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Sideline View . . . with Martin Kiely
Dear JP, I have, for some time, contemplated writing a few words to you to say thank you both for the contribution you have made to Limerick GAA and in general for the on-going support you give to so many charities in the mid-west region.
I have only met you once and that was at a local club game in Limerick in which your beloved South Liberties were playing.
Far from the grandeur of plush seats you watched this game and, just like in the good old days, you enjoyed every puck of the ball.
You have, for so many years, sponsored Limerick GAA and let's be honest you have got very little in return for it - I do know that you have never once looked for publicity or a return on your generous contributions.
It must make you sad to see how low we have gone in the hurling world because you grew up at a time when we produced some of hurling's greatest players, many of whom came from your own club - of course your club South Liberties always meant so much to you.
Down the years the Liberties produced some of the finest and in the 50s and 60s there were few better than the great Johnny Dooley. Anyone who grew up in east Limerick heard of the craft and skill of Johnny and I have no doubt that you have special memories of this hurling genius.
In need of serious funding
A few years ago, when Limerick GAA was in need of some serious funding, it was you who put millions into the Gaelic Grounds because had you not I doubt that they would ever have been able to pay off the huge debts that were due as a result of developments that had taken place over the years.
Likewise you have pumped so much money in sponsorship into the Limerick senior hurling and football teams and we are no closer to winning an All-Ireland title.
As someone who was the youngest chairman of your own club you know how many clubs run their business poorly - sure didn't the boys in South Liberties tell me that your first meeting was started a eight o'clock and finished at five past.
The reason being that time was time and when they could not turn up on time you called it off!
Very little has changed
Let me tell you that very little has changed - in many clubs and boards the same things happen and meetings ramble on and little business is done.
I have watched you come to all the Limerick games in hurling and football this year and I could see the pain in your face as you left Croke Park.
You, like so many, have watched and waited to see progress, but it has not come now for some years.
As you know some people are working hard and trying to do the right thing, but we are years away from making real progress.
We have got to change the focus and plan where we want to be in ten years time and how we propose to get there.
We must set targets and unless we do that we will suffer the pain for so many years to come.
Put money into underage squads
I know how well you have treated the players and many of them will not have to buy a suit for the next ten years, but please JP, don't buy them anymore suits, they don't need them.
Instead, put the money into the young underage squads and make sure we are coaching and building players for the future.
All the focus in Limerick is on winning at senior level and that's fine, but it's not happening and we need to work with the young players and curtail some of the money that's spent on the senior teams.
To make progress we must make some big decisions now and not wait around hoping that all will come right.
We have done it for far too long and, for the future of the game and those who love Limerick hurling, we have to make things happen.
A Director of Hurling
I was wondering what would you think of the idea of appointing a Director of Hurling?
We must go out and put in place a high profile guy who has the ability to make things happen for Limerick.
The holder of such a role would have to be focused and target driven and given the resources to improve Limerick hurling.
It would cost money, but if we have the will I feel it could be one way of building a firm foundation for the future of the game in this county.
To be honest I feel if the will was there to appoint such a person then we should go outside the county.
We also have to get rid of the politics and give this person the money and the power to change things.
We have been promised a Director of Hurling in the recent 'Lifting of the Treaty', but I feel that it will not come in the current climate.
Sit back and watch
We can sit back and watch the big hurling counties get stronger or we can start a new era for Gaelic Games in Limerick.
I am sure that the people in Limerick GAA will have thanked you on many occasions, but for the record and on behalf of everyone in Limerick GAA I want to say how much we appreciate what you are doing by way of sponsorship and also for the development of the games in Limerick.
You were just 22 when Limerick last won the All-Ireland in 1973 and I am sure that you never thought then that all these years later we would still be waiting for Liam McCarthy to pay a visit to Shannonside once again.
As someone who started small and, through your own skills, made it to the very top in business you must have many ideas that would benefit Limerick GAA.
In Kilkenny, Tipperary and Cork they have taken the development of hurling to a new level and the work they are doing at underage level will ensure that they will stay at the top for many years to come.
Over the past few weeks the local championship is well under way and it's great to see so many people coming out to support our games.
Indeed your own South Liberties are playing this coming weekend against Pallasgreen and they will surely bring out the best in each other.
Can you remember 1973 when you were chairman of South Liberties they met in the east final in Caherconlish in a mighty game of hurling before one of the biggest crowds ever at a game in the division?
Liberties won the game 2-7 to 1-7.
In a picture taken after the game you are in the front row wearing a leather jacket.
Never forget the great days
I am sure you will never forget the great days of South Liberties and over many years they were one of the top teams in the county.
When they played in Caherconlish they would tog out at Riordan's pub and march the mile or so the field.
Those men, to us as kids, looked like giants. The Grimes, Riordans, Hartigans, Butlers and so many more were always to the fore.
As they passed the old barrack their chests seemed to expand and the speed of their walk increased.
I can remember Walter Shanahan with his unusual copper helmet - we had never seen one like it before.
Walter was no angel, but he was so proud of his club.
Your friend Joe McKenna was the man we all wanted to see because he could always do something special.
Very few people in horse racing will have as many horses in training as you. At one stage you had over 400 in training and of them very few will ever make the grade at the level at which you race .
Best resources
The same can be said of young hurlers, many will play, few will make it to the very top at county level, but we must keep bringing the best of our young players together and put the best resources into them.
If we do this for long enough I am sure that we will get the results that you and so many Limerick people would wish for.
JP you know only too well that there is more to winning a big race than just running the horse around the field.
You must have the right people and a culture of winning.
We have to start to educate the holders of the Limerick jersey and let them know how privileged they are.
They in turn must be prepared to work both with the team and alone because to become great you must spend time working on your game and your mind.
We must also get rid of the culture of drinking and drop the people who are a cancer in our dressing room.
Unlike many of the high rollers you have remained loyal to Limerick and this country. Some people tend to forget the very many people that you employ in this country and the on-going support you give to so many charities that you have supported for such along time.
Most people in Limerick and Ireland don't know you, but they all feel that they do. That's because you have never forgotten your roots. You will have seen most parts of the world, but I am sure that few will match your love for your home patch in east Limerick.
Finally, JP, money may solve many of our problems in Limerick, but a change of culture from top to bottom is what's needed. Good planning at schools' level and at underage is vital. Our adult players need to be playing and bring back the pride of club hurling and football. Our day will come, but only if people like you start asking for a businesslike approach to the way we do our business in Limerick.
Yours in Sport,
Martin Kiely.
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Tuesday 07 February 2012
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