Angry parents claim 'discrimination' as sons suspended for playing illegally with Kinnitty

ANGRY parents have cried foul after their sons were suspended for playing illegally in the U-13 “B” hurling competition and an U-17 hurling league match last year.

The three young players were suspended for three months in January, two for playing for Kinnitty-Lusmagh U-13 B hurlers on April 8 last and one for playing in an U-17 league game on April 2. The three have trained and played in Kinnitty since starting hurling some years ago but are living just across the border in Drumcullen parish and things came to an head after Drumcullen GAA Club sought an investigation into their legality last year.

The chairman and secretary of the Kinnitty-Lusmagh underage amalgamation, Michael Troy (Lusmagh) and Kevin Callaghan (Kinnitty) have also been hit with three month bans.

The three young players live in Knockbarron and Droughtville, Kinnitty. It is across the border in Drumcullen parish and they have been suspended for breaching the parish rule but according to their parents, they have always regarded Kinnitty as their home. They were baptised in Kinnitty, go to school there and all their friends are members of Kinnitty club.

Offaly GAA's parish rule under renewed scrutiny after three young players suspneded

In an interview this week, the childrens' parents have hit out at the Offaly GAA County Board decision, accusing them of “discriminating” against them and of “selectively enforcing the parish rule”. They also talked about the mental health of their children and their desire to continue playing with Kinnitty and their friends – they have appealed to the Offaly GAA County Board to look at their situation again and they also hope that the parish rule will be “updated” to cater for their case. Specifically, they have asked that “strong family connections to a bordering parish would be taken into consideration, so that other families and young boys would not have to go through the stress and anxiety that we are currently being put through”.

Tullamore GAA Club did put forward a parentage rule ammendment to the parish rule last year as they have been engaged in a similar difficulty with Cappincur over young players. They withdrew that motion and if passed, it would have catered for the young Kinnitty players. The parents have acknowledged that the parish rule is an essential part of the way Offaly GAA operate and don't “necessarily” want it done away with but they pointed out that times are very different from when it was instigated in 1909 and that it needs changing to meet modern circumstances. They have asked Kinnitty to put forward a motion for Convention next year but in the meantime, their sons are looking at a year out of hurling and they are deeply frustrated at this – they have stated that their sons are adamant that they won't and don't want to play with Drumcullen.

Kinnitty GAA Club appealed the suspensions four weeks ago and are still waiting for this to be heard. In their appeal, Kinnitty have asked that Offaly GAA “take into consideration the rights of the children within the aims and ethos of the association”.

They have quoted rule 1.13 in the Official Guide Part B which states: “The Association shall take all practical steps to protect them from discernible forms of abuse, from harm, discrimination or degrading treatment and shall respect their rights, wishes and feelings”.

The Kinnitty appeal has asked that the children be approved as members of Kinnitty GAA Club and also accused Offaly GAA of “discriminating” against them, claiming that they are being “singled out” and that there is a “high volume” of children in Offaly playing in clubs outside their catchment area.

Kinnitty have maintained that the suspended children's wishes and feelings are not being upheld under rule 1.13 and have also quoted the GAA's child safeguarding statement and the Children's First Act 2015, which deals with childrens' rights.

The three sets of parents have now gone public to bring the case to the attention of the wider Offaly GAA community. They are Kevin and Lisa Dooley, Liam and Breed O'Brien, both Knockbarron and Seamus and Yvonne O'Brien, Droughtville. Liam and Seamus O'Brien are brothers from Kinnitty and life long members and former players with Kinnitty GAA Club. Kevin Dooley is from Clareen and is still playing junior B hurling with Seir Kieran – his wife Lisa is a daughter of a well known Kinnitty GAA stalwart, Eddie Moyles.

Kevin Dooley is a relation of one of Seir Kieran's most famous hurling families, the Dooleys (Joe, Billy and Johnny starred for Offaly for several years in the 1980s and '90s) and Kinnitty have pointed out that their family home is actually in their parish not Clareen but they did not object to them hurling with Seir Kieran.

“Seir Kieran would have won none of their championships or Offaly would not have won All-Ireland's in 1994 or 1998 without them,” stated Seamus O'Brien this week.

The parents outlined how there was a mediation process between Kinnitty and Drumcullen over the players but this was not successful. They confirmed that the Drumcullen chairperson and secretary did “mention in discussion that they may cede these 3 children to Kinnitty”. The parents have stated they were told that “all other houses in the Knockbarron area would have to play with Drumcullen going forward – Kinnitty did not feel they could agree to or accept this as there may be similar situations with strong family connection to Kinnitty in the future. This was never formally put as a proposal to Kinnitty GAA.”

The parents have stood with Kinnitty on this stance, stating that they had to look after all families who want to play with them and not just their children.

Ironically, Seamus and Liam O'Brien's father Billy O'Brien starred for Offaly and Drumcullen in the 1950s, winning Senior Hurling Championship medals in 1950, '51, '52 and 1957. An uncle Peter also featured on some of those teams – Billy later moved across the parish border into Kinnitty and his children became immersed in that area. They later moved back across the parish boundary after getting sites on family land there. His sons have maintained that Billy's allegiance was to Kinnitty but he was “forced to play with Drumcullen”.

Their children were also on the Kinnitty-Lusmagh squad that lost to Shamrocks in the U-15 B hurling final last year and Breed O'Brien said: “We just want them to be allowed to hurl where they have started and where their friends are. We have asked them will they hurl with Drumcullen if they can't play with Kinnitty and they have said, no, they want to continue to play with Kinnitty. Children have a right to be heard and to have their rights respected. They are not being respected in this. Child welfare is so important.”

Knockbarron and Droughtville are located close to Kinnitty village and the parents have outlined their involvement with the area. Lisa Dooley and Breed O'Brien are chairperson and secretary of Kinnitty Camogie Club – the families have stated that they are deeply involved in and embedded in the community of Kinnitty.

It is not the first time there have been tugs of war over players from the Knockbarron and Droughtville townslands – these date back to the earliest days of the Parish Rule in Offaly and some of these cases are outlined in a separate article here.

“How can adults allow these children to be excluded from their friends and peers”, asked Breed O'Brien. “It is discrimination, nothing else,” charged Seamus O'Brien, adding: “There are cases like these in clubs all over Offaly but why are our children being singled out”.

They are annoyed with Drumcullen GAA Club and those involved in bringing it to this stage and they are angry at Offaly GAA not granting them an individual hearing while they also complained that the County Board have not yet appointed a children's welfare officer.

“Our three lads just want to hurl. Michael Duignan has said the parish rule has served Offaly well but it has not served us well. Are the County Board happy with their decision, which has stopped three young lads in a small club from playing a sport they love? This should not be a decision made so rigidly that the family connections are completely ignored. Is the Parish rule right here?” asked Lisa Dooley.

“It is creating a very bad vibe around Kinnitty and Drumcullen,” maintained Liam O'Brien. “All we want to do is see young lads hurling and be happy. I am disappointed in Drumcullen.”

“We don't want to see the parish rule go but a rule put in back in the early 1900s needs to be changed to meet modern needs. It is heartbreaking for 12 year olds. We have no voice at the County Board and the children's and family wishes are being ignored,” remarked Lisa Dooley.

“The children have said they will not hurl with Drumcullen under any circumstances,” insisted Seamus O'Brien.

The families remain hopeful that “common sense will prevail in this” and that the County Board may consider an “exception”. They have referred to four young footballers from Drumcullen who were given permission to play football with Cloghan instead of Birr last year – delegates voted 24 – 20 in favour of allowing them continue to play with the club they had started with at Go Games level. They also stated that they were very grateful to Kinnitty GAA club and the local community for the support they have been given throughout this “stressful ordeal”.