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POLL: Should Dublin GAA be split into two?

The GAA President Liam O’Neill does not believe it will happen in the short-term but what do you think?

GAA PRESIDENT LIAM O’Neill insists that he cannot see Dublin being split in the near future.

The topic has been debated heavily in recent weeks with pundits like Meath’s Colm O’Rourke calling for the county to be divided given their recent wave of underage success.

But O’Neill, speaking yesterday at the launch of the GAA’s Tackling Bullying Programme, believes that taking such a radical measure will have to come from Dublin.

“It can only be done, to the advantage of the organisation, when Dublin feel ready for that. I can see the argument for it and I can see the argument against breaking the brand that’s working at the moment.

“That’s why it would have to grow from a wish within Dublin from people involved in clubs. I certainly have no appetite for it and it’s not going to happen in the short-term.”

We want to know what you think. Should Dublin GAA be split into two?


Poll Results:

No. You can't punish Dublin just when they get successful. (517)
Don't Know. (279)
Yes. They have a greater advantage than other counties in terms of population (153)
Only at underage level. (110)

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29 Comments
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    Mute Pearse Corcoran
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    Mar 5th 2013, 11:56 AM

    No, a team that has won one All Ireland since 1996 isn’t dominating GAA.

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    Mute Eoin Lynch
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    Mar 5th 2013, 1:31 PM

    Is this even a serious proposal? Just because you have a higher percentage of population doesn’t gaurantee success! Training from underage and structures in place etc are what make a county successful. True Dublin may enjoy more investment but it doesn’t mean they’ve dominated at any level. Every county just goes through a golden era with talented players. Should we split Kilkenny just because they’ve enjoyed a sustained period of success in hurling?

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    Mute Chris Kelly
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    Mar 5th 2013, 1:44 PM

    P*ss of colm o’rourke just because Meath have f all chance of a Leinster as things stand.worry about your own county

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    Mute Robert Callaghan
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    Mar 5th 2013, 3:27 PM

    So do agree or disagree with the idea?

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    Mute John Drennan
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    Mar 5th 2013, 1:38 PM

    Surprise surprise the “unbiased” colm o rourke has jumped on the bandwagon of this.
    The Gaa community in Dublin is not as big as the population of dublin suggests and breaking up the dubs and hill 16 would destroy the game in Dublin. We’ve won one all Ireland in 17 years and the current underage success took donkeys years of hard work to accomplish.
    Sounds like the wishful thinking of embittered Dublin haters to me

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    Mute Mick O'Connor
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    Mar 5th 2013, 1:48 PM

    Sure may aswel split Kilkenny, Cork, Tyrone & Kerry in 2 aswel while they’re at it!

    18
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    Mute Dec Garvey
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    Mar 5th 2013, 3:38 PM

    I remember this crap being discussed before. Absolutely stupid idea!! Dublin has a bigger population, fair enough but during the day, get on a bus in the capital and see how many Dublin accents of playing age you hear. Very few is the answer. Once you take out the many students from other counties who still play for their home club and would obviously choose their home countys shirt, the many people from other countries that (presuming) dont play the game, the competition from the likes of soccer, which exists everywhere and opinions differ but personally think Dublin has more competition that most, there is still a population advantage but it is significantly reduced! If the GAA think the county system is unfair or isnt working due to certain advantages, then bring in a transfers system similar to soccer/rugby or scrap the county system all together. Both those ideas would do just as much damage to the game as this ridiculous suggestion!!

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    Mute Barry Curtin
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    Mar 5th 2013, 1:55 PM

    nah leave dublin alone, they’ve 1.3 million in the county and still win 1 all ireland since 1996 at senior level when it counts.. dont embarrass them anymore than they have to be! let the “culchies” show them how its done

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    Mute Píaras McNeill
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    Mar 5th 2013, 3:44 PM

    Dublin’s population is 1.3m-ish.
    I’d say half are boggers working/studying here.
    Then we have the soccer and rugby very strong in many parts.
    I’m 28 and I’ve seen 2 all-Ireland’s in football, 0 in hurling.
    Our “success” now, is down to hard work at underage, and building for the future.

    13
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    Mute Barry Curtin
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    Mar 5th 2013, 5:54 PM

    nah its 1.3 million according to the latest census, no need to blame the boggers and students..

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    Mute Dec Garvey
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    Mar 5th 2013, 6:43 PM

    Yea Barry, cos population is all that matters. Must be why China have so many World Cups…….Troll. And if you want to talk about embarrassment, lets look at the constant in-fighting and whinging in Cork.

    Also, for the second biggest county in Ireland, you arent exactly covering yourselves in glory these days either! Didnt you lose to Kildare a few weeks back who are less than half the population of Cork??

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    Mute Liam MacSuibhne
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    Mar 6th 2013, 8:21 AM

    @DecGarvet – correction, biggest county in Ireland.

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    Mute sparky
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    Mar 5th 2013, 1:13 PM

    Give it 10 years and see then, if things keep going the way they are Dublin should start dominating

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    Mute Si Regano
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    Mar 5th 2013, 11:59 PM

    whatever about Football, it definitley wouldnt work for Hurling in Dublin, Theres so few teams at the top in hurling so far ahead of the restonly about 4 real contenders every year , Hurling needs a good strong united county dublin team.

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    Mute Dave Bolger
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    Mar 5th 2013, 1:18 PM

    Personally don’t think it would be a bad idea. A lot of very talented underage hurlers and footballers are been lost to game as unless they are exceptionally talented underage they can forget about ever making it onto a county team in Dublin. Dublin have far more strength in debt than other counties, and dublin could probably put out a B side each year at most grades and still have realistic expectations of both sides making a Leinster final.

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    Mute Brian Fitzpatrick
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    Mar 5th 2013, 5:27 PM

    The bigger problem I find is the Munster and Connacht championships being a far easier passage to the All-Ireland than Leinster and Ulser. An open draw All-Ireland should be introduced to make it a level playing field.

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    Mute Dec Garvey
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    Mar 5th 2013, 6:56 PM

    Munster Leinster and Connacht all pretty much come down to 1 game most years really. Munster is usually Cork v Kerry, Mayo v Galway in Connacht with the odd year in both with an upset where either is beaten before they meet (or one sees the positives of the back door system). Leinster isnt much better really. Dublin, Meath or Kildare have been in almost every final in recent history (as in last few decades) and usually 2 of those 3. Ulster definately have it toughest by a long way. The other 3 provinces have a number of possible “easy” draws you can get but very few in Ulster. Would like to see an open 33 team draw (33? 32 counties minus Kilkenny plus London and NY? Tired so could be wrong!! hehe) but the Provincials would either have to be scrapped completely or would eventually fade to nothing as their importance would drop again alot more than it has since the introduction of the backdoor.

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    Mute Shane Ryan
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    Mar 5th 2013, 2:37 PM

    Ridicules. Underage success does not always lead to senior success. When you factor in immigration and other circumstances, the same players may not be around. Dublin has always had a population advantage but rarely dominate outside of Leinster.

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    Mute tribesman
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    Mar 5th 2013, 2:46 PM

    Serious monies being pumped into clubs in Dublin (from the GAA and local).
    With 1.2million and growing population Dublin will dominate at underage at an unfair advantage to other counties.
    This starting to come through now – Leinster minor & u21 are becoming mon events. Leinster senior football has been a parade for the dubs.

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    Mute Dec Garvey
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    Mar 5th 2013, 7:14 PM

    Kilkenny have won I think 13 of the last 15 Leinster Hurling Titles so why is there no talk about splitting them into 2 teams? Also, just looking at an article in the Times from May 2012 which states 1 in 5 people living in Dublin are not from Ireland. Add to that the number from Ireland but not from Dublin and finally other sports. I cant find any info on Rugby clubs but there are 88 soccer clubs in Dublin. Next highest is Tipp with 46 and all the rest are under half of the capital. All this added together bring the pool of GAA players seriously down ;)

    3
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    Mute Padraic Dalton
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    Mar 5th 2013, 3:56 PM

    No I wouldnt split the county at senior level. And it will never happen.
    But having said that I would divide it at underage levels. So many good underage players never get a chance to play at county level and this would only help the GAA get stronger. I would do the same in Cork and other well populated counties. The more young players playing at a high level would only help the games.

    4
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    Mute Pride Apparel
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    Mar 5th 2013, 2:27 PM

    Colm O’Rourke writes an article and it has run & run for two weeks now. Impressive!

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    Mute Edward Patrick Comerford
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    Mar 5th 2013, 2:17 PM

    Here we go again more S***** from GAA hacks

    4
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    Mute Geoff Hynes
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    Mar 5th 2013, 2:21 PM

    Isn’t this already kinda happening with Fingal in the hurling?

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    Mute Shane O Reilly
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    Mar 5th 2013, 12:18 PM

    Do they mean split hurling and football like galway had with 2 county boards or split the county?

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    Mute Finnian Curran
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    Mar 5th 2013, 12:40 PM

    This is probably the stupidest thing I’ve ever read. What a terrible idea.

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    Mute Dec Garvey
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    Mar 5th 2013, 3:42 PM

    Split the county. Probably into North Dublin and South Dublin as foolish pundits were suggesting a few years back also.

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    Mute Robert Callaghan
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    Mar 5th 2013, 3:44 PM

    Don’t see this as a runner at all. Even in years to come if they turn this current underage success into senior success, it will be up to the rest of the country to match them.

    They do have a big advantage over every other county with much greater funding and resources…but that’s just the way it’s going to be. I’d be very surprised if in 6/8 years time they are dominating at senior level like they are in underage at the minute, it’s just not going to happen.

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    Mute Shane Ryan
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    Mar 7th 2013, 9:33 AM

    G’wan Longford ha ha

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