Special County Convention to be held over Parish Rule

By Shane Brophy

Tipperary County Board are to hold a special convention this autumn to tidy up its by-laws in regard to the ‘Parish Rule’ which were exposed during the recent transfer of five players from the Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams club to nearby Cashel King Cormacs.

Those transfers, which included current and former Tipperary senior and underage hurlers Ger & Aaron Browne, and Nathan & Devon Ryan, were granted last month after a lengthy dispute, when they were sanctioned following a successful appeal to the GAA’s Disputes Resolution Authority (DRA) and subsequent rehearing of their case by the Munster Hearings Committee who ruled in favour of the transfers.

In a letter read to delegates at a Tipperary County Board meeting this month, Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams urged the county board to address the deficiencies in the current by-laws which allowed the transfers to proceed.

“The committee is anxious you will take note of their experiences and seek to address the deficiencies exposed through the various processes so that no club is left in a similar position to us,” the letter began.

“In particular we consider that it is important for the future development and resilience of the GAA in all parts of the county that no club officer is undermined in supporting the GAA’s ethos or the GAA’s desire to ensure the appropriate standards of behaviour within the Association towards all its members.

“In particular we request that the following are addressed as a priority: 1 – that the county bye-laws are corrected and tightened so that the parish rule or defined catchment area are aligned clearly within the rules of the Official Guide, and that there is clear understanding of their interpretation and meaning for all decision-making bodies, particularly in the context of rule 1.2, which states the Association as its basic aims, the strengthening of the national identity in a 32 county Ireland through the preservation and promotion of Gaelic Games and pastimes.

“It is the international governing bodies responsibility for the promotion of Gaelic Games and the aims and ethos of the association, and re rule 6.1 – transfers and declarations – the Associations ethos as the Gaelic Athletic Association, is community centred, based on the allegiance of its members to their local clubs and counties.

“The transfer and declaration rules in this Official Guide and County Bye-laws reflect that ethos. A player is considered to owe allegiance and loyalty to his first club and county as defined in these rules.

“2 – That there are clear efforts in the appropriate section of the by-laws that will prevent transfers on the basis of any club member being appropriately corrected for poor or unacceptable behaviour. The principle of irreconcilable differences or force majeure concepts should not be utilised to affect a transfer in such instances, clearly where any approach by an officer is made which is irrational, unreasonable, or disproportionate, such a bye-law would not apply, but in all other situations it should stand.

“Currently in our opinion, rule 3.1b, a club shall be responsible for the conduct of his members and known participants, is inoperable and a decision of the Munster Hearings Committee to grant the recent transfers has effectively disabled management and club officers in confidently addressing disrespectful behaviour.”

County Chairperson Joe Kennedy said the boards by-laws committee are currently looking at the wording to tidy up the by-laws, which will then be put before clubs for ratification at a special county convention, possibly in October.