Students at Dundalk school vow to ‘keep fighting’ against GAA ban

The students at Dundalk Grammar School have held two protests demanding for the ban to be lifted.

A group of senior students at a school in Dundalk, County Louth, have reiterated their intention to keep protesting against a decision by their school board to ban the playing of Gaelic football.

Over 400 pupils took to the streets of Dundalk for the second time last Friday demanding that their headmaster reverse the decision to ban Gaelic games.

NEWS: A protest is taking place at Dundalk Grammar School this afternoon over the Board of Governors' decision to not allow a school GAA football team pic.twitter.com/uHqxbJgq0n

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The Headmaster, Jonathan Graham, wrote to the Student Council on 28 August informing them that Gaelic Football wouldn’t be included in the
school’s sports because the focus was on three sports only - Hockey, Soccer and Rugby.

Organisers told LMFM that 90% of teachers, the PTA (Parents & Teachers Association) and parents supported the introduction of Gaelic Football at Dundalk Grammar School.

In May, junior students protested by walking out of class and playing Gaelic football on the astroturf pitch inside the school.

In solidarity with the campaign, a Dundalk Grammar School team was entered in the Lennon Cup (Louth schools competition) and played a competitive match.

Teachers involved then received letters from the Chairperson of the Board of Governors saying that students wouldn’t be insured to play a non-sanctioned sport.

Organisers say: "The letter also went on to say that the team must be withdrawn from the competition as the sport is banned. No reason for the ban was given."

"A number of parents made contact with the school requesting that the ban be overturned and offering to sponsor kits, equipment and even cover insurance costs," they added.

"The County Board also tried to step in to help by offering resources and trying to help with insurance by allowing any player who is a member of a GAA club to be covered under the GAA’s insurance.

"The Chairman of the Louth County Board and President of The GAA, have requested a meeting with the Board of Governors but as of yet there has been no response to this request."

They continued: "The following questions have been put in a letter to the Board of Governors but as of yet they remain unanswered: Why does Gaelic Football need to be sanctioned again? Gaelic Football was played in Dundalk Grammar School in the early 2000’s. The Junior School had coaching for eight weeks from Louth GAA.

"When was Gaelic Football banned? Were other sports officially sanctioned in writing, and if so, when? Why is Gaelic Football banned in the school?"

The Chairman of the Louth County Board and President of The GAA, have requested a meeting with the Board of Governors but as of yet there has been no response to this request.

Local TD Ruairí Ó Murchú said: "The students at Dundalk Grammar have taken to the streets for the second time in months to protest at the ban on GAA. The teachers support them, the majority of students, support the protest, Louth GAA supports them, the President of the GAA Jarlath Burns supports them.

"We need the Board to reconsider because at this stage it is an outright ban, it is not good enough, it is disgraceful."