County COnvention

No aldro this time was patronisingly stupid. Told us all how he was delighted to see mazaars had audited the accounts. After years of him telling us. What a piece. Well what do ye all think of chairman mao bringing us to the k club. Look at me. Look at me. Another piece

the big cal wrote:

No aldro this time was patronisingly stupid. Told us all how he was delighted to see mazaars had audited the accounts. After years of him telling us. What a piece. Well what do ye all think of chairman mao bringing us to the k club. Look at me. Look at me. Another piece

Its a good job Mazars werent involved when Aldo and his sidekick were in power! Its high time somebody told that idiot to shut up. A presidential position is nothing more than a title, a gesture. It dosent entitle him to dictate to others, and it definitely dosent entitle him to ram his narrow minded opinions down our necks.

Mao is just a laugh. One would think he has enough to be worrying about yet he constantly having a go at websites and forums. So insecure.........

the big cal wrote:

No aldro this time was patronisingly stupid. Told us all how he was delighted to see mazaars had audited the accounts. After years of him telling us. What a piece. Well what do ye all think of chairman mao bringing us to the k club. Look at me. Look at me. Another piece

Had to laugh at that comment from him alright. The accounts were always audited according to him "maybe not to the same extent". In the same way that you can't be a little bit pregnant, accounts can't be a little bit audited. They were either audited or they weren't.

The K Club thing is incredible - talking about cutting costs on one hand and then coughing out to have the convention on in one of the plushest hotels in teh country instead of a club... but then, its' the same for the various committee meetings, disciplinary/transfer, CCC, CHC etc, they're always in a function room in a hotel too... it's incredible stuff

Long time reader of the forum first post as it's a topic that I am interested in.

This forum which I have to say no matter what the Chairman says is invaluable to the ordinary Kildare supporter to discuss and get information with like minded supporters.
Now Since it was brought up, would I be asking a stupid question by saying that if you were at the Congress and you are a poster on here why did you not ask the Chairman what is the problem with the forum as it is obviously this forum he is referring to as the official one is a unmitigated disaster with hardly a post every couple of weeks.
I wonder did the Chairman know that some the people he was having a pop at where in the room with him and not 15 year olds sat at home.

Being a poster on here you would know that there is nothing posted that would be viewed as questionable, yet once again the Chairman seems hell bent on trying to control something that is beyond his remit. He had the chance to keep it in house last year if I recall but went nuclear and shut it down without a by or leave.

Either way it all is a bit de ja vu when a Kildare supporting internet forum is the thorn in the side of the Chairman who should really be worried about other things.

Maybe he should sign up and discuss it like an adult.

That's me done, keep up the forum lads there are many people who keep an eye on it to keep in touch around the world.

Seems you can eff and blind in a pub or on the sideline about a player, manager etc.....
But for some reason internet forums are a poison chalice for the GAA?. yet the vast majority of the time most of what is said is positive and any criticism is usually constructive and open to debate, just what an internet forum should be all about..
The dinosaur mentality still infests the GAA, my own club a case in point, we had a thriving official forum but any sort of constructive criticism was met with over zealous moderating, it has to be said it wasn't the moderators fault as they were instrumental in the forum becoming as popular as it was, they were been put under immense pressure by the dinosaur minority which eventually led to the forum been closed down.
Because the official forum was so popular it led to some fans starting up an unofficial forum which was just as popular as the closed down official, but unfortunately about a year later we had a now infamous incident which split the club right down the middle which led to the unofficial forum been then used as a convenient tool for people to voice their anger, it was a dark period in Moorefields history, where two wrongs didn't make a right.
My point been the GAA should realise that internet forums are one of the most popular forms of communication around today so if you decide to mute the people, the internet been what it is will re-group and find another way to talk freely and constructively about the things they love. ie by starting their own forums.
Time GAA to embrace the internet and move into the 21st century!, even the popular Hogan Stand forums are moderated to death, every post having to be vetted before finding its way onto the forum an hour later if it passes Big Brother" scuppering any chance of sustained debate!.

As long as the dinosaurs are in charge the elephants in the room wont get discussed.

They're far to interested in pushing their own agendas than listening to clubs or players real concerns!

Simple lads, need more professionally minded people involved but alas its a bit like Mr Lee in Dail Eireann, no chance of being heard!

kildarecat wrote:

Seems you can eff and blind in a pub or on the sideline about a player, manager etc.....
But for some reason internet forums are a poison chalice for the GAA?. yet the vast majority of the time most of what is said is positive and any criticism is usually constructive and open to debate, just what an internet forum should be all about..
The dinosaur mentality still infests the GAA, my own club a case in point, we had a thriving official forum but any sort of constructive criticism was met with over zealous moderating, it has to be said it wasn't the moderators fault as they were instrumental in the forum becoming as popular as it was, they were been put under immense pressure by the dinosaur minority which eventually led to the forum been closed down.
Because the official forum was so popular it led to some fans starting up an unofficial forum which was just as popular as the closed down official, but unfortunately about a year later we had a now infamous incident which split the club right down the middle which led to the unofficial forum been then used as a convenient tool for people to voice their anger, it was a dark period in Moorefields history, where two wrongs didn't make a right.
My point been the GAA should realise that internet forums are one of the most popular forms of communication around today so if you decide to mute the people, the internet been what it is will re-group and find another way to talk freely and constructively about the things they love. ie by starting their own forums.
Time GAA to embrace the internet and move into the 21st century!, even the popular Hogan Stand forums are moderated to death, every post having to be vetted before finding its way onto the forum an hour later if it passes Big Brother" scuppering any chance of sustained debate!.

You kinda answered your own question there kc. Your own club's official and unofficial forums were closed down because they caused friction in the club and yet you're still wondering why people are afraid of them?

Mr. Blobby mentioned the people pushing their own agendas but people do that here too. You can see them a mile off.

I like this forum because I like talking shite about Kildare GAA but I can spot people with a gripe too. Yet when these people are challenged as to their agenda, all sorts of accusations of Stalinist censorship etc. start to fly.

Put yourself in Padraig Ashe's shoes. Would you take advice/criticism from an anonymous poster on an internet forum, someone who is not willing to say "This is who I am and this is what's bothering me"?

If I was on the executive, the least I'd expect is that those who wish to criticise my decisions would identify themselves.

No offence kc, but you could be anyone. You could be a WUM. Worse still, you could be from Offaly and are hell-bent on the destruction of Kildare GAA . I know you're not but you can't expect those in power to take your (or anyone else's) points seriously when no-one really knows who you are.

No doubt I will be accused of undying love for Padraig Ashe again but I'm trying to see both sides of the story here.

My post might have sounded a tad contradictory rgb, but the point I wa trying to make was, getting back to my own club, they closed down their own forum which was pretty harmless and at first moderated fairly, where a certain amount of freedom of speech was allowed, if someone got a little out of hand, admin like on here would usually offer a warning and an apology would be usually forwarded and that would be that,.
But it seems after awhile nothing was permitted even simple criticism of team selection was censored, the pressure put on the moderators turned it eventually into a Facebook page where the only thing permitted was the best of luck Moorefield and if we lost hard luck Moorefield, boring don't you think?.
Rgb by over censoring and eventually closing it down, similar to Ashe, it became counter productive the fans moved elsewhere and the restraints were removed, ok this forum is not a free for all but a lot more can be said without Ashe's influence interfering, so in a nutshell it backfired on him bigtime, this forum been vastly more popular than the original official.
So basically rgb the internet is virtually impossible to control so the GAA's efforts at silencing the fans is pointless, because just like themselves the fans will just move the goalposts slightly.......if need be?,

No, I take your point that an over-regulated forum is just boring. I can see why an official forum has to be that way though. You have to be able to stand over every comment made on an official forum. That's why an unofficial forum like this is far better- we don't have to answer to Padraig Ashe and he doesn't have to take any heed to what we say. I'm not sure why you think the popularity of this forum has back-fired on P Ashe. My guess is that he doesn't give a shite what we think or say here. It's nothing to do with him.

I repeat my point about the lack of courage involved in anonymous on-line criticism though.

I managed my own club a few years back and I always preferred any issues that players had to be made to me directly, not in the pub or behind my back. If I had the cojones to stick my neck out and try my best for my club, those who wanted to have a go should at least have had the cojones to do it to my face, not behind my back. Criticism on an internet forum is not too far away from the bitching over a pint that goes on.

When you're not willing to stick your neck out, don't be surprised when the people who are willing to do so don't take you seriously. Not you especially kc, it's a general point.

rgb wrote:

My guess is that he doesn't give a shite what we think or say here. It's nothing to do with him.
.

I would think the opposite RGB. If he didnt give a shite, why has he referred to the forum in his 2 convention reports? Im not thick enough to believe that Ashe is all bad, that he dosen't have the best intentions for Kildare GAA. But he pretends to be a man of the world, completely ofay with all the modern technology. When the opposite is true.
This forum should not even come on his radar, there's enough things for him to be concerned with other than what us anonymous posters have to say on matters.
And why the hell would he want to get a FAS employee in to run the website? It takes a few minutes a day to update a site, an hour at best.
Finally, Kildare GAA cannot touch anybody (legally) for comments made on here. (Groups or organizations cannot sue an individual) The internet laws in this country are archaic and way-way behind those of other countries whilst the Data Protection laws would also inhibit any threatened search by the CB.
Bottom line is, Ashe and co can't do a single thing about this forum or its users.
Its time they stopped trotting out the threatening sound bites and concentrated on the important matters in hand.

I suppose what I mean is he doesn't have to pay any heed to any issues, however legitimate, that are raised here, because it's anonymous.

I'm sure he'd rather have us inside the tent pissing out though. No denying that.

Newbridgefan wrote:

The internet laws in this country are archaic and way-way behind those of other countries whilst the Data Protection laws would also .

Agree with your post but as regards democracy on internet forums this country has the most stringent, undemocratic, stalinist libel & defamation laws (that do incorporate the internet) of the free world.

God I hope Padraig Ashe never goes into politics..... How would he cope with criticism from the NATIONAL MEDIA!!!! Some people need to grow a pair of Liathroid..... If your at the top you take the rough with the smooth.. Having a pop at a forum shows weakness in my view...

what did he say about the forum??

padraigh start sorting other problems kildare gaa , well done to kildare nationalist on their coverage of convention

Big Full Back wrote:

God I hope Padraig Ashe never goes into politics..... How would he cope with criticism from the NATIONAL MEDIA!!!! Some people need to grow a pair of Liathroid..... If your at the top you take the rough with the smooth.. Having a pop at a forum shows weakness in my view...

Over the top criticism and name calling can't go on in any forum its as simple as that.
We have to remember the GAA is an amatuer organisation, unlike people involved in politics the
people involved do not get paid.
This is a good forum that attracts a good crowd that have a genuine interest in Kildare GAA.
We all want it to keep that way. When the plug was pulled on the original forum, this was the only
place a lot of us had for any information regarding fixtyres, results , team News and of course the
chat and banter about the big games.
Maybe Mr Ashe should look into exploiting forums to benefit Kildare GAA, rather than trying to get them shut down.

What would people on here and Admin think that in order to read what is posted on the Forum you have to be a member?

Ok Fionn we'll give that a go, I have set that only members can now see the General Football Discussion, Ladies football, Kildare hurling and any sport section. The Latest results and club notices are left for anyone to see.

We'll see how this goes for a while.

I think u need to sexy the homepage up a bit so, when I opened it this morning it looked bare, very bare........... and I was afraid that somebody had suceeded

I see Tipp spent €1.2 million preparing their county teams, makes our amount look like small fry.

Tipp might say it was money well spent, but its a thin line between success and failure, 2 injury time points against Galway was the catalyst, but their season could just as easy have blown up in their face only for Galways late capitulation.