Last night was Laois GAA Convention night in the Heritage Hotel. In the past, this has meant a night curled up in front of the Leinster Express Sport twitter page, watching the updates as they come through.
It is no exaggeration to say that the Leinster Express Sport's live updates have made household names of men like Martin Byrne, Laois GAA's peerless finance officer.
And who among us can forget that moment last year when Byrne himself, along with Tom Jones, Gerry Kavanagh, Brian Allen and Paschal McEvoy were elected the Laois reps to Congress? As the Leinster Express Sport put it themselves #whatatimetobealive.
However, there was some disquiet in the lead-up to this convention that all would not be as it was in previous years.
The rumblings started in the south-west. It was there that the first shots were fired in the new war against cyberspace. Ennis became 2015's answer to Soloheadbeg.
Three months back, a meeting of the Clare County Board witnessed unrestrained attacks on the internet and all those who surf in it.
Chairman and non-Balls.ie reader Michael McDonagh set the tone.
Some people hide behind social media and say what they like. They are anonymous. I know nothing about it. I was never on a website or a computer in my life.
As the Clare meeting developed, the practice of live-tweeting conventions and county board meetings was explicitly attacked.
It was the first sign that the GAA were clamping down on piss-taking twitter updates.
At the time, we thought immediately of the Leinster Express Sport twitter account and their proud tradition of extracting the urine at the Laois convention.
Last night things started as normal.
We're in The Heritage Hotel tonight, updates to come throughout the evening from the Laois GAA Convention #hasitbeenayearalready
— LeinsterExpressSport (@Express_Sport) December 7, 2015
The delegates stubborn aversion to punctuality was unchanged.
In spite of the 7pm start time, we're still some way off starting. Some clubs looking for brownie points by taking up seats early though — LeinsterExpressSport (@Express_Sport) December 7, 2015
As ever, there was the odd delightful bon mot.
Early contender for quote of the night - "it's been reported to me the report will be forthcoming." Class — LeinsterExpressSport (@Express_Sport) December 7, 2015
There were changes this time around.
Secretary's report dealt with in under 7 mins. We had three questions on it this year, which is three more than we had last year #progress — LeinsterExpressSport (@Express_Sport) December 7, 2015
The great man didn't disappoint.
Another excellent finance report from Martin Byrne, fair play to him, he's doing great work, and practically by himself #somemanforoneman
— LeinsterExpressSport (@Express_Sport) December 7, 2015
Then came the thunderbolt. Apparently, the chairman as informed by a twitter savvy colleague that the Leinster Express Sport had been having an excessive amount of fun at the meeting.
We've been asked by the chairman to stop tweeting and taking the piss, so after four years it's ciúnas in the corner from us now #goodnight
— LeinsterExpressSport (@Express_Sport) December 7, 2015
An inquiry from Cliodhna O'Neill revealed that the correct procedures hadn't even been followed.
@oneill_cliodhna No, wasn't even a vote!
— LeinsterExpressSport (@Express_Sport) December 7, 2015
This is the GAA's Section 31 moment.
