Gaelic Life Newspaper Steps In After Controversial Poc Fada Awards Ceremony

Well played, very well played. A massive debate was sparked online this week when Catherine McGourty and Patrick McKillion were crowned winners of the Ulster GAA Poc Fada competition in Down on Monday. It wasn’t the nature of either competitor’s win that sparked the controversy on social media but instead, the difference between the prizes that were awarded to the winners.

Unbelievable. The female @UlsterGAA @GAAPocFada champion got a medal. Her male counterpart got a ski holiday! Is it still 1935? #Disgrace

— Eleanor Mallon (@EMalzo) July 20, 2015

Despite the fact that the two had completed the exact same course, McKillion received a skiing holiday for his achievement, while McGourty merely received a medal. The backlash started almost immediately, with Ulster camogie later explaining that the men’s and women’s competitions were considered separate. In the statement, they also said that the men’s prize had been organized by the GAA along with two other sponsors. Hearing the story, Gaelic Life newspaper stepped in and have now presented McGourty with a £500 voucher for a holiday in partnership with Travel Solutions Belfast.

Fair play to @Gaelic_Life Hopefully @UlsterGAA & UlsterCamogie & Co. will rectify the situation for future. #DoesntEndHere — Eleanor Mallon (@EMalzo) July 22, 2015

“It’s the principle of it, the Ulster GAA should not be doing this,” McGourty said in an interview The Irish News. “We did the exact same route as the men, so I’m disappointed in the way we have been treated… it came as a shock they can do this, it’s totally sexist,” she added. Both winners will now go forward to contest the All-Ireland title in August. Hat tip: Gaelic Life.