It was the main Féile, but the top teams didnt go this year to open it up to more. The training weekends carryon from Dublin Clubs appears to have made the GAA call a halt. Can’t blame them to be honest.
So they have basically destroyed the Feile tournament as it’s traditionally known?
Next they will want teams to stop actually playing against each other and instead every player will get 3 shots and the winner is which ever team scores the most.
[QUOTE=“TreatyStones, post: 968850, member: 1786”]So they have basically destroyed the Feile tournament as it’s traditionally known?
Next they will want teams to stop actually playing against each other and instead every player will get 3 shots and the winner is which ever team scores the most.[/QUOTE]
Yes, correct. Naomh Eanna (Gorey) were Wexford champions and went to the Regional event. I’m not sure how Oilgate/Oylgate/Oylegate were selected or qualified for the other one.
Liam O’Neill’s call, and yes, they dismantled it from its previous format to open it up to more Clubs, found this online. I would simply have banned some of the Dublin superclubs myself.
Ned Brophy argues that the changes mooted for Feile na nGael go too far and risk diluting a great competition to the point of ruining it…
[SIZE=5]Changes to Feile na nGael[/SIZE]
Over the term of his tenure as GAA President Liam O’Neill has been very vocal in his desire to completely overhaul the Feile competitions. His views that Feile needs to be more inclusive and of a less competitive nature have some merit but to completely dismantle the current model would in my view be nothing short of a disaster.
An t-Úachtaran wants a new model which sees each county run Feile on the same day with all clubs competing in different divisions which is a good idea. The problem arises at reports that Mr. O’Neill is keen to make the Feile Weekend – which sees all county Feile champions compete in six divisions in an All Ireland Feile competition – a thing of the past. This would be an absolute retrograde step and would see a complete dilution of the competition.
I have attended four Feile Peil weekends in the past eight years and have marvelled at the sense of fun, friendship and enjoyment that these young players experience on Finals weekend. The Friday night parade through Derry’s Bogside last June will live long in the memory of the thousands present. 4,500 boys and girls from all counties of Ireland as well as from Britain and North America paraded behind a dozen or more bands on a beautiful evening through a most historic part of this island.
They were joined by some 2,000 adults and were watched, applauded and cheered by thousands more from Celtic Park, past Free Derry Corner, through Butcher’s Gate and onto The Guild Hall. Many of the thousands of children had earlier been beaten in their opening game and were effectively out of the running for honours. Did that deter from the fun and enjoyment? No. This exercise was repeated the following week in Limerick at the Feile Hurling.
[SIZE=3]Reservations[/SIZE]
O’Neill has reservations regarding the lengths some clubs have gone through in recent years to win the competition and his concerns are well founded. Reports of warm weather training, weekend long practice runs and other questionable practices have surfaced in the past. However this sort of behaviour has been confined to a tiny minority of the clubs competing.
Concerned here are no more than just three or four clubs at the very top level. Can the best solution to a light breeze at sea be to abandon ship? Take a look at these issues in isolation and deal with them but don’t prevent the vast majority of players and clubs from experiencing what is a unique concept. In Feile the GAA have a unique product which can always be enhanced.
I hope that Liam O’Neill is not about to dilute the product and in doing so destroy it.
At the recent Árd Comhairle meeting, a number of proposals sent forward by the Féile Review group were ratified, and which have implications for how both the Féile na nGael and Féile na nÓg tournaments will be organised from 2014.
The Féile tournaments for 2014 will compose a series of tournaments held at National, Regional and Provincial level over the weekends of June 20th – 22nd (Féile na nGael) and June 27th – 29th (Féile na nÓg).
Ulster have been awarded the national Féile na nGael tournament for both 2014 and 2015, while Connacht are hosting the national Féile na nÓg tournament for 2014.
Féile na nGael
Féile na nGael 2014 will be a series of tournaments taking place at National, Regional and Provincial level over the weekend of June 20th – 22nd 2014 as follows:
[LIST=1]
[]The National Féile na nGael tournament will take place in Ulster, beginning on Friday June 20th and closing on Sunday, June 22nd. Representatives from every County will compete across 6 divisions (minimum) against host clubs. It is anticipated that there will be 64 host teams and 64 visiting teams.
[]In addition, and in a new departure, a series of Regional Féile na nGael tournaments will take place on Saturday, June 21st, at venues nationwide.
[*]Finally, a series of Provincial Féile na nGael tournaments will take place in Connacht, Leinster and Munster on Saturday, June 21st at a number of venues across each Province. The Provincial Féile na nGael tournaments will be open to all clubs from within the Province to participate in.
[/LIST]
Féile na nÓg
Féile na nÓg 2014 will be a series of tournaments taking place at National, Regional and Provincial level over the weekend of June 27th – 29th 2014 as follows:
[LIST=1]
[]The National Féile na nÓg tournament will take place in Connacht, beginning on Friday June 27th and closing on Sunday, June 29th. Representatives from every County will compete across 6 divisions (minimum) against host clubs. It is anticipated that there will be 64 host teams and 64 visiting teams.
[]In addition, and in a new departure, a series of Regional Féile na nÓg tournaments will take place on Saturday, June 28th, at 6 venues nationwide.
[*]Finally, a series of Provincial Féile na nÓg tournaments will take place in Leinster, Munster and Ulster on Saturday, June 28th at a number of venues across each Province. The Provincial Féile na nÓg tournaments will be open to all clubs from within the Province to participate in.
[/LIST]
Why was a review Féile tournaments commissioned?
Uachtarán CLG, Liam Ó Neill outlined at Congress 2013 that a review of how the Féile tournaments were organised was necessary to ensure that they were player centred and fit for purpose, forty years on from when they were first established. A workgroup was established comprising of members of the National Games Development Committee and the National Féile Committee with representatives of Camogie, Handball and Ladies Gaelic Football included.
Explain the process involved in the review.
Feedback was sought from a number of sources; a questionnaire was issued to all clubs via county secretaries with almost 500 responses received; written submissions were invited from all counties, and feedback and analysis were gathered from recent tournaments (2011 – 2013). The level of feedback received was excellent. There were a huge range of opinions expressed in relation to the tournaments - from those who thought the tournaments should remain exactly as they were to those who felt that they should be completely discontinued. The vast majority of respondents felt that there was a requirement for change. In the end it was important to base recommendations on the association’s player pathway and try to ensure that the tournaments meet the developmental needs of the participants.
What were the main findings in the report?
Firstly, it`s important to highlight that we found National Féile tournaments have provided clubs with a wonderful opportunity to foster long lasting relationships. Many clubs have highlighted how making a visit to another club (or being a host club) has had a positive impact on the atmosphere and culture of their club. Therefore, it was felt that the Association must protect the concept of clubs coming together for a festival of Gaelic games, but that it needed to be done on a more inclusive basis.
It was also found that the current structure of the tournaments presented many difficulties such as:
[LIST]
[]In some counties, less than half of clubs participate in the county Féile tournaments as they feel they do not have a chance to win it and progress any further.
[]Only 19 counties have hosted football Féile between 1982 and 2013, while only 14 counties have hosted Féile na nGael between 1971 and 2013.
[]The tournament structure has resulted in unbalanced games. Inviting County champion teams, especially from the strongest Counties, to participate against the local host clubs has resulted in some significantly unbalanced games.
[]The average winning margin in Hurling and Camogie games is 12 points. The average winning margin in Gaelic Football is 14 points (Ladies Gaelic Football is 19 points).
[/LIST]
How is it proposed to make Féile tournaments more inclusive?
The aim is to try to create a system whereby every club in the country has an opportunity to participate in a Féile tournament. There will be three types of tournament on the designated Féile weekends: National Féile tournament, Regional Féile tournaments and all inclusive Provincial Féile tournaments.
How will teams be selected to attend these events?
The aim will be to match teams of similar standards across each of the three tournament formats. To facilitate this, Counties will run internal Féile tournaments. It is hoped that all clubs would enter a team, including those who may field teams at reduced numbers e.g. 13 or 11-a-side.
Following these internal tournaments, the relevant County Committee will grade their teams from number 1 (winners of top division) through to their lowest team in that year. This list will be submitted to the National Féile Committee. The National Féile Committee will use these lists to invite teams to participate in one of the three tournaments.
For example, when the National Féile tournament is being hosted in what would be considered tier 2, 3 or 4 counties then the teams graded one to four in the Division One counties may be facilitated at Regional tournaments, while a team graded five or six may attend the national event. It`s proposed that a team graded towards the bottom in each of these counties would also be invited to the national event.
This will mean that the county tournament winners will be facilitated at a Féile event but depending on the host venue it may not necessarily be at National Féile.
For more information on Féile 2014 download the Féile Q & A document or email gamesdevelopment@gaa.ie
Why the fuck does everything have to be made less competitive?
Being involved in a serious competition does no harm at all. They have already taken away the competitive element from u/12’s, don’t ruin the next grade up as well. Kev is onto something. Underage GAA is being ruined by a “soccer mom” mentality that is creeping in. It’s sport, their are winners and losers. Kids learn as much from losing as winning.
Serious competition is fine, sending underage teams away for warm weather training for a fucking Féile is ridiculous and goes against the spirit of the weekend. But they should simply have tweaked the format and banned some of the Dublin superclubs.
I don’t see any big deal with the changes for what they’re worth anyway.
[QUOTE=“myboyblue, post: 968876, member: 180”]Serious competition is fine, sending underage teams away for warm weather training for a fucking Féile is ridiculous and goes against the spirit of the weekend. But they should simply have tweaked the format and banned some of the Dublin superclubs.
I don’t see any big deal with the changes for what they’re worth anyway.[/QUOTE]
If Liam O’Neill shit on the ground you’d be fawning over it you forelock tugging simpleton.
Unlikely, I think he’s been a poor Administrator and his tenure failed to live up to the promise it had at the beginning. He was left with a clusterfuck from the previous Cork prick, but he could have done more with his time, and some of his recent mutterings towards Mickey Harte and opponents of the SKY deal have sounded petty and childish. He was a safe hand, but nothing more.
You seem upset over something else I suspect most likely the slap you took in the Athletics thread, sorry, but it was warranted, your post was very silly.
[QUOTE=“myboyblue, post: 968880, member: 180”]Unlikely, I think he’s been a poor Administrator and his tenure failed to live up to the promise it had at the beginning. He was left with a clusterfuck from the previous Cork prick, but he could have done more with his time, and some of his recent mutterings towards Mickey Harte and opponents of the SKY deal have sounded petty and childish. He was a safe hand, but nothing more.
You seem upset over something else I suspect most likely the slap you took in the Athletics thread, sorry, but it was warranted.[/QUOTE]
Not upset over anything in particular. He was called out as a clown from the get go, his grand plan was to setup loads of committees. You defended him to the hilt and he has been proven a failure.
I had high hopes for him, and I said as much at the start, but I’d be interested in how you viewed him as a failure? What are the measures?
The lack of any notable achievement during his time in charge. As you said yourself he failed to live up to the “promise”. That is known as failure.
So what did he fail at exactly? I’m just curious to hear your thoughts on his tenure. In what ways did he fail to measure up to Seán Kelly or Cooney?
Removing competition at U12 and U14 is a good idea as it places the emphasis on skills development and enjoyment. Kids will be competitive anyway so it makes no difference on that front. What it really addresses is the problem of lunatic coaches.
The Feile is/was a great competition though. Should be kept as it was if at all possible.
[QUOTE=“Watch The Break, post: 968901, member: 260”]Removing competition at U12 and U14 is a good idea as it places the emphasis on skills development and enjoyment. Kids will be competitive anyway so it makes no difference on that front. What it really addresses is the problem of lunatic coaches.
The Feile is/was a great competition though. Should be kept as it was if at all possible.[/QUOTE]
I agree. With this national focus on skills I think we could become world leaders at hurling.
boden won the Dublin feile but were not sent to the AI feile for some reason…
its them fellas up in Dublin…tis their fault…as per usual…
[QUOTE=“TreatyStones, post: 968873, member: 1786”]Why the fuck does everything have to be made less competitive?
Being involved in a serious competition does no harm at all. They have already taken away the competitive element from u/12’s, don’t ruin the next grade up as well. Kev is onto something. Underage GAA is being ruined by a “soccer mom” mentality that is creeping in. It’s sport, their are winners and losers. Kids learn as much from losing as winning.[/QUOTE]
Ya lads from rural areas may not see it yet. My club seems to have a good balance.
People from a different background are/can actually be great and bring a different perspective and ideas, however some clubs are over loaded with such people. And look they are doing their best too, but I do feel thy lack some understanding of the GAA.
It’s usually suburban clubs, an ones with big picks an carry a lot of power like Douglas, Crokes etc.
I agreed with dumbing down of competition to 13, however they seem to be going way too far. I think the competitions should be competitive from u13 on.
The blitzes are working down along according to people doing it, skills are at a much higher level.
I don’t think a national competition should be played at 14 though, I would definitely keep Feile but put it to 15/16.
Lads on PV saying Naas had the best U-14 team in the country, not Kilmacud or Midleton. Hammered everyone in Div 2.
http://www.gaa.ie/feile/boys-division-1/
Naas/Nemo in the final. Interesting to see New York had a team in Division 1, won a load of games as well.