The small Japanese community of Shikoku Island may get exclusive rights to the 2024 GAA season after it emerged they are frontrunners to secure the pay-per-view contract currently up for the highest bidder. RTE has been unable to match the Shikoku bid but has denied the suggestion that several of their board who have shares in Shikoku TV have influenced their decision.

Shikoku, which has baseball and soccer teams, has yet to form a GAA club but will enjoy exclusive viewing of the 2024 season for free, whilst the rest of the world could be charged up to £40 a game if current rates continue, if their £300m bid is accepted. It has since emerged that commentary will be in the local Japanese language.

Gary Mallon, a retired full-back from Edendork, fumed:

“Listen I’m delighted for the good people of Shikoku that they’ll be able to watch the likes of Peter Harte and Shane McGuigan for free, but how are we to afford £40 a match and it in Japanese? And you know what will happen. They’ll open up the Edendork Hall again and charge us £5 in and Edendork make millions again.”

Primary Schools have been urged to teach the basics of the Japanese language and in particulalry the Sanuki dialect.