Tuesday, May 23, 2006
New York’s GAA dilemma…
Interesting times for New York’s successful hurlers. So successfull that they’ve made it to the Ulster final in Belfast on 4th June. Except, the New York board are requesting a postponement and change of venue since up to half the playing panel, were they to travel outside the US, would possibly not be allowed back in again. Several Irish Americans are already charged with encouraging New York Gaelic football player, Shane Lawlor, aka Shane Russell, to come into the US illegally.
Mick Fealty @ 06:46 AM
God be with the days….
There was a time, and not so long ago, when getting yourself legal in the States was nothing more than one of the options to be considered.
I remember a family in Woodlawn where the parents only considered citizenship when the oldest daughter wanted to get married in Ireland. Up to this point, they had lived, worked, bought a house, paid taxes, sent kids to school and college and being legal hadnt been an issue.
Obviously 9/11 has been the denominator here, although there has always been a low level conversation about illegals, but more particularly if they were Hispanic. The Irish really always felt that they were above such minor details.
For myself, I never had to worry about it, although I did get married once to let someone have a Green Card. What can I say, it was in my young and reckless days.
This is a continuation of a wake up call that living and breeding in a country comes with the responsibility of ensuring you have a right to be there. That right is not conferred because your ancestors built the raliways.
Posted by on May 23, 2006 @ 08:02 AMAgreed, missfitz - on the ensuring the right to be in a country.
There’s also the argument that the GAA needs to take a good look at itself.. and start ensuring that only eligible players are taking part in, at least, county level games.
Posted by on May 23, 2006 @ 08:12 AMIt’s a very complicated issue. But as it’s a one-off, unprecedented success, surely the GAA can stump up to send Antrim to New York. It’s a great opportunity to boost the games amongst the exiles left out there.
Posted by on May 23, 2006 @ 08:16 AMI could be wrong Pete but I don’t think citizenship is a necessary pre-requisite (in Ireland or the US) to play gaelic games.
Posted by on May 23, 2006 @ 08:31 AMThere’s also the argument that the GAA needs to take a good look at itself.. and start ensuring that only eligible players are taking part in, at least, county level games.
How so, Pete? Production and official verification of documents in the changing rooms? This issue certainly isn’t limited to the GAA. A few years ago Derby County signed an Argentinian player with a Spanish passport (Esteban Fuertes) who made several starts in the Premiership. However after a mid-season break with the club in France he was refused re-enty to the UK as his Spanish passport was a forgery. Consequently he was sold to a French club. Similar instances occur every year in the Italian league.
Posted by on May 23, 2006 @ 08:36 AMWhen was it decided that New York was part of Ulster (and London also?)? I must’ve missed that meeting. Is it because Ulster hurling is in the doldrums and no other province would ever have countenanced such a move? The whole thing is farcical.
Posted by on May 23, 2006 @ 08:38 AMDaisy,
“Is it because Ulster hurling is in the doldrums and no other province would ever have countenanced such a move?...”
I’m certainly not against having London and NY in the Ulster Champs (e.g. London are a reasonably good Div Two team and have more all-Irelands than the province of Ulster put together!).
I’m much more concerned and exasperated by the repeated failure of the other Ulster counties to even drag together 15 guys to take part in the USHC! Tyrone, Armagh, Donegal etc….where are you?
Posted by on May 23, 2006 @ 08:48 AMmissfitz,
It seems to me that you obviously aren’t of or familiar with the younger Irish emigrant generation because you appear to be completely ignorant of their views.They are doing what illegals have always done, living with the realities of the situation.
All they are saying is that they won’t be coming home for the match because they can’t. I don’t know one person who believes they are “above such minor details”.
You are the one who has read this view into the situation.
For them it means not being able to go home when the can where 30-150 years ago, they either didn’t want to our couldn’t afford to.
Posted by on May 23, 2006 @ 08:56 AMThere was a similar problem last year, with some of the layers from the err..“Sinn Fein” GAA club in Melbourne
http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2005/10/17/story953343694.aspPosted by on May 23, 2006 @ 08:58 AMA telling quote in the Irish Times -
New York GAA chairman Séamus Dooley was asked about the status of his players on RTÉ radio but kicked for touch - uncertainly. “It’s none of our business. We don’t go to a player and ask how are you fixed here? “We all know where the problem lies. That would be a big concern of ours. We’re not going to put any player under that pressure.”
Head.. say hello to sand..
And on the illegal status issue -
Asked if Mr Ahern could do anything for the GAA in New York, one of his officials said: “Realistically, probably not. He doesn’t have a magic wand. The US has its immigration law as a sovereign country and that has to be respected.”
Not by the GAA it would seem…
Posted by on May 23, 2006 @ 10:00 AMSo what, if you don’t produce a passport at training your excluded from Gaelic games?
Posted by on May 23, 2006 @ 10:04 AMHow is the GAA not showing respect for US immigration law Pete?
Posted by on May 23, 2006 @ 10:05 AMAt a time when many GAA clubs in New York, i think the GAA should move the game to the States, and make it a major occasion for the Irish in America. I think it would be a fantastic shot in the arm for the games in the States.
Posted by on May 23, 2006 @ 10:11 AMGeorge
The NY GAA board are, tacitly, admitting that many of the players have entered the US illegally.
Rather than deal with the issue they are instead seeking to facilitate the avoidance of the implications for those players of their disregard for US immigration law.
Posted by on May 23, 2006 @ 10:17 AMBringing the Ulster Hurling final to New York is a great idea
Although different circumstances prevail, if the GAA can bring the All Ireland football final to New York as they did in 1947 they can do this now for the exiles.
Also - on a related theme - why not provide reciprocol Irish visas to Irish Americans in exchange for American visas to Irish People.
I know of many Irish Americans who have trouble obtaining visas to work and live here.
Piebald
Posted by on May 23, 2006 @ 11:51 AMPete Baker
NY GAA was set up and continues to be a bridge from the past to the present. It is through our games that we are able to keep a link to our culture.
It is also a support structure to help guys find jobs and a place to live. Importantly, the NY GAA have been pro active in liaising with US Immigration and providing local lads with information on the immigration process, and have be actively canvassing congress to introduce the guest worker program. (A US immigration officer has be assigned to team up with the Irish institutions)Lastly, NY want to field their best team who will represent the players playing in their league, and that’s who took the field against Derry. The Gaa have funded All Star trips all around the globe to promote the game with meaningless games, now is the time for them to put their money where there mouth is, and promote the GAA with an Ulster Final in the big apple.
Posted by on May 23, 2006 @ 12:03 PMPete,
the GAA is an amateur sporting organisation, not the INS.If they were employing illegals, like lets say the British Home Office has with cleaners (breaking British immigration law), then I would say they are disregarding US immigration law.
But to say they are disregarding US immigration law by not asking people what their immigration status is before deciding whether they can play an amateur sport really is stretching it.
Posted by on May 23, 2006 @ 12:06 PMGeorge
Read my earlier comment again.. having tacitly admitted that many of their players entered the US illegally, the NY GAA are now seeking to facilitate the avoidance of the legal implications for those players of disregarding US immigration law.
O Donnell
“..the NY GAA have been pro active in liaising with US Immigration and providing local lads with information on the immigration process..”
They’re clearly being very successful in that endeavour..
Posted by on May 23, 2006 @ 12:15 PMI’ma abit worried for these las either way. Isn’t there a worry that a high-profile event, especially staged so illegals in America could play ‘in America’ might just attract a little attention for the US immigration authorities? Just a thought.
Posted by on May 23, 2006 @ 12:30 PMPete,
“the NY GAA are now seeking to facilitate the avoidance of the legal implications for those players of disregarding US immigration law.”The GAA says some of its team won’t travel. That is an accurate description of a situation not an attempt at facilitating the avoidance of the legal implications.
If they said they would smuggle them back in, for example, that would be facilitating.
Nothing the GAA is doing will facilitate the avoidance of legal implications for these people.
Posted by on May 23, 2006 @ 12:40 PMPete, your holier-than-thou attitude on this really surprises me. US immigration is far from a clear-cut area, and a lot of people who have contributed to that country’s economy are being punished as a result of political whims.
Perhaps you could focus on the feel-good sporting aspect of this story? The NY GAA deserves a moment in the sun.
Posted by on May 23, 2006 @ 12:55 PMGeorge
While no doubt of interest to some, I’ll not engage in a discussion on degrees of culpability.. but I will point out that what you’ve suggested, if followed through on, would amount to the GAA actively breaking the law. Hence my use of the phrase “seeking to facilitate the avoidance of the legal implications” in this instance.
Posted by on May 23, 2006 @ 12:55 PMAaron
My “holier-than-thou attitude” on this stems from a very simple belief that no-one should be above the law.. neither anointed sportsmen nor Secretaries of State.
Posted by on May 23, 2006 @ 01:01 PMPete,
the GAA saying players won’t turn up isn’t so can we play it somewhere else isn’t “seeking to facilitate the avoidance of the legal implications”.There are no legal implications even if they did travel. Their legal position would be the exact same. The only difference would be that they would be in Ulster and not New York.
What you seem to want is for an amateur sporting organization to take action against its own members because of their legal status.
Should we be asking the thousands foreign children in the schools of Ireland to show their residency permits before letting them pick up a hurley?
Posted by on May 23, 2006 @ 01:07 PMGeorge
That’s a strawman.. and you probably know it.
The NY GAA are saying the players won’t travel because they’ll not be allowed back into the US because they are currently there illegally.
And we’re not talking about excluding people from playing Gaelic games.. we’re talking about an inter-county championship.
Posted by on May 23, 2006 @ 01:11 PM
