Don't worry. Despite the headline, this is not another commentary on the cunning stunts of Dónal O'Neill and the GPA, writes An Fear Rua...
No, indeed. We'll just let Dónal, The Bould DJ Himself, Séamas, Brian and the rest of the lads and lassies enjoy their luxurious weekend in the beautiful surroundings of Killarney for their Annual General Meeting, in a bit of peace and quiet. No doubt, there will be great debates and discussions - not least those over pints, cans of 'Red Bull' and Bacardi-and-Cokes - well into the early hours of the morning, and some momentous decisions taken. And there will be time enough to return to these.

In fact, the person in question in our headline is Michael Feeney, former full-time Secretary of the Ulster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association. This man - though that may be dignifying this louse by using that terminology - was convicted at Monaghan Circuit Criminal Court this week, when he pleaded guilty to 21 charges of sexually assaulting children over two decades in his home town of Ballybay, county Monaghan. Feeney assaulted boys and girls between the ages of seven and fifteen during his time as a teacher and Principal in Ballybay National School. He cynically abused the trust placed in him as a teacher and subjected little children to a reign of terror that has damaged them all in life to some degree.

Given his prominent position in the GAA, it might be bordering on the hypocritical for a web site concerned about GAA matters totally to ignore the activities of this scumbag. Let it be made clear at the outset that none of the charges on which Feeney was found guilty related to GAA activities. Judge Matthew Deery made this clear in court. Indeed, one of four brave victims of his assaults - who went public so that his attacker could be named - said he hoped the verdicts would not reflect badly on the Association. He said: 'None of this was GAA related. The GAA organisation is the best organisation in Ireland. Like any organisation, there'll be bad apples who will use it for their own ends'. In a statement, the Association extended its 'heartfelt sympathy to the victims'. The abuser had a long and very successful career in the GAA, serving as County Board Secretary, County Chairman, Vice President, President and Treasurer of the Ulster Council and, finally, full-time, paid Secretary.

Feeney, of course, was what used to be called 'a pillar of society' or someone who used to 'nearly ate the altar at Mass'. He was married, a father of seven, organised parish activities, recreational events and was pictured being led from court to jail sporting a Pioneer pin in his lapel! Ah God, it's one thing to be selfishly abusing young children, but he drew the line at alcohol. Man dear, never a drop of the demon alcohol passed that man's lips for more than forty year!

His assaults began in 1957. It is almost impossible to describe to the young people of today the difference between the Ireland of then and the confident, brash, outward-looking Ireland of today. Mere historical footnotes do not suffice. De Valera had just returned to office for his final term as Taoiseach before heading to Áras an Uachtaráin as President, two years later. The great Seán Lemass, and that distinguished public servant, Ken Whitaker, were taking the first tentative steps towards throwing off the shackles of economic thraldom. The previous Inter-Party coalition government had left the country morally and politically bankrupt without, as the last PJ 'Bishop' Burke TD used to say, 'even the price of a bag of cement in Dublin County Council...' It was another world.

But these random images are not enough to invoke the all-powerful, hierarchical, authoritarian nature of a society dominated for decades by the most conservative Roman Catholic church in Western Europe. The philosophy that priests, teachers, policemen, doctors, public officials and bank clerks were due unquestioning subservience by the rest of society was a licence to the likes of Michael Feeney to offend. A schoolteacher, wearing a Pioneer pin, a powerful figure in the GAA... sure what chance had the word of young, innocent children against a man like that, at that time ? If Feeney were only one, that would be bad enough. But we know from court cases, TV documentaries and newspaper investigations that the physical and sexual abuse of defenceless children was once virtually a way of life for many figures of authority in Irish society.

The despicable Feeney's case should not be used as a stick to beat the GAA with. An Fear Rua understands there are procedures and guidelines in place for GAA people charged with the care of young people and their teams. Fortunately, many children now go through the 'Stay Safe' programme in schools and we have all learned to listen a bit more carefully to their concerns. Just in case, though, it might be no harm if the GAA reviewed the effectiveness of its procedures in this sensitive area and if guidelines were promulgated again through schools and clubs and some refresher training courses given to juvenile and under-age coaches and mentors.

Because to say these things only happened in the past, and couldn't happen now, is only a cop out. That bright, brash Irish society we wrote about above is in danger of developing a New Intolerance, a New Insensitivity. And where intolerance and insensitivity grow unchecked, there follow authoritarianism and abuse. The new dangers and new challenges were put very cogently recently by Michael Collins, an Irish Traveller, when he said: 'It is important to recognise that Irish society is not mono-cultural. In other words, it is not only composed of white, settled, Irish, Catholic people... We have always had other cultural, religious and linguistic groups and now we have even more with the arrival of refugees and asylum-seekers and this poses a challenge to us. How do create a more inclusive, anti-racist society ?'

The question is a good one. As the major sporting organisation, that has never shirked from radical change when it was needed, the GAA is pivotal to Ireland's response to that question...