Former All-Ireland club champions Watty Grahams Glen have written to all inter-county secretaries outlining their concerns surrounding the upcoming annual Congress motion to lengthen the inter-county season to mid-August from 2027 onwards.
The 2024 All-Ireland senior football champions contacted county secretaries this morning, requesting them to share their thoughts with clubs, and subsequently published their concerns on their social media channels.
Their fears centre around a motion at Congress, following recommendations from a GAA subcommittee, to lengthen the inter-county season to mid-August.
Central Council has already sent this motion to the Congress clár, and if it is passed it would see the season extended - and the removal of any competition before the first National League game in 2027.
The GAA have encouraged debate on the matter and part of the reasoning for the motion was the concern that too many inter-county games were being played in an abbreviated timeframe.
The possible knock-on effects of that hindered the promotion of games and placed enormous demands on players, administrators, officials, volunteers, supporters and medics.
But with significant provincial backing for the continuation of pre-season competition, and with many dual counties already against the lengthening of the inter-county season, intense debates are expected on this matter as Congress draws closer.
In their correspondence via social media, CLG Watty Grahams feels that the proposal is a major step toward sidelining club players.
"This Congress motion, if passed, would see the All-Ireland hurling revert by one week and football by two," they wrote.
"By extending the inter-county season, we feel that the GAA is sleepwalking into a situation where county players won't meaningfully line out for their clubs at all.
"And once that happens, it is our concern that the era of the semi-pro county footballer and hurler won’t just be creeping in, it will have officially arrived.
"Whilst we presume it is not the intention of the proposal, it is our view that a club/county full split will be an inevitable consequence. In the spirit of constructive engagement, we have shared the following letter with all county boards and respectfully requested that it be passed on to their clubs for consideration."
In the letter Watty Graham’s Glen GAC called on all clubs, in all counties, in a bid to lobby support.
"We currently have a 12 to14 week window of the season dedicated solely to the club in each county, where county players are available to their clubs.
"The inter-county season is circa 28 weeks long (depending on how your county progresses).
'It is primarily your responsibility to act in the best interests of your club. You have the strongest voice here... The GAA belongs to its clubs'
"But the notion that it is a true split season is already folly, and this two-week proposed erosion of the club window undermines clubs and risks fundamentally harming the structure of the GAA.
"It is our view that reducing the part of the season dedicated to the club will cause damage to the fabric, health and sustainability of Gaelic games across the country. We are asking club people to make their voices heard before any change is made.
"This discussion is not hypothetical. As we understand, the proposal going to congress in February will mean that in 2027 there will be a two-week break between the end of the National Football League and the start of the provincial football championships (instead of the current one week).
"This automatically delays the return of all inter-county players in all counties by one week. Then, later in the season there will be two weeks between the All-Ireland hurling and football finals (instead of the current one week)."
The club accepted that, when considered in isolation to the inter-county scene only, the logic behind the two-week proposed change was entirely sound.
It acknowledged that such a move would provide time between a National League final and provincial championships which would help promote the value of the league. It would also allow space between the hurling and football finals and would feel like a success.
However, the club argues that inevitably, a draw would occur in the All-Ireland football final with a replay close to, if not in, September.
"There will be an exceptional build-up. It will feel like a success. Then the same isolationist logic will give way to the demand for the inter-county finals to be in September again," the club stated.
"When this happens, as an association, we may forget about the notion that county players will play for their clubs. It will be over. For the top counties, the era of the semi-pro player will officially begin, and this will eventually trickle down to the rest like every innovation always has done."
Watty Grahams continued by accepting that most clubs would only be impacted by one week if the motion was passed but argued that if you had even one county player, then one week less in a 12 to 14 week window was huge.
The club disputed the argument that counties who exit the inter-county season earlier than expected can commence domestic action immediately.
"Those days are gone. Society has moved on, and people make their plans (holiday, wedding, work) with an expectation of some certainty. And that includes not just players, but club officials, volunteers, supporters and referees. Just ask the fixture planner in your own county’s CCC how difficult scheduling is and then try and move a whole competition forward or back."
"It is very simple; if you agree a shortened club season would be harmful, it is up to you to contact your county board, lobby delegates, and appeal to county AGMs.
"It is primarily your responsibility to act in the best interests of your club. You have the strongest voice here. Bring it up at your AGMs and the pre-congress meeting. The GAA belongs to its clubs."
Watch the Ulster Senior Club Hurling Championship final, Slaughtneil v Naomh Eoin, on Saturday from 5.45pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player
