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RTÉ News
9 hours ago
- General
- RTÉ News
'Pride of place': GAA clubs and the community around them
Opinion: the identity, traditions and heritage around GAA clubs often allows the local community feel a true sense of belonging The French word terroir regularly crops up in the world of food studies. Originally a wine term, it usually refers to the complex interplay between the natural elements of soil, aspect and climate that influence any viticultural site. According to many foodies, this is what gives a food or drink its sense of place. But the word can evoke something much more fundamental. Amy Trubek, author of The Taste of Place: A Cultural Journey into Terroir, insists that culture, in the form of a group's identity, traditions and heritage in relation to place, must also be part of any consideration of terroir. The impact of the recent pandemic has shown us that the concept can also apply outside the food world and that institutions like the GAA regularly demonstrate their sense of terroir. This has been especially noticeable recently. Because of Covid, many children and adults have had the experience of staring at pristine pitches behind locked gates festooned with yellow and black covid warning signs. From RTÉ Radio 1's Countrywide, report on how GAA clubs in Finland, Oman and Australia are getting back to business after the pandemic Thankfully, we have moved beyond these difficulties (for now). Many of our GAA club strongholds owe their recovery and success to the hard work of a small cohort of dedicated men and women. Terroir people might be an apt moniker for such a group. I know some of these terroir people because my own upbringing in Co Dublin exposed me to their positive influence. Situated on the very outskirts of the county just off the busy M7, Newcastle is very different now from the small village I grew up in. With its picture-postcard thatched pub, church and old village school, this was a place steeped in the GAA. I spent many happy years wearing the St Finians' club jersey before leaving for London in my early twenties. When I started in the 1970s, there was no clubhouse to speak of and players would change in a dilapidated wooden shed in the darkest corner of the field. There was always a pungent smell of wintergreen in the air, an elixir used to keep bare legs warm in cold weather. From RTÉ News, a new GAA club debuts in east Belfast in 2020 The field was exactly that, a single field, located behind the now closed Gondola pub on Newcastle's Main Street. It was on loan from a benevolent local and cattle were sometimes allowed to graze there. Frequently, players were forced to weave between manure as well as opposition during games. Later, the club moved to much better surroundings on Aylmer Road, but it is the old field that bears the strongest memories of those early years. Match days were a village affair and support came from near and far. The opposition were sometimes better prepared and, in truth, often had better players, but we were proud to play for St Finians. That sense of team pride stemmed from our relationship with our club, and it was the people from that club that made us strong. They were special people who gave the club its identity, its sense of terroir, by giving of their time and dedication. Names like Harney, Dunbar and Fitzgibbon, ring loud in collective memories as local GAA pillars who underpinned the very existence of that club. They ran teams, organised the club, chaired meetings and fundraised. Above all, they encouraged players to be proud of the club, the village and their place. From RTÉ 2fm's Game On, Roscommon Padraig Pearses footballer Niall Daly and Tipperary Borris-Ileigh hurler Brendan Maher on role GAA clubs play in communities As with many smaller Dublin clubs back then, a shortage of players sometimes led to younger club members being drafted into battle as part of more senior teams. To less experienced eyes, these senior players were giants of the club, men who played with fearsome aggression. The younger conscripts were energetic and nimble, but they were also nervous. GAA football in 1980s' Dublin was no place for reticence and was frequently peopled by players who felt their advantage lay more with their fists than their feet. Referees were more lenient back then and there seemed to be less rules. But the younger cohorts were protected. If things got rough, and they sometimes did, these guardians, these terroir people, would step forward and form tree-like cordons around any threatened younger player. It was made clear to potential aggressors that this was a club, a single entity, that always stuck together. Newcastle village changed dramatically during the Celtic Tiger years. Some say that dramatic growth weakened its sense of place and it has been assimilated into a bigger, more industrial Dublin collective. There may be some truth in that and it now takes a real local to recognise the old village outline among the surrounding Celtic Tiger developments. From RTÉ's GAA podcast, former Tyrone All-Star Midfielder Sean Cavanagh on how All-Ireland Intermediate Club Championship winners Moy can be a model for inspiration for Northern Ireland politicians Thankfully, though, the community remains as strong as ever. St Finian's GAA club is thriving, with an expanded range of women's, men's and juvenile teams. Nowadays, most GAA clubs have a multitude of dedicated mothers and fathers, who give of their time freely every week to help out in the interests of their local community. These volunteers are crucial to every GAA club's survival. But sometimes if you look closely enough, some very lucky clubs also have a small cohort of terroir people who are the incarnation of the spirit of the place. Long after their own children have grown up and others, like me, have moved far away, these special men and women continue to maintain the beating heart of their local GAA club. Like the turf beneath their feet, they remain a club constant. They quietly go about their work - running teams, organising, chairing and fundraising. Most importantly, they nurture a club tradition rooted in a pride of place that allows players, supporters and even those of us who have long since departed to still feel a true sense of belonging, a true sense of terroir.
RTÉ News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Are sweet sandwiches the trend of the summer?
Caryna Camerino of Dublin's Camerino Bakery joins Brendan O'Connor on RTÉ Radio 1 to discuss the rising popularity of sweet sandwiches. Listen back above. "We have the strawberry sandwich in our bakery and, I can tell you, it is divisive," says Caryna. While some are eager to try the social media sensation, others are downright scandalised to see fruit filling. Inspired by the Japanese sandwich that started the trend, having been reviewed on TikTok by locals and tourists alike, Caryna's sandwich is deceptively sweet. "It's white bread without crust, but it's a Japanese milkbread called shokupan, so it looks like a sliced pan, but it's actually a bit more sturdy. If you squish it, it's a bit more spongy and a bit more sweet." At the time of writing, the baker insists that she makes the cakey bread from scratch as she hasn't been able to source a supplier in Ireland. "It's filled with a marscapone or a cream cheese folded together with stiffly whipped cream, and it's a little bit sweet, so maybe some honey. "Then you have some fruit in the centre, and it's arranged in such a way that when you assemble it, you wrap it, and you mark the way that you've arranged your fruit like an architect so that when you slice it on the diagonal, your cut fruit is exposed so it looks like stained glass." In Japan, these sandwiches have been around for years, and may contain mangoes, grapes, or any other assortment of fruit. In Ireland, though, strawberries were the obvious choice. "I was really interested to try it here because our cream is the best, our cream cheese is the best, our strawberries right now are the best. To me, it made absolute sense to give it a go." If you want to make your own sweet sambo at home, Caryna suggests trying a sweet brioche bun. "The filling is double cream, stiffly whipped, and it's folded in with Irish cream cheese - that tends to be a bit softer than a French cream cheese, so it's perfect. Sweeten with some honey and arrange your strawberries in the centre."
RTÉ News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Tom Vaughan-Lawlor on starting out: 'I did everything'
Tom Vaughan-Lawlor has told The Brendan O'Connor Show about the early days of his acting career, recounting that he "did everything" to make ends meet. The Love/Hate favourite is back home in Dublin to star opposite Brendan Gleeson, Owen McDonnell, Seán McGinley, and Kate Phillips in writer-director Conor McPherson's The Weir at the 3Olympia Theatre from 8 August. While choosing his five favourite songs on The Brendan O'Connor Show on RTÉ Radio 1 on Sunday, Vaughan-Lawlor discussed his early years in London after graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). "I did everything," he told the host. "Building sites, hotels, coffee shops, secretarial work, furniture removal, everything, gardening." "But you meet the most amazing people who teach you amazing, amazing lessons," he continued. "This time 20 years ago, I was working in a hotel in Euston, on the Euston Road. And I was grumbling about not having an acting job. And there was a woman there who was from Ethiopia who'd two kids, [aged] six and four. She hadn't seen her kids for two years. "We were getting paid after tax, like, £200 a week. She was in shared accommodation. She was sending home 50% of her wages every week to her family. And she was amazing. "She was fun and light and really hardworking. And I was kind of moping around, 'Oh, I don't have a job! Why won't anyone give me an acting job?!' And she was like, 'Oh, you know, I'm just doing my thing!' "So you meet amazing people with amazing stories. In a way, I'm so grateful for all that non-acting work. You're living and you're seeing the world and you're meeting incredible people." Looking ahead to The Weir at the 3Olympia Theatre, Vaughan-Lawlor said: "It's scary. As opening gets closer, you're like, 'Oh, we've actually got to get up and do this!'" He said it is "a real honour" to be working with "great people" on "a great play." "It's a joy to be in rehearsal," he added.
RTÉ News
a day ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Listen: Tipperary players react to Liam MacCarthy glory
Rhys Shelly, Conor Stakelum, Andrew Ormond and Sam O'Farrell got out of their beds early to join RTÉ Sport's Marty Morrissey to reflect on Sunday's stunning All-Ireland final win over Cork. The quartet were speaking on RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland.
Sunday World
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
Michael Flatley mulling over move to launch presidential campaign
"If I thought that I could be of benefit to the Irish people, and maybe more importantly, if I thought I could be a voice, a voice of the Irish people.' Michael Flatley has not ruled out a presidential bid and is consulting with 'a team of advisors' as he mulls over launching a campaign for the Áras. While the Riverdance star told The Brendan O'Connor Show on RTÉ Radio 1 that he has not yet made a decision and has not been approached by a political party, he said he has been 'approached by some very weighted individuals, people in the know'. "I've not made the decision, but I have a team of advisors that are advising me on this. And you know, for me, it wouldn't be – I mean, I have a huge business to run,' he said. "I have an army of dancers counting on me to make a living. I have a whiskey company, a beautiful young wife and son that I want to spend time with. Michael Flatley Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 19th "If I thought that I could be of benefit to the Irish people, and maybe more importantly, if I thought I could be a voice, a voice of the Irish people. Right now, I don't think they have a voice, not a true, proper, deep voice that, you know, that speaks their language.' He said he is 'blessed to meet the average person on the street' and often hears their concerns, adding: 'I'd be lying if I said they're happy right now, and somebody has to speak for the Irish people. "You know, I'm not sure we need another politician if I'm honest. I know it's a statesman's role, but I spent the last 30 years of my life touring the world, promoting Ireland and Irish culture. I've met them all. "I've met the Bushes, the Obamas, Trump, Putin. I've met the Clintons. I've met the King and Queen of England. I've met the King and Queen of Sweden and of Spain. I've met those people more to promote the country and I think maybe that's what the job of president is all about.' Asked whether he has been approached by a political party, Mr Flatley said: 'No, I have not, but I have been approached by some very weighted individuals, people in the know. "It's certainly not something that I've made any decision on. But it does get frustrating when you see the hard working Irish taxpayer working as hard out and having no say in things.' When it was put to him that he was 'absolutely' not ruling himself out of the race, he said: 'Let me finish with this, Brendan. Let it be said that I stand for Ireland and the Irish people. Sin é.' Former European Commissioner Mairead McGuinness will be formally ratified as the Fine Gael candidate at a party event in September, while Independent Galway West TD Catherine Connolly formally launched her presidential campaign this week. Fianna Fáil has yet to decide on a candidate, with former education minister Mary Hanafin saying it would be 'an insult' if the party did not have a name on the ballot. She said she would 'happily' contest the election, with Peter Power, the executive director at UNICEF another possible contender for Fianna Fáil to consider. Sinn Féin are also yet to make a decision, with party leader Mary Lou McDonald opening the door to a potential bid when she told reporters earlier this month that Sinn Féin 'are not ruling anything in or anything out'.
