Council ‘are making no effort’ to support Dublin football team
By Mary Dennehy
A LOCAL councillor this week told The Echo that he is blue in the face from asking South Dublin County Council to fly the flag for the Dublin senior football team in the run-up to this Sunday’s All-Ireland final.
In a letter to Daniel McLoughlin, the CEO of South Dublin County Council, Fianna Fáil councillor John Lahart expressed his “disappointment” over the council making “no real effort” to support the Dublin senior football team ahead of its clash with Kerry for Sam.
He wrote: “I flagged this issue in early summer at a council management meeting and suggested that preparations be made by the council in the event of a successful summer run by the county team to the All-Ireland final.
“There was no great interest then either. I acknowledge the few Dublin flags flying at County Hall [and] I contrast this to our neighbouring council in Dublin City.
“The length of the River Liffey has been festooned for a number of weeks with Dublin and other county colours celebrating the qualification of teams.”
He added: “With my hat on as Chair of the Economic and Tourism Strategy Committee, it seems a real missed opportunity not to be associating this administrative part of county Dublin with the achievement of the County football team.
“There are three players from county clubs on the Dublin team and GAA clubs are at the heart of a vast voluntary effort in this county, but for the efforts of some of the local GAA clubs, along with the great show of bunting and flags in neighbourhoods from Knocklyon to Killinarden to Kilnamanagh, there would be little or no colour on our streets or buildings.
“It’s nothing short of a disgrace that our county isn’t doing its bit to support the county team – and this is not exclusively about GAA – I would expect that the county would do the same for other sporting achievements.
“It’s about the county leading the way in celebrating our county team reaching an All-Ireland final. Think of the great pride it would instil in the county – and think of the positive association for tourism in the county.
“There are four days left to address this – the N81 and a couple of other major routes ought to be decked in the blue of our county team – and maybe the odd green and gold for the Kingdom while you’re at it.
“Let’s not miss this opportunity to raise the spirits of the citizens of this county – it wouldn’t cost a lot.”
Speaking with The Echo, Cllr Lahart jokingly wondered if the lack of blue was down to some of the council management team being from counties outside of Dublin, but The Echo cannot confirm this.
“I find it hard to understand, we are part of Dublin and it shouldn’t just be Dublin City Council that goes all out lighting up buildings in blue and festooning the Liffey”, he said.
“We should be lighting up our own county and shining a spotlight on the great clubs we have here and the great players.”
When contacted by The Echo, the council said: “Three Dublin flags are flying outside County Hall and within the building there is plenty of blue.
“Local communities and villages across the county are also doing a lot to fly the colours.”
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