Marty Morrissey weighs in on skorts protests as he gives key update
Marty Morrissey believes the Camogie Association are feeling the heat over protests by players who have to wear skorts during matches.
There were chaotic scenes before Saturday's Leinster Senior Camogie semi-final between Dublin and Kilkenny — which almost saw the game abandoned before it began - as all thirty players line-up for the National Anthem wearing shorts.
Referee Ray Kelly from Kildare said he could not allow the game to begin until they changed into skorts — a skirt with a pair of integral shorts hidden underneath - with both teams changing into them.
And the protests continued on Tuesday with Dublin champions St Vincent's and opponents Good Counsel playing out their Division One League clash wearing shorts.
Last year's Camogie congress saw two separate motions, which would have either replaced skorts with shorts or allowed both, defeated. It means that the motions cannot be put forward again until 2027.
However, RTE reports that a motion will be brought forward to be discussed before the association's Annual Congress in 2026 under which will possibly give players the freedom of choice to wear skorts or shorts.
Morrissey revealed how a motion is to be brought forward to be discussed before the Association's Annual Congress in 2026 under 'exceptional circumstances'.
He explained: "The Camogie Association rule changes only happen every three years. As we know, people involved in the GAA, it's every five years, as we've seen with the Football Review Committee and Jim Gavin and all the changes in the football, but in Camogie it's every three years.
"So this decision that skorts would continue to be the dress wear was made in 2024, which means that the change that would be anticipated, if there was ever going to be a change happening, it would be in 2027. So to bring forward, under the term exceptional circumstances, that the skorts issue will be debated, with a motion brought forward by the Ard Chomhairle itself to be discussed at the Annual Congress in 2026, is now, I believe, being motioned. Dublin camogie team wearing shorts in the warm-up
"And I believe as well that the CEO of the, that's the Chief Executive Officer of the GPA, the Gaelic Players Association, Tom Parsons, was informed last evening of Camogie Association's new perspective on the situation."
When asked if the Camogie Association have been feeling the heat over the protests, Morrissey told Morning Ireland on RTE Radio 1: "I think they probably have, to be honest with you. And I suppose it has continued to gain momentum.
"I mean, to serve up at the GPA over 650 players, with 83% wishing to have choice of sportswear, whether they're playing Camogie, whether that's shorts or skorts. So I suppose, yes, I think they probably were feeling the heat.
"And that essentially, to try and bring forward, to try and maintain the democratic process and a decision that's been made a year ago, and try and bring it forward a little bit, is an effort to compromise. Now, is it enough? I don't know. Because the feeling I got... I was on Prime Time last night and the reaction afterwards was that it wouldn't be enough from various counties and players I was speaking to.
"And that Cork and Waterford are playing the Munster Final. The Munster Final in Camogue is a separate competition to the All-Ireland, that they would tog out with shorts on Sunday. And if the referee decided not to play the game, which he would, he'd have to under law, then the match would have to be abandoned if they persisted.
"So maybe, I know some politicians have suggested derogation, which is basically an exemption to the rule, so that this can happen, players can get a choice, which I think is fair enough that every player can have a choice. That this could happen this year, rather than waiting for next year. So it's, I mean, I'm sure over the next three, four days, there'll be a lot of negotiations between the authorities, the Camogie associations, and the various teams that's involved, and different counties, to see if a resolution can be found.
"But whether derogation is the solution now, the immediate solution, or if people are willing to wait until March, April to the Congress in 2026, that has to be decided and debated over the next couple of days, I would think."
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