Deirdre Codd Slams Unjust Misogynistic Funding System In Wexford

Some may be unaware, but the Wexford Senior hurlers travelled to sunny Portugal for a training camp lately. 

On social media, their players were active on their travels displaying to the wider-world what they were up to. Although it may have seemed like more of a holiday than a training camp, undoubtedly they put in the effort while they were over there in preparation for their upcoming Leinster Championship game against Laois.

On Friday though, current Wexford Senior camogie player Deirdre Codd felt begrudged by the unjust funding system incorporated in Wexford. However, it is worth noting that Wexford hurling and Wexford camogie run under two different associations which mean fundraising, events and financial accounts are separate. In simple terms, the associations have different presidents, committees and boards so obviously, in turn, this means that the funding will be completely different.

Even though this case is similar to all counties in Ireland, the camogie players should definitely feel begrudged, which prompted Codd to vent her anger on twitter to slam the unjust comparisons. This isn’t a Wexford thing, this is a national occurrence. In 2017, we are still living in a misogynistic society- no matter which way you rationalise it and that’s crazy to think.

We take Kate Kelly’s achievements as a perfect example. She attained nine All-Star awards across her camogie career. An unbelievable achievement, but it was undermined because she was female. Comparing Kelly’s achievements to when Henry Shefflin received his ninth All-star award in 2009, the national press were in complete meltdown.

One may ask the question, is this a sexist, money-grabbing association? In relation to the GAA matches, women certainly make up a significant number of the attendances. Similar to men, they pay in to see these club and county matches across the duration of the week. Moreover, women pay their television subscription for Sky GAA matches, they buy the county jerseys and county gear, they help out in their local clubs, they put in the effort to win Leinster titles and All-Irelands. One similar way to explain the situation is by looking at the recent controversy involving the Irish women’s football team, who were not even given gear for matches while the Irish men’s football team reaped the luxuries.

Of course, women don’t get the attendances that the men get and that affects the Camogie Association’s funding but is that even the point? Like men, women are too the backbone of our national sport and should not be overlooked and treated unfairly. They put in a momentous effort for our enjoyment; their effort for amateur sportspeople with little luxuries is unbelievable. Although the associations are under different committees, we cannot continue to treat these players like this. Ultimately, the GAA is simply just a sponsor of the independent Camogie Association and this needs to change in order for capital to be distributed in a fairer manner.

Furthermore, Codd’s hashtag of Wexford Supporters Club was symbolic too. According to their agenda, “the Wexford GAA Supporters Club over the past 20 years have organised many fundraising events including draws, golf classics, race days and award nights. The club has been instrumental over this period in the preparation of our senior and underage intercounty teams in hurling, football, camogie and ladies football.” Clearly, Codd was angered with their allocation of funds and the unjust system that provides for the ladies games in our county. The fact that the senior hurlers can get a trip away while the inter-county senior camogie players struggle to get a dinner displays the misogyny on a completely new level.


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