NY GAA Kelly ‘hopeful’ for Randall’s Island

The “three wise men” of the GAA, Kelly, Peter Quinn and Nicky Brennan, crossed the Atlantic in a bid to end the stalemate between the New York GAA, the GAA and the Randall’s Island Sports Group (RIGS).
The three chairmen, present (Kelly), past (Quinn) and future, (Brennan) met with both New York groups on the Randall’s Island project and Kelly was “satisfied that good progress had been made.”
The success or failure of Randall’s Island has been the subject of intense scrutiny in New York GAA circles in the weeks surrounding the recent association elections. The incumbent chairman, Seamus Dooley, handily won a second term but not before a series of angry exchanges, which saw challenger John Moore, an original RIGS Board member, challenge Dooley’s commitment to the project.
Of course Dooley fired back, telling the Irish Echo in a pre-election interview that there was a “new RIGS” and it could manage just fine without Moore, or RIGS President Monty Maloney.
So just who would run the Randall’s Island Gaelic Sports Center was one of the main items on the agenda for this trip. Equally important is the project’s financial and legal structure.

Structure
RIGS has been trying to sell the Randall’s Island project to investors, a for profit venture, while the Irish GAA remains insistent that it be run on a not-for-profit basis.
Maloney told the Irish Echo that his group has commitments for $2 million that would be jeopardized by the move to non-profit status.
Not surprising, Kelly takes the opposite view. The chairman told the Irish Echo that “although it would be very difficult for the GAA (a non-profit organization) to operate this for profit, we did look into it.”
It is in fact Kelly’s belief that the non profit approach will spin investment from backers, “who love Gaelic games,” and he is confident that RIGS “will fall in line.”
Maloney would like to see some sort of compromise arrangement but like Kelly he remains confident that their differences can be resolved.
The widening chasm between the New York GAA and RIGS however, may prove more difficult to bridge, although what Kelly called “a three-pronged arrangement” may provide a solution.
Kelly said, after returning to Ireland, that all parties “share the overall ethics of the Association,” and will work to see Randall’s Island become a reality.
Often overlooked or misunderstood is the right of RIGS as a corporation to hold complete control over the section of Randall’s Island earmarked for the Irish community.
It will be up to the three men to convince Maloney and company to share power, something Maloney told the Irish Echo that he favors.
“I reached out to Sean Kelly in 2004,” Maloney said, “and I am very hopeful that the GAA will be involved.” Maloney “has nothing but good things to say about Sean Kelly,” and he added, “Nicky Brennan will be a major asset to the project.”
Of course the GAA’s $2 million grant buys a pretty good seat at the table and with their combination of experience and financial clout, it is expected the “home” GAA will be setting the agenda if they remain involved.

Responsibility
The GAA want to see the New York GAA heavily involved in running the project and Kelly readily acknowledged that “RIGS kept this alive and it wouldn’t be here at all without them.”
A power sharing arrangement with a board of directors configured from the original RIGS members, the GAA and the New York GAA is something Kelly told us he would consider.
The GAA will decide on Jan. 8 whether or not to continue their involvement in the project.
Kelly certainly didn’t sound like a man about to pull the plug, saying that “New York is emotionally connected to Ireland, all the way back to Ellis Island.”
The chairman, whose term expires in April, called New York “the gateway to the world,” and believes Randall’s Island “can be second only to Croke Park,” as a GAA center.
Kelly dismissed out of hand the notion that Ireland’s booming economy makes Randall’s Island unnecessary.
“You have to change your whole outlook,” he said firmly. “Our games are not just for ex-pats anymore,” the chairman said, adding, that “if you remain as you are you won’t get the Irish Americans or the non-Irish.”
Kelly expects to be back in New York some time in February. The question is, will he be back to celebrate or to commiserate?

Bits and bobs
In other New York GAA news, the Philadelphia/Donegal club is headed up the New Jersey Turnpike to compete in the New York GAA Championship in 2006.
A similar attempt was rebuffed last year after the same club had been included in the New York Senior B schedule. This time around the club secured the North American County Board and intend to compete in the Senior A Championship.
New York chairman Dooley pronounced the news, “a marvelous help to us.” His Irish-based counterpart, Sean Kelly, felt that the move “made sense,” and called it a good example of how we have to be flexible in develop8ing our games.”
Dooley can’t see any team objecting to the Philadelphia squad’s inclusion. Last year objections were raised that the new club would not follow the normal process of entering at the Junior B level. Dooley felt then as he does now that the Philly club is far too strong for the Junior Division.
The makeup of the Senior Football A Division has yet to be formalized. Whether Monaghan drops down to the JFA Division also has to be decided. St. Barnabas, JFA champions will move up to SFB and Derry will go to the top flight, SFA, after winning SFB honors.
The Westmeath Senior Football Club are rumored to be in danger of dropping out. Dooley told the Irish Echo that “I don’t want Westmeath or any team to fold,” adding “I will do whatever I can to help.”

SEPARATE BOX:

NOTES
The New York GAA Rules Convention is Feb. 12. The deadline to submit motions is Thursday, Jan. 26. Transfers must be in by the third Thursday in February. Eamon Deane is the new New York Minor Board chairman.
Just a few miles down the Deegan Expressway from Gaelic Park, the Yankees made news when Johnny Damon got a shave and a haircut and $52 million to leave Boston.
In the excitement over the Damon signing was catcher John Flaherty’s move in the opposite direction. A dependable backup, Flaherty was perhaps best known as Randy Johnson’s personal catcher.
In his limited role, Flaherty didn’t come to the plate too often. When he did, however, his personal music selection was unique. Amid an audio sea of rap, hip-hop and Hideki Matsui’s Beatles, Flaherty’s tribute to his ethnic heritage stood out.
As he strode to the plate the din of Yankee Stadium was pierced by Black 47’s “Rockin’ the Bronx.” For that alone, some of us will miss backup catcher John Flaherty, but I bet they’ll love him in Boston.