What are they smoking in Birr?

[Plain of the Herbs]

Offalys Future can confirm what he has in mind in due course but I suspect he refers to the identity of Birr's 2015 Senior hurling Bainisteoir. Clue: they've stayed in-house, a current referee (and it's not 'Dinger' Walsh).

Jesus just when I thought it couldn't get any worse for Birr GAA and they go and do this.
Sad really sad.

Do what?????

[Offalys Future]

It's terrible news. Birr GAA is in an absolute mess. they need a new way a new vision and a strategic plan with good people to implement.
they aren't getting that.
What's more concerning is that this was approved at a club meeting by the Birr people with little or no fuss. Much like Offaly GAA ,Birr GAA is starting to become irrelevant, even to it's own people.
terrible news.

[greenairfield]

Offalys Future - your lack of knowledge of Birr hurling and hurling for that matter is clearly evident by your last couple of statements.It bugs me that you would even say such things because as of the AGM there has been a huge change in Birr GAA so you can not paint everyone with the one brush.

1.If your are speaking about the appointment of Paddy kirwan as a manager first of all I think your totally wrong with your remark.After padjoe Whelehan and Danny Owens he is possibly the most successful manager within out county.

- He was over our last county minor team to win a leinster title.
- He won county titles in laois.
- Brought a very average Ballysneach team to a county final against a great Birr team.
- Won an intermediate title with Drumcullen.
- Last year Brought Birr to there 1st ever camogie title who were huge underdogs going into the final.

For not one minute do I think PK is going to stay there for 10 years and win county finals but he will give it his all for 1 year and if there is a county title in that Birr team he might just be the one who can get it out of them.The Birr players want him and have great praise for him so I think he deserves a shot.

At the AGM over 90 people showed up there has been a total clearout of the officers on the committee which is a huge step in the right direction.

A man involved with Limerick GAA has been working with a small team in developing a new club structure that will bring Birr forward in the coming years,this man is involved with limerck and works for croke park as far as I know.It's something that should of been done 10 years ago but at least now the club wil have a plan going forward.There is a huge amount of work to be done in Birr GAA but the first steps have been taking to a fresh start and new blood in the club.

[greenairfield]

Offalys future are you still alive?

[townman]

i to think Paddy will do a good job with Birr might not be county titles but i think he will get the club on its feet again and he still has the spine of a good team if all are fit and hurling well. offalys future why would the people of Birr have a problem with Paddy Kirwin taking the senior job after all he is an ex county and leinster club winner with Birr. and as greenairfield has said he is the last man to do anything worth while with offaly minors in 2000 even Danny Owens couldn't follow his path afterwards in the offaly minor job.

[Offalys Future]

It's funny are these the same Birr players that 3 months ago said that Johnny Pilkington is the best trainer they hurled under and they are all very happy with him but yet none of them stood up and supported him at the AGM?

In my opinion Birr are entering dangerous ground here. Players should never ever pick a manager.
Also it seems from a previous post that Birr are going down the route of Offaly County Board and looking at Limerick of all places for guidance. Again if I was looking for guidance it certainly wouldn't be Limerick I'd be looking towards.
But I am really looking forward to seeing Birr GAA strategic plan for the next 5 years and seeing them get really good people on board to implement this plan.
BIrr GAA have not won a county title at any level since 2009 and need drastic changes ASAP.

With regards to the Birr Senior Team what would you regard as a successful year so? we want to have something to refer back to in a years time.
In my opinion a successful year for Birr Senior Team with the talent that is available and such a great manager as you have suggested then a county final appearance should be no problem!

[greenairfield]

At club level most teams players have a say 2 players sit on the coolderry mangerial election committee I don't see it as a problem.Players have great time for Johnny Pilkington but they felt a change was needed after last year.They had a players meeting and Paddy kirwan was the name that they backed going forward to the interview process but there is still a healthy relationship with Johnny and the players nobody fell out.
On the limerick subject this guy works with clubs all over the country he is a limerick man and i have heard noting but good reports about him,its mad to say there is no club structure in Birr considering a club of its size you would think its one of the first things it has. As I said there is new faces in the club alot of bussiness people involved but they need time its not going to be fixed over night.

Regarding the team i think if they don't win a county final that will be a failure of a year.They have the players and they believe in there own ability we just need someone to help get it out of them because I think they have constantly under performed in recent years.

[Offalys Future]

it just shows how uneducated the players are so really doesn't it if this is the best they can come up with. (again the same players that 3 months ago thought their manager was excellent and one of the best they had trained under!)

Birr think they have the players and the players think they are good enough. I predict a semi final appearance at the very best and possibly not depending on the draw!
time for a reality check me thinks! Only time will tell but I doubt from what I have heard and seen that Birr will win any county title at any level in 2015. Incredible really in a county the size of Offaly and to a once great club.

[greenairfield]

Offalys future please read my comments properly....Paddy Kirwan is a great appointment for them look at what he has won as a manger.So what's your issue with him getting the job?You sound very bitter toward's Birr times change if the players want a new manager they are entitled to get one.Birr are on par with Coolderry Clareen Banagher to say they are not you would be mad.

[lovelyhurling]

it just shows how uneducated the players are so really doesn't it if this is the best they can come up with. (again the same players that 3 months ago thought their manager was excellent and one of the best they had trained under!)

Birr think they have the players and the players think they are good enough. I predict a semi final appearance at the very best and possibly not depending on the draw!
time for a reality check me thinks! Only time will tell but I doubt from what I have heard and seen that Birr will win any county title at any level in 2015. Incredible really in a county the size of Offaly and to a once great club.

I think that is a disgraceful comment that players are uneducated in Birr, I would love to see you say that to their faces and not hide behind the cloak of anonymity on an online forum. Players have an influence in most clubs in picking managers, Birr are a team in transition, they probably wont win a county title with Kirwan, but at the current time, he is the best placed and qualified for that role.
My second point on your comments is your questioning of someone from limerick looking at structures in clubs. I am surprised at your lack of GAA knowledge considering that the Limerick and Clare underage structures are widely regarded as the best in the country.

Also may I add I am not from Birr.

[Lone Shark]

First and foremost, it's really good news to hear that Birr have had a shake up and that there will be a new direction and some fresh blood driving the club forward. From the county's perspective, Birr putting all their energy into off-field matters instead of looking after their hurling and indeed their football hasn't gone well, to the point that they have declined hugely in both codes over the last few years.

However the first step to addressing any problem has to be facing up to it, and I certainly wouldn't share the view of Greenairfield (welcome aboard, btw!) that the Birr senior team is on a par withtheir counterparts in Coolderry/Clareen/Rynaghs. If any of these clubs met Birr in a knockout championship game tomorrow, Birr would start as between two and four point underdogs in the betting. That's not an insurmountable gap, not on one day and certainly not when you've a year of preparation ahead of you, but it's a gap all the same and within the panel, they'll need to acknowledge that. When you then allow for the indisputable fact that each of those sides in turn are a significant way behind Kilcormac-Killoughey, the task facing players, management and indeed the committee backing them up is a big one.

Poor underage results won't be turned around in a year or two but again, if there is a change in focus and a real push towards winning over the hearts and minds of the kids in the town, they will turn around. Neither would I have a problem with players having their say on the new management, provided they weren't given a veto and of course that they did so in the proper way, as appears to have been the case here. If you pay your membership and you go to the AGM, You're just as much of a club member as anyone else and perfectly entitled to share your views.

[greenairfield]

Thanks lads I thought for a second going getting help from one of the men that has been behind Limerick underage hurling was a bad thing listening too Offalys future.Last year was a total flop from Birr in my opinion the same team wiped Clareen shinrone and Banagher 2 years ago so what has changed?Might I add they are the only club team to beat KK in I don't know how long in the league semi final..yes I know it's only league but has to count for someting!

[ah lethimoutwithit]

You know, we missed OF when he wasn't here but Lord Almighty you don't half shoot yourself in the foot! Some disgraceful comments from the safety of the keyboard. Glad to see that Birr have a plan, and good to see new blood involved. But I would agree to a degree that with that in mind, it is surprising that they are going with an appointment like PK. In fairness, I would not be as close to it as any of ye guys, but there must be more progressive younger manager that can take Birr forward.

[townman]

wouldn't listen to offalysfuture his a gobshit he must have lost a bird to a birrman along the line somewhere.

[sam88885a]

lone shark i wouldnt agree that if birr met clareen coolderry or rynaghs they be underdogs .
if birr had p cleary m verney s ryan e nolan r hanniffy b harding d hayden b walkins b murphy and a cahill fit and the team set up properly id fancy them to bet any of those 3 teams .
i wouldnt read too much into this year birr were poor but only for a terrible first half in the quarter final against clareen birr would have been in the semi final this year .
a lot of that poor first half was down to the team selection .
i woundnt be a p kirwin fan but maybe he is what birr need .
rember d owens and j dunne were supposed to be a big mistake for kk in 2012.