Ireland ‘under pitiless attack from emigration’ says writer

Emigration continues to severely cut the numbers of young irish playing GAA games.

Writing about the effects of Ireland’s downturn on the GAA. influential columnist Vincent Hogan noted the Irish  “spirit is under pitiless attack from emigration”.

“We truly live in extraordinary times when a man can score three goals in an All-Ireland final before 82,000 paying customers, then stand in a dole queue the following Thursday,” Hogan said in his Irish Independent column. He was referring to hurling final hero Lar Corbett.

Read More: Emigration biting hard at GAA

The issue of employment and emigration is seeing declining numbers in GAA clubs around the country.

A group of footballers recently appeared on the Irish chat show “The Late Late Show’ to discuss the difficulty in finding employment.

Pat Fitzgerald proposed allocating €1.6million per annum over the next five years for a fund which would encourage businesses to hire unemployed club players.

“The GAA is facing a monumental crisis if it doesn't realize that one lost generation begets another, “warned Hogan