Louth Sinn Fein TD hopeful row over ‘ban’ on GAA in Louth school can be resolved

Louth Sinn Fein TD Ruairí Ó Murchú says he had ”a very positive” meeting with the principal of Dundalk Grammar School Jonathan Graham before senior students walked out of their classes in protest at the failure of the fee-paying school to include Gaelic football in the list of sports available to students.

“The meeting with Mr Graham was a follow up on outstanding issues that we had agreed to discuss, but top of the agenda was the GAA games issue and the fact that there is a huge number of kids at Dundalk Grammar School who wish to play Gaelic football,” said Deputy Ó Murchú.

‘It was a very constructive meeting. My belief if that there should be a further, very serious conversation with the Board of Governors at Dundalk Grammar School, particularly given the depth of feeling there is.

“You can see that from the huge number of people at the protest today, which actually only included the senior classes. It was very well organised in an inclusive and positive way and the school deserves credit for allowing it to happen.

“It showed a decent way of democracy in action. But we need to find a solution to this issue, given the depth of feeling from staff and students, and we want to see this resolved’.

Deputy Ó Murchú said he had also spoken to the Louth County Board this morning and believes that Mr Graham is open to having a conversation with them.

"There would be a conversation with the Board of Governors as well about the help and support that the County Board can provide,” he said.

“I know the GAA has inclusivity at its heart and I believe at a central level that there may be a need for the GAA to involve itself in these circumstances, to have a wider conversation with schools and talk about what supports they can bring.

“The children want to play, the staff want to teach them and the parents are willing to help out. The meeting with Mr Graham was very positive and we need to make sure that we can resolve this as quickly as possible in the most inclusive way possible.”

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