suffers due to a decision made to maximise profit at the detriment of the very people that “Stand Tough” with us week in and week out, those very same people that support us, that sponsor us, that help us keep going.

“We will “Stand Tough” with our community, with our supporters, our sponsors, and the people the length and breadth of Ireland that have heard this news, we will stand with the staff of AIB many of which may lose their livelihood.

“Ballinamore Séan O’Heslins calls on AIB to stand by their words “Tough can’t quit” to reverse their decision and to stand with our communities.

“If AIB fails to reverse their decision we call on the GAA Central council to immediately remove AIB from the sponsorship of the GAA Club championships 2022 and to cease all partnerships with an organisation that clearly does not have the best interests of our communities at the forefront of its thinking and goes against the very ethos of the GAA.

“We are dedicated to ensuring that our games and values enrich the lives of our members, families, and the communities we serve.” 

- Originally published at 14.20

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