Protest at Dundalk Grammar School over GAA ban

On Friday, 11th October from 2.00 pm – 3:10 pm, senior students of Dundalk Grammar School will be protesting outside the front gates of the school (in front of Old Louth Hospital). This will be their second protest since May.

Here is a summary of the campaign so far: Over 400 students, 90% of teachers, the PTA (Parents & Teachers Association) and parents supported the introduction of Gaelic Football at Dundalk Grammar School.

Over 70 Senior Students protested outside the school on May 20 the junior students protested by walking out of class and playing Gaelic Football matches on the astroturf pitch inside the school.

This was covered by local media: https://m.independent.ie/regionals/louth/dundalk-news/students-at-fee-paying- louth-school-to-protest-over-ban-on-gaelic-football/a1087583790.html

The Board of Governors said no ban was in place at a meeting of the Board of Management in May but failed to put this in writing.

The Headmaster, Jonathan Graham, wrote to the Student Council on 28th August, informing them that Gaelic Football wouldn’t be included in the school’s sports because the focus was on three sports only - Hockey, Soccer and Rugby.

Yet five other sports (Badminton, Athletics, Orienteering, Cricket and Basketball) are all still played.

In solidarity with the campaign, a DGS team entered the Lennon Cup (Louth schools competition) and played their first game against Ballymakenny, which both local newspapers covered with a report: https://www.dundalkdemocrat.ie/news/dundalk-sport/1610639/dundalk-gramm ar-school-make-history.html

Teachers involved then received letters from the Chairperson of the Board of Governors saying that students wouldn’t be insured to play a non-sanctioned sport.

The letter also went on to say that the team must be withdrawn from the competition as the sport is banned. No reason for the ban was given.

Several parents made contact with the school requesting that the ban be overturned and offering to sponsor kits, and equipment and even cover insurance costs.

The County Board also tried to step in to help by offering resources and trying to help with insurance by allowing any player who is a member of a GAA club to be covered under the GAA’s insurance.

The Chairman of the Louth County Board and President of The GAA, have requested a meeting with the Board of Governors but as of yet there has been no response to this request.

The following questions have been put in a letter to the Board of Governors but as of yet they remain unanswered: 

Why does Gaelic Football need to be sanctioned again? Gaelic Football was played at Dundalk Grammar School in the early 2000s.

The Junior School had coaching for eight weeks from Louth GAA previously (see attached link which they have included on their website). https://dgs.ie/2016/05/another-trophy-visit/

When was Gaelic Football banned? Were other sports officially sanctioned in writing, and if so, when? Why is Gaelic Football banned in the school?