Fitzy to lead review into Football In North Kerry

[Ballyfireside]

Should be interesting though Covid will throw the findings a bit - ah they will look at everything. My take on it is that it should be more an 'outside in' rather than 'inside out' exercise and the late Eugene Magee agreed way back, the underlying issue is the same, if people are brave it could be a real education for society and this was never more needed. Tim Murphy's national role is not unconnected and I'd say NK is but one sample, they need an economist on board, serious!

FROM RADIO KERRY SITE
Eamonn Fitzmaurice is to lead a review into football in North Kerry.

The All-Ireland winning Kerry manager and player has been appointed chairman of this committee, with Christy Killeen the Secretary while the other members are yet to be announced.

The committee is to review and make recommendations on improving the standard of football within the North Kerry District Football Board area, and include surrounding areas if deemed appropriate by the committee.

The following to be included for consideration by the committee
-Current Structures in place at Senior & Underage.

-District Board, Group Teams & Clubs

-Shannon Rangers & Feale Rangers competing separately in Co. Championships

-Coaching & Games

-Primary & Post Primary Schools

-Development Squads

-Competitions & Fixtures

-Any other matters the committee deem relevant.

The recommendations of the committee are to be considered by County Committee at its meeting on November 22nd.

Meanwhile, County Chairman Tim Murphy has been appointed to the national strategic planning committee.

[kerrybhoy06]

Badly, badly needed

[Ballyfireside]

Ah another article that rekindles the heart and relevant here, very -

I wouldn't be alive today if I drank and smoked - GAA legend Mick O'Dwyer

[dc84]

Good idea and i like the appointment of Eamon fitz while not everyone's cup of tea at the end of his reign he has a good football brain and is kerry to the core. Other sporting organisations have missed a trick here just because you aren't in the top job doesnt mean you can't contribute.

[glengael]

I have a memory that some other review was done into football in North Kerry in the not terribly distant past. Maybe I am dreaming that though...

[himself]

The Kerryman did a pretty big feature on North Kerry football fairly recently - lots of interviews etc., with a particular focus on whether Feale and Shannon Rangers should amalgamate. I thought it was a good piece (disclosure, I would be friends with some of the writers and may be unintentionally biased). You might be thinking of that?

[kerryexile]

www.independent.ie/regionals/kerryman/sport/gaa/a-north-kerry-team-would-give-new-impetus-39073613.html


This might be what you are thinking of. The first part about the history is interesting but regarding colleges I think it is not good enough. They could form an amalgamation called Coláistí Chiarraí Thuaidh. They wouldn't have to train collectively every day. A teacher from each school could work to a definite plan, locally with the players from that school for some sessions. There are a few amalgamations in AI Colleges.

[hurlingman]

Apr 28, 2021 20:45:54 GMT kerryexile said:

www.independent.ie/regionals/kerryman/sport/gaa/a-north-kerry-team-would-give-new-impetus-39073613.html


This might be what you are thinking of. The first part about the history is interesting but regarding colleges I think it is not good enough. They could form an amalgamation called Coláistí Chiarraí Thuaidh. They wouldn't have to train collectively every day. A teacher from each school could work to a definite plan, locally with the players from that school for some sessions. There are a few amalgamations in AI Colleges.

afaik they can't go past Munster as an amalgamation anymore. It's the case in hurling anyway

[Ballyfireside]

I suppose the question is why NK football has gone downhill since Shannon & Feale contested a county final and the span of years is probably outside of what we will call 'sporadic talent range', i.e. despite the varying nature of, well nature producing football talent, it is a freak that we don't have any silverware or even been beaten finalists down all these years.

What makes it even more remarkable is that as Johnny Mulvihill notes we have 6 secondary schools - have most others just the one? While students increasingly going on to 3rd level would have a bearing, ITT/MTU would counter this somewhat, i.e. fellas would remain within the county, if only until graduation anyway.

Hurling has come on and farming in the non-hurling part of NK was predominantly dairying and which has shed manpower both from mechanisation and bigger holdings buying out small farmers. Still these factors alone would hardly account for the black hole.

I am not aware that the wider issue of rural depopulation is more severe in NK though I believe Killarney for one probably gains more than it loses in this respect. And yes, we also had the austerity years but I don't think NK fared worst?

Despite the comparative number of schools factor does the number of NK county players suggest that we just hadn't the talent? That the Shannon & Feale final was in '77 when the county was at it's peak makes it even all the more unusual.

Ah that's my take on it and some may recall the genetics professor from Trinity College falling foul of my Kerry Ingredient theory on this very subject - having backed himself into a corner he concluded it was all to do with the postman and which had quiet a few frying pans and rolling pins cast in his direction by our noble WAGs.

Seriously I think we need to do the maths on it. It looks freakish but the wider the range of years makes freaks also statistically probable. I'd suggest a top down approach, i.e. talk to other counties rather than having everyone going through the same rigmarole of getting buried in detail, and avoid them TCD laddos!

On reflection sure some counties have also been dormant e.g. Donegal and who were always and ever of top tier GAA potential didn't come alive until '92, and the Dubs and ourselves had quiet years too.

I have a few more ideas but I'll leave it at that for now, I'd hate to spoil you.

Ballythefireside quote of the day - There is a reason for everything

[kerryexile]

Apr 28, 2021 20:57:26 GMT hurlingman said:

Apr 28, 2021 20:45:54 GMT kerryexile said:

www.independent.ie/regionals/kerryman/sport/gaa/a-north-kerry-team-would-give-new-impetus-39073613.html


This might be what you are thinking of. The first part about the history is interesting but regarding colleges I think it is not good enough. They could form an amalgamation called Coláistí Chiarraí Thuaidh. They wouldn't have to train collectively every day. A teacher from each school could work to a definite plan, locally with the players from that school for some sessions. There are a few amalgamations in AI Colleges.

afaik they can't go past Munster as an amalgamation anymore. It's the case in hurling anyway

Hurlingman you are right. 

An amalgamation of four schools called Dundalk Schools won the Leinster colleges football in 2011 and went on to be beaten by St Colman's Newry in the AI semi-final.  On the other hand Dublin North beat St Kieran's Kilkenny in the Leinster colleges hurling final in 2018 but St Kieran's went on to represent the province and beat Ardscoil Ris Limerick in the semi final and Athenry in the final to become AI champions. 

Anyway that arrangement would not be an issue for Coláistí Chiarraí Thuaidh in the first few years. 

[Ballyfireside]

Apparently JP McManus told the Offaly Lowrys that the first thing with Treaty small ballers was getting the underage sorted, structures, etc, so my question re the numbers above is key. I suppose the years don't be long ticking and by the time the structures is sorted the first crop are already flowing out of the pipeline - now what do you think of that Joe Brolly? The apparent disparity in post-primary is mind boggling if I am understanding it correctly and Mulvihill would be sound enough on that one. Someone counted 10 boyos secondary schools serving NK and what is further amazing is that all have serious GAA pedigree, even the small ball wans.

NK as a whole looks similar to Dingle Peninsula in area but what about the numbers, schools, penetration of soccer, etc? Currow of a day past proved that Rugby can be a help as well as a hinderance though it could be a bigger hinderance if you waz playing again' 'em.

Be jazus but we better go aisy or we'll have Fitzy's job done for him.

[hurlingman]

Apr 29, 2021 11:38:10 GMT kerryexile said:

Apr 28, 2021 20:57:26 GMT hurlingman said:

afaik they can't go past Munster as an amalgamation anymore. It's the case in hurling anyway

Hurlingman you are right. 

An amalgamation of four schools called Dundalk Schools won the Leinster colleges football in 2011 and went on to be beaten by St Colman's Newry in the AI semi-final.  On the other hand Dublin North beat St Kieran's Kilkenny in the Leinster colleges hurling final in 2018 but St Kieran's went on to represent the province and beat Ardscoil Ris Limerick in the semi final and Athenry in the final to become AI champions. 

Anyway that arrangement would not be an issue for Coláistí Chiarraí Thuaidh in the first few years. 

From what i remember a Dungarvan Colleges team won the ''A'' hurling All-Ireland and a school from Dungarvan, whith more or less the same team, won the ''B'' title so that put a stop to it.

North Kerrys issue with schools imo is there's so many. Players from North Kerry could be going to school in Listowl, Tarbert, Causeway, Ballybunion, two in Castleiland, Tralee and Abbeyfeale. Even at that bar in Tralee are any of thouse school playing at a high level in Munster?

[Ballyfireside]

I don't know if I mentioned it previously but would our improving hurling fortunes also be a factor?

What percentage of Kerry hurling is NK? What % Tralee? As there must be big ball in all clubs, what would be the split? Walking around Croker of a day you'd wonder if Dufferland was 50/50, and an amazing dual player culture - oh the PJ Houlihans and Jimmy Sullivans for starters!

Dufferland is unique in that it is right between the two areas and maybe that accounts for what might be a high dual factor? Gerald McKenna wrote a good one on this in 'Grasses we Combed' which commemorated the opening of Ballydonoghue's Dowling Park.

How much is Fitzy getting paid here, and me doing all the hard work?

[Ballyfireside]

North Kerry football is battling hard to come in from the cold

More meat on the bone here, will be interesting what more Fitzy comes up with, given his quality punditry I think he will nail this one, looking at the picture down south and indeed in other counties wouldn't be any harm either, no point in reinventing the wheel. In the above article NK Board Chairman Johnny Stack touches on the economic aspect, e.g. employment - Éamonn must explore this in-depth as it is key.

[kerry97]

Club Football

This is probably a deeply unpopular opinion but I think the North Kerry Championship is one of the major problems if not "the problem".

The clubs, probably with the exception of Desmonds prioritise a competition that is played in the depths of winter often in horrendous conditions and nearly always overruns which affects preparation for football in the Spring and Summer , when pace and skill are rewarded.

Solution : With only one player on the Kerry senior panel , surely this can be played off between June and September. Good ( or better) conditions will surely reward pace and skill more , and a proper off- season may allow the players to be fresher for county leagues and championships .

The North Kerry League

Never really got the purpose of the district league, I think at senior level its a pointless competition. Perhaps the competition could be rejigged and used to incentivise players who may drift a way from football during the ages of 18-23 to keep playing by making it an under 25 competition.

County Championship

Feale Rangers got a tough time of it last year from East Kerry but they'd probably be in Division One of the National League if they were a county . FR have been competitive most other years , think Shannon Rangers have far bigger issues . I'm not sure their is a short term fix to this one , when you are continually losing its hard to get organised and committed as tangible progress is hard to measure . Perhaps group games in the CC might bring on the likes of SR and FR to a much lesser extent.

Underage

Schools football is an issue but I'm not sure how you could fix it , You have a sparse population and a number of schools . Creating an amalgamation would be difficult and I'm of the view that school should be the focus of school not the O'Sullivan Cup.

Club level , pursue more amalgamations and in the county leagues there should be no more than 2 NK clubs in any division . Familiarity breeds contempt and playing the same opposition repetitively ( they will be played in underage district leagues and championships) is not great for development .

Demographics/Employment and the Economy

Ageing society with large numbers engaging in urban migration and emigration. Fixing this in my view is impossible and goes to heart of how the economy of the Republic of Ireland is structured and how society in Ireland operates.

In the post-coronial world that we are now entering it is unlikely that the government will engage in a aggressive capital expenditure program to incentivise growth in the regions by putting in place in the necessary infrastructure for the entire country to succeed. If anything it is highly likely that the government will cut the Capex budget in an attempt to reduce the burden on the taxpayer .

Until the country is willing to invest in a truly meaningful infrastructure program which may take 10 to 20 years to put in place problems such as this one will remain unaddressed . As the old saying goes " the electorate always gets the government it deserves".

[givehimaball]

May 24, 2021 15:07:20 GMT kerry97 said:

Club Football

This is probably a deeply unpopular opinion but I think the North Kerry Championship is one of the major problems if not "the problem".

The clubs, probably with the exception of Desmonds prioritise a competition that is played in the depths of winter often in horrendous conditions and nearly always overruns which affects preparation for football in the Spring and Summer , when pace and skill are rewarded.

Solution : With only one player on the Kerry senior panel , surely this can be played off between June and September. Good ( or better) conditions will surely reward pace and skill more , and a proper off- season may allow the players to be fresher for county leagues and championships .

The North Kerry League

Never really got the purpose of the district league, I think at senior level its a pointless competition. Perhaps the competition could be rejigged and used to incentivise players who may drift a way from football during the ages of 18-23 to keep playing by making it an under 25 competition.

County Championship

Feale Rangers got a tough time of it last year from East Kerry but they'd probably be in Division One of the National League if they were a county . FR have been competitive most other years , think Shannon Rangers have far bigger issues . I'm not sure their is a short term fix to this one , when you are continually losing its hard to get organised and committed as tangible progress is hard to measure . Perhaps group games in the CC might bring on the likes of SR and FR to a much lesser extent.

Underage

Schools football is an issue but I'm not sure how you could fix it , You have a sparse population and a number of schools . Creating an amalgamation would be difficult and I'm of the view that school should be the focus of school not the O'Sullivan Cup.

Club level , pursue more amalgamations and in the county leagues there should be no more than 2 NK clubs in any division . Familiarity breeds contempt and playing the same opposition repetitively ( they will be played in underage district leagues and championships) is not great for development .

Demographics/Employment and the Economy

Ageing society with large numbers engaging in urban migration and emigration. Fixing this in my view is impossible and goes to heart of how the economy of the Republic of Ireland is structured and how society in Ireland operates.

In the post-coronial world that we are now entering it is unlikely that the government will engage in a aggressive capital expenditure program to incentivise growth in the regions by putting in place in the necessary infrastructure for the entire country to succeed. If anything it is highly likely that the government will cut the Capex budget in an attempt to reduce the burden on the taxpayer .

Until the country is willing to invest in a truly meaningful infrastructure program which may take 10 to 20 years to put in place problems such as this one will remain unaddressed . As the old saying goes " the electorate always gets the government it deserves".

Just reading that I had the thought that a lot of the same issues are present in South Kerry; especially as regards demographics/employment and the economy. Is North Kerry in a worse position than South Kerry in regards these factors?

One big difference is probably the strengh of hurling in both regions - how many in North Kerry are hurlers first, footballers second versus the other way around? How many Kerry players over the last decade have come from hurling clubs?
If a young lad is in a club that splits training 50/50 between hurling and football from u6 to minor, he's surely at a big disadvantage skills-wise compared to a young lad who has been at a 100% football club over the same period. The hurling issue is a bit of a mine-field but can't help think Fitzmaurice is in a strong position to ask these questions in relation to hurling given his back-ground.

[kerry97]

May 24, 2021 17:58:06 GMT givehimaball said:

May 24, 2021 15:07:20 GMT kerry97 said:

Club Football

This is probably a deeply unpopular opinion but I think the North Kerry Championship is one of the major problems if not "the problem".

The clubs, probably with the exception of Desmonds prioritise a competition that is played in the depths of winter often in horrendous conditions and nearly always overruns which affects preparation for football in the Spring and Summer , when pace and skill are rewarded.

Solution : With only one player on the Kerry senior panel , surely this can be played off between June and September. Good ( or better) conditions will surely reward pace and skill more , and a proper off- season may allow the players to be fresher for county leagues and championships .

The North Kerry League

Never really got the purpose of the district league, I think at senior level its a pointless competition. Perhaps the competition could be rejigged and used to incentivise players who may drift a way from football during the ages of 18-23 to keep playing by making it an under 25 competition.

County Championship

Feale Rangers got a tough time of it last year from East Kerry but they'd probably be in Division One of the National League if they were a county . FR have been competitive most other years , think Shannon Rangers have far bigger issues . I'm not sure their is a short term fix to this one , when you are continually losing its hard to get organised and committed as tangible progress is hard to measure . Perhaps group games in the CC might bring on the likes of SR and FR to a much lesser extent.

Underage

Schools football is an issue but I'm not sure how you could fix it , You have a sparse population and a number of schools . Creating an amalgamation would be difficult and I'm of the view that school should be the focus of school not the O'Sullivan Cup.

Club level , pursue more amalgamations and in the county leagues there should be no more than 2 NK clubs in any division . Familiarity breeds contempt and playing the same opposition repetitively ( they will be played in underage district leagues and championships) is not great for development .

Demographics/Employment and the Economy

Ageing society with large numbers engaging in urban migration and emigration. Fixing this in my view is impossible and goes to heart of how the economy of the Republic of Ireland is structured and how society in Ireland operates.

In the post-coronial world that we are now entering it is unlikely that the government will engage in a aggressive capital expenditure program to incentivise growth in the regions by putting in place in the necessary infrastructure for the entire country to succeed. If anything it is highly likely that the government will cut the Capex budget in an attempt to reduce the burden on the taxpayer .

Until the country is willing to invest in a truly meaningful infrastructure program which may take 10 to 20 years to put in place problems such as this one will remain unaddressed . As the old saying goes " the electorate always gets the government it deserves".

Just reading that I had the thought that a lot of the same issues are present in South Kerry; especially as regards demographics/employment and the economy. Is North Kerry in a worse position than South Kerry in regards these factors?

One big difference is probably the strengh of hurling in both regions - how many in North Kerry are hurlers first, footballers second versus the other way around? How many Kerry players over the last decade have come from hurling clubs?
If a young lad is in a club that splits training 50/50 between hurling and football from u6 to minor, he's surely at a big disadvantage skills-wise compared to a young lad who has been at a 100% football club over the same period. The hurling issue is a bit of a mine-field but can't help think Fitzmaurice is in a strong position to ask these questions in relation to hurling given his back-ground.

I think its less of an issue than people make out .

Only Ballyduff , Finuge and St Senans have large numbers of players playing club hurling . Reckon most of the Abbeydorney , St Brendans and Kilmoyley players are playing with Ardfert or other clubs in the St Brendans district/ Tralee if they are playing football at all .

On demographics and the economy , the population is definitely declining in places like Ballylongford for example . I believe the village featured in TG4 documentary about the decline of rural towns and villages. I reckon Kerry as a whole is challenged and how they fix this is a long term issue .

Consider the challenges facing a young man or woman graduating university in 2021 . If they have pursued a degree in a humanities subject such as Business or Law the vast majority will have to relocate to Dublin or Cork . If they have pursued a STEM subject they will also have to move to Dublin . Even Kerry Group had to place their R&D facility in Naas to attract a skilled workforce .

If you are pursuing an apprenticeship it doesn't get any easier .

When people talk about what will keep young people at home , they always talk about jobs ! What they need to talk about are careers and how we attract businesses or develop businesses that will give young people the opportunity to pursue meaningful and skilled careers .

Without trying to sound ignorant , a local economy based around seasonal tourism will not attract more young people to Kerry.

In order for the meaningful careers to be developed the county needs serious investment in its infrastructure in order to to allow these "businesses" to develop. Will this actually happen ? Most likely not , the prevailing economic wisdom of the past 70 years has been aggressive centralisation of the economy around Dublin . Now that strategy has spawned all these issues like property booms, property busts, supply issues , co-living proposals etc.

I suppose to use a GAA analogy , The Irish economy is a bit like a Football match , their are 30 players on the pitch plus , the two linesmen , the referee, and the four umpires . In the spirit of centralisation the rulemakers move the referee , the two linesmen and three of the umpires to one end of the pitch . The next thing they do incentivise all the players to play inside one of the 21 yard line and before you know it you have 24 players , plus all the rulemakers and officials inside the 21 yard line. Outside the 21 yard line you have six players left standing in loads of space with one umpire ( to represent the anaemic level of state services in rural Ireland) . If any new players arrive at the pitch late they will more than likely be incentivised to play inside the 21 yard line. All the players will then complain about the cost of space , the lack of it and the price of it . The solution is simple but the most likely outcome is that the other 6 players and umpire try to join the game inside the 21 yard line, over time it all overheats in the 21 yard line and theirs a bust up and a few of the players are sent off . With nothing going on outside the 21 yard line , no ball etc. the players then leave and go to another pitch far far away.

[Ballyfireside]

Much of what is being said here is near enough the mark IMO so let's split it into 1. On the field and 2. Off the field aspects.

Kerry97 covers the former and which is within GAA control and as I don't live locally I'll stick to the latter aspect and where I have some insight, though others will be the judge of that.

Someone said that there is now no place in NK from which a wind turbine is not visible so that will hardly encourage inward (backward?) migration that Covid might have driven, what with WFH (Working From Home) and the urban housing situation - Covid accelerated the impact of technology on society to the extent that what might have taken 10 years has happened in all of 10 months, and it is hardly finished yet!

Someone told me that there is an entire school class from Ballylongford in is it Toronto and while that is great for experience, how many would come back go NK? Returning couples often choose between the 2 homeplaces so wind turbines will impact here. While NK is somewhat blessed with coastal attractions, unfortunately Ballylongford and Tarbert don't have beaches and are also limited to a 180° catchment area, unlike say Listowel and Tralee with 360°. Ballylongford mightn't have much arable land hence it is almost a turbine plantation.

I suppose farmers can do as they please with what is often marginal land that is increasingly difficult to make a living from so they 'repurpose it', and however it happened on such a scale in NK, it is hardly reversible.

I am not so sure we can blame government for the accelerated urbanisation down the years - as a nation we have to court FDI and indeed we were lucky to be the only English speaking state within the €uro area - with Brexit we are now the sole native English speaking region across the entire EU and which is the chief reason for all these US multinationals being here. While that is more of the same, the benefits in terms of national income will be somewhat tempered with the reduction in tax revenues and which is currently being reformed - the end of leprechaun economics they term it!

Without FDI we have very little here to pay for public services, what with farming becoming more mechanised so fewer bodies/players and margins are thinning with climate restrictions. SK is a tourism hotspot and while it is valuable, the jobs are seasonal and not quiet at the top of the scale. I don't know much about fishing but from what we hear it is hardly an overall game changer. NK's tourism prospects are now further diminished as to accelerate the turbine business it choose to downgrade to being 'of no tourism value' so it may not be promoted as heavily. What is Ballybunion like these days, Golf Hotel closed, someone mentioned taking it down. I suppose it cannot capture the premium end of the golfers spend, much of which ends up in Killarney.

What is Tralee like these days? - someone says it is crying out for a big industry. Is Kerry Group HQ now empty with Covid? Even some of their Naas operation was recently shifted abroad to a low cost country and what with the potential split with Kerry Co-op, not great in terms of expansion prospects.

With the EU becoming increasingly homogenised one can hardly be optimistic for the NK economy and that will have a big impact on the local GAA - less money = less jobs = less couples settling in NK = less boots on the ground on a Sunday morning - weakened pipeline into the future.

It would be interesting to hear other views on this, and while bearing in mind we are talking about what may or may not happen in the future here, and while my slant may prove credible, maybe we could buck the trend if there was so much FDI spin-off benefit that is reinvested in rural Ireland. Still it is hard to see how we will close the gap population wise with city county teams - the gap might get much much bigger and that must be a real worry.

Working in Dingle Fitzy is even better placed as that haven has enjoyed a boom with Skellig Michael and Star Wars - haven't they experienced a mini version of Dublin's accommodation issues with tourism staff no longer able to afford to live there?

Does the very south of the county gravitate to the bigger towns, like Ballybunion spillover goes to Killarney? Cahersiveen badly hit, clubs struggling with numbers?

I have just written all this off the top of my head so please excuse if the flow isn't 100%, maybe just pick the points and see how she goes, maybe it will jog people's own minds and throw up some more ideas.

Ballythefireside Quote of the day a la wan Con Houlihan - The ball is the wheel of wheels that drives rural Ireland


PS Regarding the merger, maybe it could be a temporary arrangement, just to fuse a bit of energy into the situation. The best 25 should make the panel regardless of how small their club is and maybe with the benefit of other changes NK might be back to winning ways - it is almost depressing not to see decent representation, though proud of all to who the jersey falls I am sure some feel excluded, supporters that is, not to mind players - we need local role models!

[hurlingman]

May 24, 2021 15:07:20 GMT kerry97 said:

Club Football

This is probably a deeply unpopular opinion but I think the North Kerry Championship is one of the major problems if not "the problem".

The clubs, probably with the exception of Desmonds prioritise a competition that is played in the depths of winter often in horrendous conditions and nearly always overruns which affects preparation for football in the Spring and Summer , when pace and skill are rewarded.

Solution : With only one player on the Kerry senior panel , surely this can be played off between June and September. Good ( or better) conditions will surely reward pace and skill more , and a proper off- season may allow the players to be fresher for county leagues and championships .

The North Kerry League

Never really got the purpose of the district league, I think at senior level its a pointless competition. Perhaps the competition could be rejigged and used to incentivise players who may drift a way from football during the ages of 18-23 to keep playing by making it an under 25 competition.

County Championship

Feale Rangers got a tough time of it last year from East Kerry but they'd probably be in Division One of the National League if they were a county . FR have been competitive most other years , think Shannon Rangers have far bigger issues . I'm not sure their is a short term fix to this one , when you are continually losing its hard to get organised and committed as tangible progress is hard to measure . Perhaps group games in the CC might bring on the likes of SR and FR to a much lesser extent.

Underage

Schools football is an issue but I'm not sure how you could fix it , You have a sparse population and a number of schools . Creating an amalgamation would be difficult and I'm of the view that school should be the focus of school not the O'Sullivan Cup.

Club level , pursue more amalgamations and in the county leagues there should be no more than 2 NK clubs in any division . Familiarity breeds contempt and playing the same opposition repetitively ( they will be played in underage district leagues and championships) is not great for development .

Demographics/Employment and the Economy

Ageing society with large numbers engaging in urban migration and emigration. Fixing this in my view is impossible and goes to heart of how the economy of the Republic of Ireland is structured and how society in Ireland operates.

In the post-coronial world that we are now entering it is unlikely that the government will engage in a aggressive capital expenditure program to incentivise growth in the regions by putting in place in the necessary infrastructure for the entire country to succeed. If anything it is highly likely that the government will cut the Capex budget in an attempt to reduce the burden on the taxpayer .

Until the country is willing to invest in a truly meaningful infrastructure program which may take 10 to 20 years to put in place problems such as this one will remain unaddressed . As the old saying goes " the electorate always gets the government it deserves".

That's actually a very good point re North Kerry championship. More son in recent years when Feale Rangers and Shannon Rangers have been out of the championship early there's no reason for it to drag out for as long as it does. I disagree with the North Kerry League being pointless a without it teams wouldn't be playing anything until the county league stated. Like the championship no reason for it to drag on like it deos as well.

[Newtown]

Yes economic conditions are a factor ,but south and west Kerry could say that and they have had more success.
Kerry group in listowel and Aughish are massive north Kerry employers with good jobs.
Schools have Been Miles behind the Tralee and Killarney even in my days poor preparation .
Also culture most players while nice to play for feale and Shannon rangers are more focused with their clubs . Senans , ballydoughie , listowel all top clubs . Duagh are div 3 . Finuge had a great team for years galvin era still competitive.
Like managers only appointed a couple month before county championship why ain’t this all sorted so they can check out players . Most managers appointed know very little about up and coming players more research is needed. The standard is high players ain’t foolish i.They ask what’s the point playing crokes or east Kerry and taking a walloping .

[Newtown]

Joining Shannon rangers and feale only hides the problem and makes it more elitist.
The weak clubs will get weaker .
Even 2007 win disguised the other years of no success.
This has been a issue for many years . Hurling also makes training hard to organise as finuge and senans players tied up . Like preparation last year was a couple training seissons and a challenge game with loads of players missing. county championship is ruthless you have top clubs with paid mangers so serious .it’s not going to improve more hammerings on the way .

[An Bradán]

A lot depends on who is presented to represent North Kerry football opinion. If it's the same old same old it's a waste of time.

Schools football in the area is totally underperforming as are a lot of clubs. The days of good school coaches like Johnny Flaherty St.
Michael's and Jimmy Deenihan at Tarbert are sadly long gone

Many clubs are shockingly unambitious and would drop to the lowest level to win any old shield instead of going up a level to try to improve.

Hurling is a big factor for three clubs in particular Finuge, Senans and B'duff.

As for the divisional sides don't get me started. There's a handful of good people involved but there's some desperate spoofers there too. Plenty tales of management being appointed to various ages groups a month or so out from fixtures. Not good enough at all.
A lot of players have tuned out as they've been let down multiple times. Guys just in there to makes sure their clubman is picked too. FR and SR are a mess.

The holy grail of the NK Champ hasn't helped either. Who the hell peaks in December. The greed of the NK Board in the past led to finals on St. Stephen's Day etc. All for the €€€ and to hell with the players and clubs. There was a time when it was a Summer championship. Time to go back and finish all fixtures by end Oct at latest.

[mossie]

In fairness I think the NK clubs do give more credence now to the county club championship competitions than the NK championship. Duagh, Finuge , Brosna all had good runs in county, provincal, all ireland competitions, Ballyduff won a county junior title recently

SR and FR are not the only divisions with problems preparing teams, it isnt that long ago East Kerry had problems

[colinsworth1]

Going by above comments
Outlook looks bleak unless action is taken and soon
Let hope we get real change here
Feale Rangers and Shannon Rangers no need to join
That’s not addressing the real problem
Those should be year round structures with incentive
Built in to participate

[colinsworth1]

Going by above comments
Outlook looks bleak unless action is taken and soon
Let hope we get real change here
Feale Rangers and Shannon Rangers no need to join
That’s not addressing the real problem
Those should be year round structures with incentive
Built in to participate

[Newtown]

Joining Shannon and feale only makes things worse . Weaker clubs with no players would totally distance themselves from it. It would hide the underlying issues .
Schools is the real issue . Preparation is miles behind the Tralee and Killarney schools.
Getting qualified coaches in only solution ,days of teachers doing it for free trying to compete with elite schools who take it so seriously is gone . Again expect more hammering s for next number of years .

[mossie]

Feale Rangers should need to be joining with no one, they have the basis of a decent side , if one has to put 10 clubs with a town the size of Listowel then things are really bad

Shannon Rangers look weaker to me

[Newtown]

Again neither get the best players to comitt over the years there just ain’t a big buy in.
Coaches into schools main solution and not once a month regularly . Again appointing managers well in advance more time to scout the scene . The review what’s the aim better performance in senior county champ then obviously join both or increased numbers from all levels the. Massive changes needed .
Eamon fitz if your reading this give me a shout !

[thehermit]

Oct 5, 2021 9:53:40 GMT kingdomsparks said:

Sorry to dampen the spirits lads but my sources have it that Barry O Mahony is seriously considering emigration ,he would be a serious loss to Kerry hurling and /or football not to mind his clubs Crotta and St.Senans

A sad reflection of the economic circumstances that have contributed so much to the poor standard of club football in North Kerry. Sure what work is there for any young people to keep them at home in a region which doesn't even have the tourism of the rest of the county.

The days of surviving as a small farmer are long gone too, just ask my father who gave up the ghost in the early 90s.

[veteran]

Oct 5, 2021 18:27:26 GMT thehermit said:

Oct 5, 2021 9:53:40 GMT kingdomsparks said:

Sorry to dampen the spirits lads but my sources have it that Barry O Mahony is seriously considering emigration ,he would be a serious loss to Kerry hurling and /or football not to mind his clubs Crotta and St.Senans

A sad reflection of the economic circumstances that have contributed so much to the poor standard of club football in North Kerry. Sure what work is there for any young people to keep them at home in a region which doesn't even have the tourism of the rest of the county.

The days of surviving as a small farmer are long gone too, just ask my father who gave up the ghost in the early 90s.

We have loads of wind turbines up here and applications for solar panel farms. The county development plan , I am told , envisages tourist trails being developed so that people can visit these pylons, We can collect a few blackberries in the autumn, sprigs of holly in December, visit the bog in early spring and ache for the time we could cut turf. In no time the cuckoo will arrive to serenade us . I can’t understand what people are complaining about. Sure if all fruit fails we can start eating grass because we won’t be allowed to keep cows owing to the amount of gas they produce from eating all that grass. But wait , will we start producing excess gas also if we consume grass. I suppose they will have to disappear us along with the cows at that rate. No need for employment so. Problem solved.