CONFIRMED: The role played by Bertie Ahern in funding of Dublin’s dominance

That explains a lot.

The success of the Dublin footballers sometimes seems to attract as much ire as acclaim. Whether it's arguments surrounding player population, level of sponsorship, funding received from the GAA or an almost permanent residence in Croke Park, there is never a shortage of topics to talk about when it comes to the reasons, seen as unfair by some, behind this success. There is no doubt that the Dublin footballers and Dublin GAA as a whole has marketed itself very well as a brand. It is easier to do so when you have such a successful team almost consistently competing for All Irelands on the third weekend of September. However those with an axe to grind will have been all ears in Government Buildings on Wednesday. These grievances may just grow louder after the latest revelations from the Director General of the GAA, Paraic Duffy. When addressing the Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport, Duffy confirmed that government funding was specifically allocated to Dublin clubs during the terms of previous governments, in particular the terms where Bertie Ahern was Taoiseach.

“Just on the issue of funding, and the funding for Dublin, that you referred to specifically. That money originally, when it was allocated to the GAA, was allocated specifically for Dublin, for the development of hurling and football, it was when Bertie Ahern was Taoiseach," Duffy said.

Duffy goes on to state that this allocation of funding contributed to improved participation of Gaelic games in the capital.

"And to be fair, it has been really successful in terms of broadening the participation of the games in Dublin."

Duffy then makes the point that the allocation of funds received from the government is now at the discretion of the GAA and it is no longer the case whereby the government has a say in this regard.

"The funding we all get, from Sport Ireland or from government is much less than it used to be. We understand why that is, because of the recession and so on. And it is not ringfenced, it is up to us how it is used.”

It has to be pointed out that in recent years Dublin's share of development funding has still been larger than the other 31 counties combined - and Bertie can't be blamed for that one. Further comments from the Director General in relation to Dublin GAA can be seen in the video below. https://twitter.com/gavreilly/status/821780029310898178