I agree to a point on this, in that I've often said that delegates aren't necessarily going with what the club says at an average monthly county board meeting. That being said, on a big issue like this, I think they will be - and when you talk about a vote among "Offaly GAA patrons", even drawing the line at all club members is difficult. Yes, club members can have their say at an AGM, but it's not realistic for most clubs to hold their AGM before convention, and to spend a huge chunk of time at that AGM discussing matters for convention. That tends to be a matter for a club executive meeting, and club executives can have slightly (only slightly) different views to ordinary members who pay their sub, probably buy the club lotto, might play a bit of ball or drop their kids off to do the same, but don't go beyond that. They tend to be a little bit more practical about GAA realpolitik - and I wouldn't dismiss their views on that account.This Year's Model wrote: ↑Tue Dec 03, 2019 7:19 pmLet's tease this one out. The GAA is the ultimate democracy. If a Club's Co Board Delegate is going to OCP and choosing to vote according to his/her own personal choice, instead of voting as mandated by the Club Executive, then there is nobody else to blame here except the individual members of that club who elected him/her to that role. Accountability starts and stops with each club member. The only public opinion that should matter here is the collective of those individuals who are paid-up active fully-engaged members of the 41 GAA clubs in this county.NewEra wrote: ↑Tue Dec 03, 2019 3:14 pm Unfortunately I feel public opinion and delegate votes are not aligned for December 10th. If a vote of Offaly GAA patrons was held in the morning, I have no doubt whatsoever what way this would go but the hopes are pinned to club delegates and I have no confidence in their willingness for change.
Frankly, I think you could be right ... But if you are, whose fault is it? Certainly not Tommy Byrne's.
I'll put it this way - should that ordinary paid up member have a say in something like this? Ideally, yes. But should his/her say be equal to that of a club chairman or secretary, who puts in a huge amount of hours and who understands the backroom stuff that goes on as well? Probably not.