Diane’s disappointment at breakdown of integration plan

Diane O’Hora says the GAA, LGFA, and Camogie Association would be stronger facing their problems together.

The comments of the Mayo Ladies football manager come after Mary McAleese stepped down as chairperson of the Integration Committee overseeing the amalgamation of the three organisations.

The three bodies had committed to achieving integration by 2027 and had agreed to hold Special Congresses next month to enable the creation of one membership of one association from April next year. However, that timeline will now not be met, with Diane O’Hora describing the latest developments as disappointing.

“I suppose I was really disappointed, but the fact that everything had gone so quiet in the last year or so, you can probably feel that she was very frustrated. I am not sure of the full contents of the letter she received that day, but my understanding was she felt it was a numb worth of a situation.

“I think what is disappointing is the amount of time, effort and years that have been put into it. I think the national support throughout the country for this, and the fact the Government are also incredibly disappointed, means that there is a really good feeling surrounding it, and everybody wants this to happen, and everyone is committed to making it work.” 

The disappointing news on integration will also not help an issue that is affecting both men and women’s teams – players being approached to play AFL.

This season, there are over 40 Irish players playing in the AFLW, with the highest amount coming from Mayo.

Heavily highlighted during the men’s heroics was the move of Kobe McDonald to St Kilda, as the young players in the men’s game continue to be targeted.

O’Hora admits the latest scandal in the hope for integration will not help keep players in ladies football.

“If you look at Mayo as a county, to have lost so many players to the AFLW, and there are these lesser teams trying to convince our players to going over there, being honest about it, this negative situation that is ongoing doesn’t help anything.

“If I think of the bubble I live in, it is ladies football and Mayo. I want to do everything to help the sport and really help look after our players and that they experience the best environment as close to professionalism as they can have. It just takes the wind from your sails to hear the way that whole thing broke down.” 

In what has been a long issue for ladies football, the GAA is now facing some of its biggest talents being approached to play Aussie Rules, with debate ongoing as to how, if at all, the GAA can possibly stop this.

An issue that is likely to continue to grow, the former All-Ireland winning captain says the three organisations would be stronger approaching the situation together.

“It doesn’t give a huge appearance of unity. All of a sudden, the GAA are really starting to worry about AFL because you hear about young Cork minors being targeted. There are Dublin minors as well being targeted. There is problems there as it is. Ultimately, they would be much stronger together.

“If they were integrated, they would be far stronger as a group than it is right now. I think it would be much more difficult to attract players over there if there was this one entity.

Diane O’Hora’s focus is now turning to 2027 after her first season in charge of Mayo. In a year where the team was hit by injuries and key experienced players were unavailable, youth stepped up and took their chance to shine, as Mayo reached the quarter-finals, where they were defeated by eventual All-Ireland champions Galway.

It was a summer that will never be forgotten for people not only in Mayo, but across the country, as the men’s team won their first All-Ireland in 75 years. Now O’Hora is managing a team motivated and determined to create their own special memories.

“I think where we finished is ultimately our starting point for 2027.

“We are really happy to see the commitment girls are giving moving forward, and there is huge interest from players coming back in. The Mayo ladies are on the up.

“The good feeling of the men having won the All-Ireland, and in the way that they won it, has given huge inspiration not only in the county, but I think to players involved in LGFA.

“Those guys really believed in themselves, and they really backed themselves, and they have serious quality, as we do as well.

“It is for everyone to see that if you put in that level of work, anything can happen, and everything happened. Mayo is rejuvenated in terms of the energy behind Gaelic Football and LGFA.

“I am really happy with the number of players who are willing to step in and step up next year. There is a huge amount of them working in the gym at the moment; they are in programmes in college.

“It just means we won’t be starting on the back foot like were last year.”