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16th July 2019
01:14pm BST

“At the first meeting we had convened to set in motion the negotiations for the broadcast rights, Liam and I set down the objectives we hoped to achieve,” Duffy said. “At the top of the list was the need to make our games accessible to Irish people living abroad. This issue of accessibility of our games on live TV has been, over the years, by far the single biggest issue raised with us when we spoke with our members outside Ireland. “In planning our negotiations of these new contracts, the GAA felt that it had an obligation to Irish people living abroad to respond to their appeals on this issue. If for no other reason than the fact that many of them, while living at home, had contributed to the GAA and were now continuing that work in GAA clubs abroad. “There are now 393 affiliated GAA clubs overseas, double the number of just a decade ago, spread across the world in Britain, America, continental Europe and Australia, in the Middle East and Asia. This is, in part, a reflection of the popularity of the GAA and in part a reflection of the sheer size of the Irish family abroad. This expanding Irish family was the new reality facing the GAA as it approached negotiations for new broadcast contracts. “There are few, if any, people in this room today who have not had experience of the sorrow that emigration brings. The most painful separation is that caused by departing family and friends but there is also separation from one’s culture. I think it is fair to say that the GAA for many Irish people are an important part of the daily Irish cultural experience."
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