Tipp’s Johnson feels Integration is well underway despite controversy

By Shane Brophy

A leading Tipperary Camogie official has said integration with the GAA remains on course despite the resignation of Dr. Mary McAleese as chairperson of the steering committee.

Speaking in a debate on integration as it currently stands on Off the Ball AM last Wednesday with Waterford Camogie PRO Gail Ryan, treasurer of Tipperary Camogie Board Mike Johnson admitted to being “disappointed” and “deflated” at recent events but feels full integration will still happen, just not in the timeframe envisaged of April 2027.

“We were disappointed, a bit deflated, as some clubs in Tipperary have moved to the One-Club model which is already integrating the Camogie, LGFA and the GAA,” said the Slieve Felim Rapparees clubman.

“I kind of felt the time-line itself might have been a bit tight knowing the GAA and LGFA itself that there is a lot of structural items to fix but I was very encouraged at the beginning on the ground of how collaborative Tipperary GAA, LGFA and Camogie were in really getting behind this.

“For example, Tipp LGFA and ourselves announce our fixtures (club) together so we are collaborative around that which was typically a challenge.

“Even with the GAA, we have really gotten connected as well in terms playing out senior county final in Semple Stadium, we played in double-headers (3) in the Munster Championship which was phenomenal for the players to play in such brilliant stadiums and in front of such huge crowds.

“I was very optimistic and everyone at ground level sees a path forward but obviously the structural issues that are there, the financing issues that are well above us that we don’t have visibility of all the time have come to play.”

Johnson was also keen to stress a lot of the positive work done so far with improved cooperation between the three organisations in recent years.

“We cannot ignore all the brilliant work that has been done already between the GAA, ourselves and the LGFA, and we need to build on that,” he added.

“Ultimately, the clubs are moving towards a lot of One-Club structures. I see a lot of integration anyway before integration was mentioned as there are a lot of clubs that really welcome camogie and the LGFA. We are seeing some great work; yes, there is more work to do but we do need to drive forward.

“Our biggest challenge is pitches. Girls want grass pitches earlier and we struggle with that. We are lucky to have our own facility but it can’t cover winter playing conditions so we spend a fortune on access to fields.

“We do need to get a bit more collaborative and see where we can drive some economies of scale when we go together when we try to access fields and fundraising in terms of what we can do together.

“At the end of the day, we have to build on what we have, starting from ground level and working our way up, and then we have to let Croke Park figure out their structures and funding pieces. We can only control what we can control. We are making inroads but there is a lot more to go.”

Equality

The biggest sticking point in terms of getting integration fully signed off on is believed to be funding, particularly that of the inter-county camogie and ladies football teams who are at the moment are dwarfed by the spend hurling and Gaelic football teams have.

GAA President Jarlath Burns mentioned recently it could be as much as €45million that would need to be found to equalise what it costs to prepare GAA teams at the moment and ensure camogie and ladies football teams get the same. However, the Tipperary Camogie treasurer questions that figure.

“It is somewhere between the €45 million and €10 million (camogie and ladies football spend), but it’s probably more closer to €10 million,” he said.

“We (Tipperary) consider ourselves to be an elite team and an elite sports set-up, and the costs associated with that can drive on.

“We have the player charter where we have made a commitment to our players around making sure that we have the set up correct, be that hot meals after training and matches, strength & conditioning, physios, and in recent years we have put nutritionists in place. It is very hard to get a doctor but this year we got a team doctor in place so every penny that is earned is to drive Tipp camogie forward to get us up to compete with the likes of Waterford, Cork, Galway, and Kilkenny.

“You wouldn’t have much change out of €100,000, even going beyond that.

“The costs aren’t just for a senior team; you have from under 13 development level right up to the senior team where you could have 300 players across that band and everything they need to try and get ready to play senior camogie on top of funding senior camogie.”

Fundraising

He added: “To raise money to run any county board is hard. We are very lucky to have Alpha Drives as a brilliant sponsor (of our county teams) and FBD sponsors our club championships but then you are dependent on gates, registrations, sponsorship and goodwill, plus new innovations in fundraising, and we have just launch our own new Split the Pot draw through an app but we have to pay for the app which is quite costly.

“We are constantly out there trying to raise funding but ultimately all that is trying to make the boat go faster, and drive camogie forward, as they are doing in other counties.

“We don’t have the luxury of letting costs run away. “I would doubt it is a case of overspending because we are all working within a parameter in the Camogie Association and what access to funds we can get, be it grants or other factors.

“It is very tight, very difficult, but every penny is accounted for.”

When asked about what a fully integrated Gaelic Games organisation would look like in terms of taking camogie and ladies football to the next level, Johnson doesn’t necessarily feel like it is greater attendances at inter-count games.

“I don’t think it is selling out Croke Park,” for All-Ireland Finals he said.

“It is more the utopian feeling that the girls get to focus in on being elite sportspeople and driving towards that and having the access to all the facilities and supports they need, within reason, not overspending.

“It is intangible when we get there, we feel we are there without having to measure it in terms of attendance. We are seeing great inroads and better attendances. In Tipp we have Clubber now promoting our games so we are seeing a lot of traction behind it without having to measure it so we can see it and feel it happening.”