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A FINE GAEL Senator has complained to the GAA after failing to obtain any tickets for the All-Ireland Final.
Mayo senator Michelle Mulherin has effectively accused Croke Park of discriminating against unelected representatives, after being told her Seanad seat does not guarantee her two tickets for this weekend’s Dublin-Mayo showdown.
The GAA allows TDs from participating counties to buy two tickets at full price. Mulherin claims senators from participating counties were allowed to buy a ticket last year.
TheJournal.ie has established that the GAA are open to granting requests from senators in certain circumstnaces – for example, with proven track records of contributing to their local clubs.
“To clarify, I sought to buy two tickets from Croke Park,” Mulherin said on Twitter.
Each year until this their policy gave option to both TDs and Senators. Maigh Eo Abu!
“This isn’t about me,” she told Drivetime on RTÉ this evening. “I’m a very proud supporter of the Mayo team.”
The former Fine Gael TD said she attended the Mayo-Tipperary semi-final, and was at one of the earlier Championship rounds, although she failed to specify which match.
“Myself and the rest of the county are just so behind this team…,” she said.
“This isn’t about Michelle Mulherin, this is about a policy of the GAA at Croke Park, which is discriminating against Senators in the Houses of the Oireachtas.
Basically, every year, senators and TDs from competing counties could write in, send in a cheque to purchase a couple of tickets, and they were accommodated.
“That has been the precedent every year. This isn’t about me. I didn’t dream this up. This was standard practice.”
Mulherin, a Taoiseach’s nominee to the Seanad, said “there is blue murder for tickets in Mayo”, but was told by the GAA that the pressure for tickets was coming from Dublin.
Asked whether TDs or senators should get this special deal, she said: ”That’s a matter for Croke Park.”
“It’s a special arrangement,” she added, although said she didn’t believe the arrangement should be abolished, and called the ticket arrangements “a mystery”.
Prerogative
The GAA does not put tickets for All-Ireland final on public sale, but instead distributes them to every club in the country – with a larger proportion doled out to clubs from counties competing in the All-Ireland.
A Croke Park spokesman said it is GAA policy to give free tickets for any game outside the final.
It’s unclear how many of Mayo’s games in the League and Championship Mulherin attended year. The Senator failed to return calls from TheJournal.ie today.
Irrelevant
A GAA spokesman said that it’s not true to say their ticketing rules have changed since the 2015 final, when Dublin dethroned champions Kerry.
“Every year we review our ticketing policy,” a GAA spokesman told TheJournal.ie.
Regardless of whether senators got them last year or not, it’s irrelevant as it’s the GAA’s prerogative to decide who gets tickets when.
It’s my information that senators weren’t all covered – it’s decided on a case-by-case basis.The idea is to manage the massive volume of requests we receive every year.
It’s understood that elected public officials or senators, whether appointed or elected, who demonstrated a track record of promoting gaelic games are prioritised by central GAA headquarters when it comes to applications for tickets.
It’s also understood that the GAA feels a greater obligation towards TDs who are elected, compared to politicians appointed to the Seanad by the Taoiseach.
A number of TDs from counties not competing in the final have also had ticket requests turned down by the GAA.
The GAA added that there is nothing to stop any politicians who failed to get tickets from contacting their local county board or their local GAA club.
Demand
On Monday, GAA Árd Stiúrthóir Páraic Duffy sent a letter to Mulherin rejecting her request for tickets for Sunday’s match, stressing the high demand for tickets.
“Unfortunately, we are unable to facilitate your request as the demand for tickets exceeds the number available,” Duffy wrote.
At central level, we can only make tickets available for purchase to TDs of competing counties.
A Croke Park spokesman told TheJournal.ie that it was more than happy that it caters for public representatives – pointing out that the Taoiseach, Ministers and TDs and councillors from both competing counties are allowed to buy tickets.
Discrimination
However, Mulherin has accused the GAA of discriminating against certain members of the Oireachtas.
Earlier this week, Dublin councillor Mark Ward criticised fair-weather GAA “spectators” for taking All-Ireland final tickets, and depriving year-round supporters of gaelic games from attending the most important match of the year.
He also criticised ticket-touting. Backbench Fine Gael TD Noel Rock is preparing to publish a private member’s bill which would ban the above-cost reselling of tickets for gaelic games matches and other events.
In the meantime, the gouging continues. Tickets for this Sunday’s final between Mayo and Dublin were for sale for up to €590 on the controversial site needaticket.ie earlier this week.
The tickets appear to have been bought in the interim.
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Day 17 and still no baggage. Wonder what happens on day 21. Probably a list of excuses as to why we can’t be compensated
@Ger Power: that is absolutely terrible. With computer systems as they are, they should know exactly where it is and how to get it to you.
@Ger Power: know somebody who just asked could they go in and have a look. Found their bag straight away. Worth a try.
@Ger Power: Sorry to hear…….. Another annoying thing is that the airlines will probable generate more money on the back of this with everyone paying to carry on their 10kg bag to avoid it getting lost.
Checking in luggage really only works if you can get it back at your destination. If they can’t make that work then you should be allowed bring all your suitcases on board as if it was a military transport.
@Sean: And how is ment to be all stored in over head compartments. Please explain?
@Mark Dit: well it would work the same way it does in the feeder bus that takes you to the plane? they’d have to take out a few rows of seats first obviously to make space which would eat into their profits but that is their problem and not mine. If they are running a 3rd world baggage reclaim service as they clearly are that will be entirely in keeping with the flight offering.
@Sean: a few problems with that. first, they couldnt be arsed. second, a bus isnt the same as a plane, weight needs to be distributed somewhat evenly, baggage needs to be secured. Third, it would be some hassle trying to wheel a large 20kg/25kg bag onto a plane as well as smaller cabin bag. It will seriously slow down securing the cabin and delay flights…… Bonkers idea
@Paul Hedderman: of course it is but the current idea of putting your luggage in the hols and it not being there when you arrive at your destination is also bonkers!
I lost the bags under my eyes in Dublin airport
There’s someone somewhere sweating balls because they have a suitcase full of contraband up there.
Always check the other carousels before giving up.
Went through Dublin Airport recently and was waiting for my bag at carousel 6 where i was told to collect….waiting ages and nothing, everyone else bag came through. I met a couple of ladies who’d been waiting for 2 hrs for theirs and thought i might end up the same way. Went wandering along the hall to find someone yo ask and sure enough, 3 carousels down ,there was my bag?!?
I told the other ladies to do the same, the sorting system is all over the place.
@Dawn Harvey: probably full of vibrators.
I wonder if Trash Taste podcast ever got there 50 grand worth of camera equitment back from Aerlingus?
Day 15 of my mobility scooter in delayed baggage, possibly in Heathrow. Im disabled and not able to leave the house without it. Updates promised by Aer Lingus many times but not forthcoming. Also wondering what happens on day 21 when it will be considered lost by Aer Lingus.
The carmelites in Aungier St hold a novena every Monday night for people who have lost their luggage, apparently it’s very successful.
Well for some of on Holidays
@Betty O Sullivan:
Salty
(The sea on the costa, as well as your comment)
@Betty O Sullivan: Not the first time you’ve made that comment.
@Paul Hedderman: oh Shrup
@Betty O Sullivan: Oh bitter Betty is back.
@Franny Ando: oh Shrup ill give you a tick ear
@Betty O Sullivan: shrup betty. All the same don’t mind them. Very few on here have a sense of humour.
@Betty O Sullivan: You’re quite right Betty. There’s far too much of this Holiday nonsense going on. About time someone with descent common sense stood up and told it like it is. Well done Mrs!
@Paul Gorry: How dare you Sir insult the institution that is Betty! She represents a certain unwaivering attitude not seen since the 1980′s. More like her, I say!!!
@Betty O Sullivan: Give me a tick ear too Betty? I want it! No other woman can wear a floral dress like you, while holding that one-arm on the hip so nonchalantly. A fag in the mouth would complete the vision. The epitome of 1980′s fem. I love
@Paul Gorry: on here? It’s a comments section on a news website. I think your looking for the light blue app with the image of a bird?
Staff were let go during the pandemic who new what they were doing, then shock people wanted to go on holidays after being locked locked up for nearly 3 years.The baggage handling was outsourced to maximise profits
Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris has been notorious for losing luggage for donkeys years. The only time I had a bag missing for more than a day was when I flew into that airport, and then they sent me the wrong bag. I have never used a black suitcase since that incident. Thankfully I’d developed a habit of having essentials in my carry-on after having had friends whose bags were missing for the entirety of a holiday.
@Eileesh Buckley: yes…but lost with such finesse. It’s a pleasure to complain.
@Eileesh Buckley: we on Day 18 of lost luggage. We came back from 3 week long haul trip so hand luggage only not possible. My wife has had to buy new clothes, make up and a hairdryer since we got back. This is totally unacceptable. I sense an ongoing battle with AirFrance to either find our bags or get compensation. Our bag could now be at Dublin Airport but with no one giving any communication how are we meant to know? We don’t live in Dublin so are we expected to drive to airport to look for our own bag. Who will I send the diesel receipt to?
Two years ago I went on a flight and they were insistent that all bags including backpacks must be stowed safely overhead before take off for safety reasons. This year they are charging for overhead space so you can keep your backpacks at your feet. Making it up as they go along as usual. Same with the airplane mode instruction which is pointless and same with the inflatable life jacket and whistle schtick which has saved 0.00001% of passengers on downed commercial airlines since air flight was invented. Give me a parachute if you want me to survive not a whistle I have to blow on!
Unattended bags may not be removed and may not be destroyed
Not not not being sarcastic, honest in-jin. But it would seem some of our politicians are a little lost themselves. And if not, then certainly flustered. We know the main problem: lack of staff (if I’m correct?) ..so what’s the plan…man?
Why can’t they just temporarily tag bags with a tracking devices.
@ChadChaderson: cost way to much money to tag every bag
@ChadChaderson: Because that would be an intelligent practical thing to do.
Next time I’m flying I’ll be using one of those Apple airtag thingys.
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