It’s time for a Faithful revolution

A TIP of the hat to one GAA writer who shone a rather harsh but revealing light on the Offaly County Board this week. While it can be argued that Offaly punched above their weight in the first instance by winning four All Ireland titles between 1981 and 1998, the pitiful state of the county now as a hurling entity cannot be explained away on the basis that they have crash landed back to earth.

Good people – Pádraig Horan, their 1981 winning captain is one that certainly springs to mind – have railed for an age about the lack of funding, structure and strategy invested in the county.

Above all, hurling has been betrayed by a lack of political will which was never more evident than when the board had to be shamed in 2015 into enacting a development report which had been left gathering dust.

The news this week that the committee charged with delivery of that report have walked away – citing a lack of co-operation and communication from the board’s leadership – is nothing less than shameful.

In his piece this week Nolan also sought an answer from the board, which was not forthcoming, as to where a €40,000 grant from the Leinster Council to partially fund a S&C programme for underage players at Athlone IT, which has not been in place for a number of months, has gone.

If there is any of their famed pride left in Offaly answers will be demanded.

In truth, it has gone beyond that. What Offaly needs is a revolution.