A SURVEY BY the Tipperary county board has revealed that over 600 players have emigrated from GAA clubs in the county over the past five years.
The findings have been revealed in Tipperary secretary Tim Floyd’s report to the annual county convention which takes place next Wednesday, December 11th, at the Dome in Semple Stadium in Thurles.
639 players from the 72 clubs in the four GAA divisions in Tipperary have left the county since July 2008 with only 40% continuing to play abroad as 270 players have requested or were granted transfers in that time frame. Approximately one-fifth have returned to Ireland and most of these have resumed playing with their home club.
28 clubs have lost at least 10 players while 13 have lost the equivalent of a full 15-man team. Hardest hit has been the Cappawhite club in the west of the county which has lost 36 players with none returning. North Tipperary club Burgess have lost 30 players with nine returning
Other clubs that have been particularly affected by players emigrating are Kilruane McDonaghs (18), Cahir (20), Killenaule (18), Mullinahone (20), Clonoulty-Rossmore (20), Rockwell Rovers (20), Galtee Rovers (17), Lattin-Cullen (17) and Gortnahoe-Glengoole (20). 2011 was the worst year of emigration in the county.
Pic: Tipperary county board
“The survey was carried out by text only, over five days so I cannot stand over the accuracy of the figures returned”, outlines Floyd. “I can also presume that much of it was done from memory without thorough research.
“I still believe that the results are a reasonable reflection of the trend over the past five years since the current recession took hold.
“The UK was the destination for 70% of our emigrant players whilst the USA was the second most attractive for about 18% ,with Australia at 12%.
Cappawhite GAA club seems to be hardest hit with little or no record of any returning or any still playing abroad, and Burgess club. It’s a credit to both clubs that they continue to be competitive following such an exodus. Would any other organisation survive this?”
And Iam one of them.. from Aherlow to Madrid Harps!!
That’s the legacy of Fianna Fáil and you still will get idiots that will vote for them
Colm Keaveny says they have changed….surly he couldn’t be wrong
Of course they will, because their TD’s great-grand-uncle 14 times’ removed handed DeV a glass of water in Boland’s Mill when he asked for a drink. Ironic really seeing as we replaced one monarchy with another…
Green Thumb.
It’s sad to hear but money pays the bills not playing GAA.
If these guys played for Dublin there would be alot more help available to them…. Anyone else… On your bike lads…!
Sad sign of the times. Our club were county champions 2 years ago, of the 30 on the panel 16 have left as no work in the area and 14 of those have left the country.
What? What club is that
Ahhhhhhhh come on…….
any of the 600 gone wouldn’t have stopped Clare winning the all Ireland this year….
Ridiculous statement!
Clare ha..one back door all ireland in near twenty year and cocky all ready eh. Not even munster champs…roll on next year.
Yea can’t wait back to back all Irelands
Incredible that they only went to U.K. ,U.S. and Australia. 100%.
It was a very narrow-minded group of people.
And where did you go to Dave? North Korea? Iraq? Afghanistan?
Spoddgy you left out Limerick
I am in Budapest. 8 years. Why?
They may end up joining their armies and end up in Iraq and Afghanistan anyway.
Why not got to Canada, Germany, New Zealand, The EUA or anywhere in Scandinavia? They all speak English if that is their problem.
Listen? Hear it? That’s the yawning sound of ignorance. Mark it well because it is often disguised as informed opinion.
600 new club members in Dublin gaa?!
Ever hear a tipp man speaking English …. Ha ha ha here comes the red thumbs…
Anyone who has been to Tipperary will know that emigration is better than a life stuck there, coming from someone who lives here and will be leaving soon.
You will be a major loss… Hope the rest of us can manage without you in the premier county!
No worries, plenty have arrived to take their places.
Ya mary, more like a spent force!
Kilkenny on the way back, in force !
The Tipp crowd are no good
GOOD.
Is that all? Lucky they still have 500+ Most counties would be lucky to have 50