There was a fair bit of slaggin' of An Fear Rua going on the other night from some of the bright boyos and other go-be-the-walls of the Gowlnacalley-John Redmonds GAA Club, in the back 'shnug' of Ma Molloy's famous drinking emporium, AFR reports ...

The thrust of the conversation was along the lines that now that the All Ireland's are over there would be little to chat or write about on this web site. It reminded AFR a little of the words of that great ballad by the Kerry schoolmaster, Bryan McMahon:

'Now Cork is 'bate'... the hay is saved...
The thousands wildly sing
But they speak too soon, my brave 'gossoon'
For here comes Christy Ring ...'

In all parts of the country the hay is well and truly saved, although this was not a year when Cork were 'bate' in Munster. But while Ring still had breath to draw, the game was far from over. It's a bit like that with us as well. Granted, as the celebrations still 'ring through the mountains of Kerry from Tarbert to Cahirciveen' and from the coalmines of Castlecomer to 'the banks of the Suir that flows down by Mooncoin' we have entered a quieter period in the life cycle of 'Dis Great Assosheeayshun Of Ours'. But, to paraphrase an infamous remark of the Belfast Bartender Himself, Gearóid Mac Ádhaimh, 'We haven't gone away you know!'

Even in mid-October there is still plenty to occupy the thoughts of GAA fans everywhere. One of the changes for the better, in AFR's view, is that the close season is shorter than ever and it will not be too long before competitive inter-county games resume. Indeed, at the excellent Simonstown GFC club, near Navan in County Meath, both inter-county and club games are currently being played under lights.

The International Rules games between Ireland and Australia are also taking place this month, as is the critical Special Congress on the future shape of the football championships. Some National Football League games will be played on the weekend of the 22 October and, not long after that, the new, improved eight-county South Eastern Hurling League will begin. And that's not to overlook the preliminary rounds of the provincial club championships and the colleges and third level games. A veritable wealth of on-field GAA activity, with TG4 playing a sterling role in bringing us live and recorded coverage of many of the games. Apart from the games, issues like professionalism, the standard of refereeing, drugs testing, the 'parish' rule and so on, will not go away and will have to be faced up to over the coming months.

An Fear Rua - ably assisted by An Maor and An Moltóir - will continue to discuss these games and issues as we have done for the past year - sometimes being encouraging, occasionally being critical where that is necessary but without personalising criticism, seeing the funny and quirky sides of the GAA as well, and not being afraid to stand up and be counted on behalf of the fans. We will also continue to develop opportunities for the fans to give their own views and to encourage debate and discussion on every aspect of the GAA.

One thing we may truly say of the GAA is that we will never be short of controversy, nor of a good laugh. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, John 'The Bull' O'Donoghoue, inadvertently gave us one recently when he offered as an excuse for his official car greatly exceeding the speed limit in West Limerick that it was hurrying back from giving his wife and kids a 'treat' at the hurling All Ireland final. When some of the wide boys in Ma Molloy's heard that one they nearly burst their sides laughing. More likely, one said, they were rushing back to Kerry to pass on a few tips to the hurling manager and selectors having witnessed the Bould DJ Himself and others in action. Or maybe they were hurrying back with a special consignment of tickets for the football final?

This idea of ministerial Mercs speeding around the country on All Ireland has, of course, advantages and disadvantages for the ordinary GAA fan. On the one hand, at a reported speed of up to 115 miles per hour - and with the number of Ministers and Junior Ministers and other 'hangers on' in this administration - you're in grave danger of being run over of an All Ireland Sunda' mornin' as you head for First Mass or come back from the shop with the papers. On the other hand, if you time it well, and you get your own car in behind a Minister's Merc on the main road, you could be dragged in his slipstream all the way to Dublin, thus saving a fortune in petrol costs. Apparently, there's no truth in the rumour that 'The Bull' O'Donoghoue's Merc led a cavalcade of more than a hundred and fifty 'KY' reg cars out of Castleisland on the morning of the Kingdom's defeat of Galway, all of them tucked in nicely behind the Minister's speeding limo.