Hunger strike ‘not linked to GAA’
A hunger strike commemoration in Co Tyrone was not linked to the GAA, the organisation has said.
Sports Minister Nelson McCausland threatened funding cuts over giving clubs IRA names after an event last summer at Galbally GAA featured paramilitary displays.
However, he has received a report from the association on last August’s controversial ceremony.
It said: “It is our conclusion that these events were taken forward by an organising committee that were and are independent of the GAA or any of our constituent units.
“The main centre for the event, as publicly advertised, was Galbally community centre which is not a GAA property.”
The report to the minister from the director of Ulster GAA Danny Murphy said the Tyrone county committee, the Ulster council, and the central council of the GAA were not involved in any way with the events.
The report added there was no evidence that Galbally Pearse’s GAA club organised the event in contravention to GAA rules prohibiting use of premises for party political purposes.
The GAA plans to produce a clear policy document on the use of association property in the coming weeks and sent out a recent reminder of the rules to members.
Mr McCausland said he would be reviewing the GAA correspondence to ensure it adequately addressed all issues raised.
