Skorts controversy commentators urged, 'light up' social media for All-Irelands

Irish Daily Mirror

16 hours ago

Camogie Association President Brian Molloy has called on the politicians and social media influencers who waded into the skorts controversy to back it up by urging their followers and constituents to come out in force for this weekend's All-Ireland Finals at Croke Park.
Molloy also challenged fans from Galway, Armagh and Kerry, who helped to fill Croke Park for All-Ireland football finals over the past two years, to come out and back their camogie teams.
Galway are in the Sunday's senior final, with Kerry in the intermediate and Armagh in the junior decider.
Molloy says the mindset that the women don't necessarily deserve the same support as the men needs to be 'broken.'
And he has called on fans to do more than a TikTok or a message to say they support the camogie players.
The skorts issue kicked up back in May when some leading inter-county camogie players protested against not having the right to wear skorts or shorts, with the issue resolved at a Camogie Congress.
But not before it became a national talking point with politicians and social media 'influencers' wading in - and it even went beyond Ireland.
'The amount of focus we had on camogie in the month of May,' said Molloy, speaking at the launch of the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland camogie finals at Croke Park yesterday.
'Huge numbers of people all across the country and internationally took time out of their lives to comment on, to do TikTok videos, WhatsApp posts, Instagram posts, Facebook and tweets - and all that carry on.
'It was hugely welcomed because we got a massive change into our game as a result of that focus over the period.
'But the message all those people had was, it wasn't about jumping on the bandwagon. It wasn't about self-promotion.
'It was actual, genuine support for these women and for the women across the country who play camogie.
'I have no doubt whatsoever that that is absolutely true, but in order to manifest that properly then they need to light up their social media as much this week as it was lit up in May.
'This time the message should be to all of their followers, all of their constituents - because there were a lot of politicians, senators, TDs, Ministers, a lot of commentators, a lot of social media influencers.
'They need to communicate the importance of actually physically supporting the players. Not just verbally supporting the players - and that means turning up to Croke Park.
'I want to see all those people using their position of influence in a positive way now for the camogie players and urging their supporters to come into Croke Park on Sunday and watch the games.'
Molloy went on to challenge all Camogie Association members to attend this weekend's finals and make it a 'festival of camogie.'
And he urged the Galway, Armagh and Kerry fans who helped pack out Croke Park to its 82,000 capacity for All-Ireland football finals over the past two seasons to come out and support their camogie players.
He said: 'The number of people who came up to watch the Kerry footballers win their All-Ireland Final. Are all those people going to come to watch the camogie players in their All-Ireland Final?
'Historic All-Ireland Final for those intermediate camogie players. So it's the first time that Kerry have gotten to the All-Ireland Final in the intermediate grade. If they're not, why not?
'Why would you support your county men in the football but you wouldn't support your county women in the camogie? You could ask the same question with regard to Cork.
'Cork obviously had a difficult hurling final but all those people who came up to support the lads playing hurling - surely all those people are also going to come up and support the women playing camogie. And again, if not, why not?
'This is a team that are remarkable and could put down a historic one. They're in the running for three in a row.
'Galway will be looking to stop that. But the reality is there should be a huge support from Cork coming up for those women. You move across the Shannon over to Galway.
'Galway and Armagh, both counties happen to be in different competitions but both are on Sunday.
'They filled Croke Park for an All-Ireland Football Final just a year ago. So are all those people going to come and support the Galway and Armagh camogie players?
'In fairness I know the GAA (in Offaly) have cancelled all games on Sunday to make sure that they're freeing up for people to attend.
'That's hugely beneficial and hugely important. They're all counties that have a huge Gaelic Games tradition. But we have a tendency that they'll support the men and not the women.
'We need to break away from that. And I need, as President, to call that out and say, 'Come on, we all need to support.''
Molloy says it's a societal issue: 'I think we do need to look at ourselves as a society where we have four All-Ireland Finals and two of them are full houses and two of them aren't.
'There's a gender split. I think if there was any other part of life where we're looking at similar events but the only difference is gender split, there'd be question marks being raised as to, 'Hold on a second, what's going on here?'