Anyone for tennis will no doubt be thrilled that Gordon Lyons, Stormont’s communities minister, found time to watch matches at Roland Garros during this month’s Paris Olympics.
What his interest in the action on the clay courts means for the development of tennis and sport more generally in Northern Ireland remains to be seen. Mr Lyons, who travelled to Paris with a special adviser, also took in showjumping, golf and rowing during a four-day £1,200 trip.
Unfortunately the timing of his visit did not overlap with the events involving the majority of athletes from Northern Ireland; while they competed with distinction and achieved a record medals haul in Team Ireland and Team GB colours, none of them were involved in tennis.
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The DUP minister did meet with Sebastian Coe, the medal-winning athlete turned sports administrator, and Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah of Brunei, the president of Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council, at the Stade de France.
While it would be churlish to downplay the potential that may lie in strengthening the links between the corridors of power at Stormont’s Department for Communities and the Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council, there is a contrast to be drawn with how Mr Lyons has yet to attend any GAA fixture in his role as sports minister.
In the near-seven months in which he has been in post, Mr Lyons has accepted invitations to watch football and rugby matches, among other official engagements. That is to be fully expected. It is entirely reasonable and appropriate that the Stormont minister responsible for sport should publicly back the full range of sporting activities.
Yet Mr Lyons has yet to go to a GAA match, despite the incredible success of Ulster teams in recent months, culminating in Armagh’s tremendous All-Ireland triumph in July.
While it would be churlish to downplay the strengthening of links between Stormont’s Department for Communities and the Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council, there is a contrast to be drawn with how Gordon Lyons has yet to attend any GAA fixture in his near-seven months as sports minister
The GAA did invite him to the Croke Park final but he couldn’t attend “due to pre-existing diary commitments”. It is unclear what these were, and the minister was instead represented by the department’s permanent secretary.
In light of an Olympics excursion with less than obvious benefits to Northern Ireland sport and his lack of public championing of the GAA over a period of many months, many will assume that Mr Lyons is deliberately snubbing football, hurling and camogie. His less than fulsome support for the Casement Park project - where else would a sports minister not relentlessly promote the development of a world class stadium? - will have reinforced that impression.
That may be an unfair conclusion. If so, it is one that the minister should be capable of challenging through sincere and consistent engagement with the GAA’s wide community of clubs, players, volunteers and supporters.
