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An outbreak at a GAA club in Limerick caused a dozen players to test positive for Covid-19 and the virus to spread to close contacts.
Just two weeks ago, the small rural parish of Ballylanders in southeast Limerick hoped it would have a rare cause for celebration. Local footballers were to play in the county senior soccer final that afternoon against Adare. It was not known then that Ballylanders was at the start of a significant Covid-19 outbreak.
The game was a one-sided affair, with Adare playing home in a 15-point victory. Some of the Ballylanders players were later said to have not performed as well as expected. Some suggested that the players were discolored; others felt that nerves were a factor.
After the game, a meeting was organized for the players and their partners. About 50 people attended, the club said. Those who attended say it was well managed. Raucous scenes in other parishes weren’t a feature here, Ballylanders GAA President Joe Ryan told the Sunday Independent.
“Only six people were allowed at each table and all tables were six feet apart. Even then, people had to sit with their close contacts and partners. Anything that could be done to be sensible was done.” he insisted.
Throughout the pandemic, GAA communities have been a key part of Ireland’s battle with Covid-19, with volunteers helping vulnerable members of their communities through tough times. However, since returning to action on the field, the GAA has added another thread to Ireland’s Covid-19 story.
Less than fifteen days ago, the day after the Ballylanders lost to Adare, the association suspended the club’s action when Nphet recommended that the country move to Level 5 restrictions.
This also came after images and videos were shared of crowds from across the country coming together to celebrate the club’s successes. The clubs in Cavan, Galway and Cork have been criticized for their celebratory scenes. The Cavan cases in particular have been blamed for an increase in cases locally. The Ballylanders tale itself echoes this.
By the time the GAA announced the suspension of the club’s activity, a pair of Ballylanders players were showing symptoms of Covid-19. Four days later, the club confirmed that two of its players had tested positive.
Ryan admitted that 15 of his club’s players or close contacts had tested positive for the virus since losing the final. But local GAA sources admitted that they expect this positive number to be around 20.
Ryan says the club’s cases are unfortunate. “The only thing we could have done differently is that the wearing of the masks could have been more consistent. Some of the players traveled together for the game and put on masks when they got out of the car. Maybe in the car they have helped to wear the mask .
“We could have been a bit more vigilant, but we came from an area with no recognized cases before that. However, the virus was probably in the community before the game and only came to light afterwards.
“It is unfortunate. We are a small club, we are proud of what we do and we exceed our weight in football. It is unfortunate that it happened. We adhered to the guidelines and maybe we should have gone a little further with them.” “he added.
The Ballylanders story is not unique, and while clubs are reluctant to publicly admit whether they have confirmed cases, other GAA groups in the Midwest have seen small outbreaks among members.
“In general, post-game socialization has increased and that is contributing to cases here,” said a local public health doctor.
The Midwest is one of the hardest hit by the virus in recent weeks, for several reasons. There are more than 20 schools in the region where parents have been informed of positive cases of Covid-19 in the last two weeks.
Cases in the Rathkeale-Adare electoral zone have been on the rise since September. Some of these have been linked to Holy Communions in the county in the past month. A GP in the area has moved to warn patients not to deny that they have Covid-19 symptoms when they are evaluated by phone and then arrive for surgery with those same symptoms.
A mobile test unit was installed over a weekend last month in Rathkeale to help identify cases. Now, with 106 active cases in the area and one of the highest contagion rates in the country, it is called for to be restored.
Fianna Fáil local councilman Kevin Sheahan is among those in the area who think the government should be more proactive. “That the government rejected the advice from two weeks ago to move to Level 5 is nothing more than an act of treason,” he said.
Midwestern physicians generally support the allocation of additional resources to testing and screening, given the increased demand.
Throughout Shannon in Clare, the increasing number of cases is attributed to going back to school, social gatherings and people entering and leaving Limerick for work purposes. People who work in the hospitality industry have also tested positive recently.
Lahinch GP Dr. Michael Kelleher said his practice has recently seen its first positive cases since April and calls have doubled since early September.
“There is a growing workload and finite capacity. We have a very busy practice receiving a lot of calls in the course of a day. My workload, related to Covid-19, has doubled,” he said.
“From May to the end of September we were quiet. I think schools go back, and some anecdotal stories about an element of Covid fatigue in terms of the restrictions could be a factor.”
Meanwhile, locals fear the looming shadow of the virus. West Clare has an infection rate of 409 per 100,000, despite an expanding rural population, just under 423 per 100,000 in Ennis.
“People are starting to feel like they are closer than ever here,” said Kilkee Councilman Cillian Murphy. “During the closure and during the summer, the community here did not feel as threatened by the virus as it is now. It is a concern.”
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