Every GAA county match should be screened for free - council

“The GAA belongs to the people – and that is why it is so disappointing to see so many supporters locked out from watching championship games.”

So stated Cllr Peter Conlon (FG) at the July meeting of Monaghan County Council when moving a motion calling on the GAA to ensure that all inter-county senior football and hurling games from 2027 onwards are available for all to view on free-to-air television and, where required, through accessible online streaming platforms.

“Everyone should have the opportunity to watch their county team compete in the inter-county championship,” declared Cllr Conlon in proposing the motion.

He said that many families can’t afford another streaming subscription while some older people aren’t comfortable with accessing such services. It also “isn’t good enough” that some matches are not being televised at all, he believed.

Cllr Conlon stated that so much work has recently been done to reinvigorate Gaelic football through rule changes – attendances have grown and people are talking passionately about the game again, finding matches attractive and entertaining. It is therefore unfair for some of the biggest championship games to be “hidden away” behind paywalls from the people who really want to enjoy them.

He feared that if this practice took hold young people will miss out on being inspired by matches they never get to see.

“No supporter should be excluded from enjoying games because of their age, state of health, where they live or the level of access they have to RTÉ,” said Cllr Conlon.

Cllr Conlon urged the GAA to learn from past mistakes and to make all inter-county games available through GAA clubs via link platforms if the fixtures are not being broadcast by RTÉ.

Seconding the motion, Cllr Richard Truell said the GAA has “a question to answer” and needs to demonstrate connectivity with elderly supporters in rural Ireland who can’t attend matches or connect to a streaming service.

Cllr Seamus Coyle (FF) said inter-county matches offer fabulous entertainment and their enjoyment needs to be within the reach of everyone.

The motion was passed unanimously.