AS Antrim once more return to hurling action this weekend, the county welcomes Carlow to Corrigan Park for their fourth league tie of the Division 1B campaign in 2026.
The hurlers remain winless in the current yea, but had the chance to cause an almighty shock when they were pipped with the final strike of the sliotar against Wexford in the opening national league fixture a month ago. It seems like the script has been flipped for the small ball men, who are not only without a victory but have two further defeats to their name against 2024 All-Ireland winners Clare before the loss to Kildare a few weeks back.
As for the footballers, Sunday saw the chance to end the suffering but no one could have envisaged the biggest setback of the season to date, going down to Longford.
The question on everyone’s lips is the same – is there a deeper issue within the county when it comes to GAA in County Antrim?
Terence McNaughton spoke on the ‘Off the Ball’ podcast last week and said that the issues go beyond the 15 men who take to the park each weekend.
McNaughton spoke about the lack of attraction of playing for the Saffron jersey and having no Casement Park is a major deficit that Antrim have to deal with compared to other counties.
“You go to Tipperary, Cork, Kilkenny – players are getting sponsorships whether it be a car or something worth your while. As a player you’re training and dedicating yourself and body to five or six nights a week and in the off season you're strength and conditioning like a professional athlete.
“In Cork you do it because you know you’ve 30,000 fans every week packed into Páirc Uí Chaoimhe, the fame and gravitas from that alone is enough to keep you going. We have boys driving an hour down the coast five nights a week to train in Belfast and vice-versa to win a Christy Ring – that’s not enough, you’re going to opt for partying with your mates.”
Simply put, yes there are indeed deeper issues rooted within the county and regarding the Casement situation I’d argue it is the biggest reason for a lack of desire for young people taking up Gaelic Games.
I was part of the last generation who saw Casement Park in all its glory. I spent every weekend as a young boy making the 15-minute trek with teammates and friends up the Andersonstown Road to watch Antrim, Tyrone, Derry, Dublin, Offaly.
My core memories as a juvenile player was earning the prestigious Player of the Tournament award at an U12 hurling blitz held within the confines of the very stadium.
The vibrant colours which filled the streets of West Belfast when outsiders came to town; the buzz; the atmosphere; the sun shining; the fresh chip covered in curry sauce. That's what going to Casement was like for me. Sadly, I sit now writing this almost as if it were a memoir of an old-man, but at 24-years-of-age I am the last generation who experienced the awe which enveloped my youth. Now as the construction trucks roll in and the diggers dig, we soon may be able to galvanise the next generation of youngsters.
But, as for the generation that has been lost, they have been constrained to travelling between sub-par club pitches to watch inter-county games, championship finals and battles in the All-Ireland or Leinster Championships. It feels like trading in a Rolls Royce for a Reliant Robin, all the while trying to compete with All-Ireland regulars like Clare, Tipperary and Cork in recent years. All these counties have one thing in common. You take a walk down the road outside of match-day, young boys have hurls attached at the hip and a sliotar in their hand as they make their walk to school, the shop or just even for a fun puck-about with friends.
Whether it be an enhancement of the school games within the city, or a better rapport between the county and media who promote the game, we need to get on the same page one way or another.
Why rock the boat when you can all pull the oars in the same direction with the stream in your favour. Cohesiveness, inclusivity and a genuine want to make Gaelic Games once more a part of the culture throughout Antrim.
This article is not a doom and gloom, the game is gone, and Antrim should pack it all in – far from it. I see it more like a love letter, but also a warning that if we are to have a future in our national game, then it must become a priority and that starts with having foundations, a seed to grow, or in other words, Casement Park!
