By John Harrington

GAA Ard Stiúrthóir, Páraic Duffy, says concussion in Gaelic Games is a major issue for the Association.

Speaking at the second National Concussion Symposium in Croke Park today, which was hosted by Bon Secours Health System in partnership with University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre and in association with the GAA, Duffy stressed the importance of educating the GAA community about just how serious an injury concussion is.

“For us, this is a big issue,” said Duffy. “I have no concerns about how we handle concussion issues at national level in the big games and so on.

“But we play thousands of games throughout the organisation over the course of the year and I think at most games there are no medical personnel present.

“So, it's hugely important that we raise awareness among all our members about just what concussion is. We constantly need to remind them that concussion is a brain injury.

“If one of our players was in a car accident and we were told he suffered a brain injury then you'd be so concerned. But somehow there's a temptation to talk about concussion as a heavy bang to the head.

“It's a brain injury and we have to constantly repeat that message to encourage our players and mentors in charge of teams at every level of the Association that you cannot mess around when a player suffers a blow to the head, that you err on the side of caution all the time and the player is not allowed to return.

“If we repeat that message over and over and over again, and conferences like today are important in helping the message gradually seep down through every level of the GAA, that's extremely important for us.”

Dr. Micky Collins, Executive Director of the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program, gave a highly informative and encouraging presentation on how concussion is now viewed more and more as a treatable injury. 

One of the most arresting points he made was that your rehabilitation time from a concussion is likely to be twice as long if you stay on the field for 20 minutes after being concussed.

That struck a chord with another panelist, former Armagh footballer Oisin McConville, who believes the culture in the GAA of trying to stay on the field no matter how hurt you are is something that has to change. 

“As you go up to the elite level I think players are more cognisant of it, but as you go down to the level that I suppose I'm coaching at, whether that be colleges or senior club level or underage, I think the tendency is to dust yourself off and get on with it,” said McConville.

"It's just changing that around. It's just really educating people. One thing I really picked up today is that the quicker you come out the more chance you have to get back playing quicker.

"I think if players hear that sort of thing then the chances are that we can turn these things around.

“It's great sitting up here and saying that I don't care who the player is, we'll get him out of there.

“But when you find yourself on the sideline you have more of a dilemma, 'This guy is worth 1-6 to me, I don't want to take him out.'

“That's the thinking that has to change. Within your club or your college, it only takes one or two people to set the standard for everyone else around.”

Former Offaly hurler Brendan Murphy is now team doctor with the Tipperary hurlers and also took part in today’s panel discussion.

He is at the coalface when it comes to changing attitudes to concussion among our elite players, and believes education at all levels of the game is the most prudent way forward.

“I've been working with the lads for three years and in the first year there were a few instances that we probably didn't manage as well as we could,” admitted Murphy.

“Purely because you're running onto the field, trying to examine the player, and he's telling you where to go because they want to get on with the game.

“But a few things have changed. I think the big thing is education. At the start of last year and the year before I sat down with them and did a presentation on concussion.

"What's going to happen if a guy gets a head injury during the game, how it's going to work, they have to answer the questions and take a quick examination, et cetera.

“And if there's a problem they're coming off. That's just the way it is. Thankfully, Mick Ryan and his management team buy into it. They get it.

“The issue isn't really at inter-county level, that conversation and educational process needs to be had with your Junior hurlers, underage hurlers, and coaches in particular.

“Because if the coaches buy into it, they put a massive amount of pressure on whatever healthcare professional is involved with the team by saying something like, 'Look it, this guy can't be coming off'.

“Everybody needs to get on board with it. Not just the players and medics.

“Like, if a guy rolls his ankle, there's no issue. He's out for two weeks, no problem. That's it. But a bad blow to the head, even if there’s no blood, that’s a brain injury.

“It's down to education. We just have to keep hammering home the message and hopefully it eventually sinks in.”

• Go here for the GAA's concussion management guidelines.