Former world rowing champ takes ‘issue’ with GAA after summer camp cancellation row

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A former world championship rower from Co Antrim has sparked a backlash online after criticising the GAA for its association with “anything political/cultural”.

Joel Cassells, who won gold for Great Britain at both the World Rowing Championships and the European Championships in 2015, spoke out in the wake of the cancellation of a sports summer camp event in Comber, Co Down, following local opposition to the inclusion of children from a GAA club.

Among those opposed to having young East Belfast GAA members take part in the cross-community event, which was to be hosted by North Down Cricket Club, was the local Goldsprings Orange Lodge.

The lodge released a statement in which a spokesperson said: “There is unease regarding aspects of the (GAA) organisation that have, in the past, celebrated or commemorated individuals associated with paramilitary activity.”

Goldsprings Lodge has hosted the Goldsprings True Defenders flute band, which earlier this month took part in a memorial parade in Belfast’s Shankill area to UVF commander and suspected sectarian killer Trevor King.

Goldsprings True Defenders Flute Band takes part in a parade to remember suspected UVF killer Trevor King earlier this month.

Cricket Ireland has since invited East Belfast GAA to take part in an upcoming event at Stormont.

Joel Cassells rowed into the row with a post on Friday to the X platform, in which he highlighted concerns some have with the GAA.

His post was in response to North Down Cricket Club issuing a statement claiming its decision to cancel the summer camp was not influenced by Goldsprings Lodge.

“I’m a product of cross community sport through rowing, having proudly represented both Ireland and GB,” wrote the 31-year-old athlete, whose X profile description states “I believe in the union”.

“It is possible, and it should be encouraged. However, Rowing Ireland doesn’t allow association with anything political/cultural. The GAA does, and that’s an issue.”

The GAA’s official rules state a basic aim of the organisation is the “strengthening of the national identity in a 32 county Ireland”.

Some critics view the promotion of an all-island Irish identity in the GAA as “political”, despite the recognition of the right to an Irish identity for people in the north under the Good Friday Agreement.

The GAA’s rules state the association is “non-party political” and “anti-sectarian/anti-racist”.

In other posts on X, Joel Cassells refers to a ‘natbot’ when describing nationalist users, and promoted a pro-union event earlier this year in Coleraine, describing it as a “fantastic event”, while in another post about the Ireland’s Future group, he labelled it as “just another front for the same old republican rhetoric and toxic language”.

In a post last year, he accused the Republic as having been “always good at placating terrorism” after it formally recognised the state of Palestine.

Joel Cassells. PICTURE: BRITISHTROWING.ORG

Users responded to his post about the GAA, including member Stephen McCourt, who wrote: “The GAA is a cultural organisation. Its 1 million members are fine with it.”

Another referred to the annual Henly Royal Regatta rowing competition in England, and wrote: “Whats Henley ‘royal’ regatta then? The one that Rowing Ireland associates itself with yearly? Anything political or cultural around that one?”

The Irish News approached Rowing Ireland for comment.

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