GAA's provincial system must be protected - Mick Rock

THE local rivalry generated by the provincial system must be retained at all costs as it is central to the very ethos the GAA was built on at club and county level.

The view was expressed by the president of the Connaught GAA Council, Mick Rock, said at the official launch of the Connaught championship in the Centre of Excellence in Bekan, Ballyhaunis.

Mr. Rock said he would not have any objections to expanding the number of counties in Connaught taking part in the championship, but he felt the provincial title was still a valuable piece of silverware and the great rivalries between teams was at the very core of what the championship was about.

He elaborated: “Various plans have been put forward and other suggestions will continue to be made about opening up the All-Ireland championship.

'But the importance of the provincial series is paramount to the teams competing in the province and certainly here in Connaught it is important that the current system be retained.'

Mr. Rock said the performance of New York, who almost beat Roscommon, and the fine run by London in recent years, was vindication for including them in the championship and an indication  the GAA remains strong and healthy abroad.

He feels the 2016 championship has the potential to be a great competition given the pairings and the possibilities.

This year the Connaught Council have linked up with National Office of Suicide Prevention, supported by the HSE, in an effort to create more awareness about the increasing number of deaths by suicide and each venue in Connaught, where major championship matches are being staged this summer, will have a large display boards highlighting what can be done to create more awareness about suicide and ways to support those who may be vulnerable.