COLUMN: Solution needed for wall at Mayo GAA ground

Let’s start at the beginning. Burrishoole GAA Club is at the heart of the community in that lovely land stretching in from the coastline linking Newport and Mulranny. It is packed full of the finest of people, all with the good of the community in their hearts.

In recent months there has been some friction in the club in regard to the well-known mural which stood at the entrance to the club grounds for many years. The painting depicted many of the club’s greatest servants both on and off the field. In my view, the mural was unique to Burrishoole. I’ve been in many club grounds the length and breadth of our island and I haven’t seen anything like it.

Recently, the club executive assessed the mural and decided to have it painted over. That decision hasn’t gone down well in some quarters. It was painted over last Thursday.

Supporters of the retention of the mural will say that it’s part of the club’s history; part of the fabric of the club and depicts some of the great people who have selflessly given so much of themselves to Burrishoole GAA over the decades. It brought themselves and their families a great sense of pride. Many of the families of those depicted in the mural say they weren’t consulted about plans to paint over it and they feel overlooked and undervalued.

The club executive say at no time did they set out to upset anyone, but they had no alternative. They say the mural was in bad shape because the plastered wall it was painted upon was breaking up. They say they got an artist to assess it and it couldn’t be refurbished and they say it only depicted a section of time in the club. There were no girls or women on it and the whole thing needed to be modernised.

Personally, I understand both sides. My dad has been central to the life and times of Ballycroy GAA club and my family and I passionately believe his contribution will never be overlooked. I also understand the joy and pride so many great people and their children and grandchildren got from seeing themselves depicted on the wall and their decades of dedication remembered in a unique manner.

However, it must be remembered that the executive didn’t set out to insult anyone. They want the club to thrive and develop. They probably should have approached the issue differently and in hindsight there would have been much better communication initially. However, they must recover the situation. It cannot be left to fester.

I’m not sure what’s going to happen now, but why not get an artist in to do another mural? The new mural should include everyone from the original mural, anyone else who should have been on the original mural and then, everyone who made an impact in the club since the original mural was commissioned. A massive wall will be needed, but why not paint it on the wall of the stand when the new roof is put in place.

Burrishoole GAA Club is too important, too special, too immersed in so many lives for people to fall out over a painting. Find an artist, find a wall, find a design that makes everyone happy and get back to playing ball.

​THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE

They say it’s good to talk and we do a lot of that in the office. We all have opinions which vary starkly at times and that makes for some very interesting chats and great craic. Last week, we asked aloud who had been the best player in the senior championship. We all had various suggestions so, our web manager David Rochford put a post online giving people the chance to select the player they felt had made the biggest impact on the race for the Moclair Cup over the entirety of the competition.

The nominees were Ryan O’Donoghue and Fionn O’Donoghue from Belmullet, Liam Óg Horkan and Enda Hession from Garrymore, Niall Hurley the Claremorris sharp-shooter, Breaffy’s Conor O’Shea and four from the county champions, Castlebar Mitchels, Bob Tuohy, Cian Walsh, Rory Byrne and Paddy Durcan.

The votes flooded in and when the voting stopped yesterday morning, Liam Óg Horkan was the winner, ahead of Bob Tuohy in second place and Enda Hession in third. Liam Óg had a fantastic campaign and even when Garrymore failed to find their rhythm in the final, he stood out.

JUSTICE FOR JOE

I’m not qualified to judge, but the 12 month suspension handed out to Conn Rangers’ manager Joe Faughnan seems punitive. He couldn’t attend the recent game against Killala because of work commitments – but is said to have filled in the team sheet online, as if he was there. That seems to be the entirety of his offence. If that’s the case, the suspension is too harsh.

It’s harder and harder to get volunteers – harder and harder to find men and women who will give up huge chunks of their lives to look after teams, so banning a volunteer from the sport for a year because he falsified a team sheet seems harsh, but I’m probably wrong.