August 6th, 2025, 8.28pm. It’s almost dark, I still haven’t got out to see even five minutes of the harvest. The few of my beloved viewing spots that remain have all been cut, baled and the straw brought home at this stage.
To paraphrase the hauntingly beautiful lines from Waltzing Matilda – as year follows year, more old fields disappear, someday no-one will farm there at all.
The unspeakable hammer blow that reality is would be minutely easier to absorb if one of the crucial certainties which make life negotiable was even that anymore – certain.
But of course the version of the GAA which was it at its best no longer exists. When tradition meant something. Like the All Ireland hurling final being the first Sunday in September. The football two weeks, to chime in nicely with the Listowel Harvest Fesstival.
Conceding the start of the National League until February wasn’t that bad, but, nothing or nobody will ever convince me of the need for or merit of the split season.
However, apart from the extraordinary experience last Sunday was – being able to watch the Ladies All Ireland Finals from the Press Box – the day also highlighted the problems which are absolutely obvious with Ladies Football, which, if not addressed, leaves the sport liable to continually sell itself short.
But the thing is, you can only begin to deal with an issue after you acknowledge its existence. On that score, the C. C. C. within the ladies game – or the equivalent body within their setup – need a boot in the backside.
For this observer, the most obvious, glaringly obvious problem area is the rule relating to charging. Which, as far as I’m concerned, penalises attacking players if they are physically stronger than their direct opponent. No player has been crucified by the said rule more than Vikki Wall.
Other than that, though, where the precedent has been for the men’s game to take their lead from their lady counterparts. As seen from the adoption of dictums such as the countdown clock, half time/full time hooter and the Sin Bin (Black Card).
However, the time has come for learning to go in the opposite direction. There’s no reason why the two-pointers, the tap and go and – even more basically – the Mark cannot and should not work in ladies football.
There has to be will for change before it will even get on the road to being instigated. Don’t hold your breath.