By Colm O'Connor
Dublin GAA secretary John Costello has voiced concern at the levels of criticism directed towards GAA players and officials on social media.
The Dublin chief noted the increase in negative commentary from ‘keyboard warriors’ and fears the impact that it may have on GAA members and volunteers.
In his annual report to convention, Mr Costello referenced media reports that Clare County Board asked Gardaí to investigate a complaint lodged by secretary Pat Fitzgerald arising from the abuse he has received on social media over a prolonged period along with interviews throughout the year.
He highlighted an interview given by Brian Carroll, Offaly hurling coach under Joachim Kelly’s interim management, who spoke on an RTÉ GAA Podcast last June when Carroll revealed he was the only one named (in a tweet from a former Offaly player).
He went on: "It was directed at me almost in a personal attack. It’s the timing of it which was most disappointing; in the days before what was the biggest game of the hurling year from an Offaly perspective. That was coupled with online abuse and abuse coming in from the terraces. People will tell me, that are longer in this game, that it’s just par for the course. I got a rude awakening and it’s something I wouldn’t be too quick to get involved in again after seeing that side of things.”
The Dublin secretary also referenced the comments of Seamus 'Cheddar' Plunkett, former Laois hurling boss speaking on SportsJoe’s last June, arguing that pundits (mostly former players and managers) need to be more responsible in their choice of language.
At the time Plunkett said: "Aware is the organisation that looks after depression in Ireland. And they know more about that than anybody else. Their statistics on this is that one in ten people suffer from depression on a regular basis. If we take it that there are 50 people in the dressing- room, we can take it that there are five people at any given time who may suffer some form of depression…"
John Costello
Reacting Mr Costello said: “You're calling your own people as being gutless when you know that you could have people in a situation like that that drives them even further to despair and makes them more anxious than they are. I think it's very irresponsible."
He added: “The testimony above speaks more eloquently than anything I can add to this debate. Except to reiterate this: while freedom of speech is a cherished right, with that comes responsibility. “If we want our volunteers to stay involved in the games we love, we need to think before we type.”
