'Lock the leadership in a hotel for a weekend': Integration process 'glacially slow' says Kevin O'Donovan

"And if we had to call it a different name, whatever. I think it needs that. I think it's in government bailout territory and that it needs a Brian Lenihan late at night calling a special sitting of the Dáil because they've reached an agreement.

"It's glacially slow. There's a lot of personalities involved. We're told that there's a big difference between playing rules. It's all nonsense. If someone landed from Mars in the morning and you said 'oh, it's very complicated, that's very different to that', they'd say, 'it's the same thing'.

"They're the same kids in the same houses playing the same sport on the same grass and you're telling me the same unit couldn't run it.

"Maybe we need to give more comfort to the female codes that we're not looking to subsume them. There's a lot of talk about facilities. That's overstated.

"Kilbree Camogie already play in the same facility. We have one membership, we have one club, we have one structure. We can go in the morning for integration.

"But it does need government support in terms of making sure the female players get the same grants that the boys get, that the commercial models are merged.

"It's so important to me. I would lock the leadership in a hotel for a weekend and say we'll see you Monday morning."

Cork GAA has had a media ban in place since last year, one which means reporters can't attend the monthly county board meetings. 

"We won't fudge that one," said O'Donovan.

"I have a great relationship with the Examiner. They always supported me when I was staging my mini-rebellions against the county board. But, I did make a judgment call along with our chair, Pat Horgan, that it wasn't appropriate to have a media presence at our county board meetings.

"Now, you won't believe me when I say this, but I believe it's in the pursuit of more transparency."

O'Donovan said that not having media in the room means that they can speaking more freely about "debt, about all our multiple legal cases, about the performances of our teams".

"I know there are people who, even on our own board, who completely dispute that view," he said, "but, I can only tell you, it is my sincere view, and, we never turn down an interview, we never prevent any other media access. But, I believe board meetings are sacred."