Good spot Pikeman. That was a close one.
[SIZE=â3â]Players may have to look abroad as recession hits county stars[/SIZE]
WATERFORD HURLER Eoin Kelly has made the disturbing revelation that he may be forced to consider emigration if the countrys unemployment crisis doesnt improve sometime soon.
Kelly recently lost his job in the building-related sector and the feeling is hes far from the only high-profile county player to find himself in such a worrying situation.
Two weeks ago, unfortunately, I was let go, he said. The building industry has gone down at the moment. I was doing sales with Brooks in Waterford. Hopefully, something will come up in the near future. But its hard to see where its going to come up.
Were lucky enough down in Waterford that not too many of us are struggling right now. A few though, with jobs and that, and its not a nice situation to be in.
If an opportunity abroad came up them youd have to look at it. Bills have to be paid. You have to put food on the table. Im not going to be doing that if Im not working. Its something that I dont want to look at. But if it needs be then Ill have to look at it further down the road.
Kelly was speaking at yesterdays meeting of the Gaelic Players Association (GPA), where a petition seeking the retention of the Government grant scheme, and signed by members of every football and hurling squad in the country, was submitted to the Minister for Sport, Martin Cullen.
Kelly was one of several county players present. The 26-year-old two-time All-Star, who was top-scorer in last years hurling championship with a superb tally of 7-43, wasnt necessarily volunteering the information about his own work situation but in the discussion about the possible cutting of the grant scheme, in an already difficult economy, it was inevitably raised.
Having a young family to look after puts further pressure on his situation, yet Kelly says the grant scheme is as much about some small recognition as it is about helping in some small way with paying the bills.
Its a show of respect first of all for the players and what theyre doing. The soccer players bring 60,000 to Croke Park. The All-Ireland final brings 80,000. And the difference in payment there is a massive gulf.
So its a bit of recognition that we doing something for the country. So, hopefully, it would continue, especially the way the work situation has gone. People are losing their jobs and players are losing their jobs. So this is just something small at the end of the day that gives you a helping hand in life, more than anything.
We all love play hurling, but sometimes it does cost you money to play it. Its a huge commitment. You have to look after your family, number one. Hurling comes number two. At the moment Im a full-time hurler, unfortunately.
But thats the way things can go, and there are more players like that around the country. So its hard to combine the two, because at the end of the day you have to look after your job.
In this day and age players have to be looked after a small bit. Because whats going to happen is that theyre just going to leave.Theyre going to go to Australia and Canada and these places. And youre going to lose the best players in Ireland to this. But on the other side, the whole country is suffering, not just players.
Even the old idea of county players being well looked after in terms of employment appears to be a thing of the past: Well that never happened me. Its probably still a bit relevant, and some players were looked after over the years. But fair play to them, they put in a lot of effort and fair play if they get a helping hand.
But the grant is just a small thing at the end of the year, helps if youve a few bills to pay, or whatever. It would be devastating if even those things were taken away.
We dont mind taking a small cut, but I think its definitely necessary for it to keep going. The GPA have put in endless hours of work on this, and its only a small token of what we should be getting, I think, anyway.
Kellys thoughts on hurling, meanwhile, are entirely focused on Sundays meeting with Limerick, now managed by their former manager Justin McCarthy.
The way its looking both teams are safe from relegation, so I wont say therell be a whole lot shown this Sunday. Id say it will be fairly lukewarm. Its June 14th that matters. There are no medals given out in March or April.
But Justin is a proud man and would like to get one over us. The players here still have great respect for him and wish him well with Limerick. Just not against us.
Maybe Paul Flynn could let him work in the pub?
Good luck so Eoin.
Would he have the intelligence for a Lounge boy?
He could be thick enough to be a bouncer?
God speed you young Kelly
Flynn have a boozer now?
Wonder does he still sell those machines that fucks hurling balls at ya?
[quote=âPikemanâ]Flynn have a boozer now?
Wonder does he still sell those machines that fucks hurling balls at ya?[/quote]
Think he owns the pub in the same way Martin Storey used to own the sports shop.
AaaaaahâŚI see.
[quote=âPikemanâ]Flynn have a boozer now?
Wonder does he still sell those machines that fucks hurling balls at ya?[/quote]
Flynn has that a while now. think part of it went on fire there not so long ago.
he loves his Jugs alrightâŚ
Who Bob and Rene from top Irish soap Fair City.
Where Walking down Grafton street together around 2pm today
Wearing Bob was wearing grey slacks, a light blue shirt and a jacket which he had draped over his left shoulder. He was also carrying a shopping bag of some kind.
Rene was wearing black knee high boots (almost hooker like, jeans, a blouse of some sort and a cardigan type thing over that.
Other info No but Iâm guessing they must be a couple in real life?
So far today I have spotted,
Keith Duffy,
John Giles,
Ken Doherty,
Brian Ormond.
All wearing Irish Autism t-shirts even the legend Giles had one on and all on Sir John Rogersons quay.
Tommy Bowe was doing some promotion with a few models at the top of Grafton Street at around 1.30pm.
[quote=âGaillimharaisâ]Who Bob and Rene from top Irish soap Fair City.
Where Walking down Grafton street together around 2pm today
Wearing Bob was wearing grey slacks, a light blue shirt and a jacket which he had draped over his left shoulder. He was also carrying a shopping bag of some kind.
Rene was wearing black knee high boots (almost hooker like, jeans, a blouse of some sort and a cardigan type thing over that.
Other info No but Iâm guessing they must be a couple in real life?[/quote]
Thats the second time somebody had spotted the pair of them together whilst not in Carrigstown,he must tippin her was there any sign of Christy Phelan knockin around nearby?
[quote=âPikemanâ] WATERFORD HURLER Eoin Kelly has made the disturbing revelation that he may be forced to consider emigration if the countrys unemployment crisis doesnt improve sometime soon.
Kelly recently lost his job in the building-related sector and the feeling is hes far from the only high-profile county player to find himself in such a worrying situation.[/quote]
Just read this. What kind of a useless cunt canât keep a sales job as an inter-county hurler? And a high profile one at that.
Fuck off. The association has survived through a lot worse than this tool thinking he deserves a few quid for the honour of playing for his county.
[quote=âGaillimharaisâ]Who Bob and Rene from top Irish soap Fair City.
Where Walking down Grafton street together around 2pm today
Wearing Bob was wearing grey slacks, a light blue shirt and a jacket which he had draped over his left shoulder. He was also carrying a shopping bag of some kind.
Rene was wearing black knee high boots (almost hooker like, jeans, a blouse of some sort and a cardigan type thing over that.
Other info No but Iâm guessing they must be a couple in real life?[/quote]
As link said I spotted em about a month ago in the spar in Miltown. Fair funny
Who: Tom Parlon
Famous for: Ex leader of the IFA, ex PD, currently a mouthpiece for the building sector.
Where: Slatteryâs down by the Beggars Bush.
Sartorial notes: Was wearing a manky anorak and was quite deshevelled looking.
Company: Some tasty enough bird to be honest, had a fair arse on her though.
Other notes: They were both drinking bottles of Miller.
[quote=âSHANNONSIDER**â]Who: Tom Parlon
Famous for: Ex leader of the IFA, ex PD, currently a mouthpiece for the building sector.
Where: Slatteryâs down by the Beggars Bush.
Sartorial notes: Was wearing a manky anorak and was quite deshevelled looking.
Company: Some tasty enough bird to be honest, had a fair arse on her though.
Other notes: They were both drinking bottles of Miller.[/quote]
Wheres the beggars bush?,youve got to hand to Parlon,farmer and biffo done good and now hes pullin the sexy ladies too.